How to Become a Professional Makeup Artist
or Start a Cosmetics Business
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"Opportunities in cosmetics continue to grow. Skill in this area can lead you to a great career." Bookmark This Page How to Become a Freelance Makeup Artist Makeup artists are in high demand in a variety of different fields: from television to salons to weddings to modeling agencies to advertisements and more. You can be creative and make people feel better about themselves at the same time. This type of work is very rewarding. The How to Become a Makeup Artist guide includes expert advice and *priceless* insider tips from Emmy Award-Winning Makeup Professionals (who better to learn from?) to help you get started successfully. Get all the answers without having to do hours of research, and avoid the agony of the all-too-common mistakes. It continually amazes me at how business start-up guides are still so affordable. You can reap all the benefits from years of business experience that a Cosmetics Specialist or Makeup Artist has been through - simply by buying a book. Imagine your very first make-up client being so impressed that she refers 2 more customers to you without you even having to ask! That's what expert advice can do for you. Do you understand how priceless that is? See what you get >> What types of makeup and application tools you should have in your professional makeup kit, what other supplies you need to get started - and how to launch with little or no money Information on getting permits, a license, other legal requirements, where to find suppliers and other helpful resources Different workplace options: work at home, work in a salon or spa or set up a storefront (the pros and cons of each) Know how to identify potential clients, get creative marketing ideas and prepare promotional materials that land you jobs See how to create a professional portfolio and do a client presentation that will impress people so you don't have to do a hard sales pitch FREE BONUS: Sample invoices, press releases & cover letters included Download Now: Become a Makeup Artist rated by customers Other Beauty Product & Service Business Plans It's strongly recommended that you put together a business plan before you launch your makeup artist business. To make this task easier, you can follow a business plan template. You aren't left wondering if you've written in the proper format, because you simply follow the form. It makes starting your makeup business so much easier. They are also a good tool in managing your business and keeping on track to reach your goals. Most business plan templates are written by professionals, so they are perfect for those who have never written a business plan before - or want to complete a plan quickly. Download a plan instantly, and you can start right away. Cosmetics Store Beauty Salon Aromatherapy Business Nail Salon T I P : How to Make Your Own Spa Products Get a Free e-course which includes where to buy spa product ingredients for a deep discount, sample recipes, packaging tips and how to turn your hobby into a profitable business... How to Find Clients for Your Makeup Business Start by building your portfolio. New clients will want to see your "work", and pictures are a great tool for demonstrating this. Also get testimonials from past customers if you can. If you are just starting out without any customers, you can volunteer at local fashion shows to build up your portfolio. Have business cards and brochures printed up to use as an easy marketing tool. Partner with local businesses offering similar beauty services to yours - but not directly competing with you (i.e. tanning salons, hair or nail salons, spas, etc..). Ask if you can leave a few business cards or brochures with them in exchange for handing out their brochures/business cards to your clients. You may want to offer a first-time buyer discount in your brochure to attract new customers to contact you. Write a short press release to your local newspaper (here's how: press release writing tips) announcing your new business and the services you offer. Include a limited offer or details on a special event you are hosting that will make your story interesting. The more interesting the story, the more likely the newspaper (or magazine) is to print it. Remember - this is FREE advertising, so use it to your benefit. You can submit more than one press release, and you can contact your local radio and TV stations as well. Other public relations strategies you can use to get free advertising for your cosmetics business: Write articles. You don't have to be a professional writer, but you can get free press and draw in customers by sharing helpful or interesting information in your area of expertise. Articles can be short, and you can submit them to multiple article directories online for free. See how to write articles to get customers. Use business cards. Often overlooked as a marketing tool, business cards can act as mini ads and be very effective at getting free publicity. Besides including them in all your correspondence - share them with other local business owners who offer similar products or services to yours - but don't directly complete with you. "Teaming up" with other local businesses enables you to refer clients to each other without having to pay for advertising. Get 250 free business cards. Use social media. Twitter and Facebook can get you a lot of free publicity when used correctly. The key is to combine useful content for your readers in addition to promotional efforts. Start speaking. Many local organizations or community groups like to have speakers at their meetings or events. This can be a great way to get free publicity for your business and at the same time establish yourself as an expert in your field. Public Speaking Made Easy 29 More Ways You Can Get New Clients Take the guesswork out of finding customers by picking up the best marketing guide I've found. You'll find out free and extremely low cost ways to attract new clients to your business with very little effort - saving you tons of money Respected Small Business Marketing Expert David Frey shows you how to implement these strategies right away, for immediate profit. The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Resource Cosmetic Business Resources: Get a Business License Small Business Loans Accept Credit Cards Accounting Software Low-Cost Business Phone Systems Essential Agreements & Contracts Design Your Own Logo Find Local Customers Online Lead Generation Tools How to Open an Online Store Hire Help the Easy Way: Easily find a team of experts to help you build your business - virtually. Save money in overhead costs, get work done more quickly and eliminate payroll hassles. Website Designers and Software Developers Marketers, Salespeople and Telemarketers Accounting and Bookkeeping Assistants People to handle Customer Service and Administrative Tasks oDesk makes outsourcing easy and affordable so you can grow your business faster. Get a Free Tour, Post a Job How to Become A Professional Makeup Artist Before considering a career as a makeup artist, you