Kelly Zhang Makeup & Hair Studio

Rachel Wei did my hair and makeup for my engagement. She was professional, experienced, and gave great advice! Rachel encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone while still giving me the look I wanted. On top of all this, she took a last minute appointment for my sister in law the day before and one for my sister the day of! Rachel’s calmness and flexibility truly made everyone feel their best for the event.

Our wedding planner referred me to Kelly Zhang studio to do my makeup, and it was really great advice. I worked with Ashley Winfield, a wonderful makeup artist who was patient, friendly and a very skilled professional. I went to the Pasadena studio for a test makeup, and then Ashley came to my home the day of the wedding.
Ashley made me look great, and I got so many compliments! Even better, the makeup (even false eyelashes) held up beautifully throughout a very long day. Ashley gave me a touch-​up kit, but the only thing I had to refresh was my lipstick. It was a pleasure to work with her, and I recommend her highly.

I booked Kelly Zhang recently for a wedding that I was in. Overall, great experience!
Communication and booking: This process was great. Their coordinator contacted me right away and followed up quickly. I appreciated the email confirmation of all the details. I like that she helped problem solve since my daughter was to have her hair done as well so she suggested a blowout/​style at the same time as me (done at Studio K Designory — same place but it’s their hair salon business so I’ll my daughter’s hair review there). She also had activities all ready for my daughter so she wouldn’t be bored (and unruly) while I was still getting done. Great customer service!
Hair: I was SO impressed with what my stylist was able to do with my hair. I asked for a low side bun with some curls/​texture. I didn’t think it was even possible because my hair is incredibly thin and straight. But, she really delivered! My only issue was that the style started falling a bit a few hours later. Not a big deal for me as I had bobby pins on hand. Plus, it was somewhat of a textured/​messy look so it was fine and I wasn’t the bride (a bride may have issues though?). Even my (super-​picky) mother raved about the hairdo.
Make-​up: Overall, I liked the look. MUA was really able to make my eyes (especially with 2 layers of falsies!) and cheekbones pop. My eyes freaked out my daughter a bit and my MUA was kind enough to tone it down. My daughter finally got used to the look so in the end she liked it.
I would have liked for my eye make-​up to stay on better (I get really oily) and for the foundation application to have been smoother (maybe I need to do airbrush next time to get the flawless look?). The foundation color looked great in normal light but in certain light, especially with flash, there was a lot of flashback and I looked a bit ghostly.
But, as I said, I was really happy overall and got a lot of compliments at the wedding.

When it comes to feeling and looking like a princess on your wedding day, Kelly Zhang and her team (like fairy godmothers) will work their magic to make your bridal dreams a reality. Not only is Kelly an sweet and vivacious individual, but her work definitely speaks for itself: soft, romantic, and regal perfection.
During my wedding, Kelly and her team of 3 (Rachel, Cream, & Claudia) completed the hair and makeup for myself, six bridesmaids, my mom, and my mother-​in-​law. Requests for hair and makeup were carefully taken into consideration and each lady looked stunning. Throughout the duration of my wedding, my makeup stayed perfect from 1:30 — 10:30PM.
Kelly and her team have perfected the art of making your natural beauty shine. For your wedding beauty needs, look no further than Kelly Zhang and her team!

Jennifer T. did my makeup trial (which we used for our engagement photos) and then my wedding day on Sept. 5, 2015. She was AWESOME. I got so many compliments on my hair and makeup, I felt great, and I loved working with her. She’s so much fun, will make you relaxed and comfortable on a nerve-​wracking day, and is just so good at what she does. From the reviews, it seems like everyone here is well-​trained and super professional. I can say that my experience definitely lived up to the quality of service noted by other Unilocalers, and I can wholly recommend Jennifer T. in particular.

