How to Become a Makeup Artist

Makeup artists (MUAs) are beauty professionals who use makeup and other cosmetic products to enhance or alter their clients’ appearances.

Makeup artists use a variety of products, like foundation, blush, eyeshadow, and lipstick, to create colors, textures, and effects on the face.

If they work in theater or television, they might also use prosthetics, special effects makeup, and other tools to create unique characters and looks.

Where do makeup artists work?

Makeup artists often work at:

• Salons and spas
• Fashion events
• Film and television sets
• Weddings
• Special events
• Professional photoshoots

Many makeup artists work on a freelance or independent basis, although plenty also work as full-time employees for companies or agencies.

Makeup artist job description

As a makeup artist, you’ll have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Consultation: You’ll meet with clients to understand what kind of look they want to achieve and offer advice based on their features, skin tone, and personal style.
• Skin preparation: Prepare your clients’ skin with cleansers, moisturizers, and primers to get a good base for makeup application. You may also give advice on how to maintain healthy skin.
• Makeup application: In many cases, this will be the core of the job. You’ll skillfully apply makeup to enhance your clients’ features and create the desired look. You may use special techniques such as contouring, highlighting, and blending.
• Product knowledge: Stay current with cosmetic trends, techniques, and new products on the market. You need to have a good understanding of different brands and formulations so that you can recommend the best products for each client’s skin type, preferences, and goals.

As with many other artistic professions, passion will take you a long way on your journey to becoming a professional makeup artist. However, it isn’t enough—you’ll also need the right skills and tools, and sometimes you might also need special qualifications.

Required skills

Here are some of the skills you need to be a makeup artist:

• Technical knowledge about makeup: You’ll need to enjoy mastering the technical aspects of makeup application and have a deep understanding of many different products and techniques.
• Creativity: A great makeup artist can develop unique and innovative looks. You should be able to think outside the box, make good use of different colors and textures, and cater to each client’s individual style.
• Social skills and communication: Makeup artistry requires very close contact with clients and customers, so you’ll need to be able to comfortably interact with them in a way that puts them at ease. You also need to be able to communicate with them to find out what their needs and preferences are (even if they have trouble articulating what they want).
• Time management: Makeup artists often have tight time constraints, especially with events like weddings or fashion shows. When applying makeup, you need to be able to prioritize tasks effectively while under time pressure so that you can finish your client’s makeup without sacrificing quality.

Makeup tools

As a professional makeup artist, you’ll be expected to bring your own makeup bag to each job you take. You’ll be servicing clients with a wide variety of skin tones and personal styles for many different types of events, so you’ll probably need much more than what’s already present in your own personal makeup kit.

Here’s an example of what you might find in a professional makeup artist’s kit:

• Skin makeup: Primer, foundation, skin color correctors, countering pallets, blush, and concealer.
• Eye makeup: Liquid and pencil eyeliner, eye shadow palette, eyebrow pencils and brushes, and mascara.
• Lip makeup: Lip liners, lipstick, and lip gloss.
• Body makeup: Body paint, glitter, or other special products.
• Beauty tools: Brushes, application sponges and pads, eyelash curler, and eyebrow brushes.
• Cleansers: Beauty tool disinfectants, cleaners, and makeup removers.
• Other products: Setting powder and spray, eyelash extensions or false lashes, and glue.

Again, it’s important to have a very large selection of different colors and products. You’ll also need to ensure you have enough of each product—there’s very little that’s more embarrassing than running out of something mid-job.

Education requirements

You can be a makeup artist without attending beauty school or makeup training school. Many successful makeup artists have no formal training in their field. All you really need is passion for what you do.

Of course, if you already have a degree in a relevant field (like a bachelor’s degree in makeup and hair design, cinema makeup and special effects, or fashion), it can open a lot of doors and boost your credibility.

Licensing requirements

In most states, you don’t need a license to work as a makeup artist. However, that depends on:

• The type of services you’re providing
• Where you’re conducting your business

Each US state has its own Board of Cosmetology that dictates who needs a license to practice makeup artistry. Just two states (Louisiana and Nevada) have a special license for all makeup artists. 1

However, if you want to provide certain specialized services, there’s a higher chance you’ll need a license. For example, many states have licensing requirements for cosmetologists and estheticians. That’s because these professions involve skincare, hair, and nail treatments that require specialized training to apply.

In fact, even if you don’t want to provide those services yourself, you might need a license to apply makeup in a salon that offers them.

Before seeking out clients, do your research so that you understand the licensing requirements in your state and jurisdiction.

If you don’t have any experience or training in makeup artistry, use the tips below to hone your skills and stand out.

1. Specialize early on

Your first step should be to choose a niche that you want to focus on. This will help you decide what kind of training (if any) you need to receive.

Specializing in a particular type of makeup artistry will also help you achieve recognition as an expert, attract the right type of clients, and figure out where to start looking for jobs.

Choose something that matches your interests. Here are a few examples of the different types of makeup artistry you can specialize in:

• Theater makeup
• Film and television makeup
• Editorial makeup (for fashion editorials, photo shoots, magazines, or other visual media)
• Runway and fashion show makeup
• Bridal makeup
• Celebrity makeup
• Drag makeup
• Face and body paint
• Men’s makeup

2. Consider getting certified

You don’t need a certification to become a makeup artist, but it can lend you credibility (and the training itself can be useful). There are countless beauty schools offering online and in-person courses you can take to get a makeup artist certification.

