I stumbled on this article on Glossible and couldn't imagine not posting it as an Inspire Wednesday post. Would love to know what you guys think?
Today on Glossible, I wanted to ask my pro makeup friends the question that I get asked all.the.time by new and aspiring makeup artists.
“When can you call yourself a makeup artist”
Since I have many thoughts on the subject, I thought I should gather some really amazing pro makeup artists and post that question to them. Here are their answers.
When you make a livable wage doing makeup on others. And personally, I think after having your work published. When you understand how light affects your makeup. When you understand how and why you make the decisions you do when applying makeup.
Then you are a makeup artist.
You don't back down from your full rate.... And get it.
When your kit is full of quality products. When your sanitation is up to par. When you continue education courses to learn from esteemed artists. When you aren't afraid to assist seasoned pros.
When you finish a day of work so challenging you know inside that you made it work and weren't faking anything.
When you have a true understanding of how to make a women feel beautiful. When you listen and show her how to do her own makeup and give her the tools to be successful.
When building relationships and being professional is the only way to go! Its not about you, its about how you make them feel! When you make them feel like a person and not a cash cow. When you give a crap and go out your way. Then they will be a client for life!
When you stop thinking about makeup & makeup artistry like a fan- and start thinking about it like a professional.
When you've traded in your Costal Scents 88 palettes for a Z-palette filled with 25 staple shades and most of them are neutrals and mattes.
(And you're hitting end of the pan on all of them.)
When your pro kit doesn't consist of having a caboodle.
When you can do makeup on any skin tone that comes your way. When you set your price based on what you on what you need to earn a living...after expenses & taxes.
Charging Is a competitive rate for your area-that's not undercutting our industry.
When I found my niche, I applied myself and continued on working without lowering others to make myself feel better or more secure.
SECURITY is a key word in this business. Knowing your worth is the only thing that can give you that.
Your worth cannot come from how expensive your kit is, how famous your clientele is, how many likes you have on social media, how much money you earn or even how many years you have been in the business. It comes from within - even if it sounds cheesy - it totally does.
When you realize that potential clients don't want to see all the creative and colorful crap that you only want to do. When you STOP charging $25 per face.
When your website stops having ads on it because you were using a free hosting service.
When your tax returns say as much. When you stop wanting/drooling over someone else's career and focus on carving out your own. When you stop running out to buy the newest Naked palette or whatever is hot. When you pair down your kit. When you know HOW to mix stuff to get the colours you need/want. You know exactly what's in your kit and you use it all.
When you get your first television gig that is aired. When you get your first magazine editorial that is published. When clients are happy with your work.
When you charge your full rate and don't apologize for it.
When you can sustain a solid business full time to make an actual living, don't carry a caboodle along with charging $35 a face and call yourself a professional.
Oh and actually have a business license and paying your taxes.
When you realize that you're so busy with makeup, you don't have time for that bartending gig.
You know that you're a professional when you realize that it's been an entire year since you've done counter work or restaurant work. When you can still pay your bills and feed yourself by earning a living solely on being a makeup artist.
When you realize that you need to, whether you like it or not, learn about marketing, management, computer programs, accounting, setting up an LLC, looking into the new health care laws for employees, and tax brackets.
When you stop doing makeup on others like you do makeup on yourself.
When you rely on color theory, eye & face shape principles in order to enhance your client's unique features.
Amateurs - social media full of selfies, no clients and no examples of paid work. Lots of looks using a million different bright colors in an attempt to show off, and buying products based on "cool factor" and consumer marketing rather than performance on clients.
Professionals- Focused on actual paid work. Doing makeup and who aren't playing with makeup all day in their bedrooms dreaming of how many "likes" their next post will get.
Their kits are filled with top performing staples that work on a variety of skin tones, and lots of neutrals, because that's what you're using the majority of the time.
I felt like a "real" makeup artist the first time a director turned around and asked for my business card once she checked out the talent's makeup for test shots and complimented my work.
Makeup is still fun, of course! But I'm focused on providing my client a service using my skills...I'm not playing around doing what's just fun for me...that's a makeup enthusiast, not a working artist.
When they can book a wedding, schedule the timeline, and finish each person in 45 minutes with time to spare!
When it all finally clicks and you no longer have to study the color wheel or angles of the face and light...Simply enjoy listening to your client's verbal and non verbal cues.
When you KNOW & understand how to bring out their own natural beauty....and they leave feeling on top of the world.
Then you are a real artist.
When you have mastered more than one look.
When you can look at ANYONE and know exactly how to execute a look that THEY would love.
As with all professions, the number of years spent working at your (god I hate this word.... it's up there with "moist") craft.
I felt like after 5 years I had seen enough and done enough to be good enough but not great.
After 8 years of consistent work , sharing ideas and trying out new things with other makeup artist friends, making mistakes and learning from them, and creating work that makes the client happy in an efficient amount of time...then you're ready.
When people don't ask to see your work on Instagram or FB...they look at your website. (Which would actually make me a "makeup artist", cause some chick just emailed me today VIA my WEBSITE and asked to see my Instagram).
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for getting back to me. How much do you charge for makeup? And do you have an Instagram or FB page I can take a look at your work?
Let me know,
Thanks
All I could think was "Instagram? Who is this person and why does she wanna see my photos of my dog?"
Just in case you guys were wondering, these apply to any country any individual and any makeup market. Really, if these don't apply to you anywhere in the world, then simply put, you aren't a makeup artist. Period!
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