If you’re looking for professional makeup & hair services with an easy booking process, expert advice, friendly/​personable staff, & highly trained/​quick-​thinking/​creative artists who use quality products, then look no further than Kelly Zhang Studios.
My original MUA from another company bailed on me (HORRIBLE news for a bride-​to-​be) so in my search for a replacement, I made a huge/​detailed spreadsheet to help me figure out who was the best value for all the services I’d need to book (as any true planner/​smart shopper would). A friend suggested I look into Kelly Zhang Studios. Although they weren’t the cheapest, I really liked their work (as seen on their website & Pinterest pages) & Kelly’s responsiveness to all the questions I emailed her.
I shared my Pinterest boards with her so she could get a sense of the look I wanted. They checked their schedules to suggest artists that were available for my date & that had expertise in the particular style I wanted. I checked out the artists’ portfolios thereafter & agreed with her picks. In the end, I chose to go with Jennifer Thai & booked a trial session with her.
Jennifer was attentive & knowledgeable. I had a lot of beauty questions on the side that she answered as well. I asked for 2 looks — an updo & a half-​up/​half-​down do. I was so in love with BOTH of my looks from my trial session that I booked her for my wedding on the spot. After the session, Maria followed up promptly with my ‘Before & After’ photos & to see how the makeup/​hair held up for the remainder of the day.
The booking process was easy & hassle-​free! They didn’t try hard to upsell me (like other vendors do) BUT, just a tip, if you book 6+ services, they will assign an assisting artist to help you stay on schedule. It was a no-​brainer for me & I highly suggest booking 6+ services with them. Services I booked — bridal makeup + hair, makeup for 3 bridesmaids, & makeup for 2 mothers.
Jennifer Thai & her assisting artist, Veronica, arrived at my hotel 30 mins early to set-​up. We started at 8:30am & finished at 1pm. We were slated to finish at 12:30 pm but I ordered last min tattoo coverage for 1 of my girls on the day-​of. Overall, everything finished in a timely fashion. Jennifer mimicked my look from the trial PERFECTLY. I had a few dark spots from old zits that were healing but she covered them up & my skin looked FLAWLESS. She made me a GLOWING, BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!
Jennifer gave me touch-​up kit with all the powders labeled for ease, which I appreciated. Honestly, I only needed to touch up my face once & my lips twice. My look lasted til the end of the night (10pm). My mom LOVED my look & she hates when I wear any makeup at all. She said it looked light & natural. All of my friends & family were singing their praises for Jennifer’s work as well. I highly recommend their services to ANYONE (not just brides). So hurry, BOOK THEM NOW! You won’t regret it!
Also, bonus tip! I follow KZ Studios on IG &I know that they now have a full-​service hair salon. I will surely be considering them for a cut/​color the next time I need a refresh on my ‘do. :)

I will recommend hair and makeup done by Denise! My make up was done around 12 pm and lasted all the way through 8 pm after many happy tears from my wedding day! Everyone complimented my makeup and hair! Denise was great about confirming that I was satisfied all the way through the process. She is very personable and humble. Ask for Denise when booking your appointment!

If you are looking to book a hair and makeup artist for your wedding, then I was highly recommend looking into Kelly Zhang’s studio. The service throughout the whole process was on point. My questions and requests were always addressed in a very timely manner. I am extremely picky when it came to my hair and makeup and went through 3 trials before I was settled on the makeup artist that i wanted to choose. I was going to settle with the first makeup artist I worked with but I wasn’t exactly loving the style of her work for me. I really didn’t want to settle but also didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or go with a look that wasn’t really me, so I was really glad I tried other senior artists at Kelly Zhang because that’s how I ended up with the look I really wanted. I ended up picking Rachel and was so happy I did. The makeup and style she was able to execute for me was exactly what I was looking for – a very conservative and natural look, and I was really happy with the outcome.
Everyone from the Kelly Zhang team was really patient, kind and very accommodating. I had some changes to my wedding day schedule and I had requested some time changes a couple weeks in advance and they were able to easily go along with my timeline. The day of, I got a lot of feedback from my bridesmaids and they were really happy with their hair and makeup as well, they all looked stunning. The team was really nice and professional and really do great work. I really recommend Kelly Zhang and her team, for any bridal or special events services!

