If you're on the hunt for the world's best hair + vibes human, stop now and book Dez. I don't even know where to start. Because yes, my hair was flawless and I felt SO beautiful (she nailed my vision, it lasted through heat, wind, sweat, dancing, hugging, all of it), but that's not even the part that makes me scream her praises from the rooftops. It was the energy she brought to my wedding morning. I was nervous, overstimulated, and kind of freaking out- the day just felt so BIG, I wanted to make it feel less big (didn't even put on my wedding day getting ready outfit cuz it felt like too much production and wanted to just chill in my sweatshirt lol), and Dez just floated in like this calming, grounding, magical presence. She made me feel like the "non-bridal cool chill bride" I wanted to be, and it felt SO right. Everyone -- my mom, my sister, my friends -- were obsessed with her. Like we all raved about her for days. And here's the extra awesome part... I hired her without even doing a trial (after firing my first HMUA), which felt risky but I felt like I could trust she would do a great job without the trial just based off her vibes in email. But I couldn't have any clue how WELL I picked until that morning she showed up. Dez was just instantly that person you trust, who makes you feel safe and amazing, and who also happens to make your hair look better than it ever has in your life. She even came with a little emergency kit (lifesaver!!), which my makeup artist was supposed to do for me and totally forgot about because she was leaving in a hurry. It's just who she is -- thoughtful, prepared, next-level professional but also the chillest person in the room. Also, if I hadn't already booked a new makeup artist I absolutely would have done makeup with her too!! We loved her so much that my mom immediately booked her to do her and her friend's hair and makeup for the Emmy's this weekend (!!) because obviously she's now our go-to for any LA/OC glam moment. TBH if you're reading this just book her. She's the one. read more

Dez Penaloza - Makeup Artists Near Me

Desi has a great eye, is super skilled and exactly what you want in a wedding HMU artist: a pleasure to be around. She was flexible since i wanted to do my own makeup- she did my hair and both HMU for my mom and mil. We all looked stunning. My parents could not stop talking about what a delight she is! Hire her! read more

Hiring Dez was the single biggest regret I had about my wedding. My experience was completely different from the reviews that convinced me to book her. From the multitude of things I wish Dez had handled better, the biggest disappointments were: 1: She did not read my answers to the questionnaire she requested I fill out, nor did she look at the reference photos I sent her ahead of the trial, which ended up making the trial somewhat of a waste. It was upsetting and stressful to have to communicate changes so close to the wedding for things that I had spent so much time clearly communicating in advance. 2: I was MORTIFIED to see that the makeup photographed extremely poorly, making my face and some of my neck look washed out and completely different in shade from the rest of my body. It even looks completely white in some of the photos. There's no way it can be a photographer issue, as this is evident throughout our wedding photos and video taken by professionals, along with candid photos taken by guests. It's in both digital and film photos taken with digital SLR and film cameras, simple point and shoot film cameras, Instax/Polaroid cameras, and phones, both with and without flash. My SILs and MIL all had their makeup done by a different MUA and there were not any problems with their makeup photographing poorly. Because of everything I've mentioned, I think it's pretty clear that Dez used a product that was not suitable for photography, resulting in what's known as "flashback". Usually the culprit is setting powder, but I know of at least 2 brands that don't cause this issue, as I test drove them in preparation for my wedding before deciding to book a MUA. In addition to the product causing flashback, I'm almost certain that the shade she used for my skintone was too light. My face looked extremely pale in several of the photos without flash, along with our wedding video taken in natural light. I think she might have used my MOH's shade on me, whose makeup she did first, as she has a fairer complexion and Dez seemed to have gotten my shade correct at the trial. Honorable mention: Dez felt the need to post a photo with a passive-aggressive caption of our Airbnb stairs (her "work commute") to her IG stories, despite the fact that my husband took time out from getting ready for his OWN wedding to help Dez carry her things up and down. I'd warned her in advance when I found out the stairs would be difficult, and she said that she would pack light. Dez issued me a partial refund (a whopping $350) and apologized for forgetting to look at the pictures and questionnaire I sent her ahead of the trial, but took absolutely zero accountability for the way the makeup photographed, saying she wished I'd told her to fix it then and that none of her other clients have had this problem. It should be a bare minimum expectation to assume that a nearly $1.5k wedding MUA will match my skintone correctly and use products that don't cause flashback. Dez ran a bit late finishing, and things were running behind in general; we were all really stressed and rushed getting to the venue. In the time I did have, I was looking for all of the changes I had to request post-trial due to Dez not looking at any of my notes or pictures ahead of time. I shouldn't even have to defend myself, though. There's no reason for someone charging these rates to make those kinds of mistakes and then try to put the blame on the client. Dez's complete lack of empathy and self-awareness was pretty appalling. If a client were to tell me I made them feel this way, I would be mortified to have tainted their special day. We are now having to hire a photographer to attempt some wedding portrait do-overs, but sadly, a wedding day can never be recreated. I thought it would feel amazing to splurge on a talented MUA to do my hair and makeup and save myself the stress of doing it myself. When all was said and done, I feel like I just paid someone an exorbitant amount of money to ruin my wedding photos and make me feel unimportant, extremely stressed, and gaslit. read more

