Beauty by May

Airbrush/Traditional Makeup & Hair on Location

Waikiki,Oahu, honolulu, Hawaii

Service area

AWARD WINNER (11X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

May received the Knot “BEST OF WEDDINGS” award every year for 11 years in a row, including in 2022 the KNOT BEST OF WEDDING-HALL OF FAME. On December 7th,2022, Miss United States was in Honolulu for the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Waikiki to honor our veterans, their families &Pearl Harbor survivors. I am honored that Lily asked me to help her with makeup & hair. She is a remarkable woman. As a country we are lucky to have such a great ambassador donating her time to so many great causes. May has been doing bridal makeup & hair industry for over 19 years including American, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Chinese traditional wedding and ect. I believe that every bride should feel like the best version of herself on her wedding day. I take the time to get to know each bride's style and preferences and then creates a look that enhances their natural beauty. I am all about making sure that the bride feels comfortable and confident on her big day. Services Offered We understand that your big day is one of the most important events in your life and we're here to help you make it truly unforgettable. One of the key aspects of our services is the complimentary consultation. We want to ensure that we understand all the details of your wedding from the theme to the colors and any other special requests you may have. We're here to answer any questions you might have and make sure everything is just as you've imagined. But that's not all! We're also committed to making sure your makeup and hair look flawless all day and night. We use professional skin, makeup and hair products to ensure that your look last so you can enjoy entire your wedding day. These may also include the following: Bridal Airbrush makeup/ Traditional makeup and hair styling Makeup and Hairstyling for Both Women and Men Updos/styling Airbrush makeup Traditional makeup Fake lashes, Strip and Individual. Makeup and hair trial Tattoo coverage Wedding party Makeup and Hairstyling Special or event makeup and hair styling Photoshoot/Engagement makeup and hair styling Prom makeup and hair styling Regarding In April 2021 there was a server problem with messages from Wedding Wire that did not coming through to my email. If I have not responded to your messages within 24 hours, please contact me again. Cheers to a perfect wedding day! Thank you very much

Woman-owned Business

19+ years in business

Speaks English, Japanese, Thai

Small team (2-10 members)

Details

Beauty

Beauty Group Bookings

Hair Stylists

Hair Trials Available

Makeup

Airbrushed Makeup

Eyelash Extensions

Makeup Artists

Makeup Trials Available

On-Site Hair & Makeup

Awards and Affiliations

Any questions?

5.0

out of 5.0

191 reviews

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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

May is a highly talented and professional makeup and hair artist for weddings, praised for her kind demeanor and ability to bring out the best in her clients. Reviewers highlight May's attention to detail, ability to remember individual preferences, and relaxing energy, making the wedding day experience stress-free and enjoyable. May's clear communication, punctuality, and ability to create natural and long-lasting looks earn her high recommendations for brides seeking a reliable and skilled makeup artist and hairstylist for their special day.

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Ngawai B

Highlighted review.

12/09/2024

May was wonderful for my wedding day, she even made it to the room before my bridesmaid! My bridesmaid and myself don't get professional makeup done very often and with the Hawaiian heat were so worried about melting in the first few minutes but May was able to give us beautiful coverage that lasted the whole day and night. There was also the hair, both of us have very different types of curly hair and she managed to tame both that lasted just as well as our make-up.

Linda S

11/27/2025

May is wonderful! She came to my hotel room to do my hair and makeup for my wedding. She was on time and spent two solid hours making me beautiful! I brought my own lashes and hairpiece and she knew just what to do. My hair even stayed in place in the wind at out beach wedding. If you get a chance to hire her, do it! You will be beautiful for your big day 🥰

Any questions?

