Your Makeup Career Archives

Feb 07

The 5 Best Vegan and Cruelty-Free Makeup Products

By Sarah Cavanagh Makeup Reviews, Your Makeup Career No Comments

As an MUA, your clients expect the products in your professional makeup kit to be top quality. Importantly, your kit should also possess enough diversity that you can adjust to your client based on their skin’s needs. Common examples of this would be working with a client who has particular skin conditions, issues, allergies, etc. The most efficient way to ensure that your makeup won’t cause harm to your client’s skin is to invest in vegan, cruelty-free products.

What are vegan, cruelty-free makeup products?

A makeup product is vegan if it does not contain any animal products or by-products. This includes ingredients such as beeswax, collagen, gelatin and many more. A product is considered cruelty-free when it has not been tested on animals. While not always the case, a “vegan” product tends to also be “cruelty free” the majority of the time.

For an in-depth look at what vegan makeup is made of and what ingredients it tends to avoid, please refer to our article, Vegan Makeup 101.

Why go vegan?

For starters, using vegan, cruelty-free products in your professional makeup kit adds an ethical component to your business that’s very beneficial. Morally, there are very few disadvantages to offering clients vegan, cruelty-free products. In today’s day and age, mistreatment of animals is highly frowned upon (for good reason!), and vegan lifestyles are only becoming more and more popular. Vegan products are also proven to have less of a carbon footprint, thereby being better for the environment!

From a business perspective, it can be argued to be a very smart move, capable of bringing in more clientele. Providing products that align with these modern (and popular) beliefs and lifestyles increases the chances of your MUA business being favorably received by Millennials and Gen X’ers alike.

Vegan, cruelty-free makeup products we recommend for your professional makeup kit…

1. The Icon Palette – Charlotte Tilbury ($65.00 USD)

It’s tough to choose between the eyeshadows and the lip products when it comes to iconic vegan line, Charlotte Tilbury, but ‘The Icon Palette’ deserves all the praise it can get. With a nice range of pigments – ranging from cream all the way to jet black – this 12-shade palette of glittery hues offers eyeshadow options for every occasion. Day, night, diva, and even disco – there’s something for everybody!

Personally, my favorite shade in the palette is the bold royal blue. Which shade do YOU like best?

2. Matcha Cleanser – Milk Makeup ($28 USD)

In addition to being vegan and cruelty-free, Milk Makeup also prides themselves on being paraben-free in all their products. As if that weren’t enough, this cleanser is also microbead-free – an ingredient known for:

Being impossible to recycle, and
Being ridiculously toxic for marine creatures

We strongly maintain that a strong skincare routine is just as – if not more – important than the makeup routine itself. Healthy skin means a clean and healthy canvas for the makeup to go on in the first place. So finding a cleanser that not only works, but is as safe for the skin as can be? How can you go wrong!

Pro tip: Milk Makeup recommends pairing this product with their ‘Vegan Milk Moisturizer’ in order to best lock in your skin’s moisture.

3. – Day to Night Lipstick Duo – E.l.f. Cosmetics ($5.00 USD)

Like Milk Makeup, E.l.f. Cosmetics is a cosmetic company proudly vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free. Let’s be real here: most of us are already familiar with E.l.f.’s makeup, and we know it seriously rocks. Their variety of different products and their amazing pigments are to die for, on top of being environmentally-friendly and good for your client’s skin!

But in particular, their lip products are our favorite. Specifically, we feel the Day to Night Lipstick Duo deserves a shout-out. Firstly, it’s insanely cheap, and you get TWO lipsticks and colors for the price of one! We don’t think we need to explain why this is seriously awesome for any MUA and her professional makeup kit.

This lipstick comes with 4 different duo shade options:

No matter which color set you pick, you’re guaranteed a sleek and sexy shade not just for your everyday wear, but for when you’re ready to have a night on the town!

4. Total Cover Cream Foundation – Cover FX ($55.00 CAD)

With all makeup products known for being 100% vegan and cruelty-free, Cover FX is one of the leading competitors for tattoo-concealing products. While they have many other items that are worth looking into, what we’re interested in is its ability to build enough coverage to successfully cover any tattoo your client may want to hide on their big day.

As someone with their fair share of tattoos, I’ve tried many different products, and never found any that worked as well as Cover FX! Here, we’re specifically recommending their ‘Total Cream Cover Foundation’, because it’s awesome and provides great coverage – specifically for normal to dry skin types.

