Makeup by Stacy McClure

Stacy did the makeup for my wedding this past year, and I can’t say how pleased I was! I had a trial with another artist and felt they made me look too made-​up, whereas Stacy was really responsive to what I was looking for and was happy to do makeup that was more natural and not heavy. She accommodated our wedding last-​minute and was wonderful on the day, making my family feel beautiful and taken care of too, which was extremely important to me. Thanks, Stacy!

I am 46 professional and wanted to update my makeup and look. I found Stacy thru Unilocal and drove up on a Thursday from Los altos.
Completely worth it and a true treat. Stacy really took the time to assess my current make up, brushes and complexion, features. She provided very detailed and doable instruction. For the products I wanted to buy she gave me a detailed organized list and texted it ahead to dept store contact in city. I zipped in picked up the supplies and was on my way home in no time.
My makeup is truly amazing. I receive sooo many unsolicited compliments from patients, colleagues, strangers. I look 10 years younger than my age.
This is sooo worth it. You are sooo worth it! Go for it! Make an appt online or gift this for a special friend!

Before my makeup lesson, I kept going back and forth as to whether or not I should do this… I don’t usually spend money on makeup and was worried I wouldn’t learn enough to make it worth it… Rest assured, it will be worth it!!!
Stacy is incredibly talented and can translate that talent into great teaching so that you’re absorbing all of the right things. I learned how to do a natural look, learned how to amp it up for my upcoming wedding, and learned how to transition a day look into a night one. Stacy is really fun to be around and remarkably knowledgeable about all makeup products and application techniques.
Anytime I need to put on makeup, I now feel so much more equipped to make it all that I want it to be :) Thank you, Stacy!!!

I’ve never been much of a makeup person, but as I’ve aged, I’ve started to need it to look polished. I would go to nice makeup retailers and spend a lot of money, yet when I got home, I wasn’t quite sure how to apply it properly, and the colors were often not-​quite-​right.
Stacy is a real artist. She works with your features to make you look your best, and then teaches you how to replicate the results. When I left the appointment, I got so many compliments on my clothing that I realized that I was carrying myself with more confidence because of my new fresh and pretty face! I also think that I’ll save money in the long term, because my makeup purchases will be more focused, with less waste.
And, aside from the makeup, Stacy is a great person to spend an afternoon with and chat while you work. Yay!

ABSOLUTELY TRANSFORMATIVE!
I can’t speak more highly of my experience with Stacy. I came in with zero makeup skills and left with an entire arsenal. Stacy’s genius is that she uses makeup not to paint your face into something it isn’t, but to let the best version of yourself shine through. Her step-​by-​step, hands-​on process enabled me to really learn how to do this stuff myself — I’ve already successfully replicated it at home. As an added bonus, she is fun, down-​to-​earth, and funny — a real pleasure to spend time with.
At first I balked at the high cost of her services ($ 325), but I can now say that it was well worth it. I consider the money to have been an investment in myself, one that will last me a very long time. I would recommend Stacy to anyone looking to spruce up their daily look; really turn it out for a special event; and/​or finally stop wasting money on products recommended by random salespeople at every mall makeup counter.

Stacy is wonderful. I booked a private makeup lesson with her on a Saturday morning and had such an incredible time! Not only did she got through all of my makeup and brushes and tell me what I should keep or toss (and why) but she also had me walk her through what my needs were and helped me achieve them.
In addition, her teaching style is fun and super helpful. I found having the opportunity to see what she did, then immediately mimic it was invaluable when it was time for me to do my own make up in the days following our lesson. This was a wonderful investment and I can’t thank Stacy enough for helping me look more professional and polished!

You know you’re onto something AH-​MAY-​ZING when you can’t wait to get home just so you can share your knowledge/​experience with others, and Stacy is IT when it comes to make-​up and make-​up lessons! The two hours (more like 2 and a half hours because she takes the time to really listen, discuss, and write instructions so you can replicate the magic you’ve created at her home studio) will fly, because it’s like sitting down with your best girlfriend and picking out colors that will make you look and feel prettier. If you’re only doing one thing this year to indulge/​reward yourself, make an appointment with Stacy –you will not regret it.

My brother and sister got me a makeup lesson with Stacey for Christmas this year — and no, not because my makeup looks terrible :-P — but because I mentioned I wanted to get better at doing my own makeup.
I went to Stacy’s house in Bernal Heights on a Saturday morning and had an amazing time! Not only did I learn how to apply makeup and about the best products, but Stacy was super nice and really fun to talk to. She would do each makeup step on one half of my face and then I would replicate it on the other side. The 2 hours flew by! By the end I had a great everyday look that I could transition to night with more eye makeup (which we also went over). I went home with instructions on everything we did and a list of all the products that Stacy used.
All in all, it was a great experience! I had so much fun and learned WAY more about applying makeup! I think the lesson is well worth the price!