I have nothing but fantastic comments about the wonderful hair and makeup artists that came to my home to style my female guests for my Edwardian Ball!
They had obviously studied the hair of the time period and were fearless in their Edwardian interpretations.
Not only did they execute the hairdos perfectly, they had great attitudes and were tireless even though it seemed that the stream of ladies coming through the door would never end!
My daughters and I had our makeup done as well. We all looked great — not strange, not unlike ourselves, just darn pretty! Great job ladies!
I have nothing but glowing comments for this team.
I would absolutely recommend Kelly Zhang Makeup & Hair Studio!

Rachel and veronica were awesome! Very skilled, patient, conversely! I wouldn’t have changed a thing! They went above and beyond and helped us with our floral head wreaths. They put every detail and our desires into action.
My mom and the bridesmaids all raved about their makeup and hair! Thank you for making us so beautiful and our day so special!!!

I was in a wedding that used Kelly Zhang back in 2013 and loved their work so much that I had to book them when it was my turn! Jennifer did my hair and makeup and I love love loved it! Yuzu assisted that day and this team was amazing. I had three bridesmaids and my mom and sister-​in-​law also joined in on the fun. Jennifer and Yuzu keep us on time and were just incredible. I felt amazing and went through the day on Cloud 9. I have become personal friends with these two and Yuzu now also cuts and styles my hair :) You can’t go wrong with the Kelly Zhang studio. We were 6 very satisfied women which is definitely not always the case!

I don’t even know where to begin about how awesome I felt and looked. I was privileged to have Kelly as my wedding day artist. I had gone to someone else for my engagement photos and was blown away by Kelly’s test session for my wedding.
I was so nervous because I rarely wear make up, but she made me look natural but radiant and refined. I had so many compliments about having flawless make up which lasted through the whole day of 86 degree with 60% humidity weather, tears, and outfit changes. I did not need one touch up, not even lipstick (and I am notorious for not being able to keep lipstick on.) Photos came out flawless the whole night. No cakey make up. Even my husband liked my make up so much he couldn’t smash cake into my face (and we are totally that type of couple.)
People even asked if I got hair extensions because my hair looked so full. I can’t thank Kelly enough for the fantastic job.

My wedding coordinator recommended Kelly Zhang Studio to me. I don’t think I would’ve had anyone else do my makeup and hair on my wedding day.
Sarah was amazing. She was extremely professional and personable. She did my engagement shoot makeup and hair. I was so pleased with her expertise and end result that I wanted her to do my hair and makeup for my wedding as well. I had two ceremonies in one day. On top of that it rained the whole day. The hair and makeup Sarah did flawlessly transitioned from one wedding to another and then to reception. Not only did she make me feel beautiful on both days, I didn’t even feel an ounce on makeup irritating my skin or any hair out of its place.
She knew what I wanted and delivered more than I ever expected. I, also, receive a touch up kit and Kelly mailed me a nice wedding gift as well.
On my next big occasion, I would have Sarah do my makeup in a heartbeat!
Thanks Sarah and Kelly!

Dear Kelly,
Thank you for running such a wonderful company. I was so very please with both of my visits to the studio for my hair trial. Alexis is a very professional and knowledgeable stylist. My hair is very thick and long, making it almost impossible for most people to work with it but Alexis styled it with such ease and beauty. My updo was sturdy for my entire wedding day, and let me tell you, I danced my behind off.
During the getting ready process our hotel room was very chaotic (11 bridesmaids and one cranky flower girl) but Alexis and Amy were very calm and collected. They were able to crank hair styles out like nothing. They were a joy to work with and I would recommend them to anyone– I would recommend Kelly Zhang to anyone. (Kelly is awesome, she offered hair and skin care advice when I was in the studio and I wasn’t even her direct client!)
Now, I don’t plan on ever getting married ever again but if I for some reason did I will definitely look you ladies up. haha. Thank for you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you Alexis for doing the impossible and making my hair gorgeous for my wedding day!!! You’re the bomb, girl!
Love, the happy newlywed!