But it’s worth noting that alongside this product, you can use Cover FX’s ‘Crea m Concealer’ and ‘Matte Setting Powder’ to magically hide tattoos. Very handy for SFX makeup, brides who wish to conceal their tattoo(s) on their wedding day, etc.!

5. Jojoba Color Correctors – Everyday Minerals ($9.00 USD each)

If you aren’t familiar with what color correcting is and why it’s so fundamental that you incorporate this practice into technique, we strongly suggest checking out the Color Correcting webinar hosted by QC’s executive MUA and instructor, Nathan Johnson.

Trust us: as you’ll quickly understand by checking out Nathan’s webinar, you should definitely carry some sort of color correcting products in your professional makeup kit. The odds are higher of working with a client who has some sort of skin blemish, condition, discoloration, etc. If you aren’t prepared, you won’t be able to do the best job for her as you possibly can – which is not only limiting you, but your business’s reputation!

Everyday Minerals is globally known for strictly using all-natural ingredients in their products. When it comes to their color correctors, you can’t go wrong. For starters, Jojoba is a wonderful ingredient in general for cosmetic products, namely due to:

Its organic ability to mimic the skin’s natural oils, and
Its ability to help prevent acne breakouts, thanks to how it absorbs into the skin (rather than sitting directly on the surface and clogging your client’s pores)
Its “softening, moisturizing, and conditioning properties” for the skin

There are for Color Correcting colors you can choose from:

Brighten Jojoba Color Corrector (soft pink)
Mint Jojoba Color Corrector (mint green)
Cover Jojoba Color Corrector (light salmon)
Sunlight Jojoba Color Corrector (cream, with the faintest hint of yellow)

Personally, we recommend arming your professional makeup kit with each and every one of these all-natural correctors! In fact, while you absolutely do not need any of the above recommendation, we DO strongly suggest doing research of your own, and trying out some vegan, cruelty-free makeup products. There may be a ton of incredible products you haven’t discovered yet!

Want to add more zero-waste beauty products to your professional makeup kit, too? Keep reading!

Jan 30

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4 Reasons Why You SHOULDN’T Add Hair Styling to Your Makeup Business

By Sarah Cavanagh Hair Styling, Your Makeup Career No Comments

Many MUAs see hair styling as a separate field entirely, but play your cards right and hair styling can be your secret weapon. The makeup industry is a tough market with plenty of competition. Without upping your game and adding to your qualifications and skillset, how can you hope to stand out from the crowd? Hair styling classes are one of your best assets to do this!

That being said, watching YouTube videos and possessing a natural ability to do a French braid aren’t going to be enough to add this additional service to your business. That alone won’t make you a pro. Like makeup artistry, hair styling doesn’t necessarily require schooling or certification – but having it not only makes YOU better, it better qualifies you when compared to others who don’t have it themselves.

But we get it: you have your hesitations. In fact, you’re probably thinking, is it really worth shelling out more money to take a hair styling class? It can’t benefit my makeup business that much, can it?

Well, let’s see about that. First, it’s important to quickly understand what exactly a hair stylist is, and what they do.

What is a Hair Stylist?

Is “hair stylist” just another term for a hair dresser?

NO! (We seriously can’t stress this enough.)

The two are completely different, and require entirely separate training, qualifications, and certification. In addition to styling, hair dressers are qualified to cut, color, bleach, and apply extensions to hair. A cosmetology license is usually required to be a hair dresser, which takes anywhere from 1 to 2 years to obtain.

As a hair stylist, you are NOT allowed to do anything but wash, dry, and/or style your client’s hair. You’ll learn how to use various heat tools, and master a number of different brush and styling techniques.

Here are 4 reasons why it would NOT be in your best interest to add hair styling services to your MUA business…

1. You don’t want to book more clients

In today’s age, Millennials and Gen Xers have enough money problems thanks to the economy, so they’re always more than happy to save their pennies whenever possible. This is just a fact: your clients are always going to be looking for ways to combine or decrease their expenses. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to save some cash?

Chances are, in addition to your makeup services, you client is also in need of a hairstylist for her big event. This means an extra expense she has to pay for, more time she has to put aside for a separate appointment, etc. But if you were able to offer her BOTH makeup and hair styling services, she’d probably book you for that additional service in a heartbeat. It’s just a much more convenient and cost-effective option for her.