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Dez and her team are amazing! She made me feel so beautiful on my wedding day. She totally got my vision from day one and did an incredible job bringing it to life. She did a stellar job styling me and my sister's curly hair. Anyone with curly hair knows who tough it can be to find someone who knows how to work with your hair! Dez did such a great job making my curls pop - it was like my dream good hair day come to life! She totally gets how to make you feel like yourself- but like the coolest, prettiest version. She is super professional, easy to work with, and had great rapport with my whole family. 10/10! read more

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I am SO happy I found Dez for my wedding day and couldn't have asked for a better experience! Wedding planning was so overwhelming, but Dez made the hair and makeup aspects so so easy and enjoyable. She was so fun to work with, very understanding, and her work made me feel so beautiful! I had to add on a few services last minute for some family, and Dez made it happen without any issue! 10 out of 10 hair and makeup and Dez being an awesome human just made everything perfect. Highly recommend, you won't regret working with her! read more

It was an absolute joy and a privilege to have Dez work on my hair and makeup for my wedding day! She got my style right away and was immediately 100% on board with what i wanted, which was a colorful, 60s retro inspired look. She knocked it out of the park for my trial and somehow even exceeded my expectations on my actual wedding day - I can honestly say I've never felt more beautiful or more confident! She has such a sweet and calming personality that immediately put me at ease during a stressful, nerve wracking day. She's also super adaptable - a few people in my party weren't very specific about how they wanted their hair & makeup to look, but that wasn't a problem for Dez. She really worked her magic and made everyone look and feel gorgeous. And my hair & makeup lasted beautifully throughout the night. Dez and her partner also worked really well with my sister, who is non-verbal due to a developmental disability. Their sensitivity and kindness to my sister while they also dolled her up for my wedding really meant the world to me. I could not recommend Dez and her team enough!! read more

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I friend of mine referred me to Desiree Penaloza for my bridal make up. She had shown me photos of her work and I was impressed so I called her. Desiree met with me a few months prior to my summer wedding for a trial to see how I wanted to look for the big day. I provided her pictures of the look I was going for and she nailed it. I had never felt more beautiful! She was able to highlight my natural beauty without making me feel like I had too much on my face. I got home from the trial and my fiancé noticed right away how pretty I looked. It was such a relief during that crazy time that I had found her! YAAAAAY! Not only did she use quality products, she airbrushed my foundation on which was SO cool. My complexion looked flawless. That first day I left it all on for almost 8 hours just to test the longevity- and it passed the test! I really only needed to touch up my lips! On the day of my wedding Desiree was a calm oasis in the storm of craziness. She had great music to put myself and my bridesmaids in the mood to celebrate. She was super professional and patient and I had the utmost confidence in her work. My overall experience with Desiree is 5 stars. I highly recommend you book her for whatever your occasion may be. She is a gem! Thank you Desiree for making this bride feel her best- I'm so thankful you were part of my big day! read more

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I was lucky enough to have Desiree do my make up for my wedding in October. She took her time, listened to what I wanted and the results were better than I had wished for. She did my mother and sisters make up as well, and they all looked so beautiful. Our makeup looked fresh even at the end of the night. I wish I could have my make up done everyday by Desiree! Looking forward to booking her for the future! read more

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I've never felt as beautiful as the weekend of my wedding thanks to Dez l. Here are three reasons why I highly recommend booking her: #1- Immediately upon meeting Dez , I loved her energy. I got the sense that she felt genuinely honored and excited to be part of our huge milestone. Energy is so important to me and she brought that same vibe the weekend of my wedding. It honestly felt like I had another friends around while I was preparing for my rehearsal dinner and wedding. My entire bridal party loved her. #2 - I reviewed makeup options to ensure my team had experience working with Black women. Dez provided photos ahead of time to share with my sister-in-law so she was assured that she would be in good hands. It was important that my sister-in-law could get ready with me and feel beautiful on such an important day. The day of my wedding, when Dez gave my sister-in-law the mirror to check out her look, I was so happy to see a huge smile on her face. She turned to me and said this is the best she's every looked. #3- Dez is a professional. She was great at communicating and taking feedback. She gave us timely quotes, set a good schedule, and overall delivered excellent service. For a weekend so important, you want to know you're hiring dependable people! If Dez is available for your event, do not sleep on the opportunity to book her! It was some of the best money we spent on our wedding celebrations. read more

