As a stay-at-home mom, it can sometimes be difficult to get five minutes to yourself – let alone start your own business. But just because you have children doesn’t mean your career aspirations can’t still come to fruition. If you have a dream, you should follow it!
It’s possible to be both a stay-at-home mom AND an entrepreneur. If you have a passion for makeup, there are ways to turn this into a serious profession, while still being able to focus your efforts on what’s needed at home.
You can have both, and we’re here to tell you how!
Earn your makeup artist certification
If you’re looking to learn the craft in a way that will set you up for true success, makeup school is the obvious way to go. We’ve discussed why dozens of times in the past, but let’s go over some of the most beneficial reasons:
- If you’ve never had formal training, extensive foundational courses will teach you core knowledge, makeup theory, application, and techniques!
- If you already have prior experience, advanced and/or specialty courses will build on your existing skills and take them to the next level!
- In addition to makeup artistry education, your expert tutor will also provide valuable business training!
- You’ll gain the know-how needed to start your very own business!
- A professional certification looks FABULOUS on your resume, and will help you stand out from the competition!
In many places, certification from an accredited makeup school will be more than enough to get your career as a makeup artist started! Keep in mind, though, that certain places may require additional licensing.
We definitely recommend researching the laws and legislation wherever you live, to make sure you have everything you need when the time comes that you’re ready to begin working. You can learn more about this here!
Implement a Schedule
As a stay-at-home mom, we’re willing to bet that you’re organized up the wazoo! You’re used to being captain of the ship, and keeping your family on schedule throughout the day.
This is an excellent quality that’ll prove handy throughout the course of a makeup artist career! But it’s also just as useful you to focus that same meticulous type of planning to your own life and priorities.
Part of pursuing your career goals means learning how (and when) to allot time to them. It’s important to try and set some sort of schedule for yourself, so you can use that time to work on your career goals. Life will obviously happen, so this schedule may vary from time to time. But to the best of your ability, try to stick with it.
While we’re by no means suggesting that you should focus less on your home life, we are saying that being a professional makeup artist is an endeavor that requires commitment and effort. The more you can afford to put into the experience, the more you’ll get out of it!
Of course, we also understand that juggling multiple tasks can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, especially as a SAHM. So, it’s more than okay to start this journey in baby steps. Even if you’re only able to schedule a few hours each week to your makeup studies, practicing your skills, or your business – that’s leaps and bounds better than nothing!
Turn to your support system
Whether you’re trying to focus on your studies, or pushing to get your new MUA business off the ground, we get that it can sometimes be difficult to devote the necessary time to your career goals when you also have a family to look after.
Having a support system that you can turn to can help with carrying some of the workload. The most obvious benefit would be having a friend, family member, or partner who’s able and willing to sometimes watch the kids from time to time.
This would provide you the opportunity for a breather; a chance to turn your full attention to your schoolwork or business practices, even if only for a couple hours.
In the beginning, it may be difficult for you to take that first step and reach out for assistance. There can sometimes be unrealistic expectations placed upon stay-at-home moms – the biggest one being that they’re sometimes expected to be able to handle everything on their own, no matter how big the challenge.
Realistically, though, it’s totally normal – and healthy – to ask for help! Trust us, your friends and family love you, and know how hard you work all the time. Many of them will likely be happy to provide assistance in some form or another, if asked.
Make time to practice
Any makeup artist can attest to the fact that practice is the only thing that truly does make perfect. All the books and instructional videos in the world can’t replace the value of practical application.
If you’re serious about becoming a working MUA, you’re going to need to make sure you take the necessary time to practice, practice, and then practice some more!
Here are just a few reasons why it’s so critical:
- The more you attempt various techniques, the better at them you’ll become
- You’ll branch out of your comfort zones and learn to attempt new things
- Reading about makeup theory, techniques, and application is NOT the same as actually doing them on a real face
- You’ll develop an intimate understanding of different products, how they work, and how to best utilize them to their full potential
- And so much more!
Don’t forget: it’s not going to be enough to simply practice makeup on your own face. Yes, for the time being, it’s not recommended that you practice on other people while social distancing is still in effect.
However, once things go back to normal, it’ll be critical that you get as much real-world experience on as many different models as you can!
This is the only true way to learn how to advance your makeup skills on different types of skin tones, skin types, ages, genders, etc.
Do your research
If you’re interested in makeup school, there are plenty of amazing online makeup schools available to you. These will allow you to get started, even while still at home, and provide the same quality education as the kind you’d receive from in-person classes.
Alternately, you may wish to attend a brick-and-mortar school once the COVID-19 crisis is over.
Either way, make sure you do the proper research before committing to your academy of choice! Here are a few ways to ensure the school is legit:
- Check out their reviews
- Look for legitimate accreditation
- See what sort of course material they teach, what kinds of tools/products they provide, and if their tuition rates accurately reflect the level of education being offered
- Try to find authentic student/grad feedback
- Browse their social media channels
We recommend asking yourself these 9 imperative questions, when researching into any schools (especially if they’re held online)!
You’ll also need to do plenty of research when the time comes that you’re ready to start your own business. Branding, marketing, and SEO are three major things you’ll need to familiarize yourself with.
You’ll also benefit from learning how to build a company website, put together a makeup portfolio, secure a business name, and where to start networking.
It doesn’t hurt to check out the competition in your area, too; what they’re charging, the services they provide, and what their marketing and business strategies are!
It’ll help inspire you, and give you an idea of what you need to do to not only find your footing alongside them – but rise above!
Make time for YOU
Lastly, but just as importantly, make sure that you regularly make time for yourself. Everyone needs to be able to unwind. With everything your motivated self is taking on, this DEFINITELY applies to you!
Read a book, take a bubble bath, curl up to a movie… Whatever it is that helps center you, give it the prioritization it deserves.
A nourished soul is one of the most powerful weapons you can have for a successful career!
Do you have any other secret tips for becoming a makeup artist as a stay-at-home mom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
