How do you get started as a makeup artist?

Jul 14, 2016

Pinkbow X.

I really want to start making money doing makeup. I was just wondering if you guys had any getting started tips? Products I should buy, costumer tips, prices, must haves. THANKS GUYS💜

Jul 14, 2016

Katarina S.

Hey! I am a beginner too and I would love to be a makeup artist, but without studies I think you can't apply for a really serious job. But through all I have seen, lot of talented people put their work on Instagram or other website to be noticed, so If you get famous through internet it must help you a lot! :) For the products its all up to you, as a makeup artist you should tell your own advices and favourite products... well I wish to you good luck and if you have an instagram I ll be glad to see your work:)

Jul 14, 2016

Tia B.

I want to be a makeup artist too but I'm only 13. I am really passionate about this lovely career and would love some tips too, please.

Jul 14, 2016

Chloe N.

A good way to get started is to earn your license. You will be able to learn all about the specifics, the germs, risks, sanitation, color correction and matching, etc. if you really want to do it as a profession, I would suggest earning your license in cosmetology! Of course, there are many you tubers who are self taught. But most people in real life prefer to have someone with a license, or a really good resume. For makeup..I would honestly suggest ELF. In my makeup class, that's what we used and it was fantastic. Many people don't know, but elf is the 'high end' brand of some European countries. I know that sometimes there is a difference in the more expensive makeup than drugstore, but for starting, I would just go into elf, and splurge and get every single thing you think you will need to do makeup. You will be spending thousands of dollars less than for expensive makeup. But this way you can get every color of foundation, all the eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, highlight that will be good for every skin tone. And then over time, you can add some high end stuff into the collection as you get further along in your makeup career journey. Next..and most importantly. Remember SANITATION AND DISINFECTION. This step is very important as it will prevent the spread of disease through your clients. Get a makeup cleansing spray, and hand sanitizer, and 70% isopropyl alcohol. After every client, spray your powders that you used with the makeup cleansing spray. Before every application, sanitize your area where you will be laying out the makeup with the isopropyl, and sanitize your hands. Also, make sure that your brushes are sanitized before every client. I'm sorry I know this is a lot, and the cleanliness is tedious, but believe me-it will keep your clients feeling safe. Because if an eye infection or something were to spread between clients, it would loose you some clientele. For prices to charge, my esthetician teacher pays $500 for a wedding makeup job. And she told me that that is reasonable for a wedding. It's up to you on what you choose to charge. Just make sure that is reasonable for everyone. And those are pretty much all of the tips I can think of right now. Good luck girl!! Never stop learning about makeup too! It will keep you learned up on stuff if your clients ask about things:):) I hope this helped! Let me know if you have any other questions!

Jul 14, 2016

Chloe N.

Also I forgot to mention at the beginning, free lance makeup work. You could do that easily without a certification, although it would be easier with one, but is still doable:)

Jul 14, 2016

Adrien T.

I completely agree with Chloe. I'm a licensed Esthetician so I really understand the importance of that education backing you up. You learn so much, especially about sanitation and disinfection, that the average freelancer probably wouldn't think about. You should first check you state's board of cosmetology to find out if they require some type of certification to provide makeup services. In Louisiana (where I live) you're not required to be a cosmetologist or esthetician, BUT you must at least be certified in makeup. In order to be certified, you must take a class and complete the requirements. If you're practicing without certification you could get fined by the board. So if I were you, that would be my first step... And I'll tell you what, having some type of certification or license will help you get discounts from professional lines so much easier. I get from 30%-40% off at my favorite brands. This comes in handy when buying for my kit! As far as pricing, you have to check around your area. You must have COMPETITIVE pricing. For example: if you're charging $75 and most artists in your area are charging $50, especially when you're not as experienced, your clientele is going to be affected heavily. Take that into consideration. But again, I'm biased so I recommend you go to school because you will not only learn to do makeup, but the right school will teach you business fundamentals and that way you'd know how to make money the smart way and manage yourself.

Jul 14, 2016

Adrien T.

Oh! I forgot to recommend some brands. I think for starting out, BH Cosmetics is a good brand. Their liquid foundations are about $4.50 each and they have tons of professional-friendly palettes (eyebrow, lipstick, eyshadow, etc.) plus brushes, cases, and other tools you'll need. And they're ALL VERY AFFORDABLE! Those were the first products I bought for my kit, besides what I was provided through my school.

Jul 14, 2016

Dana E.

Question everyone, what do you mean by freelancing? What's the difference between being a makeup artist and freelancing?

Jul 14, 2016

Tia B.

I actually know that a makeup artist is more professional whilst a freelancer can still do makeup and earn money without a license🤗

Jul 14, 2016

Jacqueline H.

My opinion is a bit different than Chloe's. If you are truly interested in becoming a professional makeup artist, and all you want to do is makeup, I would not bank on Cosmetology school teaching you everything you need to know about professional makeup artistry. You will only learn the bare bones basics. Cosmetology schools will not teach you the skills necessary to work in television or film

I find it interesting how most people like to throw 'certified' and 'licensed' around. To be a working makeup artist. depending upon the state you live in, and in some cases what areas you choose to work in, you will not need a license. I work primarily in the entertainment industry, and I do not need a license. There are some caveats though. For example: I reside in the state of Nevada, and for me to be able to be a Demonstrator(allowed to demonstrate cosmetics in a retail and/or salon setting, applying makeup that is for sale within that establishment), I had to complete a Board course on sanitation, and pass a state-mandated examination to be able to operate as an artist in that capacity. Every state is a bit different, so I suggest you check the requirements with your particular state's board.

