Success depends on so many elements. Some we have control over, others just a little less.
Would you like to become a successful make-up artist? Then there are some tips and tricks that can help you. Pour a sauce of pure luck on top and you're all set!
1. Education is key
Start with a smaller, inexpensive course. Chances are you will not learn all the tricks of the trade during these classes. Still, it is useful because you will feel whether you have talent for the trade and are made for the world of make-up. After that, you can spend a bigger budget on more specialised schools at home and abroad.
My route: make-up school Encora --> The House Of Orange (Amsterdam) --> The Hairschool (Amsterdam)
2. Personal interest
See for yourself where your main interest lies. Do you prefer special effects or high fashion? Do you want to specialise in private clients and brides or are you tempted by the name & fame of celebrities? And of course you can combine different directions! So you will find me both on fashion sets, commercial shoots and with the faces of bv's in my hands.
Still, having a specialisation is always handy. You can look for clients in a more targeted way, adapt your social media and develop your name and visibility in a very focused way.
Still, having a specialisation is always handy. You can look for clients in a more targeted way, adapt your social media and develop your name and visibility in a very focused way.
3. Assisting is learning
Training courses can teach you a lot, but you mainly learn the small -but essential- tricks of the trade while assisting. You often stand for hours on end just cleaning make-up brushes and removing make-up from models, but meanwhile you see so much happening around you. You should absorb all this like a sponge! Once you have built up trust and a bond with your key artist, you will probably be allowed to create more looks yourself, which is extra exciting and motivating.
4. Freedom of creativity
Supplement your portfolio a few times a year with ‘free work’. These are shoots that you put together yourself with a photographer, stylist and model and where everyone has more creative freedom. The results of such shoots are not sponsored, but mainly meant to enrich your portfolio.
5. Drop the attitude
My experience says that if you treat your fellow make-up artists respectfully, it only plays to your advantage. In Flanders, we are a group of make-up artists who regularly refer each other to certain clients because we know the other will do a good job, in complete trust. You grant each other the job and connection, because you are....you know....a grownup.
6. Honest pricing
Always be sincere and open about your remuneration. Of course, as a beginner, your rate is not as high as that of an experienced make-up artist. But if you complete a 12-hour shooting day, no one should expect you to bill only 200 euros. Once your clients get used to your (too) low price, it becomes almost impossible to increase it exponentially at a later stage. You put yourself at a disadvantage this way, which can have major consequences. Besides, it is also a form of distortion of competition; by constantly working too far below the industry price, you disrespect your colleagues. A big no-no!
7. You’re the therapist
As a make-up artist, you are literally and figuratively very close to your clients. This often turns the make-up chair into a therapy seat. You are quickly taken into confidence and you should value that. A successful make-up artist creates a relaxed atmosphere and space for calmness and boosts self-confidence.
8. Feel the room
Every photographer, client or stylist works differently. Some prefer to put you on the sidelines during the shoot, while others then expect you to be in the starting shot all the time to touch up powder or correct hair. So discuss at the beginning of the day what the preferred way of working is, to avoid annoyances.
9. Hairstyling is a plus
Train in hairstyling. In Belgium, almost every make-up artist on set must also be able to do hairdressing, and for this you should train with a hairdresser, a well-known hairstylist or a specialised course.
10. Don’t follow the hypes
No, you don't need to fill your make-up case with àll the latest, trendy brands. Financially and practically, this is almost impossible and you gain little. First make sure the basics of your kit are right (products for different skin types, skincare, a few basic palettes) and then build up with novelties.
11. Be a clean queen
Hygiene is of primary importance! So make it a habit to disinfect your make-up brushes that you are going to reuse between each client. You don't want to be thàt make-up artist who passed on an eye infection or cold sore to someone else.
You don't want to be thàt make-up artist who passed on an eye infection or cold sore to someone else.
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