Lela Nguyen

To put it plainly – Lela does outstanding work! Whether you’re looking for something natural or vintage glam, the girl is talented! I had searched Unilocal and Instagram for local hair/​makeup artists for a photo shoot I had coming up and I came across Lelas page. She was prompt when I emailed her initially, and when it came to actually meeting, I knew I picked the right artist. She was just lovely! I brought photos of looks I liked and we collaborated on a look that would work specifically for me. I really appreciated her attention to detail! I couldn’t have been happier with the finished look! Can’t wait to work with her again in the future. =)

Lela and her team were just wonderful. Everyone in the bridal party looked like a model. I never thought that hair and makeup could make such a huge difference, but I felt like a celebrity for a day! Lela was professional, punctual, and just all around perfect for my daughter’s wedding. I would highly recommend her to all!

If you are looking for a makeup artist, stop. Lela is LEGIT!
Her prices are competitive and she is based out of SF. I love supporting local artists and that is exactly what she is. A very talented artist!
I really like how Lela presents and carries herself. She is very professional and pleasant. Very well put together. This speaks volumes bc I would not have trusted anyone to do my makeup otherwise. Would you let someone color your hair if they had orange brassy hair themselves? No way!
I could tell that Lela is extremely passionate and enjoys what she does. She took the time to explain the process and to really share her knowledge. She was patient, easy to work with and receptive to all of my requests and modifications (I can be a handful sometimes =P).
I LOVED how my makeup turned out! Thanks, Lela. Your skills are superior!

I did my engagement photo shoot makeup with Lela and while it was a good experience and I think she did a wonderful job, I question her integrity and professionalism as a makeup artist.
I contacted her about a year out from my wedding date, did my engagement session soon after– and decided to book her for my wedding. We exchanged many emails about wedding day details and we reviewed the contract many times to make sure everything was correct and I put my deposit down.
A few days later, she emails me apologizing that there she made a «mix up» and she actually was not available on my wedding date anymore– she was already booked for another wedding for my time slot.
So I gave her almost a year notice of my wedding date, did my engagement session with her (which was certainly not cheap), and was in constant contact with her via email… isn’t it common courtesy for her to at least notify me if another bride was inquiring about my date? She never once mentioned to me that she had other interest in that date. Of course she refunded by deposit, but the whole situation was very shady. In fact, I am skeptical that she actually made a «mix up», but perhaps another job opportunity came up that she preferred to take. Either way, it was irresponsible and unprofessional of her.

I hired Lela to do my makeup for my wedding day 3 months ago and the whole experience was amazing. She is a great listener, super patient, professional, relaxing to be around, responsible, fair with her pricing, her studio is beautiful and she used sanitary makeup application methods.
I did 2 makeup and hair trials with her, she took her time during the trials to make sure I was satisfied. I wasn’t completely sure of what look I wanted so she tweaked my look with the info and pictures I provided for her.
The day of the wedding her assistant and her arrived on time, I was worried about her assistant not being as knowledgeable as her but that wasn’t a problem, she was great as well. We paid for 8 women total including all bridesmaids, my mom and myself, their work was beautiful and completed on time. Also, they were not rushing while working, they made the environment calm and relaxing on a day were emotions tend to run high.
My makeup and hair was just PERFECT the day of the wedding, it was exactly what I wanted. When she was done I looked in the mirror and I was so happy and relieved about it being one less thing to worry about.
Thank you so much Lela, you are so professional and I would recommend you to anyone looking for a makeup artist on such an important and special day :)

I came across Lela Nguyen while looking through the referrals of different makeup and hair artists my friends recommended for my own wedding in October. I checked her website and after a few sample photos, I knew I wanted her as my makeup artist. I immediately emailed her asking for availability.
I was so thrilled once I found out she was available for me on my wedding day…
Turns out she was the makeup artist for two different friends of mine just one week before and one week after my wedding. I was lucky that she was available during her busy schedule.
Lela is very professional. She brought along all her tools and gadgets in her humongous make up case. It’s definitely bigger than a carry-​on luggage. (It’s worth mentioning the size of the case because you will know it was heavy for her when you see her in person)
Choosing the perfect makeup can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Lela knows exactly what she is doing and understands exactly what I want by taking the time to ask me questions about my preference and what the wedding party was wearing. Making sure all the color will match to all my liking.
Not only was my hair and make-​up natural looking, it also lasted the entire day of outdoor photo shooting. All the products she used are trusted brand names and they did not cause any allergic reaction to my usually sensitive skin.
Even though I only booked her for the morning session, Lela took her own time to come to my hotel before the banquet reception for final touch ups, and I received many compliments on how good I look that night. Out of all the makeup artist I had considered, Lela was the only one that can handle using an airbrush and she was amazing at it.
I highly recommend Lela and know that she will make you as happy a bride as I was on my big day.

