Australian MUA, Charlotte Ravet, is the proud owner of her very own hair and makeup business, A Date With Charlotte. From bridal, to editorial, to film and television, and everything in-between – Charlotte’s extensive makeup artist training allows her to provide a wide variety of services that cater to ALL types of clientele!
Her extensive resume includes working for Prada, L’Oreal, and even the cast of the hit show, Glee! A developer of educational programs, Charlotte has even been awarded Best Makeup Educator of the Year by the Australian Industry Makeup Awards.
Today, she reveals 5 critical reasons why continued makeup artist training is not only strongly recommended – it’s ESSENTIAL!
If you love makeup, you probably also love watching masterclasses that explore new trends. It’s probably safe to say that you enjoy trying new styles on both yourself and on models, too!
Once you finish your makeup artist training, earn your certificate, and start booking your first clients, you might think your time for learning is over. But you’d be wrong! The fact is, those who choose not to continue training and improving their skills are often the ones who fall short in this industry.
Today, I’d like to share with you my top 5 reasons for why continuing your makeup artist training will not only make YOU a stronger professional – it’ll take your career to new, exciting heights!
Fill Your Basket
As an educator, I had the pleasure of listening to one of my dear friends – makeup artist extraordinaire and incredible trainer – introduce herself to new students. This woman had over 30 years of industry experience. Yet all the same, she explained to her class that every year, she would build upon her skills by signing up for a makeup course.
She explained that it was like filling a shopping basket at the grocery store, and cooking up amazing, new recipes. This is a fantastic way to approach your makeup artist training!
Think of it as you continually improving your skills and learning new techniques for a profession you’re truly passionate about! Because at the end of the day, makeup is not only a job; it’s your passion!
Never Be Out of Work
In these uncertain times, learning a new skill is probably the best gift you can give yourself. After all, this will help you stand out from the competition in the long run!
When I first began my makeup career over 15 years ago, the team I worked with consisted of one makeup artist and one hair professional for every shoot. These days, budgets have been slashed, and TV channels are reducing their overall spend.
TV networks have begun employing makeup artists who can do it all. Makeup, hair, fashion styling – you name it. Financially, it’s in the network’s best interest to save money by hiring one expert capable of all these things, rather than a separate artist for each one.
I distinctly recall working for one of these networks. They offered me a four-month contract for one of their blockbuster TV shows. But the catch was that I needed to do the hair styling, too, in addition to makeup. I bet you can guess the problem: I didn’t have any experience with styling hair professionally!
But I was willing to learn.
I had only two months to prepare myself. So, I gave it my all. I was determined to master the ins and outs of doing creative hair styling, and I never looked back! These days, I actually really enjoy doing hair. In my own business, offering this additional service allows me to significantly increase my client bookings!
I’m often considering new skills to learn, in order for me to tap into brand new areas of my makeup business. For example: if you’ve already learned beauty and fashion makeup, why not continue your makeup artist training by adding special effects makeup to your resume? Airbrushing is also in high demand for the TV, bridal, and editorial industries!
Be Inspired and Find Your Niche
Who inspires you?
90% of the time, we’re inspired by other artists! Learning from others can be an excellent way of continuing your makeup artist training. Personally, after I attending makeup masterclasses, I’m always SO inspired! By watching other artists’ tips and tricks, I find that I can’t wait to give it a try myself and put it into practice.
I feel like that sort of training adds special spice to my new, creative recipe! When I learn something new, I’ll tend to practice this technique until it becomes ‘mine’. By that, I mean blending that new skill-set with what I already know, in order to create my very own technique.
After a few years, all MUAs develop a personal style. They can take what they love from their make artist training, and leave behind what they don’t. Then, they take it one step further by adding their own tips into the mix! The final result is something informative, effective, and unique to you.
The more you learn, the more you’re going to perfect your very own technique. You might even discover your niche; what it is about your style that makes you truly unique!
Knowing the Latest Trends
As a makeup artist, it’s our role to perfectly understand what’s currently on trend and what isn’t. This is why is can be useful for you to:
- Follow relevant accounts on social media (i.e. Brands, magazines, fellow makeup artists, etc.)
- Watch makeup programs (i.e. Glow up, Face Off, etc.)
- Read makeup books, etc.
Keep in mind that while all of these methods of additional learning are essential, they’re NOT enough to learn how to actually recreate the latest trends on a model.
Makeup trends evolve very quickly. We can’t recreate all of the latest looks just by observing an image. Professional makeup artist training is crucial when it comes to taking an image in your mind and creating it on a living, breathing person.
Your technique will make all the difference between you being a true expert, versus just another makeup enthusiast. Each trend and look must be perfectly executed when you’re working with a team of professionals. A proper makeup education is the only real way to get to this level of expertise.
Working with the Latest Technology
Imagine: back when I originally did my makeup artist training, airbrushing did not exist!
Hard to believe, right? Now, could you imagine if I chose not to learn this incredibly useful skill, since it would require additional education? I would’ve been seriously selling myself short – not to mention putting my career at a major disadvantage!
As a makeup artist, you’ll often be working with photographers, videographers, and fashion designers. In order to continue finding work in this industry, it’s critical that we follow trends and master the latest techniques.
I’ll give another example. Back when high definition first became a thing, brands and experienced makeup artists alike were faced with a never-before-seen challenge. They needed to make new products, and learn new makeup application techniques. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to create such flawless looks anymore. The industry needed to adapt in order to progress.
When it comes to understanding a new technology, or a new method of application, professional makeup training is the ONLY way to go! Many of these things are not capable of being self-taught – at least, not if you want to perform at the level your clients will expect from you. Guidance from an actual industry expert is critical.
As such, whenever new technologies or techniques hit the market, I will always find a new course that will teach it to me. Makeup is constantly evolving – but this is what makes our job so exciting!
Imagine a chef with only one or two recipes on his menu. After the first visit to his restaurant, it wouldn’t be all that enticing anymore, would it? I feel this is how we should all consider further makeup artist training. By adding something new to your business, you can attract a larger clientele to your ‘makeup menu’!
If you’ve chosen to pursue a career in makeup artistry, you’ll find that every day brings something different. There will always something new to learn; a new challenge to face. This is what makes you work creative, challenging, and above all else, fun!
As the old saying goes: “Do what you love, and you will NEVER work a day in your life!”
