How To Become a Freelance Makeup Artist?

Last Updated on March 3, 2021 by Janie Wilson

how to become a makeup artist

Many young men and women are tempted to take up the career of a makeup artist. But they don’t know where to start. So, more often than not, they ask others in the profession: how to become a freelance makeup artist? This is not surprising since the glamour world has an intense demand for such professionals who know their job. Read on if you are interested in joining this profession which is as much challenging as it is satisfying in terms of money.

To begin with, if you are looking for a successful career in the field of cosmetic aesthetics, you will probably be considered as a freelancing makeup artist. Yes, in fact, becoming an independent freelance makeup artist is very tempting: you can set your own hours and pay rate, choose your clients and create a great brand that you will be satisfied with. Isn’t that very exciting!

In any case, every individual who has acquired his or her makeup certification is in a situation almost identical to yours. All things considered, it is not quite easy to obtain work as a beautician or a makeup artist when everyone is fighting for it. Try not to stress — we have developed a step-by-step guide on how to gradually become an independent cosmetic artist or a beautician and will supply you with all the skills you need to get started. Plus, you’ll see how to keep up to date with new makeup trends and practices!

  1. Learn how to do makeup the right way

A proper certification and experience in your repertoire is important when you start your career as a makeup artist. Improve your skills as much as possible by taking cosmetology courses on the Internet or elsewhere. Formal training is not essential for some promising professionals around the world. However, it can help you advance if you come face to face with another makeup artist who has a good cosmetology or beautician training.

  1. Reflect on what service you can provide and your makeup skills

You should always be honest with yourself. By the time you have just left makeup school, you are perhaps endowed with a nice set of abilities that helps you to prepare for the job. However, you still have a long way to go before you can consider yourself an expert in the field. Ask yourself these questions: what are you capable of doing? What are you bad at? Where could you improve? What is the one thing you can offer that other professional cosmetic artists in your area cannot?

In addition to down-to-earth skills, you will need the following to succeed:

Organizational ability: This is of utmost importance when it comes to managing your time, keeping an eye on your customers, and ensuring that you make money working in independent positions. Think about the big picture: If you can’t keep a right schedule for your appointments, you risk being late or missing them altogether! This will affect your reputation as a beautician, and you will lose customers at the same time. Also, if you can’t keep a coordinated spending plan, how will you know if you’re really bringing in money?

Imagine a scenario in which you spend too little on your cosmetology services or too much in other areas. Working for yourself seems like a fantasy, but it requires an amazingly coordinated person who is fully responsible for himself, his business and his clients. Otherwise, the end result is going to a fiasco!

Worker’s attitude: Having a strong, hard-working attitude is a fundamental element of the freelancers in the cosmetic industry and you will need to work harder to establish yourself in this fiercely competitive market. Be prepared to make a real effort if you want to make a name for yourself.

You will need to master the art of administration to gain essential experience and expand your client list. The good news is that if you are passionate about your work, it will be work that you will love and cherish. Be honest with yourself about the work in question, for your current lifestyle will change and your independent beauty profession will become intertwined with your personal life, so there is a need to understand what you are dealing with.

Technical knowledge: You don’t have to be absolutely competent to become a makeup artist, but you definitely need to be adept in social media and online culture. If you don’t already have a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you should sign up as soon as  possible. There is also a need for a specialized website — it’s where all your advertising will be centered on. It’s the place where people will first look to discover your story and book an appointment with you.

Proficient cosmetic artist portfolio: Every trustworthy makeup professional needs an independent makeup portfolio. Put your resources into buying a decent camera or orchestrate a shoot with others. Fashion stylists, beauticians, hairdressers, photographers, and set fashioners who are likewise in the beginning phases of their vocations might be happy to exchange their professional skills for business photographs.

  1. Get your professional makeup kit ready:

    A makeup kit is an expert makeup professional’s most valued belonging. Subsequently, it tends to be a gigantic wellspring of stress for recently certified artists who know the amount of money it involves. Those shading palettes and skin care items are unquestionably not low-priced! Notwithstanding, building a makeup kit is a necessary evil one must live with. You’ll have to appear at each meeting with things, for example, quality brushes, a whole range of eye shadows, lipsticks, foundations, and cleaning items.

Fortunately, most cosmetics courses will incorporate a free makeup kit at the start of your training. You’ll acquire a head start on assembling a professional kit while becoming acclimated to working with bigger palettes and your different professional devices.