For anyone who is not an «expert» at applying make up, or if you’re like me and have never had any idea what you are doing, I highly, HIGHLY encourage to you to consider investing in yourself by booking a makeup lesson with Stacy. We invest in our clothes, and everything else that we believe will help us make a positive first impression, but then some of us put on our makeup with the skills we «learned» from a 15 minute MAC counter «makeover» 10 years ago. Not surprisingly, our makeup never looks that great, whether it’s for a special night out or just trying to look put together on a daily basis.
Stacy spent an afternoon with me assessing my needs, walking through a daily makeup application routine that I could use to achieve the look I was going for, and teaching me the specific techniques makeup artists use to create a flawless face. She was very thorough, kind, and patient, and never let me feel awkward for never having learned the basics. I am forever grateful for what she taught me, because I will probably use it forever (yes, I’m sure I’ll be one of those old ladies with the same outdated makeup from when they were in their prime, but at least it will be applied skillfully!).
A few additional notes I feel compelled to make for those who are scouring the reviews like I was, hunting for a few specific key points:
1) Yes, investing in yourself in the form of a private lesson with a top professional make up artist is pricey, and we all know that… what you may not be thinking about is that even after the lesson, you’ll need to be prepared to roll by Bloomingdales and drop some major cash on the products you’ve now learned to use (including brushes, foundation primer,…) It is not inexpensive, but worth it…
2) I am a black woman, she works regularly with women of color, and she created a gorgeous face for me. If you are also a black woman, I’m sure you were scanning for it!
3) I was able to book a makeup lesson online on her website, when I was browsing in the evening after work. Who has time to send emails back and forth or leave voicemails? Super convenient!
I was on the fence about booking a lesson with Stacy because it seemed like such a self-​indulgence, but now that I did it I realize it really was an investment, and I hope you consider it for yourself too!

This guys did a make up and hairs for me. I had a best friend party and I had to look perfect, After I read all this reviews I decided to give them a try. Great job. I was the best.
Thanks

Stacy is very organized, and is a great makeup teacher. I was first impressed that she shared all the critical logistics with me over email, e.g. what to bring, FAQ.
When we did my makeup, she answered my questions articulately, and taught me in a way that really drilled in the information. I was able to retain almost all of what she said.
She also wrote out an organized facial chart for me to take home, and she’s been great about responding to my questions.
I enjoyed the experience, and am considering going back for a followup session focusing on more dramatic evening makeup.

Note: Makeup artists are not clairvoyants. So keep that in mind any time you go to a makeup class or trial. You have to tell them what you like and/​or dislike and then trust them doing what they do best.
After taking this in consideration and expressing yourself, you will see that there are two types of makeup artists: the ones that listen and the ones that don’t.
Stacy listens.
–She listened carefully to the «I don’t normally wear makeup and I wan’t a natural looking makeup».
–She looked at the photos of some magazines that I had collected for reference.
–She did NOT try to convince me that I needed tons of makeup to look good on the photos.
–Neither she try to convince me that I needed to wear fake eyelashes because everybody does it.
…and she created a beautiful and flawless look for my special day, a look that I loved.
She is very professional, organized, calm, sweet and warm (this is very important, after all it is for your big day and you want to be surrounded by good talented people).
I could not be happier on my special day.
I also have to thank Stacy for the fantastic job she did with my Mom’s eyebrows. They looked fuller without looking clownish.

I’m pretty clueless about makeup, so I went to Stacy for a lesson a couple of days before my wedding. She’s incredibly friendly, patient, informative, and thorough. Really thorough.
I felt absolutely stunning when I left my lesson, and with her detailed instructions I was able to recreate a decent approximation of the same look for my wedding. It was well worth it!
I doubt I’ll have another occasion in my life to get makeup done professionally, but I’d definitely call Stacy; she has an incredibly focused, artistic eye, and she’s a sweetheart.

If I ever have an event where I want to look extra special, I know who I’ll be calling.
I think the two times I’ve looked the best in my entire life are the two times Stacy has done my make up. She’s amazing. She did my make up for a boudoir shoot and for my second wedding reception and it looked incredible both times. The make up never looked overdone or caked on like it did with so many of the other artists I tried out. Even when there was a lot on my face, my husband who generally prefers me au natural complimented my make up.
I also did a make up lesson with her. It’s a great set up, she shows you how to do everything on one half of your face and you do the other, so you really internalize the techniques. Then she writes it all down so you can remember.
I really can’t recommend her highly enough!

Seeing as I hadn’t updated my makeup routine since middle school, thought it was time to have a professional show me how it’s done. Stacy totally delivered — not only was it a fun lesson, but the takeaways are priceless. I won’t lie and say my «look» has transformed overnight — it’s taken me a couple weeks to really get the hang of it (granted, I am a total novice). But one of the great things about Stacy is that she’s available to answer your questions via email even weeks after the lesson is over. And after a couple weeks of daily practice, I’m starting to catch sight of myself in mirrors and actually like what I see!
It’s definitely an investment, but one I thought was well worth it.

