How to Become a Makeup Artist

What is it that a makeup artist actually does?

Beauty and natural makeup application suited to the occasions and projects such as model and actor portfolio pictures, fashion shows, beauty pageants, TV projects such as specials, independent films, weddings or commercial shoots such as advertising campaigns for TV or print ads. Responsible to understand skin care and preparation of the skin for makeup, lighting and how the look will transform for different media such as the photography, TV cameras, film for movies and for everyday wear.

What kind of education do I need to be a professional makeup artist?

You don't need any education if you know makeup really well and have amazing talent already. But it's useful to get some formal education at a school known for producing artists who get the great work. You can also go to a college where makeup application is taught along with courses in makeup sales in case you want to work at makeup retail counters. I happen to have a university degree in social sciences that lead me to a long-time career in media, public relations and marketing before I went into makeup. That was the best beginning for marketing this as a business for me. Then I attended makeup school. If you want to do eyebrow waxing and aesthetician work, you'll need to attend a place to get a license. This is true for salon makeup artists . To my knowledge, when you conduct procedures that have the ability to puncture the skin, you must be licensed.

What kind of skills do I need to do makeup on someone?

You need to be artistic enough to have a sense of colour combining...know your colour theory and what colours go well with each other, and also which colours will cancel out one another so you can help hide undereye circles, blemishes and other ills of the face. Understand lighting and how makeup changes for different media such as photography, film, TV. You have to be good at adapting to changing schedules and working with all types of people...not a place to work if you are shy.

What kind of daily routine is there for makeup artist?

There is no daily routine. Some days are 4 hour jobs...others are up to 16. Photoshoots can be at least 8-9 hours with 4 makeup and hairstyle changes...you will have to style hair too if you work in the commercial area...photoshoots for magazines, print and TV commercials often want one person to style both makeup and hair. A makeup lesson can be 3 hours, a wedding can be 2 to 6 depending on how many people you have to do.

Where is makeup usually done? Is it in a regular business environment?

No regular environment at all. You can work indoors and out for photoshoots and TV projects. You can work in environments where there is no washroom in sight for miles...crew have been known to use the bushes...not pleasant. Sometimes you'll do weddings in homes that aren't air conditioned and you feel like you are going to faint..imagine how the bride feels! You also, never sit down...need good cushion on your shoes. Often go to private homes for makeup trials, lessons and parties. Lots of hazards. I've been on top of big rocks by the side of deep water trying to touch up makeup and felt unsteady in my footing...told the photographer she could go ahead since she was just moving too high for me. I also worked all day filming and sneezing because I was standing in a field of ragweed which I'm allergic to.

Do you work alone or with others?

I work alone in that I don't bring other artists with me unless the job calls for extra staff; but I work with photographers, filmers, wardrobe stylists and project directors when I arrive at a job.

Is makeup a self-employment job or will someone hire you to work for them?

I am self-employed as a fulltime freelance makeup artist. Other artists have found ways to combine freelance and a regular paycheque or a 100% hiring by a company. They may work 3 days a week on a regularly filmed TV show and still freelance. Or they may work for a cosmetics company at a counter in a department store. Some may be only full time at a TV station or on a regular episodic show. You can't expect to be hired as a full-time employee for fashion makeup.

As a makeup artist, do you have a boss or do you work mostly on your own?

If you've been hired as a freelance artist, you are the boss of the makeup but photographers and art directors will check the work before you go to set for film or photography, and express opinion. If it's an advertising campaign, the client will have specific looks they want and tell you or even show photos of what they want you to duplicate.

What kind of starting salary will a makeup artist get?

For personal work, you set your rates eg. weddings, makeup lessons, parties. For commercial work, you often quote the job based on hours required and how many people will have makeup applied but the production companies have set budgets and often try to negotiate. Film and some TV are often unionized. Starting salary for this position ranges. If you work at a retail counter selling makeup, you could be looking at about $12 per hour to start. If you are freelancing for commercial work and are good and went to a school with a good reputation in the industry, you should charge about $65 per hour to start, with a minimum of 2 hour booking. The artists at the top can make $1500 to $2000 per day in a large city, for advertising campaign work.

Is income affected by seasons, amount of work, layoffs?

