Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL
Spray Tans
Brides + Weddings
Lessons + Group bookings

General faqs

    • Expertise: Our team is comprised of experienced and friendly Hairstylists and Makeup Artists who are passionate about enhancing your natural beauty.

    • Stress-Free: We strive to be one of the easiest wedding vendors to work with. We’ve thought of everything you need to know to get the best results so you can look radiant and feel confident on your big day. We handle the wedding morning like a well-oiled machine to ease your wedding jitters.

    • Convenience: We travel to your chosen location within the Greater Hamilton Area, Niagara, and Cambridge, making your wedding preparations hassle-free.

    • Personalized Service: We understand that every bride is unique. Our bridal beauty experts work closely with you to create a look that reflects your individual style and vision.

    • Flawless Results: Whether you desire classic elegance or a trendy, modern look, we deliver wedding makeup and hairstyles that will leave you feeling confident and radiant.

  • Of course! We love glamming up our clients for any special event.

    We offer hair & makeup services for:

    • Bridal Showers

    • Bachelorette Parties

    • Engagement Photos

    • Maternity/Family Photos

    • Prom & Grad

    • Branding Photos

    • Corporate & Holiday parties

    • Anniversaries & other Special Events

    • and the list goes on!

  • Yes! Please contact us for our Off-Peak Pricing Menu if your event falls in the winter months, between December 1st and March 31st!

    • Our preferred methods of payment are e-transfer or credit card through our client portal, Honeybook. For your convenience, you can select the option to Auto-Pay, if that suits you.

    • Services provided in-Studio can be paid for on the day of your appointment (cash, credit or e transfer)

    • Retainer fees are non-refundable and due at the time of signed contract.

    • Bridal Clients will be billed at the following intervals:
      15% with signed contract
      20% mid-way between the date you booked and your wedding day
      25% 1 Month before the wedding
      40% 1 Week before the wedding

    • Wedding Day Services are paid for no later than 7 days before the wedding.

    • We do not add an automatic gratuity to any services.

    • “Gratuities are never expected but always accepted”. If you wish to tip your hair & makeup team because you were happy with your service, please give them cash on the day of the event. Thank you!

  • Good question. We made the decision to omit our short hair pricing from our menu, so we no longer have this option, unless it’s for pixie-length haircuts. This is because styling short hair is its own skill, and often takes a similar amount of time as longer hair.

  • Tier 1: Regular Service Area (no Travel Fee):

    Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown & Burlington

    Tier 2 Travel Fee: $60 Flat rate per stylist

    Oakville, Brantford, Paris, Cambridge, Haldimand County, Puslinch, Freelton, Carlisle, Grimsby & Beamsville

    Tier 3 Travel Fee: $110 Flat rate per stylist

    Kitchener/Waterloo, Guelph, Elora, St. Catharines, Woodstock, NOTL & Niagara Falls.

    Please note: We DO NOT TRAVEL East of Oakville (cities include but are not limited to Toronto, Vaughan, Etobicoke, Mississauga, etc),

  • Non-Refundable Retainer Fee:
    15% of booked services due at the time of signed contract to ensure your date is reserved.

    Travel Fee:
    If you’re getting ready outside of our Regular Service Area, there will be a travel fee.
    Please see our FAQ about which cities are subject to a travel fee.

    Booking Fee:
    Every signed contract includes 1 makeup artist and/or 1 hairstylist for up to 7 people. If you have 8+ people who require hair and/or makeup, or have a shorter amount of time to get your party ready, a one-time booking fee of $50.00 per stylist may be applied to get everyone ready within a reasonable time frame on the wedding day. The Booking Fee goes towards the hiring and scheduling of these artists and any of their travel fees, if applicable.

    Sitting Fee:
    If, on your event date, our stylists are waiting to provide services to a member of your bridal party because they are late (30 mins +), a $50 sitting fee will be added to your invoice. To avoid this fee, we ask that your whole party is on-location when the hair & makeup team arrives.

    Early Start Fee:
    There will be a fee of $50.00/stylist added when our team is required to begin hair & makeup services before 7:00am due to time constraints.

    Service Charge:
    We process payments through a secure online system (HoneyBook), which includes transaction fees. A 3% service charge is applied to cover those costs and keep payments simple and reliable for our clients. To avoid this fee, other acceptable payment methods are cash or EMT.

    All services are subject to HST.

  • In short, YES and NO.
    You can definitely make a request for a certain hairstylist or makeup artist for your wedding day, however, we cannot guarantee that your requested stylist will be available because she may already be booked for another wedding on the same day, she may be on vacation, or any other plausible reason why she may be unavailable.

    We will accommodate requests whenever possible, but please know you’re in good hands no matter who you’re working with from the Freebird Team!