Sorting out your pack is a brilliant advance headed straight toward turning into an independent makeup artist. You need your customers to come to you, and you don’t need them to find you inadequate and ill-equipped!

There are numerous approaches to assemble your makeup box even if you are on a budget, and a decent number of items that can be bought at the drugstore instead of at your nearby Sephora. Is there any beneficial side of being frugal while building your makeup kit? Yes, there is. You’ll acquire significant experience about a wide range of items, and will gradually develop a sense of where to spend your money on and where to save!

  1. Set limits for your makeup business:

    when first starting out, numerous beginner makeup artists, due to lack of experience, take on as many customers that they come across. Nonetheless, you would prefer not to burn out! What’s more, you should never overbook yourself lest you should mix up your appointments and lose business because of it.

Similarly as I have mentioned above, speak the truth about your cosmetics abilities, your strong points and weak points. Maybe you’re alright with airbrush makeups, and ordinary makeup applications, however bridal makeup has never been your forte or your passion. Learn to expect the unexpected. You can deny wedding clients. Yes, there is no harm in being choosy about picking your wedding clients.

This may appear to be nonsensical to a hopeful independent makeup artist. All things considered, you’re liable for attracting your own business. Then why should you leave clients! However, saying no can really be a savvy move.

The point is when you deny a customer, you’ll give yourself an opportunity to take on different customers who you like working with because of your expertise. You’ll be able to provide your best work in case you’re centered on a couple of specializations, and this will build your customer base rapidly through informal word-of-mouth publicity.

Thus, consider these limits as a stepping stone to turn yourself  into the best independent makeup artist in the locality. A good decent comprehension of your strengths, your qualities and interests, will work well for your business and can bring about more customers and help you build up a more joyful profession!

  1. Be assured and assertive

This is the place where your hard working attitude will prove to be useful! To find those independent makeup jobs, you should be assertive and self-confident. There are a few different ways to discover new customers, like networking with models and photographers  searching for a makeup artist, wedding planners, boutiques, hair salons and spas, and even doing makeup jobs for your loved ones. Keep in mind the power of local connections!

In spite of sweating it hard on the social level, you should maintain a strong web presence. You’ll be able to develop your loyal client base. Also, in case you’re hoping to connect with different experts, you’ll show them that you’re not simply lounging around! Schedule an hour or two every day to add new photographs to your site and social media accounts, visit likely customers, and organization on the web.

Remember that verbal exchange or word-of-mouth is a vital component to a fruitful career in cosmetic industry. A customer who is content with your work will inform their companions concerning you or put up a review on your Facebook page. Make certain to have business cards good to go so that those cheerful customers can pass along your information, and urge them to follow you on social media.

These sorts of references can genuinely affect your career in a positive way and help develop your reputation rapidly! That is the reason it’s so important to start your work with something you are very good at and enthusiastic about.

  1. Stay current with makeup trends and continue to learn:

    The best makeup artists are the individuals abreast of new fashion trends, and who continue to build up their abilities. Simply becoming complacent isn’t adequate. Because you’ve found a comfort level in your profession and are getting a consistent pay doesn’t mean you ought to slow down.Customers will anticipate that you should be on top of current fashion trends and be up to date about the most recent cosmetics looks and freshest shading palettes. You will have to dazzle them with your eagerness to progress as a professional makeup artist. So, don’t stop for a second to select more makeup courses that will expand your range of abilities and give you an edge over others in the profession.

Wrapping up

Therefore, you must keep learning and stay alert about latest style trends, and you’ll before long find that you’re well in front of your competition. As a freelance makeup artist, this is the place where you need to be—it separates you from your rivals in the same profession. So, continue to hone your skill-sets and start earning top dollars from home!

 

Janie Wilson
Janie Wilson

Janie Wilson, a former fashion model and photographer, dedicated beauty expert and prolific writer on all topics related to fashion, beauty, hair and skin care. I started this website a few years ago when I felt that I have had enough of a hectic lifestyle and need to settle down. Presently, I live with my loving-and-caring husband in New York, but I travel around the world pretty often to derive inspiration for my fashion blog. Yes, let me admit that I am fairly obsessed with anything related to fashion and style. All things from fashion to grooming are things I study all the time whenever I get an opportunity, and my biggest joy in life is to help men and women look their best!