Ashley R

10/27/2025

May went above and beyond all of my expectations! Not only is she absolutely amazing at what she does, but she is so kind and personable. She made what could be a stressful time a fun and enjoyable experience. I never thought I could look and feel so beautiful! I would Recommend her to anyone looking to feel their absolute best for their wedding day. Her pricing is great and she comes to you, I could not ask for better! So glad I chose her for my big day! I would give more stars if I could ❤️

Shelby L

10/26/2025

I cannot recommend May enough! She did my makeup for my wedding day and made the entire experience so relaxing and special. From the moment she arrived, she brought such a calm and positive energy exactly what I needed that morning. What impressed me most was how she remembered small details from our trial session over 6 months ago. She made me feel so cared for and confident knowing she had paid such close attention! Her communication throughout the process was fast, clear, and easy, which took so much stress off the planning side of things. I truly felt like I was in the best hands. Thank you May for helping me feel like the best version of myself on one of the most important days of my life🩵 I’d highly recommend her to anyone looking for a talented, reliable, and thoughtful makeup artist🩷🩵💛

Florence V

8/02/2025

May is so sweet and nice and her work is amazing !! She really did exactly what I wanted and it was so beautiful (I received a lot of compliments).

jeanette

7/29/2025

May was absolutely amazing to work with for my wedding hair and makeup! She was punctual, well-prepared, and incredibly professional from the trial to the wedding day. I wasn’t always sure what I wanted, and she offered great suggestions that helped me feel confident and beautiful. On a hectic and emotional day, she was such a calm, kind, and grounding presence. Her communication was clear and timely, and her work was flawless—I couldn’t have asked for more. Highly recommend!

Dani A

7/24/2025

May is absolutely amazing and knowledgeable on all skin tones and textured hair! She was hired to do my makeup and hair for a vow renewal. She was professional, on time, kind, sweet, very easy to talk to, and most importantly- she made me feel like the most beautiful bride in the world! My ceremony was outdoors and my hair and makeup last the entire day! I even wore my makeup to the pool later. I was most impressed by her grace. She made me feel human. She handled everything with such grace. My textured hair was styled perfectly, and my makeup was absolutely stunning. I could not be more grateful for her, she’s amazing!!

Jon S

7/23/2025

May is amazing! Trying to plan a destination wedding and knowing you aren’t going to get a trial application can be extremely stressful. May was so easy to work with and the end results were beyond wonderful. She completely understood the direction and was kind and accommodating to all of the ladies, including a couple younger ladies as well as the Mother of the Bride. I randomly found her on The Knot and chose her based on the reviews here as well as her awards and would absolutely tell you - choosing May and her team will put you at ease. Thank you May for your special attention to myself and my wedding party. The gift of relaxation and less stress helped to give me the wedding day of my dreams. Thank you so much!!

Nina M

7/22/2025

I know finding a hair and makeup artist for the big day is always a challenge, but I would 100% recommend May. She did such an amazing job. I had an early morning wedding in the hot summer - my makeup stayed put the whole day and my hair kept its curl. I was a little nervous because I don’t usually use a lot of make up and don’t do much with my hair, but May did so good. The makeup and hair perfectly matched the inspiration photos I sent. All throughout the day I had guests asking who did my hair and makeup because it looked so great. She showed up early, responded to emails super quickly, was so friendly, and had such a relaxing vibe that I immediately trusted her completely. I also really like that it’s her who does the hair and makeup. I was looking at other people, but saw that sometimes they contact the services out. With Beauty by May, what you see is all her work and you’ll have her as the person who does it.

Erin E

7/08/2025

Truly made the day special and helped me and my bridal party feel so well taken care of. Her hair and makeup held up all throughout the ceremony and reception even through windy conditions and lots of tears. Wouldn't have wanted anyone else there to help us that day! Love her!

Bonita W

6/16/2025

May is very talented. She puts makeup on you but not too much which you look natural and beautiful. I love it so much the first time when I used her hair and make up service, I went back for the second time recently. Again, she made me look so beautiful for my photo shoot. Thank you again May!!

Agnes

3/26/2025

I got so many compliments about my make up by May! This is my 3rd time having May do my makeup, and I feel lucky to have her be a part of my special events! She even remembered my makeup requests from over 2 years ago without me telling her. May is very responsive and reliable. I really appreciated that she confirmed with me again the day before, and even arrived 30 min early before our 7am start time. My baby was sleeping when May arrived but that was no problem at all! She quietly worked her makeup magic & my baby remained asleep the whole time—you really can’t get more a-MAY-zing than that!!! May is the sweetest & I really look forward to having her do my makeup again in a few months!!

