What You Need To Know About Freelance Makeup Artist

Do you lot want to learn how to make money with makeup?

I have both good and bad news for y'all.

On the vivid side, in that location is substantial need for makeup artists! People oft hire makeup artists for weddings, festivals, and other events. Information technology'south likewise possible to piece of work with photographers and theatrical productions.

So what's the catch?

In a word: competition.

Information technology's tough to break into the makeup industry. There are a lot of talented makeup artists out there! Allow me reassure y'all; information technology'southward not incommunicable either. I recently interviewed Carly Clayton, who became a successful freelance makeup artist despite blood, sweat, and tears. She will share her journey and hard-earned cognition.

How to acquire basic makeup skills? How to notice your showtime clients? How to grow your makeup business?

This guide answers all these questions (and much more)!

Let's jump right in!

Introduction: Carly's makeup journey

How Carly became a freelance makeup artist, and so can you!

Starting time of all, allow me tell yous how Carly became a successful makeup artist.

She began her career by trying out different looks on herself and her friends.

When information technology comes to makeup, Carly doesn't miss an opportunity to acquire new techniques! She fifty-fifty follows Youtube channels and blogs to amend her makeup skills (more than on that afterward). And judge what? It took her six months to principal the essential makeup skills.

Once her skills were upwardly to par, Carly created a Facebook page: Makeup for Weddings and Special Occasions.

Taking advantage of Facebook Ads and word-of-oral fissure, Carly congenital her reputation as one of Nottingham'southward best makeup artists! She gets hired when someone needs a makeup artist for a wedding or a festival. She also works for photographers and theatrical productions.

Hither'southward the bargain: Carly makes nigh $twenty per 60 minutes doing what she loves for a living.

And yous? Practise you think you have what it takes to become a freelance makeup artist?

Be warned: makeup artistry is not for anybody.

To guide your decision, I asked Carly crucial information about her job: the pros, the cons, and how much money you can make.

Pros and cons of being a freelance makeup artist

At that place are some aspects of makeup artistry you lot need to know.

Allow's start with the bright side:

Flexibility – you tin can work your appointments around your personal life.
Sociability – you lot get the opportunity to see many different people.
Creativity – bold liners, striking colors, there's room for creativity (equally long equally you lot please your customers).
Opportunity – makeup artistry is a career with great growth potential!

And permit's face it, making people look attractive while chatting with them is pretty fun!

Nothing's perfect; there are also some disadvantages to consider:

Work isn't always consistent; yous take to hustle every twenty-four hours to find makeup jobs.
The contest is tough; it is challenging to get high-profile clients.
It takes time to make a name for yourself.
An esthetician or cosmetology license may be required (more on that afterwards).

Finally, let'due south not forget about the exciting part: the salary.

How much practise freelance makeup artists brand?

According to CareerExplorer, the average salary of makeup artists is nigh $30 per hour.

Note that there is a meaning discrepancy between starting-level earnings ($10 per hr) and top-level earnings ($80 per hour).

That's why many freelance makeup artists experience modest income at the start of their careers! Equally you lot gain more than and more experience, you might state some high-end jobs: glory makeup, special FX makeup, theatrical/performance makeup, etc.

These jobs can pay every bit high as $lxxx per 60 minutes!

The lesser line? Your income mostly depends on your makeup skills.

Personal qualities of makeup artists

By now, you'll have realized if you lot are interested in working equally a freelance makeup artist.

But exercise you have what it takes to succeed?

Some personality traits that are essential to condign a successful makeup artist:

Attention to details and focus – makeup is visual, it is piece of cake to spot small errors!
Cleanliness – it is your responsibility as professionals to go along it clean.
Creativity and openness – makeup artists demand to learn new ideas and techniques.
Social skills – you demand to schedule appointments and talk to clients to make fourth dimension pass faster.

Let's not forget about the most crucial trait: motivation.

The more you master makeup, the amend your chances of success!

So let's get down to business.

Step 1: Meliorate your makeup skills

Becoming a freelance makeup artist: step 1: improve your makeup skills.

