If you’re pursuing a career in makeup artistry, you’ve very likely considered freelancing. Becoming a freelance makeup artist is highly desirable – you can set your own hours and pay rate, choose your clients, and build a fabulous brand that you can be proud of. What’s not to love?
Steps necessary to become a Freelance Makeup Artist
1.Learn how to do makeup properly
A certification and some experience under your belt are invaluable as you start your career as a makeup artist. Hone your skills as much as possible through Makeup Classes. Formal education isn’t necessary for many aspiring artists around the world. But it can pull you ahead when you’re neck-in-neck with another artist who lacks professional makeup training.
2. Build your professional makeup kit
A makeup artist kit is a professional MUA’s most prized possession. As a result, it can be a huge source of stress for newly certified makeup artists who know how much of an investment these products can be. Those color palettes and skin care products are certainly not cheap! However, building a professional makeup kit is a necessary evil. You’ll need to show up to every appointment with items such as quality brushes, a range of eye shadows, lipsticks, foundations, and cleaning products.
Thankfully, most Makeup Certification Courses will include a free makeup kit at the beginning of your makeup training. You’ll gain a head start on putting together a professional makeup kit while getting used to working with larger palettes and your various professional tools.
Organizing your kit is an excellent step on the road to becoming a freelance makeup artist. You want your clients to come to you, and you don’t want them to find you unprepared! There are many ways to build your kit on a budget, and a good number of products that can be purchased at the drugstore rather than at your local Sephora. The plus side of being thrifty while building your kit? You’ll gain invaluable experience with a variety of different products, and will develop a sense of which ones to splurge on and where to save!
3. Set limits for your makeup business
At the point when first beginning, many fresher makeup artists make the mistake of taking on as many clients and freelance makeup jobs as possible. However, you don’t want to burn out! And you certainly don’t want to overbook yourself and run the risk of mixing up appointments.
Just as we’ve mentioned above, be honest about your makeup artistry skills and the sorts of services you’d be comfortable offering. Perhaps you’re comfortable with airbrush makeup, glamour makeup, and everyday makeup applications, but bridal makeup has never been your strength (or your passion!). Guess what? You can say no to bridal clients. Heck, you can even be picky about bridal parties and wedding themes.
So, consider these boundaries as a stepping stone to becoming the best freelance makeup artist you can be. A good understanding of your own strengths and interests will serve you well in the industry and can result in more clients and a happier career!
4. Stay current with makeup trends and keep learning
The best makeup artists are those who are one step ahead of new makeup trends, and who keep developing their skills. Just resting on your laurels isn’t good enough. There’s always going to be someone out there who wants to make it big and is willing to put in the work. Just because you’ve hit a groove in your makeup career and are earning a steady income doesn’t mean you should ever slow down. Clients are going to expect you to be on top of beauty trends and be in the know about the latest makeup looks and newest color palettes. They’ll be impressed at your commitment to improvement as a makeup artist, so don’t hesitate to enroll in more makeup artistry courses that will increase your skill-set.
If you continue learning and stay relevant, you’ll soon find that you’re well ahead of the competition. As a freelance makeup artist, this is where you want to be—it sets your services and knowledge apart from those around you. So keep building and sharpening those skills!
5. Reflect on your services and makeup skills
The key to reflection is being honest with yourself. When you’ve just graduated from makeup school, you’ve probably got a decent skill set that’s work-ready. But you’ve still got a ways to go before you can call yourself a master in the industry.
In addition to practical skills, you’ll also need the following things to succeed:
- Organizational skills: These are huge when it comes to managing your time, keeping track of your clients, and ensuring you turn a profit in freelance jobs. Think about it – if you can’t keep a proper schedule of your appointments, you could end up being late, or missing them altogether! This will affect your reputation as a makeup artist, and you’ll lose clients in the process. And if you can’t keep an organized budget, how will you know if you’re actually making money? What if you’re undercharging for your makeup services or overspending in other areas? Being your own boss sounds like a dream, but it takes an extremely organized individual to be fully responsible for themselves, their business, and their clients.
- Hard Working Attitude: Having a strong work ethic is an essential aspect of freelance makeup artistry that it isn’t mentioned enough! Any business owner must work hard. But in the makeup industry, you’ll need to work even harder. Prepare to really hustle as you build a name for yourself. You’ll need to master the art of networking and marketing so you can gain important experience and grow your client list. The good news is, if you’re passionate about your career, this will be a labor of love and a journey you’ll enjoy. Be honest with yourself about the work involved – your current lifestyle will change and your freelance makeup jobs will become the priority, so know what you’re getting yourself into.
- Tech Knowledge: You don’t need to be totally tech-savvy to become a makeup artist, but you certainly need to be comfortable with social media and online culture. If you don’t already have a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, create accounts as soon as you can. The same goes for a professional website—this is the central hub where all your marketing will point to. It’s where people will look first to find out your story and book their appointments.
- Professional makeup artistry portfolio: Every reputable makeup artist needs a standalone makeup portfolio Invest in a good camera or arrange a shoot with others. Fashion stylists, hair stylists, photographers, and set designers who are also in the early stages of their careers may be willing to trade their skills for professional photos.