That being said, for the most part, State Boards only technically govern what transpires inside of a salon/spa. It is true that individuals are not allowed to cut, color or chemically process hair without a license both in or out of a salon. However, styling hair or doing makeup on location for TV, film, print, or special occasion events, which include working on brides for the most part does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Board of Cosmetology. If you want to go Union, as a hairdresser, you must be licensed. A makeup artist looking to join the Union does not have to be licensed. All the Union requires depending upon the type of status you are applying for(Roster, Off Roster) is that the applicant have a certain amount of verifiable professional working hours, pass a colorblind test and pay the initiation fee.

Anyone can get a certificate that says that they attended a makeup workshop or 'school;' however, that doesn't mean what people think it means. I graduated from a diploma program wherein there were certain standards I had to meet before I even qualified to graduate(written tests, practical exams, etc.). The same cannot necessarily be said for a 'certificate,' and the types of institutions that churn them out. All you have to do to get your certificate is show up to class...kind of scary isn't it. ;) Sometimes having a certificate doesn't mean jack.

A good makeup school will teach you the skills needed to succeed as a professional makeup artist. I went to Cinema Makeup School and graduated from the Master Makeup Artist Diploma program. I was taught sanitation, standard beauty, film and television, stage and theater, airbrush, character makeup, prosthetic and SFX makeup as well as ethics, the 'business' of the makeup business and how to carry myself professionally. Does one need to go to school to become a makeup artist? No; however, there are only a handful of truly successful self-taught artists. Why? Part of it comes down to that they are just flat out talented, but they were in the right place at the right time, and/or had the right people watching them. To be a consistently working artist you must know how to do more than your average standard beauty makeup. The more you know, the more you will work.

What should you charge? That's dependent upon a few things... I do not charge per look/per face. I am booked for either a full 8 hour day or a half 4 hour day. For the most part what you should do in terms of figuring out what you should charge is take into consideration where you live. MUAs in LA, Las Vegas, NY garner higher rates whereas MUAs in a smaller Midwestern towns could not charge the same rates as it has to do with a variety of factors related to cost of living and perceived value and the services you can offer(I style hair as well,).

In terms of must haves, I strongly suggest reading this series of articles written by James Vincent entitled 'Building Your Kit.' I wish this was around when I was building my kit. You'll learn everything you need to know about building a kit. Here's a link to the first article:  

http://www.beautylish.com/a/vxvcg/building-your-kit-part-1-getting-started

Jul 14, 2016

Kristen W.

Freelancing is when you work by the hour, day, job, etc… As opposed to earning a regular salary from an employer.

Also, I think it should be mentioned that becoming an Esthetician does not equal becoming an MUA. It’s great to have that knowledge under your belt but it’s not a requirement by any means. Licensing all depends on your states requirements so to say that you have to have a license to work isn’t necessarily true. California for example does not have a license for makeup artistry but there are still plenty of working MUA’s here, right? ;)

As for starting a kit, I would highly suggest you stay away from companies like BH, Morphe, Sedona, and so on. Those are great and fun for personal use but how would you feel if it was your wedding day and your MUA pulled out a BH foundation? My guess is you wouldn’t be very impressed or happy about it. Putting together a kit is a lot more complicated then just picking out your favorite makeup products. What works for you isn’t going to work for every client but Beautylish has a great article section that breaks down what you should have in your kit as well as a HUGE section on airbrushing if that is something you’re interested in. http://www.beautylish.com/articles/building-your-kit

You can also purchase a prebuilt kit from Camera Ready Cosmetics at various price points (http://camerareadycosmetics.com/categories/shop-categories/makeup-kits.html)

As for social media, instagram/youtube might be a good place to display your work but it’s not going to get you taken seriously in the makeup industry in my opinion. Think of your top 5 favorite social media influencers… How many of them actually apply makeup on people other than themselves? Very few. You can have a career in social media if you get lucky but it’s not really a reliable source to get you started.

Granted, I’m not an MUA myself so this is all just my opinion based on my own research and experience but I hope it helps a bit.

I would highly suggest speaking to Alma (http://www.beautylish.com/AJ06), Jacqueline (http://www.beautylish.com/profile/azvvrrj), or Kathryn (http://www.beautylish.com/profile/icvvsva) if you have specific questions, though. They had a great thread awhile back going into detail about what struggles you might face getting started but I can’t seem to find it for the life of me. :(

Edit: Sorry, Jackie! You posted as I was typing this. lol 

Jul 14, 2016

Jacqueline H.

Lol Kristen... ;) I haven't been on much lately, but I'm always glad to see you around. :)

Oh, I forgot... a few words about professional discounts. For the most part, just having a certificate or diploma from a makeup school or workshop is not enough to get professional discounts across the board. Most lines want the artist to produce more than just a diploma or certificate. In fact, some lines will only accept diploma's from certain schools. To get professional discounts, you have to produce different credentials. In addition to a diploma, most companies ask for Tear Sheet with name credit, dedicated website promoting work(Not a Facebook page), Union Card, IMDB link, Agency Comp Card and tear sheets.

Just putting it out there.  :)

Jul 16, 2016

Lainee I.

I am on the same boat as Tia, execpt I am a year younger(but everybody says I'm mature for my age) I am extremely passionate and really want to but ik that no one is going to hire a 12 year old to do there makeup, no matter the amount of talent😕But I also would love tips😊✌🏼️

Jul 17, 2016

Patricia P.

Don't go to cosmetology school. the primary focus is hair and you're required to complete 1800hrs