My wedding planner referred me to Kelly Zhang Studio, and I’m so glad she did. Mieko did my hair and makeup for my wedding, and I couldn’t have been happier! She is a sweet and amazingly talented artist who flawlessly transformed me into a more beautiful yet still natural version of myself. Mieko offered advice and guidance on my beauty regimen and recommended hair extensions and how to care for them.
On the wedding morning, she and her assistant showed up on time and ready to work on my bridesmaids and mothers. She prepared a little touch up kit for me for the rest of the wedding day, which turned out to be unnecessary because my hair and makeup pretty much stayed flawless throughout the evening despite a windy outdoor ceremony and bopping around on the dance floor. After the wedding, she texted me personally to ask how everything went. Again, couldn’t be happier with my decision to book my wedding hair & makeup through Kelly Zhang Studio!

I wanted to book Kelly Zhang for my hair and make up even before we set a date for our wedding. That’s just how important she is! I’m a regular at Studio K in Pasadena (hi Alexa!) so it just made sense that they would join our dream team of vendors. The ultimate professionals, Kelly and her team showed up early with coffee in hand and made sure that everyone in our bridal party felt as glamorous as I did. Beauty does not come cheap, but Kelly is worth every penny.

I booked Jenny and an assistant for my wedding hair and makeup. We had 2 bridesmaids and my mom who also needed hair and makeup. Total time was about 4.5 hours. The ladies did touch ups right up until 10 minutes before we had to leave! Amazing experience with them!
My bridesmaids were not regular makeup and updo type girls, but they looked amazing thanks to the wonderful work of Jenny and Cream. One bridesmaid just told Jenny to do what she thought would look good for the updo, and it turned out looking better than I could have imagined. Really soft and fluid side updo. She got a lot of compliments that evening. Jenny also did a wonderful job allocating tasks between herself and Cream and keeping track of the time. Somehow, she timed the touchups to be done exactly 10 minutes before the cars arrived to go to our venue. They were very very busy the entire time! I was so impressed by their work ethic and dedication and would recommend them to anyone else who needs hair and makeup services. They were also both very personable and sociable. We really enjoyed our time with them!
With regards to ease of booking, it was easy enough to book since we had done the trial over 6 months ago. I did have to take the initiative to follow up with regards to the remaining balance and confirmation of services when the date got closer, but the studio was very responsive the whole time.