This is especially true with brides. The day of the wedding is hectic and stressful enough as it is for her! When researching her options for MUAs and hair stylists, who do you think she’ll be more inclined to want to book with: one makeup artist and another hair stylist, or an amazing makeup artist who’s also a hair stylist?

Point is, being able to offer both makeup and hair styling services would open doors to so many more potential clients. It would provide you with a niche that’s GUARANTEED to make you stand out from your competition in the area, in all the best ways. We think you’d find that it wouldn’t take long before you’d be so busy, you’d have to start booking clients in advance!

2. You don’t want to make more money

When you can offer more services to your clients, you’ll naturally be able to increase your income – that’s Business 101. You very well might already be making good money with your makeup services alone, but think of how much more you could bring in every month by adding in hair styling services as well!

One option is that you could offer standalone hair styling prices and services, same as how you set your makeup rates. Simpler hairstyles, such as basic up-dos, will be cheaper. The fancier the hairstyle, the more you can charge. That being said, even just the basic services (like washing and drying your client’s hair) can give you an additional $30+ from that one job.

Or, if your client wished to have both her hair and makeup done by you, you could also offer packaged deals. These sorts of options would further entice potential clients to want to work with you. Everyone loves bundles! For instance, Brinelley Hair and Makeup in Baltimore, Maryland, charges $250 for bridal hair and makeup as a packaged service.

When it comes to the various ways you can package these additional services, the sky’s the limit! But one thing’s for certain: it WILL increase your total income and bring you in more money.

3. You don’t like having options

We’ve touched on quite a few ways that adding hair styling to your makeup business benefits your career as a freelance MUA. But what about those interested in working in a salon?

The good news is that such a skill is just as much of an asset to salon managers, too! If their establishment is in need of hair stylists as well as makeup artists, hiring someone who can do both is one less body they need to staff and provide salary to. Plus, you have wiggle room to negotiate your pay and perhaps ask for a higher salary than you would’ve gotten just as an MUA. For the level of services you’d be capable of providing, it’d be more than fair, and many salon managers will recognize that!

Even if you don’t have any goals to work in a salon, the fact that it would at least be an option available to you is a more than a many other makeup artists out there could say. If nothing else, it strengthens your portfolio and equips you with a pretty solid resume.

4. You hate school

That’s not to say that you don’t love your craft, or even that you don’t like learning new things. But when it comes to an actual school environment, with assignments, and reading, and lessons? No thanks. You’re of the opinion that anything you can learn in a class, you can learn all by yourself on the internet for free.

We’re sorry to say it, but if that’s how you feel, you’re really limiting yourself in terms of your abilities. You’ll never be able to learn from an article or video tutorial the skills, techniques, and theories you’d be taught in school. For starters, there will be things you don’t know until they’re taught to you – so how would you know to research them on your own? You wouldn’t. Your self-taught education would be filled with a lot of self-imposed blind spots.

Schooling is the best method of acquiring information because its entire purpose is to take an expert who knows the ins and outs of the profession, and use their knowledge to help YOU learn and grow. So sure, school may not be your thing… But if this is truly the industry you want to work in, the results are worth it and second to none.

Ready to take your MUA business to the next level by offering hair styling services as well? Enroll in QC’s leading Hair Styling Essentials class, and become certified!

Jan 22

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frustrated woman shrugging one arm, unsure what she's supposed to do

5 Common Complaints You’ll Hear as a Makeup Artist

By Sarah Cavanagh Your Makeup Career No Comments

Most makeup clients you encounter will be totally awesome, and very easy to work with. Once in a blue moon, though, there will be the odd person whose sole purpose seems to be to critique and question your every move. Regardless, it’s your job to always remain a professional, and handle difficult clients with poise and class – despite how frustrating it might be in the moment.

To make life a little easier for you, here are 5 common complaints that nearly every MUA will hear in their career. At least by knowing what you can expect, you can best handle the situation!

1. “Why do I need to book in advance?”

On that note, why can’t she simply pay the fee on the day of the appointment?

Yes, we can understand where this client is coming from. Let’s be real: no one’s ever going to say that one of their favorite things to do is ‘pay a deposit’ on something.