Connie S

3/19/2025

May was amazing! The kindest makeup artist I met. Process was thoughtful and open to changing anything if I needed to. Mothers loved the makeup and so did I. Got compliments all night!

Kimberly W

11/14/2024

May was aMAYzing!! May did my makeup and hair for my elopement in Hawaii. She was extremely professional, personal, and caring to me!! I was alone with no family or friends and she assisted me in every way possible! Thank you May for making my wedding day perfect❤️

Dana K

11/06/2024

When I inquired about booking with Beauty by May’s hair and makeup services for a Marine Corps Ball, May responded promptly and provided detailed pricing and background information. As someone who has worked with multiple salon professionals in South Carolina, I can confidently rank May as my top choice. She listened carefully to my preferences and delivered exceptional results. Her pricing is reasonable and her willingness to travel to my location during my visit in Hawaii was much appreciated. I received many compliments and found May to be a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. I highly recommend her services to anyone seeking a flawless and professional look.

Cing H

9/07/2024

I highly recommend May, if you looking for a glam make up for your wedding day also for couple picture. May is very talented and patience. May and her team is just amazing to work with.

Chrisca V

7/31/2024

The best make up artist on the island. She makes me look and feel so beautiful each time! Truly amazing ❤️

Czyna B

7/28/2024

I found May through The Knot and I am so glad she was my makeup artist for my wedding. I usually do not wear makeup and was never truly satisfied with the makeup I had done on me for my sisters weddings until now. May will assist if you are unsure of what you like which I appreciated a lot as it turned out so well in my photoshoot. Tanned Asian or not, May knows what she is doing. I have had no issues contacting her and she met her deadline without losing quality of the work. It was also a blast laughing and goofing off with her along with my bridesmaids. Highly recommend!

Nina A

6/18/2024

May was awesome! She did all makeup for my bridal team, the parents, bride and groom. We had a last minute change where we needed to be ready sooner than we had initially thought and May was so flexible! Everyone’s makeup looked so good and lasted all night. Thank you May!

Gloria G

5/27/2024

May is absolutely amazing, our communication was very fluent since the first contact and she was always interested in listening my request and got for me the look of my dreams: fresh and natural. Thanks May for your professionalism and kindness and thanks for being part of my special day🤗

Amanda L

5/17/2024

She is amazing 10/10 I am really satisfied by her hair and makeup! She is so professional and she knew exactly what i want. I asked her for different design hairstyle that i asked earlier. She did it so well!

Sarah S

4/21/2024

May communicated very well with me to make sure that she gave me the “dream look” that I wanted for my wedding. I have really bad acne and scars, and I was scared that this would take away from my big day, but she covered it up very very well so that you couldn’t even notice it. She has such a good eye for makeup and hair, and what will look good. I told her to use her best professional judgement with the makeup so that it would make my features “pop” and cover all my “flaws,” all while matching my skin tone and not being too bold. In addition, May was able to make my (usually frizzy) hair tame and I absolutely loved it. She somehow made me look even better than I could have ever imagined, and she is also the sweetest person, she is very pleasant to work with, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for someone to do their hair and makeup!

C I

4/07/2024

This review is way overdue! May is absolutely fantastic. I would book with her again without question. She is very talented and professional. She was so quick to respond to my message and was very easy to schedule with. Not only did she style my hair just as I had imagined and more (with only a few picture examples) and did my makeup better than I had Ever expected, she was so fast and pleasant to talk to during the entire experience. Hair and makeup withstood the windy outdoor elements like a charm. I am so grateful for May and the amazing job she did! Thank you ❤️

Savannah K

3/09/2024

May is the BEST! She is professional, kind, and will make you look AMAZING! I will continue to hire her again, and again..

Brooke S

3/01/2024

May was absolutely fantastic! She was a joy to work with. She was extremely professional, and becomes your best friend at the same time. She is very skilled at what she does. I would choose her again in a heartbeat!!

