Hi Amiga, are you wondering how to become a Makeup Artist without money for a Makeup School?
Are you feeling defeated wondering if becoming a Makeup Artist is only for the rich?
Amiga, today I can tell you your dream is not as far away as it looks right now.
Fasten your seatbelt and come on this ride with me! My blog will take you there!
In this post, I will be Breaking Down what 9 basic steps you need to take to become a Makeup Artist.
As a working Professional Makeup Artist myself I know what you need to master this art.
On this blog, I will be talking about how you can practice most efficiently, what you need to buy for your kit, shop my kit here, how to build a portfolio, and everything about setting up your Makeup Artistry business and becoming a Makeup Professional.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
This post is about the steps you need to take to become a Makeup Artist. Welcome to the world of Makeup Art.
Jump ahead to:
Break Down to becoming a Makeup Artist
- Practice
- Build your kit
- Offer your Makeup to friends and family for special occasions
- Decide what kind of artist you want to be
- Built your Portfolio on a website
- Research for agencies
- Start a company in your state or country
- Promote your company
- Take all types of jobs you can get
1. Practice to become a Makeup Artist
The only thing you truly need, aside from your tools and products is PRACTICE read here how you can do that the very best way. The more you practice the better you get, so take a good amount of time for it.
Take it seriously, but imagine the fun you will have. Get your girls, your guys, your mom, your aunt, the neighbors, anyone who wants to sit in your chair.
This also is a great way to let everyone in your surroundings know you are getting into Makeup Artistry and get their support. This is the fun part.
2. Built your Kit
This is a tricky part, for practice, you can use any kind of makeup you can get your hands on. Read HERE the difference between premium makeup products and cheaper makeup products.
If you want to be considered professional, you have to work with professional premium makeup brands.
The tricky part is, do you want to start your company already at this point to list your investments as costs in your company or are you going to purchase this in advance.
If your serious about starting a business at this point I recommend you to see a tax advisor for this.
These are the Kit Essentials every professional Makeup Artist has in their bags at the very least, I can’t work without any of these items on a set or shoot.
You are going to need these 45 Kit Essentials. Do you want to shop my kit? Shop the post here.
3. Offer your Makeup to friends and family for special occasions
By now all your friends and family know that you started doing makeup, if you are getting more confident about your makeup looks it is now time to offer your friends and family to do their makeup when they go out or have a party or special celebrations.
I wouldn’t be asking them for money because you are still in your learning process, but that is entirely up to you.
Now you are starting to learn to work according to the wishes of the model, never let a model talk you into something you don’t think looks good on them. Start to practice how to advise people on bringing out their best features.
Ask them to post pictures on social media during their event and don’t let them forget to tag you in it.
4. Decide what kind of artist you want to be
There are basically 3 ways to go, you can do business to business only as I do, where you as a business work for other businesses (a production company, a photographer, a publicity agency, etc.)
Or you can do private individuals only like brides, party’s, special occasions and proms, etc. Or your third option is you can do both.
Getting into the business to the business field can be challenging, I needed my agent for that, a good way to start your business is doing makeup for private individuals.
Another good way to start in makeup is to work at a makeup counter in the big warehouses or makeup brands flagship stores, this does pay less, but it is a way in.
5. Built your Portfolio on a website
Click HERE to read all about building your portfolio, in this digital day and age we artists are so lucky we can get our ART out to the whole world.
Back in the days you had to have a big book with your work printed on photo paper and had to do go-sees, thankfully those days are over and we have the world in our reach.
Do not put your prices on your website if you are working B2B, this is bad for negotiation. Look HERE at my own Portfolio.
6. Research for agenies
If you want to work business to business you need to look for your local agencies and see their requirements.
Do your research and call them if needed, call makeup schools if they know about any agencies, call model agencies to ask them where they get their makeup artist from.
Study their requirements and don’t apply before you fit the requirements.
7. Start a company in your state or country
Gather all information in your region on how to start a freelance company in your state or country, I will post more about this in the future when I do more research about that for you.
Here in Holland it is quite simple you go to the chambers of commerce pay a small amount and you got yourself a company and a tax number, but again, I will research this more for other countries in the future. Stay tuned.
8. Promote your company
To promote your company professionally you need to get a house style for your company, a style guide. I recommend you get a professional designer, this does not have to be expensive, there are small businesses out there, just like you, who are starting out, look locally.
Or look at freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. For your house style, you need a logo, a color pallet, fonts, etc. Change your website and socials to this style to brand your company.
9. Take all types of jobs you can get
Last but not least, take all types of jobs, yes also the non-payed ones, you can use the photos or footage for your portfolio, website, or social media. This is a good way to expand your network.
If you work for a small wage, tell them this is an introduction fee, next time ask them more, this is the reason why you do not put prices on your website.
I have worked a whole day in the studio for 50 bucks ($50,- should rather be an hourly rate) to assist a colleague, now she calls me every time she gets a double booking, full prices, this is how it works.
Of course, at one point (6 to 9 months) you have to stop working for 50 bucks a day, don’t mess up your own market!
In this post, you have learned all about the 9 basic steps you need to take to start a Makeup Artistry business. Good luck with these steps and let me know how you are coming along. Cheers Amiga.
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