But that’s how business works. You need to protect yourself, too, and that’s exactly what getting a deposit and/or having a client book in advance does! Show her that you understand her side of the matter, but gently remind her that by reserving your time for her appointment, you’re closing off your schedule to any other potential work.

This can be problematic if she were to cancel last minute. You’d be left stranded, and without any jobs to fill that gap!

2. “You charge too much for your services!”

Unfortunately, having people trying to swindle you for cheap or free makeup services is just something you’re going to have to get used to as an MUA. Your rates are based on your education, experience, years of practice, business and marketing costs, and the fees to keep your professional makeup kit stocked with products.

But a client doesn’t see all that stuff behind the scenes. To her, you’re just overcharging. You can totally see why she might believe that, but don’t let that persuade you into underselling yourself or your worth! Sure, offering a discounted rate – even free services – once in a while is entirely up to you. If done sparingly, it won’t hurt your business.

But remember: you’ve earned the right to charge the prices you do, so be prepared to stand by your principles if a client tries to challenge you.

3. “That’s not how it looks in the picture!”

You’re going to get this one a lot. Sometimes, people will think that you can magically change them into a completely different person. A client might come get her makeup done her prom, hand you a photo of Kylie Jenner, and say, “I want to look like her.”

So, you flawlessly replicate the makeup you see in the photo. But when your client sees the end results, she’s disappointed because she still doesn’t look like Kylie. Well, yeah… because despite how badly she may want it, she is not in fact that person.

Their features aren’t identical. Their bone structures and appearances may be nothing alike. You’re a makeup artist, not a wizard!

That being said, remember to remain sensitive to her feelings. Her expectations may have been unrealistic, but she had them nonetheless. Now she’s discouraged. Try to shift the focus back to the actual makeup itself. You can point out the reasons why you can’t completely replicate what’s in the picture. But the makeup looks the same, and that’s the important part!

Above all else, keep reiterating how beautiful your client looks. You don’t want her feeling disappointed that she can’t be someone else – you want her leaving the appointment feeling confident and fierce in her own skin.

4. “My skin still doesn’t look good!”

There’s this other misconception that no matter how bad your skin is, a makeup artist can make it appear flawless. Sure, proper technique helps. Certain tools, like airbrush machines, can contribute to a ‘photoshopped’ finish.

If all else fails, anyone can look good if they stand far back enough! (Don’t make that last joke to your client, they won’t find it funny.)

The truth is, makeup isn’t some quick-fix solution for bad skin. You can do everything right, but if a client isn’t taking proper care of themselves and their skin is in rough shape, you might not be able to perfectly cover that up.

If your client gets upset, it’s likely because she feels self-conscious. Yes, it can be frustrating for you to do the best job possible and still have it criticized, but remember your professional objective: to make your client feel beautiful.

If there’s little else you can do makeup-wise to give her the results she wanted, at least you can rely on your skincare knowledge. Help her better understand her skin type, and recommend some products and techniques that might be able to help her skin improve going forward!

5. “I hate it.”

Hands down, this is the worst feedback you can get from a client. You put your heart and soul into each job. It’s crushing to get such a brutal response! Even more awful is when you haven’t even finished and the client can’t stop commenting on how much she doesn’t like what you’re doing.

As hard as it can be, you have to try and look at each job as an opportunity to learn and get better. Ask her to show you what it is she doesn’t like, and have her articulate what it is she wants instead. Then you can try to actively correct whatever she’s unhappy with, and proceed accordingly. Do whatever you can, and if she still isn’t satisfied by the end of the appointment, use your best judgment for what happens next.

Depending on how she treated you, it may just be best to call it a day and put this experience behind you. If you feel it’s warranted, though, you can always try to remedy the situation by offering her some sort of refund (full or partial), a complimentary service in the future, etc.

She may not be happy with the makeup job you did for her, but she will appreciate the way you handled it. Her final impression of you and your business won’t be what you didn’t do for her, but what you DID.

You can’t control what complaints you’ll receive from customers, but you can control how you choose to react to it. Always be respectful and professional, and you’ll come out on top, one way or another!

Do you have anything else to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

What if someone leaves your makeup business a terrible review online? Just follow these 3 steps!

Jan 17

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scared worried woman in front of yellow background

Are Your Makeup Products Bathing in Bacteria?