Alexandra L

1/14/2024

May is amazingly talented, and she made me feel so beautiful and confident on my wedding day! I was a little nervous about having my make-up done professionally, because I prefer a natural make-up look and haven't had a positive experience with someone else doing my make-up. I sent her a few inspo photos prior to our trial run, and she nailed it! My hair and make-up was flawless for the wedding and held up all day. My mother, MIL, and bridesmaids loved their hair and make-up too. May is talented, kind, and professional, and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND her!

Natalie W

12/06/2023

May is awesome, she made my day and she did a great job. She is really friendly and professional.

Michelle D

10/29/2023

May is a wonderful artist! I have never had my hair or makeup done professionally, and I am so happy that May was the one to do both for my wedding! She is incredibly friendly and professional as well as very talented! I sent her reference photos and she did exactly what I wanted. Our wedding was outside and despite the heat and crying throughout my wedding, the hair and makeup stayed intact! Thanks May!

Julie S

10/25/2023

May is an extremely talented and caring makeup artist and hair stylist. I would highly recommend working with May! For my wedding, I did the makeup and hair trial the day prior and did makeup and hair for myself as well as my family members on the wedding day. First of all, May is extremely skilled. It is difficult to find someone who is good at both hair and makeup and May is that person for you. My entire family was so impressed by May’s magical touch. For instance, my mom was only going to do makeup but after seeing how good May is, she decided to add hair also. Second, May is very receptive to feedback. Every person will have particulars they have for their makeup or hair. After the trial, on the wedding day, I had asked for more natural eyes. Although heavier makeup on the eyes would be captured better in photos, I had preferred more natural eyes. May was extremely receptive to this feedback and found the perfect medium between eyes that would be captured in photos well and a more natural look. Finally, May is extremely flexible and caring. I had some family events occur on the day of the wedding and May was very caring throughout. She was suggesting hospital names to search, was generous with pauses in between makeup and hair as I had to attend to family matters. Also, I asked May last minute if she can travel to the wedding with and she was nice enough to agree last minute. I have to say it was the best decision to have May attend the wedding seeing how the photos turned out. Thanks again May! It was such a pleasure working with you!

Joycelyn C

10/10/2023

May is amazing! It was the first time I’ve had such a great experience with hair and makeup. My whole party looked great—beautiful and natural. Even my mom was pleased and she is a tough lady to satisfy!

Dalya G

10/06/2023

May is fantastic. She showed up early for my beach wedding, we reviewed the pics I sent her for hair, make up, dress style and bouquet color. She was so professional and sweet! She made few great suggestions like eyelashes and braiding my half up. It turned out fantastically ! She took photos afterward, that she sent me and helped me to get to the car heading to the ceremony. Her communication is stellar!!!

Sharmaine S

10/06/2023

I am so grateful that I found May and she was able to do my bridal hair and makeup. She responded so quickly and I’m so glad she was available. She truly made me feel and look so beautiful for my wedding. She was so accommodating to the location and time. I gave her an inspo picture and she went above and beyond what I wanted, it turned out better! My makeup and hair was done so well, she is truly a talented artist. She even helped me with my haku lei and veil, I had no idea how to do my hair with it and she did it perfectly! What made the experience even better was that she’s very friendly and easy to talk to, it was overall a great experience. I highly recommend May!

anonymous u

9/26/2023

May is a fantastic hair and makeup artist. She was so sweet and accommodating. My bridal hair and makeup were everything I imagined and more. The bridesmaids also had great compliments towards May and their hair and makeup. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to get bridal makeup and hair done in Hawaii.

Flory R

8/17/2023

May is a truly talented hairstylist and makeup artist and did an amazing job for my wedding. In addition she is genuinely kind hearted and took it personal to ensure i look my best on my wedding day . I was very happy and pleased how my make up turned out. She listened very well and immediately understood the look i wanted to be fresh and exotic with a touch of sexy. I would highly recommend May.