I went searching for a makeup and hair artist many months before my wedding to not only have the services for the wedding day, but also for my engagement photos. In my efforts to find a match, I contacted a few artists that never returned my calls. I went searching on Unilocal and I saw Lela’s reviews, amazing photos from previous clients, and fell in love with her artistry and wanted to work with her. After leaving a message, Lela gave me a call back quickly and before I knew it, less than a week later, she and I met and finalized the look I wanted for my wedding. Leading up to the wedding, I was able to easily schedule my hair and makeup at her cute studio for my engagement and I loved the end result. Lela and her team are not only professional, they know the current trends for weddings, are very personable, provide clear communication and guidance to prepare you for makeup and hair styling, and make you feel very special. Her airbrushing skill was so amazing, most people didn’t even think I was wearing makeup it looked so natural. She delivers what all of us want for our special day, to feel beautiful. I cannot thank her enough. I highly recommend Lela’s artistry and styling for weddings, special occasions, or for her expertise in makeup instruction.

Lela and her team are awesome. She’s very professional, punctual, and experienced. I thought I had given enough time to hair and makeup for myself, two mothers, and four bridesmaids; but Lela suggested starting an hour earlier. and she was right! things went very smoothly and she made me and my girls look beautiful.

Lela did my wedding makeup and it was absolutely amazing, I loved it! She’s very good at what she does and very friendly. Only reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is because she is really expensive (eg air brush is extra $ 20 instead of included for example), although really, the wedding makeup industry is overpriced in general. Also, in the beginning I had a lot of going back and forth via email trying to clarify the contract. My makeup wasn’t exactly the same as what we did during my trial (it was heavier day of), BUT fortunately it still turned out beautiful and I’m sure if I didn’t like it, Lela would’ve been happy to adjust. Overall, I’d recommend her, Lela knows her stuff!
PS She did an amazing job with my hair as well. There were a couple of adjustments during the process (she was always receptive to feedback), and in the end it was exactly how I wanted it to look!

After searching and contacting quite a few makeup artists, I’m so thankful I made the decision to hire Lela Nguyen based off of her web site, Unilocal reviews, and a few friends that had Lela do their makeup for their big day. I didn’t realize until later on that I have attended a handful of weddings where Lela was the makeup artist for the brides and bridal party. Her work and portfolio displays what a great makeup artist she is!
From my first trial and engagement session with her, I was impressed and confident that she no doubt was the perfect match for me. I don’t wear too much makeup on a daily basis, I didn’t want to look like a different person on my wedding day, and I wanted something natural but would stand out for photos. She took the effort to ensure that I was happy with everything (makeup/​hair), listened, she is gentle, and most importantly she delivered when all I did was show a few pictures of what I liked. She provided recommendations, suggestions, and was so easy to connect with, it felt like we already knew each other for a while from our initial meeting. After my engagement session, she took the time to check in to make sure everything was okay and gave me the option to come back if I needed a touch up. I also had another session with her to do a hair trial right before my wedding day, since she wanted to make sure I was 100% happy with everything.
On the big day, my entire bridal party and I loved the work her and her assistant did for us. I can’t even express how satisfied the entire bridal party was with their makeup and hair, which says a lot since we have all gotten our makeup professionally done at one point in our lives or another and there is always someone was not satisfied! Thank you Lela and team for making my bridesmaids and I the most beautiful we have ever felt! I highly recommend reaching out to Lela for your professional makeup needs!

I couldn’t be more pleased with how the engagement and bridal session turned out. Lela helped guide me through the process and was very supportive and accommodating. The wedding planning process was a bit of a stressful time, and it really helped to work with someone who was both professional and personable.
She and Ann gave me and the bridal party looks that were practically transformative and we all had a great time in the process. Lela is very professional in making sure that the looks are picture perfect (and persist into the evening). Definitely someone I would love to work with again.

Lela did my makeup and hair for my wedding. She is amazing! My makeup looked flawless! It lasted all day and did not run or smudge at all. When I did my trial my hair fell flat and I let her know, so on my wedding day she did something different and it stayed all day long. Personally, I think makeup is the one thing you shouldn’t skimp out on on your wedding day. It was worth every penny! Def recommend!!!