Before you start your business, yous need to make sure you lot have decent makeup skills. The better your skills, the college your income!

I'll teach y'all how to plough those skills into golden later, at present permit's focus on what makes a proficient makeup creative person. I gathered in this department: a list of essential makeup skills and the best courses/websites to master them.

Enjoy!

Bones skills every makeup artist should master

Permit me be honest with yous; makeup artistry is not every bit easy every bit information technology seems. It took Carly 6 months to principal the fundamentals.

Have a look at the list of all the skills you need to master:

Knowledge of common makeup looks.
Understanding of the different skin types, bone structures, eye sizes, and confront shapes.
Choosing the right expect for your clients' bone construction and face up shape.
Knowing basic makeup techniques: how to make smoky eyes, how to line lips, how to apply mascara, foundation, cerise sticks, etc.
How to handle makeup tools: foundation brushes, eyeliners, lash curlers, y'all proper name it!

Now that you know which skills you need to improve, it's fourth dimension to go downward to work.

About makeup artists think they were born with whatever talent they take, and they're not going to get much better.

They're incorrect!

When information technology comes to makeup, practice makes perfect!

Best courses for aspiring makeup artists

It tin can be hard to learn makeup on your ain. Following online classes is the best manner to stay motivated!

Here are the best online courses for aspiring makeup artists:

Diploma in Makeup (John Academy): you will learn how to practise base makeup, party makeup, bridal makeup basics, etc. At the terminate of the grade, you will be required to sit for an online test. Later passing the course successfully, you volition be able to obtain an Accredited Certificate of Accomplishment.
Mastering makeup awarding techniques at dwelling house (Udemy): an excellent course for beginners.
Becoming a professional Hollywood makeup artist (Udemy): the best course to learn how to build your makeup concern. Upon completing this class, you lot volition understand how best to take your job every bit a makeup artist and transform it into a money-earning career.

Now, if you don't want to spend money on online classes, I recommend the following resources.

Online resources for makeup artists

Watching makeup videos is another great way to learn makeup artistry.

Here are some of the best Youtube channels to learn the ins and outs of the job:

Makeup with Ja – Ja is a full-time freelance makeup creative person, and her Youtube channel is a gold mine if you are looking for makeup tutorials.
Jaclyn Loma – she is a fantastic freelance makeup creative person. Her videos cover annihilation from makeup reviews to glory makeup tutorials like the Kardashians and Jenners.
Makeup creative person – this channel is a compilation of excellent makeup tutorials.
NikkieTutorials – some great tutorials for beginners.

If y'all don't want to miss out on a new trend; here are some heady blogs you should follow:

Makeup.com – they take you behind the scenes, innovate you to meridian experts, and lookout man the hottest new palettes before they even drop.
Liza Eldridge's blog – she is one of the virtually experienced and respected makeup artists. Her signature await is best described as fresh and flawless.

Step ii: Build your makeup business

Becoming a freelance makeup artist: step 2: build your makeup business.

At present that you take some experience, it's time to build your makeup business. Here's the scary part: starting a makeup business organization is not that easy. It takes time to build your reputation and become clients.

But at that place is no need to worry! I have gathered all the information you need to become started.

What are the pop makeup services?

At that place are a lot of different makeup services!

For example, makeup artists tin offer:

Hymeneals makeup
Tattoo and scare coverage
FX makeup
Photoshoot makeup
Makeup lessons
HD makeup

To decide which services you want to offer, have a await at the need in your area (on Facebook groups and job boards).

Don't forget to be honest with yourself: offer services simply if you have the skills to do them properly!

How much should I charge?

Now is a good time to beginning thinking nearly your rate.

To determine how much y'all should charge, you demand to know what your peers are charging. Look up other makeup artists and make a list of all their pricing plans. Normally, the post-obit factors affect the cost of makeup services:

Reputation: reputable makeup artists have higher rates than those just starting out or with less visibility.
Location: it'southward easier to charge high prices in some cities.
Add-ons: lashes ($ten–$25), highlight and contour ($20–$25), and airbrushing ($25-$30).
Hairstyling: makeup artists oftentimes offer packages that combine hairstyling and makeup services.

