How I’m Turning My Makeup Artist Training into a Professional Career!

Currently completing your makeup artist training? Not sure how to take your education and turn it into a professional career?

QC Makeup Academy‘s Student Ambassador, Luisa De Pietra, is here to share her story. Read along, see how Luisa’s been creating a name for herself in the makeup industry, and discover how YOU can do the same!

Becoming a Makeup Artist: Is Being Self-Taught Enough?

The world of self-learning can be a little tricky – especially when it comes to makeup. I’m sure you’ve seen the term “self-taught” circulating everywhere these days. Indeed, teaching yourself a skill with no prior knowledge is a great achievement. This is especially the case if you become successful as a result of your own teaching.

However, if you wish to work as a professional makeup artist, you must ask yourself: is being a “self-taught” MUA enough to maintain a long-standing, successful career? Furthermore, is it enough to become a truly creative force in such a competitive industry?

My name is Luisa de Pietra, and I’m a Student Ambassador of QC Makeup Academy. I’ve graduated from the Master Makeup Artistry Course and Pro Makeup Workshop. Currently, I’m also completing the Portfolio Development Workshop. The following article is for those of you at the initial stage of your makeup training journey. If you’re interested in a full-time career as a successful, professional beauty expert, but are a little apprehensive as to where to start, I invite you to read on…

Do You Need Makeup Artist Training?

We live in an online world that’s becoming increasingly dominated by social media influencers (paid or otherwise). As a result, the landscape of makeup artistry has shifted beyond recognition. The path into the makeup industry has never been more easily accessible!

Now, I’m all for the idea of makeup artistry being a medium that’s equally accessible to everyone. But to claim that anyone can be a makeup artist – with no regard to skill, expertise, practice, or study – devalues the time, effort, and costs put in by professionals. Moreover, this notion lowers the professional standard and creates a kind of “copy-cat” culture.

As part of this culture, aspiring artists are inundated with different versions of whichever popular trend is currently circulating the internet. What does this mean? In short, you’re recreating popular looks without any critical analysis and feedback. But you’re not truly learning what you need to know in order to make a real career out of it.

After all, beauty trends ebb and flow. But core principles and classic techniques do not! As someone who grew up watching makeup tutorial videos on YouTube, I can tell you from experience: it was a really steep learning curve to reach professional standards, once I began my formal makeup artist training with QC Makeup Academy!

Social Media vs. Proper Makeup Artist Training

When attempting to learn the art of makeup through social media, there’s a significant lack of knowledge and expertise. You won’t be learning the fundamental principles as building blocks of your craft.

In this era of social media, formal guides, education, and training by industry professionals are paramount! After all, it’s only through a reputable education that you can establish basic foundations. Moreover, proper makeup training will pair you with a professional mentor who can guide you in the right direction.

Together, you’ll discover how to build your strengths and correct your weaknesses. THIS is a key difference between “self-taught” and formally educated makeup artists. Professional MUAs know the beauty industry and have experience across the board. They know which mistakes to avoid. And importantly, they know what will help them pave the way for a successful, long-term career.

QC Makeup Academy offer self-paced, online certification courses designed to help you kick-start (and run) your own makeup business. Investing in a formal education not only helps you stand out from the competition; it’ll also help shape you into a knowledgeable, practical, professional, and well-prepared artist. With a high-quality education under your belt, you’ll be able to excel in whichever niche of the makeup world you choose to pursue!

Why I Chose to Get Makeup Training

For me, makeup is more than just glittering finishes, or creamy, rich rouges. Rather, it’s an important indicator of both imagination and art. From creating fresh, dewy, and delicate looks, to imagining avant-garde visions for editorial or catwalk – I love it all!

Now, I initially chose to enroll in QC’s Master Makeup Artistry Course as something fun and creative to do alongside my university studies. Prior to starting my training, I’ll be totally honest: I hadn’t realized just how important a formal education in makeup was.

It wasn’t until I dove into it that I discovered the ways in which proper training helps in creating a foundational basis for my creativity, imagination, and passion!

Seeing Makeup Artistry Through a New Lens

As the program evolved, and I delved deeper into the content and course materials, I began to gain an appreciation of just how important credentials and education are in the makeup industry. In a world where many aspiring artists are self-taught, completing a highly-regarded course is what will ultimately set you apart from the rest!

After all, the competition is fierce in this industry. Thus, having formal training is definitely an advantage. Under the tutelage of celebrity MUA, Nathan Johnson, my makeup artist training has not only helped me build on my foundations – I’ve also been able to polish my skills and sharpen my eye for detail.

In particular, QC’s Portfolio Development Workshop has helped me showcase my makeup skills and build my social media presence. The most important lessons I’ve taken from my education with QC’s makeup artist training is to develop the habits of consistency, practice, hard work, professionalism, and earning your place. All of these are needed in order to succeed in the beauty world!

Turning My Makeup Artist Training Into a Professional Career

When you work in the beauty industry, imagination is your most precious friend. It’s what inspires, guides, and motivates you. For myself, I plan on pursuing my passion of creating looks and content for my Instagram account that are timeless, inspirational, and enduring.

I strongly believe in scheduling time for practice. Not only does this help to further sharpen my skills, but it also ensures that I’m meeting my personal deadlines. So, my top 3 tips to help other aspiring makeup artists to get their careers off to a flying start are:

1. Practice, practice, practice!

They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert or master of a given skill. This alone should tell you just how important practice is in our field! So, play with colors, try new looks, and learn the basic principles. Get hands-on training wherever you can, whether it’s on your own face or the faces of others. Believe me when I tell you that you will NEVER be able to practice too much!

2. Invest in formal makeup artist training.

I cannot stress enough the importance of a formal education! It provides a greater rigor and depth of knowledge of all aspects makeup industry. Plus, it’ll prepare you for when you’re faced with real-life challenges in the field.

3. Be unique.

The most iconic beauty visionaries of our time have been leaders, not followers. Shaping your own personal and provocative style will not only ensure your longevity in the industry – it’ll set your apart from the competition.

Food for Thought

All in all, the beauty industry is not always an easy one to get into. Seeking formal education in an increasingly competitive industry will give you an edge to build your own style, versatility, and creative visions. A truly passionate makeup artist puts the time and effort into studying and practicing core techniques from the start.

Once you’ve learned and mastered the basic building blocks and classic techniques, you’ll be well on your way to expanding your skill-set with more complex and intricate looks! Overall, makeup artist training is an invaluable asset that will push you to excel and become the best version of your creative self!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments below. You can also contact QC Makeup Academy’s Student Support Team 7 days a week. And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to join QC’s free Virtual Classroom on Facebook and connect with me directly. I look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks for reading!

So, what are you waiting for? 😉 Complete your makeup artist training in as little as 2-6 months by enrolling with QC Makeup Academy today!