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I've worked with Dez twice, she's just that good. The first was as a bridesmaid for my friend's wedding and I loved her so much I hired her for my own wedding. She is down to earth, hilarious, and feels like an old friend. Very quick to respond, listens, and DELIVERS. I don't typically wear much make up and she made me feel beautiful, yet natural both times. Could not recommend her enough! Dez is YOUR GIRL! read more

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Dez is fantastic! I can't recommend her highly enough. Dez did a stellar job interpreting my loose idea of what I wanted into a total vision, something that felt like me but elevated. I loved everything, and I was especially impressed by what she did with my hair, because it can be a little difficult and heavy to work with. Dez didn't even break a sweat, and my hair has never looked better. On the day of, she did an informal consultation with everyone before beginning. She's very talented, and she's also a great listener. Everyone got a custom look that beautifully complemented their features, complexion, outfit, and personal taste. Dez did both my hair and makeup, but I booked makeup only for everybody else. Still, when Dez put the finishing touches on everyone's looks, she very generously added some volume to my mother-in-law's hair, a soft curl to my mom's, and a little wave to my sister's. In short, Dez is a rockstar! She's so talented, and I really appreciated that she took the time to consider everyone's look from head to toe. She's easy-going and incredibly fun to have in the room with you, too! read more

Dez is AMAZING! I was recommended to her by a friend who also got married, and after looking at some photos of weddings she had done, I was sold! She is very responsive, helpful, and makes any bride feel at ease. The makeup trial was fun and made me feel even more confident about my special day, and my actual wedding day was even better. All of the ladies in my bridal party had so much fun, and we looked beautiful as ever! Thank you Dez! read more

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Desi was an absolute pleasure to work with. She's incredibly professional and really listens to you about what you want. She executed my vision and what all my sisters (bridesmaids) wanted. Also, she's just an awesome person to have around. I would recommended her over and over again. read more

I wish I could give Desiree more stars!! She is simply amazing in ever way . She is very talented and very sweet! She makes sure the look you want is achieved ! Her makeup style is perfect for everyone because she does airbrush which I have never had done until she showed me it & I was in love with how it turned out. My hair has never stayed curled until Desiree did it with her technique!! I highly recommend read more

I hired Dez to do the makeup for my wedding (myself, bridesmaids, and some family) and could not recommend her enough! Not only is she absolutely delightful, she's incredible with makeup!! I was so pleased with how everything turned out both in real life and in photos. I was especially excited to have found Dez because she uses airbrush foundation, which I find to look less cakey/more natural. She was fun, super easy to work with, and the end result was flawless. If you're lucky enough that she's available on your date, book her asap!! read more

Dez is WONDERFUL! I initially found her via WeddingWire or some other bridal blog, checked out her Instagram and knew right away that she'd be perfect for my wedding! She's incredibly nice and really listened to what I wanted for my vision of my wedding day makeup and what would make me feel beautiful and most like me on my special day! The trial session was a great time to really get a feel for what I liked/didn't like and made me feel comfortable going into wedding day with a solid plan. I have already recommended her to everyone I know! read more

If you are looking for a fantastic makeup artist for your event, look no further!!!! Dez is hands down the best by far on so many levels!!!! After getting engaged, I asked for recommendations for a makeup artist and was having a challenging time until my wedding coordinator said she had the perfect person for me. I connected with Dez via email and told her about the look and style I was going for, and she said No Problem! I booked an appt with her to do my makeup for my engagement photos, and she did a fabulous job. I'm always nervous about getting my makeup done because I don't want to walk about looking like a pageant queen, but she understood exactly what I wanted. Dez took the time to ask all the right questions and asked for photos of what I liked, and when it came time for my engagement pictures, I felt absolutely beautiful! On the day of my wedding, I watched her work her magic on my wedding party, and I loved watching all my friends go through their beautiful transformation and feel so happy when they popped out of the makeup chair. Finally, after the wedding, my husband and I had adventure shots taken with our photographer back in our wedding clothes, so I had the opportunity to work with Dez three times, and I felt so lucky to do so. Like I said, Dez does amazing work, and if you are looking for someone to enhance your natural features and bring your beauty from the inside out to the surface, Dez is your person! Finally, Dez is not just a wonderful makeup artist, but she is a lovely person, and you will connect with her as soon as you sit down in her chair. read more

