BAR Beauty

I spent over $10K on my website… and one of my brides found me through ChatGPT. 🤯

I get asked all the time, “Who did your website?” And my answer is always: it depends on which part.

When I started, I just needed somewhere for brides to see my work. Over time, my website became one of the biggest tools in my business—especially because so many of my clients find me from out of state or even outside the country.

Here’s what I’ve invested in that has been 100% worth it:

1. Squarespace — my website + domain
2. HoneyBook — inquiries, contracts, invoices + emails
3. Blogging software — to keep adding searchable content
4. SEO expert — one of my biggest investments, but it paid for itself after just a few clients
5. Website designers/developers — because there are things I simply don’t know how to do
6. CRM systems — I hired Kayla VanderZiel to build mine and it made running my business SO much easier
7. Google business tools — email + analytics so I can actually see what’s working
8. Branding photoshoots — I’m still shy in front of the camera, but I’ve learned that I am part of my brand
9. Education — SEO, marketing, social media, website strategy… I’m always learning

But here’s the important part: I didn’t start with $10K.

I started with the free stuff.

Canva or a free website builder.
Instagram, TikTok + Facebook.
A free Gmail account + Google Business Profile for reviews.
And YouTube for basically EVERYTHING I didn’t know how to do.

Your business doesn’t need to look like a $10K business on day one. Start with what you have, learn what actually brings you clients, and invest as you grow.

Save this if you’re growing your business, share it with an artist who’s just starting,
and follow Betsabé Apte | Indian Bridal Artist for more of what I’ve learned building mine.

Sometimes I need a bride like Munira to remind me that even though I have a particular style of makeup, that’s natural, each face and each story is different and I need to still ask questions, listen and adjust ♥️

That’s the beauty of bridal artistry. Makeup is not a cookie cutter process. What I think is beautiful is based on my background and experience, but at the end of the day it is my bride’s most special day and the way she wants to look and feel is what matters the most! ♥️

Thank you Munira, for choosing me with the help of ChatGPT, for speaking up during the trial, and for trusting the process! I can’t wait to redo it all on your wedding day ✨

Like and follow so you don’t miss the final reveal 🙌🏼♥️

I am Doctor in Sociology and I’ve spent a lot of time studying people before I became a bridal artist.

Looking back, I think that’s what makes my work unique. Here are 10 things that now help me understand and take better care of my brides:

1. Every person has a story worth listening to.
2. Always ask more questions.
3. Don’t assume what someone likes based on their background.
4. Trust is built long before the wedding day.
5. No two people experience beauty the same way.
6. Culture, family, and traditions matter.
7. The smallest details often make people feel the most cared for.
8. Good vibes are contagious.
9. Feeling understood is just as important as looking beautiful.
10. The experience someone leaves with lasts longer than the makeup.

Maybe that’s why bridal artistry has never felt like “just makeup” to me.

It’s always been about people first.

If this is the kind of artist you want to become—or the kind of artist you want by your side on your wedding day—

save this, share it with someone who needs the reminder, and follow along. ♥️

Meanwhile, she’s staying at a 5⭐️ hotel and doesn’t have to get up at 4 AM 🫠

True story. Bride wanted hair and makeup, plus a trial, wanted to be ready by 8:00 AM.

she thought my bridal pricing was too high for “little makeup”, and didn’t want to pay my travel and early start fees because she wanted to keep her budget low. In other words, she wanted more services for a lower fee.
What do I say then… I’m sorry bride, but,

1. It would be so unfair to my brides who pay full pricing
2. I am leaving the comfort of my bed at 3:30 AM for a start time of 6 AM. Why shouldn’t I be compensated for my time, and travel
3. If there is a budget, we can always cut down on services, like maybe don’t do a trial or only do hair or makeup, or start later in the day, but DO NOT undervalue my work and say “I just want a makeup that lasts 2 hours, so it shouldn’t be this much” 🫠
4. When you tell me straight forward what you think I should be charging, you’re already a red flag🚩

Thank you, but no thank you.
What are some red flags you’ve encountered as a business owner? Comment the tea below 👀



Instead of

POV: the bridesmaid comes with blush included ♥️

Cori, you were an angel to work with. She had a beautiful natural blush and I asked her if she wanted me to cover it or use it as my guide. She said use it!

I love it when I can enhance someone’s natural colors on their skin. This is actually a full face of makeup, I color corrected areas that didn’t need the red, removed shiny areas and focused on her eyes.

Cori, holla at me when you get married! ♥️

I will be teaching my skin matching and color correcting technique in my November Masterclass! DM for info 👀

Makeup assisting

Products used
luminous silk
yummy skin concealers
airbrush flawless pressed powders
master mattes
‘not too much’
‘true pink’

In this business, you can’t fake it until you make it. You have to work hard to become the artist people can trust.

Here’s what my first 5k job taught me…

• Practice every single day. Talent grows when you show up, not when you wait to feel ready.

• Put yourself out there. I pitched myself, introduced myself to people, and looked for opportunities instead of waiting for them to find me.

• Build the business before you think you need it. A website, a portfolio, a professional client experience… those things gave people confidence before they ever met me.

• Never stop learning. I invested in education because every bride deserves the best version of my work.

• Ask for help. When the wedding needed more than I could do alone, I brought a team. Saying “yes” doesn’t mean doing everything yourself.

• Trust yourself before anyone else does. Sometimes the biggest difference between getting the opportunity and missing it is simply believing, I can do this.

But the biggest lesson had nothing to do with makeup.

♥️ Spending that weekend with Amy and Anant and their families completely changed how I see bridal artistry.

I realized we’re not just there to do hair and makeup. We’re there to bring calm into the chaos, to protect the bride’s peace, to celebrate with her family, to fix the little things no one else notices, and to help the bride feel like herself on one of the biggest days of her life.

That’s the artist I decided I wanted to become.

If this resonated with you,
save it for the days you question yourself,
share it with another artist who needs the reminder,
and follow for more honest conversations about building a career with purpose.

As a Mexican, when I got married to my Indian husband, I had no idea what Indian bridal makeup really was.

I did what I think a lot of brides would do—I Googled it. Every photo I found was full glam, so I assumed that was just what an Indian bride was supposed to look like. So I hired someone to do full glam on me.

But when I looked in the mirror on my wedding day, I didn’t feel like myself.

A few years later, I left my career as a professor to become a makeup artist so I could spend more time with my daughter. My purpose was to help brides avoid feeling awkward, like me, on their wedding days.

As I immersed myself in Indian weddings with my own family, I discovered how beautiful the traditions are and what they represent. Indian brides are celebrated like goddesses. To me, that doesn’t mean changing who they are. It means honoring their natural beauty!

That’s why I specialize in natural Indian bridal makeup.

Not because full glam is wrong, but because I want every bride who sits in my chair to look in the mirror and still see herself—just a little more radiant, a little more confident, and ready to become a bride.

🤍 If you’re an Indian bride planning your wedding, save this for later so that you remember that you can look and feel however you want on your wedding day!

And if you know someone looking for a makeup artist who will celebrate her natural beauty, share this with her.

Follow for more stories behind the brides who inspire my work.

Thank you Kanal for trusting me with your makeup ♥️