Yet another 5 star review for Stacy. Her lessons aren’t cheap, and neither is the follow up makeup that you will want to immediately purchase, but both were so. very. worth it! I initially looked into some less expensive lessons with different people reviewed on Unilocal,but I eventually decided to go with Stacy because of all the fabulous reviews. And the 5 star reviews were all spot on!
She is very very organized and responsive, but most importantly, she is a really good teacher. I am clueless when it comes to makeup and she held my hand (literally, with the makeup brush in it, showing me the angle and amount of pressure to apply) until she could tell that it sunk it.
Like previous reviewers have mentioned, you get a very detailed chart of what to do when you leave. She gave me the professional (office/​day time) look that I asked for, which has already gotten me unsolicited compliments at work. While the product she recommends are pretty high end (I didn’t even know Armani *made* makeup!), she also works with what you’ve got. She was totally fine with my Kirkland brushes, and Maybelline mascara. (Oh, yes, Costco house brand brushes are applying my new Armani foundation, people!)
She is very easy to work with, and really knows her stuff. A great experience!

Stacy McClure did the makeup for my wedding. I went to several make-​up artists before I found Stacy. Everyone else I tried did alright but I always felt that the makeup was heavy and I didn’t look myself. It was important to me that on my wedding day I looked like beautiful but natural — especially since it was outdoors. Stacy really listened to what I wanted and got it. Not only did she make me look beautiful, she also made my Mom and bridesmaids look amazing too! She was able to work with all of us, our different skin tones, and even a bridesmaid breakout. She is truly very talented. Plus, she has a great personality and was really fun to have with us as we were getting ready.
Now if only I could keep her with me I could look that good every day!

After several months (maybe even a couple of years) of deliberation, I finally decided to schedule a makeup lesson with Stacy. I was nervous because I don’t wear much makeup, wanted to have a natural look, and felt anxious about spending money on a makeup lesson.
I had a wonderful time with Stacy during our session. I expressed my concerns and desires, and she took them all into account. She ended the lesson with a great diagram and guide for how to wear my makeup and encouraged me to buy the recommended products quickly.
Again, I felt nervous about investing in some new makeup, but headed off to Bloomingdale’s to get my supplies. I found that now that I had some understanding of makeup, I actually enjoyed the shopping experience.
Rather than feeling it is all or nothing in regard to wearing makeup, I feel encouraged to experiment and explore, and I feel that I now have tools and techniques to dress up and dress down appropriate for different occasions.
I’m really glad that I made the investment in myself to learn how to make myself up properly.
Thanks, Stacy!

I have been through so many make-​overs since high school. Whether it’s a spontaneous visit to the Sephora, or with a carefully chosen artist at someone’s wedding, I have had some good moments and really ugly moments. Not once did I go with full confidence that I was going to come out DEFINITELY looking the way I wanted: still myself, but every good feature enhanced, and every bad feature disappeared.
Even when I bit the bullet and made an appointment with Stacy, who charges $ 125 for trial and $ 225 on wedding day, I still felt unsure. I see the glowing reviews and I tell myself there is no way she can suck and live off as a freelance artist in SF. She must have some tricks up her sleeves.
And even after the trial, I was still not 100% sure. I can tell she has the passion and the skills and we had such a great time together, chatting like we have known each other forever. I felt comfortable and really liked her personality. The fact that she takes care of her face so well that there is no way in hell you can guess correctly her age tells a lot.
I brought in some pictures of my dresses and some samples in the magazines of the make-​up that I liked. She picked one without any uncertainty, and painted my face with ease and meticulousness like she has done it more than a thousand times.
But my trial make up was a bit more dramatic and darker than I would’ve liked. Normally I won’t say anything and just trust that «they» know better than I do. But this time, it’s my wedding and I figured it’s worth the fuss.
Stacy was so easy to communicate with. I told her what I didn’t like and what I did like on my wedding day and she really listened to me. She made all the changes I asked for and I was so reliefed and in awe with her final work.
Let’s just say that my skin looked flawless in the pictures. As in, it could have competed with my 2-​year-​old nieces’ skin gorgeous! And nope, there was no harsh crease on the eyes that Asian women often get from make-​up artists which make them look a gazillion years older and frankly, just bizarre, like, when do we have or want to have deep-​set eyes?
Anyway, to summarize: glorious skin and beautiful eyes. What more can an Asian bride want? Stacy is so worth every penny!

Thank Unilocal for fantastic recommendations.
Stacy came to my apt the morning of my wedding and made myself and all my bridesmaids look and feel absolutely gorgeous. We had a great time sitting with her to get a fresh, natural, and glowy look and Stacy even came to the Church for the ceremony to apply touch-​ups for formal pix.
Absolutely professional, acomodating, efficient, and complete class.
Totally recommend her!
ALSO!
Have become a new devotee of Laura Mercier products as a result of being introduced to them via Stacy. Very happy with the results.