  • REGULAR foundation is buildable and comes in a variety of coverage options (sheer to full coverage). There are more options for skin types (dry/oily/combination). Our makeup artists use high quality primers, foundations, setting powders, sprays to ensure your makeup will last all day and night! Our MUAs default to regular foundation if airbrush is not requested.

    AIRBRUSH makeup provides a more full coverage look, without looking cakey. It’s helpful for clients with acne prone skin, or skin textures with larger pores or imperfections. Airbrush lasts longer through humidity, so it might be a good option in the summer/on a very hot day. Airbrush makeup

    DOES NOT

    cover up your skin’s natural texture – so if you have any dryness, skin irritation or problem areas, the airbrush foundation will not smooth out those areas.

    • Not all our artists provide this service so we will do our best to match you with one if you are interested, based on availability.

    • Airbrush add-on is $20/pp + tax

  • For general sanitization of products, our artists always clean brushes and wash their hands between applications as well as use disposable lip and mascara brushes.

  • Cancelling or Making Changes:

    • When cancelling services, the following timelines and cancellation fees will apply:

      • Greater than 6 months from the Project Date: no cancellation fee will be charged but the number of services must maintain and/or meet the required minimums. 

      • Between 3 to 6 months from the Project Date: a 20% cancellation fee + HST will be charged on the value of the cancelled service and the number of services must maintain and/or meet the required minimums. 

      • Between 1 to 3 months from the Project Date: a 50% cancellation fee + HST will be charged on the value of the cancelled service and the number of services must maintain and/or meet the required minimums. 

      • Less than 1 month from the Project Date, including week-of or day-of changes: services will be required to be paid for at the full value. 

      If the Client desires to add to the Services of the Contractor for any reason at any time, then the Client shall provide at least 30 days Notice to the Contractor in order to change this contract. Additional services added at the request of the Client will be charged at the current advertised rate which may be greater than the rate(s) the Client initially booked at. Requests for additional services and stylists are not guaranteed.

      If Services on this contract are cancelled entirely, the retainer will NOT be returned. Should Freebird Beauty Co. cancel/break the contract due to illness or other unforeseen events, the retainer will be fully refunded. Should The Client cancel/break the contract, the retainer will NOT be refunded.

  • You can cancel an order before it’s processed (within 24 hours of purchase). If the order has shipped, we will not accept returns unless the item is defective.

Brides + weddings faqs

  • Great question! Yes, here are the minimum requirements for our On-Site Beauty Services:

    Peak-Season (April-October):
    Friday & Saturday events, 6 services per stylist
    Sunday events, 5 services per stylist
    Mon-Thurs events, 4 services per stylist

    Off-Peak Season (Nov-Mar):
    Fri-Sun, 5 services per stylist
    Mon-Thurs, 4 services per stylist

    • Our preferred methods of payment are e-transfer or credit card through our client portal, Honeybook. For your convenience, you can select the option to Auto-Pay, if that suits you.

    • Services provided in-Studio can be paid for on the day of your appointment (cash, credit or e transfer)

    • Retainer fees are non-refundable and due at the time of signed contract.

    • Bridal Clients will be billed at the following intervals:
      15% with signed contract
      20% mid-way between the date you booked and your wedding day
      25% 1 Month before the wedding
      40% 1 Week before the wedding

    • Wedding Day Services are paid for no later than 7 days before the wedding.

    • We do not add an automatic gratuity to any services.

    • “Gratuities are never expected but always accepted”. If you wish to tip your hair & makeup team because you were happy with your service, please give them cash on the day of the event. Thank you!

    • Your non-refundable retainer fee (15% of booked services at time of signed contract) will go towards the total cost of services booked on the wedding day along with all of the administrative costs to communicate with the bride from initial inquiry to the wedding day and to schedule our team.

    • Our retainer fees are non-refundable but can be deferred one time to an alternate event date.

  • No. The retainer fee is non-refundable.

  • Changes to the Contract
    The Client may request to remove or add services to the contract no less than 30 days before the wedding so we have time to hire additional stylists, if necessary. The request is not guaranteed, and must be approved in writing to confirm stylist availability.

    Adding Services
    Additional hairstylists and makeup artists may be required if you have more than 7 people. Services will only be added based on time constraints and stylist availability. Please inquire. Each case is assessed individually.

    Removing Services
    The Client will be charged a Cancellation Fee of 20% if:

    • Services are removed from the contract with less than 30 days of the wedding,

    • AND/OR the number of services does not meet the minimum requirement.

  • Great question! We recommend that you delegate a member of your bridal party to collect everyone’s payments before the wedding day, and then pay the invoice in one lump sum. This allows us to focus on the excitement of your event and getting everyone ready on time rather than dealing with the money side of things that day! Please reach out if you have specific questions.