Yes, wedding season is big money. Winter isn't as busy for weddings but I still do many winter weddings. A lot of couples are doing destination weddings and traveling to warm climates. Jobs aren't easy to come by freelance-wise because there are a lot of freelance makeup artists...you get worked based on who you know sometimes more than how good you are. Make your connections with the best photographers and salons you can.

# Is salary set or is it negotiated and how hard is it to get what you think you are worth?

Salary is always open to negotiation; when you are first starting out, you generally end up accepting less to gain the experience if the company is hiring you for the first time. It's often hard to get the fees you think you are worth if another artist comes along who has a similar caliber of portfolio and wants to undercut your pricing. You want to keep your website looking amazing and resume varied and constant to show you are the best the company can find. Some companies care more for the price than the quality of makeup..any artist will do. I'd not want to work with them if the talent isn't the key. I don't think anyone would want to be known as the bargain-basement hire when working in a talent-based field. If you design a set rate sheet, you'll be sending that when they ask for rates. Many companies won't try to negotiate; they'll pay or just hire someone else without getting back to you.

Is a makeup career a growth market or is it a job that is declining on opportunities.

Personally I believe it is a growth market, because the babyboomer population is aging and there is increasing pressure on us to look good as we age..cosmetics have always aided in that process and their sales never slump...even in bad times. I think the new generation of celebrities like JLo have brought much attention to their crew of stylists and makeup artists and are definitely profiling the role of the makeup artist in making the stars look as good as they do..Some artists are becoming as well known as the performers themselves...Kevyn Aucoin (now passed), was one and Alexis Vogel is known for turning the playboy centerfold models into sex kittens...she was the originator of Pamela Anderson's look.

How do I search for work as an artist?

You have to focus on photographers who do the hiring for modelling agencies and the modelling agencies as well: you may need to start doing TFP's, which means time-for-print. The photographer gives you photos for your free makeup services. When you get a good portfolio together you can get an agent, who will start booking jobs on your behalf. They take a percent of your earnings. Also you'd send your work and resume to production companies, film producers, cosmetics companies...to name a few. If photographers aren't testing new artists, tell them you'd be available for any future personal projects. This worked for me once. The photographer called me a week later to do makeup for a photography class he was teaching. He got a great model and gave me 8 prints for my work. As for fashion runway..they aren't jobs that really pay...unless you are doing makeup for famous or top designers who already work with makeup artists they know. They often use artists who are with agencies. Otherwise, many shows are done with the free services of artists who are doing them for experience and jobs to add to their resume. Or they are sponsored by cosmetics companies who bring their own artists or freelancers for low pay. For runway makeup, you may get your jobs by working with companies like MAC as a freelancer, or part-time regular artist, or full-time. Event planners who organize the shows are a great place to email and link them to your online portfolio. Makeup jobs really aren't advertised when they are looking for freelance. You might see jobs advertised for salon artists or artists for cosmetics counters but never for the jobs with production companies hiring to do TV and print ads or TV specials...you have to bug them regularly to hire you. To get jobs, you just have to contact the people hiring.

How is a makeup career affected by where you live?

You won't find a lot of work in rural areas, nor the people who think makeup is important enough to pay for it. Big city centers have the big jobs; most big jobs are there but so is all the competition. There are soooooo many artists in cities like New York, L.A, Toronto. You'll find work in wedding makeup everywhere, but again, the larger the city, the higher you can charge for the service.

What is the most challenging experience you've had as a makeup artist?

Fashion shows are hectic because you don't have a lot of time to do makeup, you are scrunched in very little space and trying to keep an eye on your makeup and brushes so they don't get lost or stolen and it's often hot, and loud, loud. Lots of rock music playing in the room sometimes. When the show has to go on, there is always someone not finished. You get interrupted by models wanted touch ups to bruises or cuts on their bodies when you are trying to finish the faces of key models still. And there are so many more to mention! You have to love what you do because you are always in uncontrollable environments.

Do you use one big kit of makeup or do you have several, and what products in general do we need in a makeup artist's kit?