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Des is an actual wizard when it comes to makeup! I've hired her for several events including both of my baby showers, and have been a bridesmaid in a wedding she did makeup for. She really listens to her clients to ensure their appearance is exactly what they're looking for, she's always made me feel so confident! I've learned a lot from her in regards to simple day to day looks as well. I highly recommend her services! Des is professional, kind, and beyond talented! read more

Dez was my favorite vendor to work with on my wedding day. She was warm, kinda, flexible, and SO talented. My friends and I loved our looks, but also just genuinely loved the overall vibe of getting ready with Dez. She was super flexible around changing the schedule / adding additional people, but also just had a calm and warm demeanor the entire duration of our time together. I would recommend her to anyone, and truly believe her talents can make anyone look/feel beautiful! read more

Dez is the only person I trust with my makeup and I have worked with her exclusively for the past 5 years on my wedding, special events and everything in between. She is wildly talented and her work speaks for itself. On top of that, she is so kind, incredibly funny and an all around lovely person. Spending an hour with her is like catching up with one of your favorite girlfriends. I could not recommend her more highly! read more

I took a makeup lesson with Desiree to learn some ideas for how to amp up my everyday makeup look and create a going-out look. She arrived with a suitcase full of supplies, and it was so much fun learning her expert application tips and techniques to address my specific facial features and concerns. She worked with some of the makeup I already own plus left me with a list of the additional products she used. I loved the results! Highly recommended for anyone in a makeup rut or who, like me, has never been very confident around makeup to begin with. read more

There are no words that can describe how great it was working with Desiree! From the first message with her, she made it easy. I knew I wanted to hire her when I saw her studio, it was welcoming and unique just like her. She worked on my family members plus myself for my wedding and each of us looked our best without looking over done. If you are looking to hire Desiree to do your hair or makeup for any special day, then send a message and hire her because is truly the best. read more

I hired Desiree to do the makeup of myself (bridesmaid), the mother of the bride, and two other bridesmaids for my sister's wedding and I don't think it could possibly have gone any better. This was incredibly important to me because it was my sister's wedding -- those photos are going to be around forever! If I could have Desiree do my makeup every singe day, I would. Her makeup was beautifully applied and I got compliments that I looked like an "old Hollywood movie star' throughout the evening wedding. But what sets Desiree apart from other makeup artists I've worked with, beyond her amazing skill with makeup, is that she's so sweet and incredibly easy to work with. She was thoughtful, kind, and professional from start to finish. I'd highly recommend Desiree to anyone who needs their makeup done -- you'll be in very capable hands. read more

I couldn't be any happier with finding Des. She did my make-up as well as all my bridesmaids for my bohemian inspired wedding. She truly understood what I wanted and made all my girls look beautiful! Des is professional, efficient, sweet and truly an expert at her craft. Highly recommended! read more

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Desiree did an amazing job with my makeup and makeup tutorial. She has tons of experience and even used to work for Benefit and Nars, so she really knows what she's doing. My lesson was great, Desire listened to what I wanted but also tried out a few different things for me to experiment with my look. I was going for a "no makeup" makeup lesson (for an everyday/wear to work sort of deal), but I also wanted a few other things, like a red lip color for my skin tone and how to do a good cat eye. I'm terrible with liquid liner, but Desire showed me all the tips and tricks on how to do it, what type to look for, her favorite brands, and she even gave me an extra liner that she had because she had just bought a new one that day... and because she's the sweetest! She fully explains what she's doing while she's doing it--and has a system going where she did one side of my face and then had me do the other. It's incredibly helpful to physically have her there correcting me and making sure I'm doing it right while I'm doing my own makeup--it's so much more in depth than a youtube tutorial because she is actually there to help me get the technique down and to help me adapt it to my features. I left the lesson glowing and feeling beautiful. She's great at bringing out a person's best features without making you look overdone. I will definitely go back to Desiree for any and all things makeup related and to get my makeup done for special occasions. Aside from the actual makeup part of things, Desiree is super friendly and professional, and I would recommend her 110%!! read more

I am very impressed with Desiree! She's done my makeup in several occasions and I loved it every single time! I used to not like getting my makeup done as I felt like a clown after every session. But Desiree changed all that. When she is done with me, I still feel like myself! If you are looking a makeup artist in Bay Area, Desiree is your girl! She won't disappoint you. read more