Reputation and location are the two most important factors. So brand sure you adjust your rates accordingly!

Do I need a license to exist a freelance makeup artist?

The answer is typically 'no'.

In virtually jurisdictions, you must not have a license to piece of work every bit an contained makeup artist. All the same, information technology is dependent on your location. Sometimes, it is required to ain a Cosmetology or Esthetician license. We suggest calling your local regime and speaking directly with someone about makeup regulations in your surface area.

You can as well search the following terms to find the regulations in your expanse:

Cosmetology license + "land"
Esthetician license + "state"

Finally, notice out if a cosmetology or esthetician license is required to apply makeup or eyelashes.

Get your professional person makeup kit ready

Yous are nothing without your makeup artist's kit. Information technology's your supply of makeup, brushes, and all the other beautifying tools you need.

Professional makeup artists don't utilise subpar makeup that anyone can access and use. Using exclusive products makes your work more desirable to clients.

If you are an aspiring makeup artist, you don't need to use only loftier-terminate products.

This kit by Renelyn Thomas is an excellent case of what a professional person makeup kit looks like:

Hygiene

Earlier accepting clients, you demand to take sure precautions to keep every involved in the application healthy. I recommend the following articles:

Hygiene tips for makeup artists
ten fundamental makeup hygiene habits

Step three: Go makeup clients

Becoming a freelance makeup artist: step 3: frind makeup clients.

Equally you lot probably know, it is challenging to market yourself to new clients.

Of grade, in that location are conventional means to attract new customers:

Setting upward a makeup counter at your local mall. The counter is the best place to learn customer service and get some hands-on experience.
Asking for referrals from friends and satisfied customers. Offer customers a pocket-size disbelieve or gift for providing you with the names and phone numbers of potential clients.
Offering your services for a fundraiser.

You can also be more creative, check out these anarchistic ways of attracting new clients!

Contact other professionals

It is my favorite mode to concenter new clients.

The thought is to squad upwardly with businesses that might need your services. Here is a list of professionals you might desire to partner with:

Wedding planners – brides oftentimes demand makeup before the most important outcome of their life.
Photographers – makeup is indispensable to raise the production value of a photoshoot.
Model agencies – all models demand to exist beautiful.

Promote your makeup services on social networks

Buying ads on social networks is an excellent way to attract clients.

As makeup artistry is very visual, I recommend using either Instagram or Facebook.

The start step is to add your location and a brief overview of your service in your bio. Then, publish some cute pictures that showcase your skills.

Finally, it is time to promote your content. Connect your phone to your account; it will permit all your contacts to find your contour. If your contact list is spare, you can purchase targeted ads to promote your makeup services.

Showcase your makeup skills

There are a lot of lousy makeup artists out in that location. So information technology'due south crucial to stand up out enough to brand yourself noticed.

There are many different ways to showcase your skills:

Posting your best makeups on Instagram and Facebook.
Posting transformations and tutorials on Youtube.
Creating a portfolio of your all-time makeups on your website.

Once you've shown that yous are a skilled makeup creative person, it is easier to state high-end clients and increase your income.

Build stiff relationships in the beauty industry

Networking is essential for success in the beauty manufacture.

Interact with other professionals at conventions.
Seek out other professionals who might desire to partner with you, like nuptials photographers, models, and hairstylists.

Teaming up with businesses that offer y'all the opportunity to take advantage of synergy.

Final thoughts

Hither'south a short recap of how to start your makeup career:

Larn the most bones skills: communication and makeup artistry.
Land your get-go task.
Build your reputation.
Create a portfolio where you lot display your most beautiful makeups.
Concenter high-end clients and make more coin.

Adept luck, and let me know if this guide has been helpful.

If yous liked this commodity, y'all might also similar:

How to Start Your Teen Modeling Career – That's another article I wrote! I explicate how to get a teen model.
How to Become a Social Media Manager – A great commodity if yous're into social media marketing!

References

OnlineMakeupAcademy: How to Get a Makeup Creative person – Acme do's and don'ts.
Backstage.com: How to Become a Makeup Creative person.