Madi E

7/27/2023

We loved having May with us the morning of my wedding. Not only did she did a beautiful job with our hair and makeup, she brought a calming meditative presence to our space as we readied ourselves for the day. She was calm, masterful, and we feel so lucky that we had her with us. I can’t imagine having anyone else on such a significant occasion. Thank you endlessly from the bottom of our hearts!

Amy D

7/06/2023

May was so calming for my wedding day. Showed her exactly the look I was going for hair and makeup and it was perfect. I just added a few accents in hair clips. Her make up smelled so good too! May was on time, she finished ahead of schedule and she helped me into my dress with room to spare for a lil photo shoot. I adore her and would hands down recommend her for your special day.

Janet P

6/05/2023

May was recommended by my wedding planner for my elopement ceremony. She arrived early, very personable, professional and so talented. I requested special attention to eyebrows and eyelashes since I have neither from my recent chemo treatments. She applied the perfect brows and eyelashes still allowing me to look natural. I cannot wait to see my photos as I know they will be amazing. I highly recommend May for your special event. You won’t be disappointed.

Agnes K

5/14/2023

If you're looking for a reliable & professional make up artist, please choose May! I loved working with her, she is very responsive and showed up early at 4:45am for 5am start. My skin had broken out a few days before, but it was no problem for May. She wasn't worried & you couldn't even tell after she did my make up!! I liked that she wore a mask/shield during the session & gave me a touch up kit in the end too :). May truly made me look and feel beautiful. She is incredibly sweet & I loved talking with her too. May really cares & I can't wait until she does my make up again :). Thank you May!!

Nicole D

4/16/2023

May is aMAYzing! We were blown away by her talent and amazing personality and professionalism. I hired her for my bridal makeup, my mother, my maid of honor, and an attendant! Everyone loved their hair and makeup! She uses high end products and my hair and makeup lasted an outdoor ceremony and reception. I danced a lot and was shocked that everything still looked so good at the end of the reception! I would highly recommend her.

Amber L

4/02/2023

May was so a-may-zing! (Excuse the pun, it’s my love language lol) Her timing was perfect, she was soothing and calming, and made us look gorgeous! I highly recommend May, she made us all look so good and was so sweet. We loved her!

Olga Ł

3/21/2023

May recommended well what should I do with my hair knowing well conditions at the beach (we had a wedding on the beach). She did my make up even better than I ever had in my country (I went to professional make-up maker >10 times). She used good quality products and she is perfectly organised. She made my wedding day beatiful! I felt really good & sexy :)

Melody C

3/17/2023

I’m glad I found May through Instagram because she made the whole HMU process very seamless! She was very friendly and kind, and she made me feel beautiful on my big day! For the hair and makeup trial, she followed the hair and makeup ideas that I had sent her via email. She asked me some questions to get a Better idea of what i needed and what would suit me. I wasn’t sure if she could do the hairstyle I wanted because I thought my hair would be too short, but she made it happen!! The trial was so important because i decided that I wanted more natural falsies after a whole day of walking around with more dramatic falsies. This small change actually required May to tone down on the makeup and change the color palette, but the result was even better than during the trial! My mom asked if I could bring May to New York for my reception haha! The makeup was great but I was even more obsessed with the hairdo she did for me. It looked way better than the inspiration picture I sent her! I bought some hair combs for her to use as accessories and she styled them really well. Her creative eye is chefs kiss! She has great work ethics - arriving early, very responsive, practiced safe hygiene by wearing mask, shield, and gloves, and provided a small makeup kit for any needed touch ups. I also enjoyed chatting with her because she was very sweet. The bonus is that she has very gentle hands!

Wing N

2/12/2023

May and Paty were awesome! There was a parade in Waikiki on the day of my wedding. But they were still able to make it on time. They even got there before 2 of my bridemaids. Right from the start, May was very accommodating. I originally asked for hair and makeup for my bridesmaids and my mom and myself. But my mother in law and grandma wanted to get it as well. And she was able to accommodate them. She is also very organized and kind. She created a timeline for me so we could keep everything in the track of time. I also learned that May can speak Japanese. My husband's grandma didn't speak English so that was really helpful. We all look beautiful after. May did my hair and make up just like my ideal look. I was very satisfied. Thank you May and Paty.