Professional, creative, and decisive. Lela remarkably accommodated a rushed bridesmaid makeup and hair request on very short notice. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to get my makeup done before early morning photos. Lela was booked for trials, but I was confident that she would do amazing work based on the Unilocal pics already available! I don’t normally have any makeup on, so I could use her expertise. I have a collection of organic makeup I dabble with but not on a daily basis. Her artistry is exactly what I needed with only 5 days left to the wedding!
Lela squeezed me into her schedule at 6:30 AM. Before getting there, she assessed my face by asking for a series of pics with me in heavy makeup and pics without. She explained the difference between foundation and airbrush options when I got there, and we were off to the races. I picked the airbrush option for its waterproof and flawless finish, as opposed its more versatile and skin-​specific counterpart of foundation.
When I opened my eyes, Lela created a work of art! I was in awe. Not only did she do a beautiful job, but she finished 45 mins early! I enjoyed Lela’s gentle and precise application. She didn’t tug and outline with a hard hand as the ladies at the Macy’s makeup counter had. When I got to the bride’s house she was still doing her makeup.
Everyone at the wedding, including the bride, said my hair and makeup worked really well on me. We took pics at the windy Baker Beach that morning, and 5 other outdoor niches at the Presidio. I was sure my hair would be in disarray before the evening reception, but my hair held up wonderfully! The bride’s hair needed re-​pinning at that point :| after the 12-​hr day, my hair was still in place! I was utterly impressed. The entire day was a windy outdoor event – including the dinner and dancing. Nothing was indoor. Hair still flawless… just like my makeup. Wow! For the first time, I feel secure having makeup on my face all day. Lela is truly a master in her craft.

I found Lela through Unilocal and had her do my wedding reception hair and make up — I was very happy with her services!
Lela did my bridal hair and makeup as well as my mother’s, while her assistants provided services for my mother-​in-​law and three bridesmaids. The team arrived on time at our hotel and brought all the necessary products with them.
I did a trial with Lela about a month prior to my wedding reception, and she was very receptive to my needs and wants. For example, we experimented with different shades of lipstick and eyeshadow until I had a «wow» moment and knew we had found the perfect shades for me!
My wedding reception day hair and make up turned out just the way I wanted. I opted to go for the airbrushing option, and was amazed that hair and makeup that was completed between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm still looked fresh when our reception ended at midnight! Even though I danced quite a bit and definitely got sweaty, my hair and makeup stayed put. I received many compliments on how good I looked and continued to look as the evening progressed!
I appreciated the fact that Leila gave me a lip pencil and lip gloss to touch up my lips during the evening (three months later, I still continue to use the little travel pack she gave me when I go to special events)!
My bridesmaids were also happy with their hair and makeup, and I thought they all looked gorgeous. Their makeup was very classy and elegant.
I also appreciated the fact that Lela honored my mom’s wishes and worked well with her, despite the fact my mom was a bit picky and sensitive (e.g. she didn’t want hair spray in her hair, and refused eye shadow and eyeliner as well).
The one drawback with Lela is that she requires payment in cash the day of the event, which I found inconvenient. I brought the cash payment with me, and then realized I had only built in a 15% gratuity, while the contract I had signed included an 18 or 20% gratuity (I can’t remember which). I ended up paying the amount I was short by check, but this was officially against Lela’s policy.
I would suggest that Lela allow for payment with credit card (via Square or another mobile payment device) or check on the day of the event. Withdrawing and carrying a large amount of cash the day of one’s wedding is inconvenient and potentially unsafe.
Aside from the payment policy, I was very happy with Lela’s bridal hair and make up services and highly recommend her!

Lela is my hero! My first hair/​makeup stylist had to cancel on me one month before my wedding day due to family affairs (which was understandable), but I was freaking out about finding another stylist so close to the wedding date. I immediately e-​mailed a bunch of stylists to see who could take me in on such short notice. & like a creeper, I had been eyeing Lela from the very beginning. I went to her website, found her phone #, & immediately called her that night (even if it was like 9 PM). From there, it was destiny…
At my trial with Lela, she listened to my issues (mainly my dry skin, how my hair doesn’t hold curls well, my cyclops-​shaped eyes, etc.), she gave me good tips, she paid alot of attention to details on what to do & not to do on the big day, she made me feel comfortable, & she was just suuuuper sweet, yet professional! & her pricing is very affordable! So, of course, I booked her right then & there!
On the day of, she showed up right on time (if not earlier) with her assistant. They got right to work, remained calm & professional despite our craziness, & did such an amazing job with all of us! I thought my bm’s would whine & complain about their hair/​makeup I had selected for them, but to my surprise, none of them complained & they all turned out beautifully! & I couldn’t be more thankful for MY hair/​makeup. Lela new I was concerned about my dry skin, but she also new to calculate the 100 degree weather we would be in. So she came up with the perfect combination for my skin. It was neither dry nor oily, & it held up perfectly the whole night. She fixed my uneven, cyclops eyes, my hair/​curls held up the whole night… it was just perfect.
Thank you so much Lela! ^^

Lela is super talented, sweet and professional. I had 2 previously disappointing trials before finding her. Before my trial I emailed Lela several pictures of what I wanted for my wedding day. She was really responsive and gave her honest opinions. During the trial she was very patient and listened to what I wanted. She perfectly achieved my look at the trial. My makeup was flawless and natural. My updo was gorgeous and looked better than the Pinterest picture.
I wished I had gone to Lela first and saved some money. I would highly recommend you book her soon for your wedding day. Thanks Lela!