I use 3 main kits; 2 for makeup and accessories, one for all my hair styling products. I have a separate set bag with mini-versions of the same foundations and lipsticks for TV (a few different TV-only foundations) and on set stuff but generally I don't break my collections it into different products for different jobs because most of your products you'll want for all jobs. You'll find if you break up the kit and try to take a smaller one to smaller jobs, you get there and realize that you've left something in the big kit. It's hard to cart because it's heavy so get one with wheels and a pulley handle. And start lifting weights!
I was once asked what products are an absolute necessity for fashion or photo shoots? This is too loaded of a question. You'd have to study a makeup program or buy my upcoming book to get the full answer. You need cream, powder and liquid foundations, eyeshadows, blushes and a range of lipsticks to do faces of all cultural backgrounds from pale white skin to dark black. You need products that range from matte to glitter and metallic--great for fashion shows. You need cleansers and moisturizers for all skintypes and all the tools like brushes, Q-tips, cleansing cloths, eyemakeup remover, mascaras both regular and waterproof, and you need emergency products to deal with outbreaks of rashes or puffy eyes. And lots more. I'm loyal to MAC eyeshadows and lipsticks because of their longevity but I like many other brands for foundations--eg. Cinema Secrets for film and weddings, MAC Face and Body for weddings and lesson clients, Kett airbrush systems for brides..Nars blushes are beautiful and a there are so many more.

Is it hard to get started as a fashion makeup artist?

Fashion is difficult. You start with great photographers...work with them on photoshoots to get copies of pictures for your portfolio and keep updating it. As your book gets better, take it to other photographers. Keep a list of the top photographers from magazines and make your way to them or their assistants. Research the companies who do catalogue work and appeal to them and their photographers to get work also. Talk to art directors for magazines and show them your book. Best advice is to start with a good makeup artist and photographer who are with a top agency and assist them. Agencies get all the top fashion bookings

What kind of pace do you need to work at as an artist?

Fast, fast. You need to be able to do a face in 5-10 minutes sometimes, such as for fashion shows. 20 minutes tops. For photo shoots, a photographer may give you 45 minutes to an hour and a half to do both makeup and hair. Once you start shooting and the photographer wants a makeup and hair change, you'll have to do that in about 10-15 minutes. For weddings, I set aside an hour for the bride, 30 minutes for every other face.

Is it easy to get into film, TV and theater work or do you need connections?

You often need connections...Film is hard because you need to get into a union which involves many hours of work formerly tracked and submitted to qualify...you must do standards testing of your skills to remain union. Independent films are easy to work with but try getting money for your work!!! Just find producers and people you need to make connections with and go in and show them your portfolio or offer to do makeup for a trial for one show and let them see what you can do. The challenge with Theater is that they often hire a key artist to design the stage looks, then train the cast. Night after night the cast may do their own makeup.

What's your best advice for a student looking at going out into the makeup world?

You won't be able to support yourself or pay the rent when you start out so I hope you have patient parents who'll put up with you for a while during the building of your portfolio and resume (or a supporting husband like I have)..do as much makeup as you can on every one you can get your hands on and be sure you are comfortable with all skin tones and cultural backgrounds...know how do deal with dark circles on people of Indian decent...it's a key issue for them. Know your craft really well so that you never have to second guess yourself for the first few minutes when someone sits in your makeup chair.

What do you find most rewarding about a makeup career?

Bottom line is that you have to love love doing makeup and see the beauty or potential in absolutely every face. Most rewarding are the average non-models who've cried when they looked in the mirror. I did a makeover on a 16-year old with low self esteem and she cried when she looked in the mirror. I also worked with a manager in business who got emotional to see such a transformation.

What is expected in a makeup artist's portfolio?

Photos with good fashion photographers that have strong editorial themes and makeup and hair that is free, natural and not forced looking. Bad portfolios have every picture you've ever done. Good ones show only your best work with the best photographers and showcase a range of makeup styles from natural to beauty and sometimes some edgier stuff that isn't PUNK but more runway. Not all pictures will be from the same distance away, some are closeup, while opposing page work should be full-body or 3/4 body shots. None should look like portraits.

Do you have any favorite websites that inspire your makeup styles?

I use top fashion photographer's websites because they use the best makeup artists. Not all artists have websites so it's good to check out the photographers who are published in the top fashion magazines. Also check out the sites that demonstrate the most current styles of fashion--you'll see the most current in makeup and hair too. Check www.style.com, www.zoozoom.com, www.zinkmag.com
Go to agency sites that rep stylists. www.cloutieragency.com

Do you think there is a lot of competition with other artists?