TEN STARS FOR KELLY ZHANG!!: First, I wanted to say that Kelly Zhang is the absolute BEST! In addition to her glowing reviews on Unilocal,I wanted to add that Kelly is an unparalleled expert in the makeup and hairstyle industry, and she has the loveliest personality! Kelly runs a professional business and takes care of you every step of the way, including a thorough feedback and review process so adjustment can be made to your desire. Kelly, who is gorgeous inside and out, has a commanding presence and understanding about makeup and hair, and knows the best techniques, products and styles to enhance each person’s natural beauty.
Also, Kelly is super approachable, friendly, generous, extremely sweet and sooo calm about everything. I trust her completely with the look and style of my makeup and hair (and believe me, I’ve had a broad range of experience with several makeup artists in Southern and Northern California, and I was not going to run that same risk on the day of my wedding). Kelly is one of the BEST decisions I made in my wedding planning process, and I highly recommend her to every bride, including Asian brides.
BACKGROUND: In the wedding planning process, couples are faced with countless options and resources at their fingertips– Pinterest, Unilocal,bridal magazines and books, checklists, and the detailed advice of other couples. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by all the different possibilities.
However, if there’s one thing you can be absolutely certain about, it is the hair and makeup stylist if you go with Kelly Zhang Studios.
Plus, Kelly has assembled a stellar team of artists who can do everything from styling to hair cutting, and if you go with Kelly, you will be very satisfied.
After following the wedding industry in California for a while and being a bridesmaid in several weddings, I was able to experience the work of many makeup and hairstyle professionals, and I knew that Kelly Zhang was unsurpassed in the makeup /​hair style industry. I’ve seen a few friends choose «less expensive» options, only to see their makeup come out looking like they had applied the makeup on themselves (e.g., not very bridal or special, and lots of touch-​up required). Kelly will give you the look and beauty you want for your special day, whether it’s bridal, anniversary, special occasion, red carpet or every day.
EXPERIENCE: When I first met Kelly, I adored her personality. She’s so friendly and chill about everything. She has a baby girl (who is adorable!), and she’s so easy to talk to and I loved getting to know Kelly. She laughs a lot, and when she applies blush and lipstick, she always says, «Smile!!» :) So cute :)
I first went to Kelly’s studio in Pasadena for a hair/​makeup trial, and Kelly spent two + hours creating my bridal look and giving me tips and advice to get my skin in top condition by the time my wedding came around. She also transformed my bridal look into two looks for my engagement photoshoot, which was so kind of her. I didn’t have to do any touch-​up to my makeup during our 5−6-hour engagement session, and I immediately received an email from Maria asking about my feedback and anything I wanted to improve from my trial look.
On the day of my wedding, Kelly came bright and early and gave me a gorgeous look. She was sooo sweet, and when the photographers came, she helped adjust my robe, hair and makeup so I was perfect for my «getting ready» pictures. She was so calm throughout the morning that I was surprised at how hectic it suddenly got when the photographers and videographers arrived at Terranea. I thought the time I had with Kelly was like being at a spa, haha– so relaxing, calm and fun. All of a sudden, it was game time :)
The only touch up I had to do was lipgloss and color throughout the wedding day. I didn’t really have to powder my face (I don’t think I did at all)– I just did face blotting tissues with the help of my best girl– Jennifer J. (also on Unilocal and a Unilocal Elite).
Book with Kelly! She’s so awesome and an authority on makeup and hair. She was also trained on makeup and styling and I think she’s an authority figure in the makeup industry. Plus, she works with Asian features so well. When I told her I was crying because everyone was getting sentimental, she said, «No problem!» and made my eyes look huge and not puffy at all. When I said that other makeup artists had problems with giving me a certain look I wanted, she said, «No problem! I got you.» and then she just worked her magic and I was all set and happy!
Kelly is the BEST! :)

We had our wedding on 3÷28÷15 in Tustin. I had my preview in the summer of last year, with Linda. Communication with the studio was easy, prompt, and professional. After my preview, I of course took a million selfies (ha!). As the wedding was approaching, I re-​looked at the photos and completely changed my mind on how I wanted my makeup and hair done. Fortunately, everyone took it in stride and my makeup and hair was PERFECT for the day of the wedding.
Linda (senior stylist), Claudia, and Kala (2 assistants to do styling for my mom and 5 bridal party members) arrived on time at our hotel. They were all sweet and awesome at what they do. They have a ton of patience, especially dealing with my mom, who was pretty much more of a bridezilla than I was! As the story goes, most bridal parties run late (an hour or more sometimes). We had a tight schedule, and did end up behind by less than 30 mins. Luckily we were able to change our transportation schedule, so it still turned out just fine.
In the end, my mom was the ultimate transformation (she never takes care of her skin, her hair is a mess, etc.). As well, my bridesmaids and I all loved our looks.
¹⁰⁄₁₀ would work with them again for any event makeup/​styling!

I got my hair and makeup done by Senior Stylist Jennifer for my wedding and was very pleased! She did an excellent job. I enjoyed working with her deciding on my hair and makeup; she was very accommodating and willing to work with my ideas and my hair jewelry. I sought her advice about my hair and the jewelry and really appreciated her feedback.
I also appreciated having a trial run months before the wedding so that I could meet Jennifer and we could really decide what I wanted for the big day.
The whole Kelly Zhang experience was great. Every staff member was very friendly and professional. I highly recommend Kelly Zhang!