Hong N

2/10/2023

Mayy is sweet, kind, a pleasure to work with, and she has a unique sense of style for makeup. Communication for me and my MOH (Maid of Honor) was easy to understand and easy to comprehend. I was very concerned about a pimple that came from nowhere, but she managed to hide it with makeup, like it had never existed. INDEED IMPRESSIVE! The majority of my bridesmaids and MOH had their makeup done by her. Their hairstyle was done by another person. Mayy did my hair and makeup, and WOW. She really helped me look my best! They were nice to help my MIL (Mother-in-law) to add-on some fake lashes last minute. [Note: My MIL was not part of the service pack we booked.] I was very impressed by how long the makeup lasted throughout the night. She even gave me a cute small kit for touch-ups! Mahalo Sister Mayy~

Raezel G

1/02/2023

Mae was a delight to have to do my hair and make-up! She showed up promptly and got to work right away and was flexible about the tight space she had to work in. Mae listened to what I wanted for my hair and make-up. And when I realized it my was quite what I wanted, she even cut my hair a bit to get my desired look!

Jenny Y

12/29/2022

May was an absolute dream! She was incredibly flexible given changing schedules for both my trial as well as my wedding day, given my groom wanted to add a little makeup to the schedule and we needed to do touch ups at the venue (which was ~30 min away) after my maid of honor and mother were done. She also took my feedback after the trial to heart and made adjustments the morning of my wedding that were absolutely PERFECT. I looked better than I could have imagined and I know my pictures will be stunning. At one point I bawled my eyes out during the reception but my makeup stayed intact and I didn't need to touch anything up! She also left me a small touch up kit for my lipgloss, which I was so glad I could reapply throughout the evening so my look stayed fresh!

Tammy W

12/21/2022

I found May through a friend who also had her wedding in Oahu. When I first reached out to May, she was incredibly responsive and after scrolling through her Instagram, I knew I had to book with her. May's prices were also the most reasonable, compared to other makeup artists I reached out to in Oahu. I had my trial with May three days before my actual wedding and May was very receptive to all of my notes. I didn't even have to remind her of my changes on the day of - she remembered it all and executed based on what I told her three days prior. My final hair and makeup exceeded my wildest dreams and I can't thank May enough for bringing what I had in my mind to life. May was also very accommodating - I made a last minute change to have my sister in law get her hair done and May was so flexible with this change. She also arrived earlier than the agreed time in order to set up and start right when we said we would. May - I can't thank you enough for your professionalism, flexibility and your amazing work! I hope to cross paths with you again some day.

Bailey R

11/22/2022

May was amazing! During the trial we adjusted a few things, and it was perfect for the wedding. All of my bridesmaids looked beautiful. For doing a destination wedding, she made communicating so easy and understood exactly what I was wanting! Highly recommend!

Tina M

11/13/2022

This review is long overdue! If you are searching for the perfect hair and makeup artist for your wedding day, look no further! May is one of the sweetest and kindest people you will ever meet! She was one of my favorite vendors! She is so incredibly responsive - she answered every single email so quickly and thoroughly- which was very important to me since planning an entire wedding is stressful enough! She was always going the extra mile and I am so grateful for her attentiveness and for all of her advice and beauty tips. She is sooo talented and so great at what she does. Her gorgeous hair and makeup made me look and feel like the Beautiful Bride I had always dreamed of being! My hair and makeup lasted all day long - even out in the hot sun, and it lasted all the way through the night - even past our after party! Truly amazing! May made my three bridesmaids, my junior bridesmaid, my mom and mother in law all look absolutely gorgeous!!! All 6 of them were so incredibly happy with how their hair and makeup turned out - now that is an amazing feat! Please book Beauty by May now - you will not regret it!

Elsie F

10/10/2022

May was an absolute pleasure to work with! She was very responsive and communicated with us and our wedding coordinator from start to finish. On the day of the wedding, she showed up promptly and got everyone ready on time as well. I and my girls loved how both our hair and makeup came out. I would definitely recommend her to others!

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Beauty by May

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