What should you ask before you book a stylist?
- Have you worked on commercial photo or video sets, and can I see that work?
- How many people can you get through in an hour, and do you bring a second artist for a big group?
- Do you stay on set for touch-ups, or do you leave after the first look?
- Do you do hair, makeup and wardrobe, or only one of them?
- What do you need on site: a chair, a table, power, a mirror, window light?
- How early do you need to start before the first photo?
- Do you work with every skin tone and hair type?
- Is travel inside the DC area included, or charged separately?
- What happens if the shoot runs over?
Hair, makeup and wardrobe stylists around DC
These are businesses and teams with their own public page, listed with where they work and what they say about themselves. A rating is shown only where I saw one on a public page, with the site and the month. Most of the ratings come from wedding sites, because that’s where these businesses collect reviews. Rates are by quote.
The Artist Agency
What they do: A DC talent agency with a roster of hair and makeup artists and wardrobe stylists, alongside models and actors.
Best for: Booking hair, makeup and wardrobe through one agency
Where: Georgetown, Washington, DC
Blush Away Makeup
What they do: Camera-ready makeup for commercial, corporate and broadcast productions, plus portrait makeup.
Best for: Commercial sets and corporate team portraits
Where: Northern Virginia, working across DC and the region
Makeup Hair DC
What they do: Makeup and hair styling for commercial photo and video productions in DC, Virginia and Maryland.
Best for: Commercial photo and video days
Where: Northern Virginia, working across DC and Maryland
Abigail de Casanova Hair & Makeup
What they do: Hair and makeup for film, TV, live TV, productions and commercials, and on-site hair and makeup for speakers and executives at conferences and corporate events, in English and Spanish.
Best for: Productions and speaker or executive prep
Where: Washington, DC
Shaharlee Blake Makeup Artistry
What they do: Makeup artist specializing in beauty and film and TV, working with skincare brands, e-commerce companies, production companies and local TV stations.
Best for: Beauty, product and e-commerce shoots
Where: Washington, DC, and New York
Conceptual Beauty
What they do: Set-friendly makeup for television, commercial, documentary, corporate, podcast and digital media productions.
Best for: Interviews and on-camera talent
Where: Washington, DC
Lorna Basse
What they do: Makeup artist and media stylist from Washington, DC, with broadcast and live event credits, a print portfolio and group glam team bookings.
Best for: Broadcast, live events and on-camera talent
Where: Washington, DC and Northern Virginia
Glamsquad
What they do: An on-demand beauty company that lists Washington DC among its cities, with on-set hair, makeup and nails for photoshoots and TV, and on-site glam for corporate events.
Best for: A team on short notice
Where: Washington, DC and other cities
Muse Studios
What they do: Hair and makeup for weddings, special events, photo shoots and corporate functions, for groups of up to 20.
Best for: Group portraits
Where: Ashburn, VA
Rating: 5.0 on WeddingWire, 132 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Carolyn Thombs Artistry
What they do: Hair and makeup for weddings and for commercial and editorial photo shoots, with hands-on consulting.
Best for: Editorial and commercial photo shoots
Where: Alexandria, VA
Rating: 5.0 on WeddingWire, 140 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Kelley Woods Makeup
What they do: Makeup for media and special events, executive makeup for professionals, bridal work and beauty classes.
Best for: Executive and on-camera makeup
Where: Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia
Rating: 5.0 on WeddingWire, 44 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Do you need hair and makeup for a commercial shoot?
If people are on camera, it usually helps. Faces shine under lights, flyaways show up in a close crop, and a touch-up between setups keeps the first frame and the last one looking like the same day. For team portraits, even a light touch-up station helps people relax before they sit down.
What does a wardrobe stylist do on a shoot?
A wardrobe stylist pulls the clothes, fits them, steams them and keeps them looking right between shots. On a smaller shoot it can be as simple as checking what people bring and fixing collars and lint. Some hair and makeup artists also handle wardrobe, so ask when you book.
How early should hair and makeup start?
Ask the artist. It depends on how many people, how much hair work and whether there’s a look change. Build their time into the schedule before the first photo, not during it.
Should the photographer book the stylist?
It can go either way. Some clients book their own, and some ask the photographer to bring one. What matters is that the stylist knows the schedule, the look and what the photos are for.
Double-check before you book
Availability, services and reviews change. Look at each business’s own page and recent work, and confirm the details with them before you book.
Planning the shoot?
To write up the shoot, see the photo shoot brief builder. For agency teams, see the Agencies page. For a room to shoot in, see photo studios for rent in DC. For models and talent, see casting and talent agencies. For the rest of the day, see the production day checklist.
