Makeup in Walnut Creek

“We had a great experience with Abhilasha's bridal and groom hair-and-makeup services for our sangeet, ceremony, and reception. Each of the looks she crafted for the bride were unique and top-notch, and the styling she provided to the groom made him look his best during each event. She also did a wonderful job with bridal saree draping and jewelry setting. If you are looking for a high-end hair-and-makeup artist that brings out natural beauty and creates looks that work well with your outfits, then you should definitely go with Abhilasha for your wedding. One of the first things that stood out to us when meeting with hair-and-makeup artists during the early stages of wedding planning was the fact that Abhilasha had a ton of experience with South Indian brides, which is not the case for many artists. Her Instagram also features a wide variety of looks, complexions, and face types that showcases the strength of her artistry and skills. Based on this portfolio of work and the fact that her pricing was fair (i.e., comparable to other leading hair-and-makeup artists in the Bay Area), we felt comfortable that Abhilasha was the right artist for our South Indian wedding. In advance of the wedding weekend, we exchanged stylistic ideas with Abhilasha to ensure that we were aligned on what types of looks we wanted to achieve. During the hair and makeup trial, we tried a look for our sangeet that didn't quite work. Over the next few days, we discussed different options, and she ultimately helped select a look that turned out great for the sangeet. We really appreciated that Abhilasha listened to our feedback and worked with us to arrive at great looks for the different events. Additionally, Abhilasha provided us with great feedback on the jewelry that we were considering for the ceremony. For example, she noticed an inconsistency in style between two elements of the bride's ceremony outfit. Because she flagged this about a month in advance of the wedding, it gave us enough time to find a better alternative. Based on our experience, we highly recommend scheduling a bridal trial if you want to test out a unique look so that you avoid any surprises on wedding day. We were very happy we did this as it made us feel more comfortable entering the wedding weekend. During the wedding weekend, Abhilasha was on-time, organized, and professional. She told us to block off 2.5-3 hours for each hair-and-makeup session, which was an accurate estimate. She paid very close attention to detail and made sure that every look was as close to perfection as could be. She also was thoughtful - she made sure there was not too much commotion in the bridal suite during the pre-reception hair-and-makeup session, which allowed the bride to take a nap while getting her hair done. Abhilasha is a fun, sassy, and honest person, which means you will not be bored during your hair and makeup sessions. Abhilasha also did the groom's makeup for each of the events (it took about 10-15 minutes per event). While some people may not think this is necessary, we found that her makeup made sure the groom looked his best during the wedding photoshoots. Ultimately, if you are planning an Indian wedding in the Bay Area or Napa and want an elevated look for your bridal and groom hair-and-makeup, then you should strongly consider Abhilasha. Her work is top-notch and you will walk away feeling extremely satisfied with your looks for your wedding events.“

“Nora is the best colorist hands down! I travelled 3 hours roundtrip, for six months to continue seeing her once I moved to Elk Grove. Her haircuts are always on point and she is one of the most sweetest and kindest people you will ever meet. I've stayed with her for over 6 years and I wish I could clone her so I wouldn't have to drive so far. My daughter (who is now 6) would always ask to go see Nora because that is how warm and welcoming she is. Don't let her age fool you, as her natural talent with scissors and coloring is outstanding. Her mentor, Amy, is also a master colorist and a thoughtful, client-centered business woman. She cares for her clients and always has snacks for everyone and offers high end haircare lines that I can't find anywhere else! Going from black hair to looking like a "natural" blond and every color in between, takes skilled hands and an eye for artistry. I can't say enough of how amazing the salon and Nora are. I would continue to drive 3 hours to see Nora if it weren't for the fact that I work full time and have two kiddos now doing sports on the weekends. Walnut Creek has no idea what an amazing salon and talent they have just off of Mt. Diablo blvd!“

“Glamour! Seriously, come here and buy the most glamorous cosmetics. I found a lip gloss shade I have been wanting since my teens. I always loved and wanted black gloss. The closest I could come to it was at Party City! It was not cute... but this is. Parking was easy for downtown Walnut Creek! Get your foundations et cetera here, too!“

“I worked with Kayli for my wedding updo. We didn't even have a trial run. She did an amazing job, and I was so happy. The hair lasted the entire wedding and reception. Thank you Kayli!! She's also really kind and fun to talk to.“

“I have curly hair and was a strong believer in the Ouidad method of curly haircuts that I had gotten in the past starting over 20 years ago in their NY salon. Those cuts transformed my curls from a frizzy mess to one of soft, shapely curls. When one of the first Ouidad certified hair stylists opened up shop in No. CA I was ecstatic. The cuts were good but not as good the ones I had gotten in the past. Over time, more CA stylists got certified in Ouidad cuts, but they all seemed to move away from the traditional Ouidad "carve and slice" method to modify to their own hybrid way of doing curly cuts. After a while, I stopped letting my hair go curly and have been straightening it for years. I wanted to have the choice to go curly or straight, so last year I went to another stylist who is very popular with people with curly hair and was Ouidad trained. I asked in advance if she used the carve and slice method, but she said she incorporates some of that but also has modified it to her own way of cutting. I thought it was a better cut for my curls than I had gotten from regular stylists, but it wasn't nearly as good as a Ouidad cut for releasing my curls. It was also very expensive. I ended up rarely wearing my hair curly again. Recently, I have been wanting to try going curly again. I found Salon Cartier mentioned as having Ouidad trained stylists in some Nextdoor posts and called them to inquire. Robert, one of the owners, took the time to talk to me about his method and told me that while he does not do a 100% carve and slice method, he described his process and it sounded like he knew what he was doing. I was lucky that he had a cancellation that day, so I booked the appointment. Robert talked to me about my hair, color, texture and products. It was clear he knew what he was doing. While it wasn't a true Ouidad cut, I am very happy with the results. I was able to get similar results as in the salon the next time I did my hair. I thought his price was fair and am loving the bounce that is back in my curls. I will definitely go back for another cut and recommend him to anyone who is struggling with their curls.“

“Christina R. did an amazing job with my hair and makeup! She listened to what I wanted and executed it with perfection! Great customer service!“