And how do you make sure you stand out from them and the competition doesn't kill you?

Always, as in any business there is a lot of competition. More and more schools are churning out makeup artists. More websites for artists are out there so more people are seeing it as a potential career.

How do you make yourself stand out from them or work with them so that your job doesn't suffer with the competition? You never badmouth another artist; you remain professional and easy to work with, never grandstanding or pulling out an ego...work hard and know your craft well...also be flexible. Plans change in the middle of shoots and shows all the time. Stay on top of your portfolio and keep updating it. Make sure you have a website that people won't want to leave. When I read the stats on my website, I've found that many people actually spend 2 hours in there. I don't think I've ever spent that much time in my own site! Give potential clients a lot of different makeup looks to consider. If you only have fashion photos, brides won't be able to tranlate them into how they will look. See
www.facemaker.ca

Is a makeup career one that suits family life?

It's tough...works best with those without a family. It's a young person's career or at least someone without a lot of family responsibility. That's if you freelance. If you work for a cosmetics company selling makeup, your hours will be regular. I get up at 2:00 to put the first face in the chair at 4:00 am many times. If I came home afterwards and had 3 kids to deal with, I couldn't do it. However, if you are freelance, you can take only the jobs you want.

What's your advice in starting out as a makeup artist; how do I promote myself?

Get a website...this is a visual career. People need to see your work. The best way to make sure they'll find you in the searches is to have it designed by SEO companies (search engine optimization). You won't have the time to run around showing everyone your book in person...email people and follow up with phone calls. If you email photographers and don't followup with calls, you often won't hear back. Become close to good photographers because they are the ones getting and hiring for the jobs you want. The is obviously a very short answer for a loaded question and hard to pair down since I worked in marketing for 13 years. I have a million more ideas.

What are the drawbacks of a makeup career?

There will always be hard-to-please clients...makeup is personal..a face is personal...many people have lists of things they don't like..the most difficult ones are those who want to look in a mirror at every stage and then criticize before you have time to blend a line..I try to never offer mirrors til the end!!! You try to make sure you put colours on they like and are interested in working with as long as they suit. But, not all customers will be happy...You just do your best. It can also take years to make regular enough money to pay your rent!

What are the rewards of a makeup career?

If you love applying makeup, you'll love every aspect of it but mostly the reactions of the non-models who are transformed to be someone they never imagined. Reactions and excitement from clients are the best. You get to do something you love to earn a living.

Why should I go to makeup school?

Makeup school will give you the confidence to get into the field and approach people. Commercial clients don't care as much that you are certified but private ones such as brides feel it's important to know you actually have credentials.

Can I make it if I don't go to makeup school?

Many of the world's top makeup artists never went to makeup school so yes. Schools can be expensive. If you choose not to go, you can hire one of the top fashion/TV/Film makeup artists and pay for 3 or 4 full days of one-on-one training. You can find the top artists by checking credits in magazines, at the end of TV shows or film projects and check the agents who deal with the best, Artist Group, Judy Inc, Plutino Group, Giovanni (Those are the Toronto ones). Ask them if any of their artists do one on one training. You can pay up to $6,000 for a two month course or hire an artist for 3-4 days at 6-$800 per day (that is an incredible investment) You should be able to find out all the top techniques, how to make business connections, how to build your portfolio, what it should look like before you run it to the fashion editors, what to put in your makeup kit, how to set your rates, how to promote yourself, and more. However, like me, they can often be too busy for training.

A note of caution. There are some artists with these agencies who do one-on-one training but ask about their background. Some started out as hairstylists and then learned makeup as they went...they may be extremely strong in hair (which you do need to know how to do) but their makeup may not be their strength. Really check out their work in photos before hiring them.

Many people don't have access to schools but are good at makeup. That's one of the reasons I'm writing my new book. All the answers above are very simplified. My book will have 13 detailed chapters on how to get yourself up and running as a freelance makeup artist...it will have forms and letters already written and designed for you, and details you never thought you'd need to know to be a makeup artist. If you want to write to tell me what you'd like to see in the book to make sure it's covered everything you'll want and more...write colette@facemaker.ca See my website for more information on the book. www.facemaker.ca

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