The certifications available to makeup professionals include:

• Makeup Designory (MUD) Certification
• International Makeup Association Certification
• Art Institute of Makeup Professional Makeup Artist Certification
• Vizio Makeup Academy International Elite Makeup Professional Certification

There are many other courses that won’t lead to certification but can still expand your skills and knowledge. You can look for these online or contact a professional association for makeup artists to find out which courses they recommend.

3. Offer free makeup sessions when you’re starting out

Doing a few free makeup sessions when you’re getting started as a makeup artist has two advantages that’ll help you in your career:

• Skill development: Free makeovers give you the chance to experiment and practice different techniques.
• Advertising: People are more likely to hire or recommend you if they’ve already experienced your skills firsthand.

This ties into one of the most fundamental tips for success as a makeup artist, which you’ve probably heard a million times before: practice. Even pros need to practice new techniques to refine their approach.

If you only have experience doing your own makeup, then you need to practice doing other people’s. Applying makeup to others requires completely different motor skills. This will also get you experience applying makeup to people of different ages, genders, and ethnicities so that you learn how it works on different skin tones, skin types, and facial features.

It’s a good idea to ask people for feedback on your handiwork. This will help you to understand your strengths and weaknesses, refine your skills, and monitor your progress.

Consider volunteering to gain experience

Before you start your first job, consider volunteering somewhere like a local theater. This will not only provide extra practice but will also give you insight into what it’s like working in the industry. On top of that, you’ll be able to make new connections in the process.

4. Build a portfolio

A portfolio is a very important tool for promoting yourself. It’s a place to showcase your best work and demonstrate your skills, creativity, and versatility. A top-notch portfolio will allow you to attract higher-paying clients and jobs.

Include a range of photos, such as before-and-after transformations and makeup looks for different occasions. Put your best work at the front of your portfolio to create a strong first impression.

Your portfolio can also include client testimonials or reviews and a professional bio that tells people more about your experience and expertise.

Upload your portfolio online—on your own website or LinkedIn profile, for example. There are also sites specifically for online portfolios. Check out Carbonmade and Behance, which are two popular platforms for showcasing creative work.

5. Collaborate with other makeup artists

Collaborating with other artists can be a great career move. It gives you the chance to gain exposure, expand your portfolio, and learn from other experts.

Reach out to fellow makeup artists through social media platforms or professional associations to ask about collaborating on photoshoots, fashion shows, or creative projects.

6. Advertise on social media

If you don’t already have an online presence, it’s time to start one. Social media is an invaluable networking and advertising tool for any makeup artist.

These platforms will allow you to promote your services to a broader audience and interact with potential clients, fellow makeup lovers, and industry professionals.

Below are examples of social media platforms you should use to promote your makeup artist business:

• TikTok
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Pinterest

You can also reach out directly to photographers and models who might need makeup artistry services, as well as businesses like hair salons, event and wedding venues, or wedding planners.

7. Join professional makeup artist associations

Joining a professional association for makeup artists or beauty professionals is a great way to access industry resources and to network.

Organizations you can join include:

• IAPO International Association of Professional Makeup Artists
• The Powder Group
• Professional Beauty Association

You can also try doing a search for local associations in your state.

Additionally, consider attending industry events, trade shows, and conferences to connect with other professionals and build relationships.

Here are a few perks of makeup artistry:

• Freedom to set your own schedule: Whichever type of makeup artist you become, you’ll have some control over when and where you work. This makes it a relatively easy side gig to fit into a busy schedule.
• Potential for passive income: As a makeup artist, you can diversify your income stream to include passive income from sources like tutorial videos featuring ads or affiliate links (i.e., links that generate commissions when viewers make purchases through them). If your career really takes off, you could even create your own line of makeup products or merch.
• High long-term earning potential: You have the freedom to set your own rates for your makeup services. As you gain experience and recognition, you can get higher-paying clients and eventually get big earnings from your makeup business.

Do makeup artists earn good money?

As a makeup artist, you can expect to earn somewhere in the range of $10–$30 per hour. However, a makeup artist’s salary can vary wildly. You could find yourself earning as little as $7 per hour when you’re just starting out, but you might eventually be able to claw your income up to $100 per hour or even more.

As with many side hustles, your earnings will depend on several factors:

• Experience
• Reputation
• Complexity and duration of the makeup services provided
• Geographic location
• Client budget

Alternatives to a makeup artist side hustle

If you want to work in the beauty industry but being a makeup artist doesn’t seem like the right fit, consider these similar roles:

• Cosmetologist: Cosmetology encompasses makeup artistry but also includes other beauty treatments like hair styling, cutting, coloring, and treatments, skincare, nail care, and sometimes additional services like waxing or body treatments.
• Esthetician: This is a skincare specialist who provides cosmetic treatments and services to improve the health and appearance of the skin.
• Assistant makeup artist: This is someone who helps a makeup artist with tasks like preparing makeup kits, setting up the makeup station, organizing and maintaining products and tools, applying touch-ups during shoots or events, and keeping the makeup area hygienic. This is a good stepping stone if you ultimately want to become a makeup artist but you’re not sure your skills are up to scratch yet.
• Hair stylist: As the name suggests, this is a professional who specializes in hair care and styling, including cutting, coloring, and shaping hair. They may also provide treatments, such as hair conditioning and styling for special occasions, and may offer tips on hair care and maintenance.
• Nail artist: This is someone who provides services such as manicures, pedicures, nail shaping, cuticle care, nail extensions, nail art, and nail polish. They’re also sometimes known as nail technicians or manicurists.

If you’re interested in the cosmetics and beauty industry, any one of those side hustles could be a great fit. In most cases, starting them up will require more or less the same steps as becoming a makeup artist—you’ll need to brush up your skills, consider getting certified, and build a solid portfolio to attract clients.