  • We typically offer Hair & Makeup Trials/Previews in the winter and spring, prior to the start of wedding season. Feel free to reach out to us if you have a specific date in mind, but we have limited dates available between May and November each year. We will be in touch with you to schedule your trial!

  • Hair Preparation:

    • Hair should be clean and dry. It’s a myth that hairstylists prefer “dirty” hair.

    • Straight/Wavy Hair: we recommend washing your hair the day/evening before your appointment. Add in a bit of mousse or heat protector to your hair while it’s still damp and then blow-dry it smooth with a hair dryer.

    • Curly Hair: we recommend coming to your appointment on whichever day after washing you like best (i.e. if you like your hair the best the day after you wash it, then plan for your appointment to be your “day 2 hair”. Use your usual curly hair products unless they make your hair feel stiff or crunchy. If you prefer to blow-dry it straight, that is ok too.

    • Clients will be charged $30 for a blowout service if the hairstylist needs to dry their hair before styling.

    • Please do not straighten your hair with a flat iron before your appointment if you’d like a hairstyle that requires curls.

    What to bring to your appointment:

    • Bring any photos of hairstyles that inspire you. Check out our Instagram page for inspiration!

    • For bridal hair appointments, we recommend bringing your hair piece and/or veil if you plan to wear those on the wedding day. We also have affordable hair pieces available for you to try on/purchase in-studio.

    • Optional: You may also bring ONE guest. Please check with us first to ensure there is space for your guest on your specific date!

  • Makeup Preparation:

    • We recommend that you gently exfoliate your face the day before your appt, and use a gentle cleanser and a good moisturizer on the morning of your appt.

    • Please let us know IN ADVANCE if you have allergies to specific makeup brands or ingredients so we can be sure to check before you arrive.

    • Make sure you drink lots of water leading up to your wedding/event too, so your skin has that beautiful natural glow!

    What to bring with you:

    • Bring any photos of makeup that inspire you. Check out our Instagram page for inspiration! Please do not bring an AI-generated photo from Pinterest (this is not realistic or achievable).

    • Optional: You may also bring ONE guest with you, but please check with us first, to ensure there is space for your guest for your specific date!

  • As a general guideline, a trial/preview appointment will take 2-2.5 hours on average.

    Hair Trials:

    • Hair trials usually take 60-75 minutes. Trials are great if you have a couple hairstyle ideas for the wedding day but you can’t decide what would look best. Book a trial and we’ll try to accommodate up to 2 hairstyles in 1 appointment (*at the hairstylist’s discretion*).

    Makeup Trials:

    • It will depend on the style of makeup you’re looking for (natural, bridal glam, full glam etc), but on average, the trial will take approximately 60-75 minutes. Our Makeup Artist will work with you to create a look you’ll love!

  • We love seeing your hair & makeup inspo photos! Bonus points if you bring a photo from our Instagram feed for our recent work, or the "Our Work" page here on our website!

    We will discuss with you what hairstyle you’d like and what is realistic with your hair length/texture or what makeup is possible for your skin tone/type.

    • If your bridal or wedding attendant package includes a spray tan, we recommend booking this 2-3 days before your wedding (in order for the colour to fully develop and minimize risk of the bronzers transferring onto your wedding dress).

    • We suggest putting this date in your calendar when you sign your contract. We will be in touch closer to the wedding date, to scheudle a time.

    • For example:
      Friday wedding = Wednesday spray tan
      Saturday wedding = Thursday spray tan
      Sunday wedding = Friday spray tan

  • YES!
    We do everything we can to ensure the same hairstylist & makeup artist who do your trial are the same people coming on the wedding day.
    We do this to keep your wedding morning as stress-free as possible!
    Click Here for a Blog Post about this question!

  • Great question!

    1. WINDOWS: If possible, we would prefer to set up near any windows that have great natural night pouring in.

    1. ENVIRONMENT: For the best hair & makeup results in the warmer months, an air-conditioned space is best so everyone stays cool and your hair/makeup is able to set as it should. Rooms that are too warm or too humid can cause your hair or skin to react unfavourably.

    2. CHAIRS: Each of our stylists will need a chair. Sometimes the MUA brings her own higher chair; if not, a bar stool-type chair is preferred. For the hairstylist, a regular-height chair with a low back is best.

    3. SPACE: We bring A LOT of products and tools with us to create your wedding-ready looks! Please clear a space on a table or desk (with access to an electrical outlet) where we can lay out our kits. We suggest an area that will be away from the food – no one wants to eat in a room clouded with hairspray!

