How can I become a successful makeup artist?
The only thing that I’m really passioate about doing is makeup which is what I want to do for a living. Please don’t say this is stupid or that I’ll never get anywhere because frankly I’m not interested in anything else. I want to have a job where I can express my creative skills. I know that I will have to get the experience. Also let it be said that even if I don’t make a lot of money I would rather do something that I love or at least mostly like most of the time than have a job where I absolutely hate coming in every day because it is truly not for me even if the money is better. Maybe you can understand what I’m saying? So how can I become a successful makeup artist when math and science are not exactly my strong points? Anything cosmetics related has always fascinated me.
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6 Answers
What phase of life are you in?
High school? College?
Get a job at a department store in the cosmetic department. The perceived higher end color oriented lines will be better for beginning to develop a client list. Chanel, MAC, and Smashbox are good ones. These lines have national make-up artists who travel from store to store. They are also approached to do weddings. It will get you a start in the business, so you can begin networking. At first you will start as a salesperson in one store, but you will learn a lot.
@JLeslie has given you some excellent advise! I would only add that you might want to talk with the women who work behind the cosmetics counters at department stores to hear their stories. As you find your legs in the business, you might reach out to photographers in your area to see if any have a need for your services during their photo shoots. Good luck!
MAC and big name brands require you to go to school first.
Go to Beauty College and learn! :)
Thank you for all the advice. I really appreciate it.
@gorgeousgal3 I was a cosmetic buyer and manager. I don’t remember if MAC required you to go to school first? But, I think they did take girls with experience alread on other lines in my store. I am not sure. Depending where you live you might have to start on Lancome or some other line. Go in to the store looking like the cosmetic department, if they all wear black, go to the interview in black. We hired pretty girls with no experience who obviously wanted to be in the biz, presented well, spoke well. Make sure you have a proper handshake, not some wimpy girly thing going on (if you are not sure ask a man, family friend relative, in business to show you) and look people in the eye, and smile. The Cosmetics business is very business oriented, especially the Account Executives and Department Managers. You may want to bring a book with photos of makeovers you have done. Get some friends to let you do their makeup, say you helped them for an event, and put them in a binder.
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