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Renae
Beginner September 2023 Ontario

Lack of Hair/makeup vendors for poc

Renae, on September 16, 2022 at 18:05 Posted in Beauty 1 11
Hey y'all, still planning my wedding and am browsing around this app. Majority of vendor photos in the Beauty section are very white-centric for hair and makeup. Unfortunately not all MUAs are equal and I have had multiple run-ins with those who a) think they can but results are terrible, b)know they have no experience and decline me, or c) charge me extra for the 'hassle'. Hair stylists I've had similar negative experiences with as Black HairTM is still not standardized in beauty schools and a lot don't know what to do with kinky coils, not "curly" hair.


I do not want a repeat of any of that on this app. But as I browse this app all the photos I see feature smiling white faces which doesn't exactly inspire me.
So my BPOC/POC, who did you hire for your hair and makeup???

11 Comments

Latest activity by Miszy, on October 20, 2022 at 21:06
  • M
    Ontario
    Miszy ·
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    Hi Renae,

    Congrats! I know it can be difficult finding an artist to accommodate lovely melanin skin. I personally find it difficult as well for even myself.

    I would love to chat with you regarding your vision for make up, I understand undertones and color match pretty well. Maybe I can help!

    Let's Chat! You can send me an email at ***********@*******.*** If you prefer.

    Cheers!
    Amanda

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  • Renae
    Beginner September 2023 Ontario
    Renae ·
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    Same, I don't bother contacting either of they're are no photos to show evidence. In the time that I've posted this I've gotten some helpful replies and I really am going to branch out and find MUA and hair stylist off this app for sure. Such a let down
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  • Elizabeth12
    Curious February 2023 Ontario
    Elizabeth12 ·
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    I'm finding I'm having the same problem. I'm looking for someone who can do make up on Black women, but I'm concerned they are taking my business but can't produce appropriate results Smiley sad This is the hardest vendor to source. If I don't see pictures of people of color (Blk or Indian) in their profile, I don't even bother contacting them.
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  • Renae
    Beginner September 2023 Ontario
    Renae ·
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    Hi Amanda, thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely check her out! I'm sure your daughter really appreciated the dedication you had in finding someone that would knowledgeably bring out her best self Smiley heart

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  • Hank
    Featured September 2021 Ontario
    Hank ·
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    I'm not holding POC vendors responsible for anything but at the same time, I don't want to fault them for prioritizing their own bottom line. Unless you're suggesting that Weddingwire prioritizes adding POC vendors to their listings (whether it be through promotional advertising rates or otherwise), it makes sense that these vendors don't want to pay for advertising fees to a community that won't give them a proper ROI. If I'm a qipao maker, I could spend thousands of $$$ advertising here or use avenues (like Chinese social media) that are much more cheaper with a larger much more relevant audience.

    This is a problem with the wedding industry in general. How many wedding shows, wedding magazines, and wedding events highlight non-Eurocentric customs/traditions?

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  • Amanda
    Curious November 2022 Ontario
    Amanda ·
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    This is something I ran into when looking for my mua/hair stylist. My daughter is biracial and it was extremely important to me to find someone who knew how to do makeup for her & style her hair as she is my MoH. I booked with a really lovely young woman named Vicki in St Catherines, I went to her for my trial specifically because I was able to see her work on a multiple women of colour. She made me feel absolutely beautiful and confident that she could make my daughter feel just as good on our day & we had a great discussion on how important it is to have representation in our portfolio. She is on wedding wire under Victoria Makeup & Hair, I hope you are able to find someone who makes you feel confident before hiring.

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  • KELLY
    Super October 2023 Ontario
    KELLY ·
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    Hi Renae!
    We just had our makeup trial and loved the artist - I know she travels to clients, I’ll send you her details and a photo of her work
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  • Renae
    Beginner September 2023 Ontario
    Renae ·
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    I don't believe the responsibility of the lack of inclusive vendors is the fault of POC vendors not wanting to pay the fees. it's more that there is no welcome and very little space offered for inclusivity. Not wanting to pay the fees bc the clientele is white means there won't be any non-white clientele to justify paying the fees... very chicken and egg argument.


    I definitely find benefit in various aspects of this app and have passed it along to other future brides I know! I'll continue to use it, just not as much as before.
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  • Hank
    Featured September 2021 Ontario
    Hank ·
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    I think it's simple economics. A makeup artist specifically catering to Asian skin tones for example, or a hair stylist who specializes in working with Black hair probably doesn't think it's worth paying the advertising fees on Weddingwire since the vast majority of users and vendors that advertise here are white. Then again, the vendors listed on Weddingwire are also just a small fraction of potential vendors out there, even those that don't specifically cater to POC.

    That being said, I do find some benefit to this community beyond vendor searches. Sometimes people seek advice on general logistics, costs, etc and the forums here can be a great resource for that. And while there aren't too many of us, the forums do feature a number of POC that can provide prospective.

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  • Renae
    Beginner September 2023 Ontario
    Renae ·
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    Thanks for your candor Hank. That is so unfortunate for your wife and I'm sorry she also had a lot of trouble. I am already looking outside of this app but it is really disappointing and hurtful that the app is so white-washed - like anyone else doesn't matter.
    It's also impossible to find anything that's not some western style white wedding dress so I feel ya, I'm definitely going to have to take a break from the app to find anything that fits me and my culture too! Thanks again for the reply
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  • Hank
    Featured September 2021 Ontario
    Hank ·
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    Hate to say it but most vendors that cater to POC are not on Weddingwire. This site is pretty white-centric when it comes to wedding talk - you'll find very little discussions and advice on wedding customs and events that are grounded in non-European traditions.

    For vendors, you're better off looking through Google/Kijiji listings/Instagram or asking local Facebook groups for advice. My wife encountered the same problem with finding a make up artist that can work with Asian skin tones and had to go off this site to find a suitable vendor. Same goes with traditional clothing from our culture.

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