must do field research. That's the primary way to avoid pitfalls. Is there room in your geographical area for another makeup artist? What is the competition like? Are you willing to travel for, say, a wedding? How far? Is your car dependable? If you don't want to travel, is your city big enough for you to get the client base you need? Also get the scoop on pay in your area. It will vary, even in one town, depending on your clientele. Working for a wedding planner, you will make more than working for a mall photography shop. Find out what the highest and lowest income opportunities are. Freelance or Corporate: Perks and Pitfalls If your research gives you a green light, the next step is to decide between the freelance life and the employee life. Working for a company, perhaps being a sales rep for your favorite cosmetics brand, or being the on-call makeup artist for a film production company, you can count on a regular paycheck and perhaps even benefits. Joining the growing group of freelancers, you'll need to spend at least 50% of your work day on marketing yourself. Licensing In either case - freelance or corporate - the next step is to become accredited. Get the information on the legal, health, and educational certification required by your state, county, or town. Take classes from an accredited beauty school (many have generous scholarship programs). How to Get Work Now you're ready for the most critical part of becoming a professional makeup artist: marketing yourself. If you want to work for a company, you can send resumes to spas, beauty salons, and specific cosmetic companies. Once you get a job, you are on your way to a career. You can make contacts, work your way up in the organization, acquire mentors, and get that most magical benefit of all - experience. If you get a job with a specific cosmetic company, they may require you to take additional classes focusing on their products. Usually they will pay for that. A plum job with great pay would be one with a special effects makeup company that does film and television work. Getting that job will require additional training, lots of pavement pounding, and living in the right city. L.A., Atlanta, Chicago, and New York are important film industry hubs. Other cities, like Austin, Texas, attract film professionals, but these people often bring their own makeup artists with them. Choosing the freelance route means that self-promotion becomes a way of life. But once you reach a point where you have a little bit of paying work, you'll find that word of mouth will exponentially increase your customer base. Freelancing: Special Considerations As a freelance makeup artist, you can approach wedding planners, photography studios, film production companies, ad agencies, and theatrical groups. Make sure, too, that all talent agencies in your area know about you. You're creative - that's one reason you're going into the makeup profession. And you can use that creative mind to make a list of marketing ideas. Here are a few to get you going: Print up business cards and always have them on you. Leave them with everyone you meet during the day. Join a networking group. These groups are extremely effective. You'll meet perhaps once a month either for lunch or happy hour (some troopers have breakfast meetings!), and there will usually be an agenda, followed by a social time of mingling. Some networking groups are free, some charge a fee. If you're just starting your networking experience, definitely join the free groups. You will have to pay for your meal and drinks, though. Walk tall and exude success. It always shows. Read books on your own. Study magazines. Try makeup techniques on your friends. Read makeup sites on the Internet. Try My Makeup Mirror and go from there. Get your confidence up as high as it will go! Make a list of all your contacts. You have more than you realize. Friends, your accountant, your church or social groups, the shopkeepers you see regularly. Don't worry, you're not going to hassle these people. But you can send them a cute postcard announcing the opening of your new makeup business. Which brings us to the next item. Print up some eye-catching postcards (you can do it on your computer), and send them out. Always have extras so you can send them to new people as you meet them. Get yourself to any and all beauty-related events in your area. Whether it's a trade show, a trunk show, a store opening, or a book signing, be there with your business cards. Put up a website. It's easy, even if you've never done it before. Today, a website is more important than a business card! See Website - Do It Yourself to get started. Design and print up a resume-type introduction that you can give to the local spa directors and wedding planners. It must be unique - not bland like a business resume - and colorful. Use your imagination. Make it irresistible. Today's Freelance Makeup Artist Needs: The other requirement of being a freelancer is that you'll have to stock your own makeup kit. This is an investment, and if you make money, chances are you'll be able to deduct the costs of your cosmetics. Many women are going "green" these days, so be sure your makeup kit is filled with earth-friendly, skin-friendly, and non-animal tested products. If you want to specialize and use only vegan products, you could use that as a compelling marketing tool. For extra information on animal-friendly cosmetics, read Internet articles like Makeup Without Cruelty. Being "known" for a unique niche is also a great way to catch business. You could specialize in makeovers, anti-aging looks, head shots for actors (although many actors prefer to do their own makeup), or runway and catalog makeup for models. Whether you apply to work for a company or go freelance, remember: there is no guarantee that you will immediately earn enough money to live on. Go into the process with enough money saved up to keep you in the black for at least six to twelve months. And decide ahead of time how long you're willing to go without clients. Market your services with an organized plan, and be persistent. Going into the makeup artist business can be an awesome life change - financially and emotionally. Do it with care, do it with intelligence, do it with a plan - and you could be living your dream. Suzann is a technical writer and copy editor, with many pieces published both for the web and in hard copy. A graduate of Northwestern University, she runs the website My Makeup Mirror. http://www.MyMakeupMirror.com Cosmetics Business Associations Personal Care Products Council The Personal Care Products Council is the leading national trade association for the cosmetic and personal care products industry and represents the most innovative names in beauty today. Independent Cosmetics Manufacturers and Distributors ICMAD is a non-profit trade association dedicated to providing programs and services to those creative, innovative cosmetic companies to help them succeed in the rapidly changing, highly competitive cosmetics and personal care industries. Organic Consumers Association Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics.