Make-Up Artist Career Guide

Make-Up Artist 101

A make-up artist applies evening
make-up for a client's special event.

Make-up artists are specialists in the art of cosmetic beauty. They become experts in the latest beauty products and use them to dramatically improve their clients' natural appearance. Their job is to help people look and feel glamorous, which in turn can help build their clients’ self-esteem and help provide the “perfect” look for a daytime or evening event.

Most make-up artists are cosmetologists or estheticians that work in salons and spas. In addition to providing other services, they offer makeovers and special occasion make-up. Professional make-up artists may also work for magazines, modeling agencies and runway shows.

Individuals with a true passion for make-up artistry may do make-up and prosthetics for theatrical, film and television productions. In this highly competitive, but exciting career, you can be part of the magic of show business. If you're extremely good and work in the right environment, you might even earn an Academy Award.

If you have the following qualities and skills, make-up may be a great career choice for you:

• Up-to-the-minute knowledge of fashion and beauty trends
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends and long hours
• A steady hand, excellent fine motor skills and good eyesight
• An eye for symmetry and beauty
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work well with all kinds of people
• High standards of cleanliness and sanitation

Your Make-Up Artistry Education

What You’ll Study

Most estheticians and cosmetologists receive plenty of training in the art of make-up, as part of a more comprehensive licensure training program.

For a career in the entertainment industry, you will need training from a specialized make-up artist school. The best make-up artist schools in the US are located in the entertainment hubs of Hollywood and New York City. Classes are taught by experienced professionals, and admissions may be competitive. Also, most programs are targeted to specific make-up artist career goals, so think about what type of artist you would like to be before you enroll in a program.

Some of the things you may learn in make-up artist school include the following:

• Beauty make-up – Contouring, highlights, shadows, base matching and creative execution focused on film, tv, print, advertising, fashion or retail
• Character make-up and special make-up effects – Character development, simulated injuries, make-up for different ages, prosthetics, bald caps and facial hair
• Designing make-up for specific media – Black and white photography, theater, runway or film
• Special techniques – Airbrushing, face and body painting

Average Length of Study

Programs are usually full time and very intensive. They may range from four to 18 weeks.

Average Tuition

Tuition costs for most specialized make-up school programs range from $2,500 to $8,000, although master make-up artist programs can cost $13,000 or more. You will be expected to pay an additional $1,000 to $2,000 for your make-up kit and materials.

Make-Up Artist Certification and Licensing

To work as a make-up artist in a salon or spa, you will need to be licensed as a cosmetologist or esthetician. However, you do not need a license to work in the entertainment industry on performers. This work has historically been regulated by the industry union.

Make-Up Artist Career Overview

Most make-up artists provide other services in addition to make-up. They may be estheticians that also do facials and waxing. They may be cosmetologists that also do hair and nails. They may do makeovers at a retail counter and make most of their money on product sales commissions.

The career of a make-up artist working in the entertainment industry is very different from a retail setting. The work is project-based and very competitive. You may go weeks or months between jobs and then work 12 to 16 hours a day, five to six days a week. You might work 70 hours a week on a television production. Or you may be on location, living in a hotel for six months or a year.

Make-Up Artist Career Outlook

With the growth of day spa culture and the continuing demand for high quality salon services, there is no shortage of opportunity for a talented make-up artist. There will always be a demand for professional make-up application for weddings, proms and other special occasions. And with the popularity of shows like "Extreme Makeover" and "Look-A-Like," there is also an increasing interest in makeover services to help people look their best every day.

A career as a make-up artist in the entertainment world, while exciting and rewarding, requires persistence and patience. With all the competition, make-up artists don’t always have as much work as they would like. However, top make-up artists are paid extremely well. If you have talent and passion, this exciting career may be worth it.

Make-Up Artist Salaries

National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) reported in 2003 that the average salon income, including tips, is $30,000 to $50,000 a year. Factors that may influence your income include the size and location of the salon where you work, hours worked, tipping habits of your clients and competition from other salons in your area. Developing a loyal clientele is the key to maximizing your earnings.

Salaries for make-up artists working in the highly competitive entertainment industry are much more variable. These professionals may work for free on student films when getting started or may make millions on big-budgeted blockbusters once established.

Return to the Beauty Career Center home page.

Looking for Beauty Schools?

Try our Spa, Massage & Beauty Schools page. There you will find a comprehensive list of schools which offer program descriptions. You can also request information from the schools that interest you most.

Sources:
NACCAS, 2007.
Make Up Artist Magazine, 2005