    4. GRATUITIES: If you wish to tip your stylists, we recommend putting cash in an envelope and giving it directly to them. Gratuities are always accepted but never expected.

  • Our team understands the importance of your wedding day, so it would have to be a real emergency/illness for them not to show up.

    That said, life happens, so we have protocol in place for the rare event that this would occur:

    We would send another team member or refund you for the services that were not provided.

    Since we have a large team, we would do our best to send another stylist or artist. We would share your hair & makeup trial photos with the new team members so they could still bring your vision to life. In the EXTREMELY rare event that a stylist/artist is unable to attend and fulfill the contract, and we cannot fill the gap with another member of our team, we would refund your fees for any services that could not be performed.

    We want to reiterate the unlikelihood of this happening and reassure you that we would very likely be able to figure out a solution should “the worst-case scenario” happen.

  • Yes! We’re pleased to offer our mobile on-site services for 4+ people (typically bridal parties), and our in-studio services for less than 4 people. In-Studio services include hair, makeup, spray tans, hair extension consultations, makeup lessons, kids hairstyling classes and more.

Spray Tan faqs

    • We recommend that you shave/remove unwanted hair and gently exfoliate your skin 12-24 hours before your appointment.

    • You should shower at least 3 hours before your appointment.

    • Your skin should be free of any oils, lotions, perfumes and deodorant. These products can cause uneven coverage of the bronzer in the spray tan.

    • We recommend loose, dark clothing. Avoid any tight clothing that rubs against the skin. A slip-on shoe/sandal is ideal. Avoid wearing a bra during the development time, when possible. An oversized tshirt and loose track pants or a flowy dress are perfect options.

    • Do not wear makeup.

    • If its raining or snowing, we recommend bringing an umbrella or large hood to avoid getting any of your body wet during the development period.

  • Our classic solution takes 8-12 hours for the colour to develop.
    Our rapid solution takes 1-5 hours for the colour to develop.

    To decide which is the best one for you, think about what events/activities you have going on that day and how many hours it will be until you’re able to do your “rinse shower”. If you’re unsure, we can discuss this when you arrive!

    • Classic Solution - rinse in the shower, with warm water ONLY (just until the water runs clear), after 8-12 hours.

    • Rapid Solution - rinse in the shower, with warm water ONLY (just until the water runs clear), after 1-5 hours.

    • Do not exfoliate your skin for the length of your tan. Avoid using luffas or scrubbing mitts, etc.

    • Use a gentle, unscented lotion to moisturize your skin daily. This will prolong your tan.

    • Avoid oily products because oils will break down the tan more quickly.

    • Avoid any sweating during the development time, and avoid excessive sweating for the duration of the tan.

    • If on vacation, salt water is preferable over chlorinated water. Avoid aerosol SPFs that contain alcohol. Use a lotion-based SPF instead.

    • Enjoy being a bronzed goddess :)

  • Typically, a spray tan will last 6-10 days, depending on the environment you’re in, how you take care of the tan and what activities you’re participating in during that time.

    • You may reschedule your appointment with more than 24 hours' notice, through the link in your booking confirmation email.

    • A 50% Cancellation Fee will be charged if you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours notice.

    • The fee for no-shows is 100% of the service cost.

    • A Cancellation Fee will NOT be charged if the Freebird team cancels the appointment due to illness, injury, a family emergency or other unforeseen circumstances and cannot perform the agreed services.

lessons & group bookings faqs

  • Makeup Preparation:

    • We recommend that you use a gentle cleanser and a good moisturizer before your appointment. Come with a clean face.

    • You can also gently exfoliate your face the night before.

    • Please let us know IN ADVANCE if you have allergies to specific makeup brands or ingredients so we can be sure to check before you arrive.

    • Your personal makeup bag with current products and brushes/tools.

    • Any products you have questions about (how to apply it, how much to use, which tools to use etc).

  • We welcome makeup enthusiasts at any skill level. Most clients who book this lesson need a beginner-friendly lesson, but we can tailor the lesson to your preferences and skill level.

  • 1:1 private lessons are 60-90 mins.

  • Cancelling or Making Changes:

    • 1:1 Private Lesson: If the Client desires to cancel Services for any reason at any time, then Client shall provide at least 48 Hours written notice to candice@freebirdbeautyco.com in order to cancel the lesson. A refund will be sent via e-transfer.

    • A Cancellation Fee will be charged if:

      • Services are removed/cancelled from the contract with less than 48 hours notice.

    • A Cancellation Fee will NOT be charged if:

      • We cancel the contract due to illness, injury, a family emergency or other unforeseen circumstances and cannot perform the agreed services.

    • The Cancellation Fee is 20% of the services agreed-upon between the Client and Freebird Beauty Co.