Desiree is a great makeup artist and teacher, and I totally enjoyed my lesson with her. She really listened and understood what I wanted to learn. I have 3 jobs and am raising twins, so I have 10 minutes on a good day to apply makeup, and I mostly just want to look more awake! Desiree totally got that, and she clearly explained and demonstrated her techniques and had me try them as well. The makeup we put on made me feel pretty but still like myself. She gave me the exact look I wanted! After our lesson, she sent me a detailed list of all the techniques and products/colors we used (or even talked about briefly) with links so I could buy them online. So helpful, professional and fun! A great experience. read more

Desiree has done my makeup many times, and I have always been thrilled with the results, which is why I asked her if she would do a lesson in makeup application for me. She provided an amazing, in-depth tutorial to show me how to successfully apply a beautiful and natural daily look. In our lesson, she taught me how to select and use suitable colors and products for my skin type and tone, and shared techniques that would help me emphasize my best features. I felt like I had a lot to learn, but she made it all so approachable. She even helped me master the smoky eye on my own! I left the lesson feeling confident--and feeling pretty too :) I'm planning to work with Des for several upcoming occasions, including having her do my makeup for my engagement party. I absolutely love working with her! read more

Desiree was my wedding day makeup muse. Side note, I am aloof and didn't have a clear vision of what I wanted, I know, a makeup artists worst nightmare. Desiree and I discussed a few different styles before the trail and when it came down to it she nailed it! Desiree was very flexible with me as I was coming to the bay area from Los Angeles for my trail and the wedding. She reworked her schedule to meet up for the trail, she also researched airbrushing options as requested. Desiree did my wedding day makeup along with my mother who is 65 and my bridesmaids. Everyone looked fabulous and the makeup held all day and night. We started early, about 10am and the wedding was at 6pm, the entire day, through the heat of the summer and no A/C our makeup held, and our lashes held through all the happy tears. To be honest, I had never seen my mother look so radiant. Her mature skin looked smooth and dewy, very fresh which attests to Desiree's skills and trained eye. My makeup was better than I could have imagined. If I lived closer I would insert myself as a friend, with this being said I highly recommend Desiree. My mother & bridesmaids agree, she is phenomenal! read more

Desiree did an outstanding job with my make-up for an engagement photo shoot. I have never felt so beautiful in my life. Even at 6 in the morning she was there, entire kit at the ready and limited coffee. She is a true artist and I would recomend her for any occasion, any day. Absolutely the best. Thank you! read more

We had a girls day with a private makeup class with Desiree and she was fantastic! We had five girls who all had different looks they were going for and Desiree was great with working with everybody, sharing her thoughts on makeup products & techniques, and also helping us work with the makeup we had. We all loved the looks we had and felt like we could do it ourselves in the future! I would definitely recommend her on any occasion! read more

Desiree was great! She communicated well (so helpful when you are busy planning your wedding). She was also very easy to work with making for a very relaxed wedding day. My makeup looked and felt great, without feeling overdone. Great! read more

I took a $150, 90 minute makeup lesson from Desiree. She did a fantastic job explaining to me how to apply my makeup, making tailored suggestions for what to buy (she doesn't sell anything, so it's totally unbiased), and how to get a more polished look with minimal time investment. She is very sweet, warm, and professional without being overly talky. I met my friend after the lesson (after walking about a mile to her house), and she said, "You're glowing- did you have a facial or something? She was astounded when I told her I'd just learned how to do makeup better. I'd definitely see Desiree to do my makeup for a special occasion or for photos. Highly recommend! read more

Getting my makeup done by Des was such a wonderful experience. I was attending a gala and she helped me decide on a look that would go with my dress but also was in my comfort zone. She took her time and had a great attention to detail that can really make or break a makeup look. Des was super professional but also sweet and fun. Additionally, she was very accommodating, and came to my home to help easy my schedule. I found Des through a friend who also loves her and it is easy to see why. I will definitely use her services again in the future whenever I have a special occasion to attend. read more

Desiree is a dream to work with, she did my makeup for my wedding in San Francisco on June 8th. I live in Chicago so Desiree was able to do a trial makeup session the week of my wedding when I was in town. She was flexible with my schedule and helped accommodate all my needs. We shared photos and ideas on Pinterest to get an idea of the wedding day (and rehearsal dinner) look. Desiree does MIRACLE work with her makeup, I feel like each look was very much me. She listened to what I wanted - I am not a huge makeup person in everyday life - and she made me look and feel gorgeous. Desiree also did makeup for my sister (the maid of honor) and my mom. I definitely recommend working with Desiree for your next big event. She is such a pleasure to spend time with and her makeup work is gorgeous. You will not be disappointed. I wish she could beautify me every day, even in my "normal" life. Thank you Desiree!!! read more