I asked Lela to do my make-​up for my November 2014 wedding and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. My guests said I looked gorgeous, beautiful and stunning. I am not unfortunate looking, but to be called «stunning» was a big of a surprise, I know I have Lela to thank for that.
She’s the total package. She does hair and make-​up with the same great skill. She’s professional, punctual and very good at communicating her services and pricing.
I compared about 8 – 10 make-​up artists and found that she was the best value by far. Her skill level could easily allow her to charge more. I highly suggest booking a trail with her. The pictures here are great but they don’t do justice to how you look and feel once the trail is over. It’s a drop in the bucket for one of the most pictured days of your life.

I heart Lela. She did an amazing job on my make-​up and hair, not only for myself, but for my mom and my sister. I did extensive research on different makeup artists in the Bay Area, and Lela not only has great reviews for her talent and skills, but her pricing is actually lower than SF market rate, so you definitely get your money’s worth for both the trial and the whole sha-​bang on your big day. I had so many people compliment me on my makeup, as it was very subtle and very bride appropriate. I was concerned about the cakeyness from the powder, but she resolved that with airbrush, and she never overdid my makeup. I’m very pleased with the outcome of both my makeup and hair. I’m a bit obsessed with braids, from Katniss to Danerys, so she added braids in my hair, which was a very nice elegant touch. I would highly recommend Lela for all your wedding beauty needs (just face, not body! I don’t want to send any mix messages).

Lela did my makeup and hair for my wedding on Jan 2013.
I am so glad I hired her. My husband hates makeup and wishes that I wouldn’t wear any. But he told me I was so beautiful, so I was SOLD!
I would describe her style has «Clean», and «Fresh». I definitely didn’t want the smokey eye. You don’t look and feel like you’re wearing «makeup» and the pictures came out really amazing and natural looking. The makeup lasts through the day and night and it doesn’t run even after the day was through.
I did two consultations with her. The first for Hair and Makeup and the Second for just Hair because I changed my mind about my hair. The first consultation costs $ 100 and the other was $ 50 since it just was hair. From what I remember, she told me her prices went up so these numbers may not be the same. I even changed my mind about the front of the hairstyle two weeks before the wedding and with only just a picture to show her, she executed it so perfectly on the day of.
My only complaint: I also asked her to have her assistant do the makeup of my maid of honor and my mom. The only complaint I have is that she forgot that I paid extra to have «air-​brush» makeup on my mom and my maid-​of honor. So, my mom had to remind her. I didn’t mention that my maid of honor needed air brushing too because I was occupied with other things. But I wish I had my contract to remind her assistant.
Additionally, I didn’t particularly like the way her assistant did the makeup on them — I suggest you ask her for sample pictures of her assistant’s work so that you know what you’re paying for.
Anyway, I don’t hold this against Lela. She, herself, does AMAZING work.
Make sure you give time to find parking because her studio is located on a busy street.

Lela was absolutely awesome to work with! I did a bridal hair and makeup trial with her and I hired her to do my day-​of bridal hair and makeup as well.
The trial went well. Lela listened to my thought process and what I was interested in. We tried a few different hairstyles, and she did my makeup in stages so we could adjust and build as we went. I left her studio with a better idea of my options, and since we did my trial in the morning I could see how the makeup with last and wear throughout the day.
For my wedding day hair and makeup, it was as close to perfect as you can get. For my hair, I asked her to put more volume into my crown. When she was done, I was actually a little worried that it was too much volume and that it would look kind of weird and showy. She reassured me that it would photo well, and that it’s better to keep the volume since it’ll deflate throughout the day. Boy am I glad I listened to her — my hair with the extra volume in the crown did photo beautifully! And in looking at the wedding photos throughout the day until nighttime, I was able to tell that it was starting to deflate but not to the extent of flatness since we had started off bigger. Lela definitely knows her stuff so if you’re feeling uncomfortable about something, talk to her about it but know that you can trust her suggestions.
As far as my wedding day makeup, I had full on waterworks going right before I walked down the aisle. I totally lost it right before the doors opened, and I was so sure that my makeup was totally destroyed from how much I cried. Guess what — it remained PERFECT. IT WAS MAGIC. My cheeks didn’t have streaks running down, and somehow my eye makeup remained intact — no smudging of liner/​shadow/​mascara at all! I really don’t know how it could have stayed so perfect from how much crying I did, but it weathered the storm for sure.
Overall, Lela was great to work with, very professional, patient and sweet, and very good at what she does. She is absolutely worth considering for your wedding (or special occasion) hair and makeup.