By Sarah Cavanagh Uncategorized, Your Makeup Career No Comments

We apologize in advance, but you’re about to learn some pretty disturbing information about your makeup tools. If you’re an MUA, the contents of this article are crucial to your career. Nothing will tank your makeup business faster than using dirty products, spreading harmful bacteria onto your client, and potentially getting her sick!

That being said, this is directed just as much at all our fellow makeup lovers out there, too. Being aware of the potential health risks posed by dirty cosmetic products can help assure that you take all the necessary precautions for your health. Your health, at the end of the day, is what matters most.

9 out of 10 makeup products are swimming in superbugs

Yes, you heard us right. It’s horrifying, but it’s true. A recent study at Birmingham’s Aston University took a close look at 497 makeup products, made up of the following:

96 lipsticks
92 eyeliners
107 lip glosses
79 blender sponges
93 mascaras

The results of the study were shocking: of the 497 cosmetics, 70% to 90% were contaminated in some way!

Beauty bacteria

In order for any approved makeup product to be sold to the public, it absolutely CANNOT contain any pathogenic organisms – that is, any organism capable of causing diseases in a person. It’s primarily through how the product is used by people that exposes it to these bad organisms. The most common superbugs known to contaminate makeup tools are:

Staphylococci aureus
Salmonella and Citrobacter freundii
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
Escherichia coli – a.k.a. E. coli

In case you didn’t know, that least one is linked directly to fecal contamination. We’ll give you a moment to wrap your head around that one. (We definitely needed it.)

If not properly used, washed, and taken care of, these are the types of germs we’re coating on our skin, packing into our pores, putting on our eyes, and even getting into our mouths. Gross!

Which makeup product is the worst for bacteria?

Beauty blenders win this by a landslide, unfortunately. The egg-shaped sponges – known for applying and smoothing out foundations and powders – are by far the dirtiest tool of them all. In the UK study, 26% of them even had traces of fecal matter found on them!

Following behind beauty blenders, the other products with the highest bacteria concentration are eyeliner, lipstick, and mascara.

Why the results are so bad

Obviously the natural question following this study is: Why? What’s the reason behind all of this bacteria making a home on our cosmetics? What are we doing when handling our makeup that’s so problematic?

Never cleaning your products

In the Aston University research study, a whopping 94% of beauty blenders had never been cleaned before. Not once! There were similar results in a 2013 study of 44 students in Brazil. There, 93% of the students had also never washed their blender, but continued to use it regularly.

Using a product after it’s been dropped

If you can believe it, it gets worse. What’s worse than never washing your products is dropping them on the floor, not cleaning it, and then continuing to use it anyway! Of that Brazil study group, over half of the students admitted they were guilty of doing this. The results of the Aston University study were startlingly similar, with approximately 50% of the beauty blenders having been dropped and reused, without being washed.

This is highly unsanitary, and opens you up to an army of germs!

Ignoring the expiry date

Did you know that the lifespan of a beauty blender is only 3 months? Makeup products have an expiration date for a reason. If you use them past that point, you’re putting you and/or your client’s health at risk. Once it’s reached its shelf life, throw it away!

Bodily fluids

Ever coughed or accidentally sneezed while working on a client? Well, there’s a chance that contaminates just got all over the tool and product you’re using. If you don’t take the time to clean or sanitize your tools/products, you’ve likely just transferred bacteria, viruses, and other contaminates onto your client’s skin, eyes, or mouth.

Lipstick touchups

Whether it’s you or your client re-applying some lipstick, stain, or gloss, make sure nothing’s been eaten right beforehand. Otherwise, food particles can get onto the product. That alone is enough to get the ball rolling for all sorts of nasty superbugs! If you’ve just eaten and need to freshen up your pout, make sure to wash your hands and brush your teeth first.

Not cleaning your products properly

Research shows that the higher the water content on the product, the better the chances are of it becoming contaminated. I know what you’re thinking: “But… don’t I NEED water to be able to clean a lot of my products?”

Yep, water and soap. But the third and final step to the cleaning process is often times drying the product, which a lot of people forget to do. This means bad news bears for beauty blenders especially. If you clean your beauty blender with soap and water, and then leave it on its own to dry, you may as well throw it back on the floor.

When air-drying your beauty products, in order to ensure it’s not at risk of germs, try to let the item dry somewhere well-ventilated, on a clean surface, and where it isn’t exposed to or touching anything else. (So basically, don’t throw a wet or damp beauty blender into your makeup kit!)

Another useful tip is to avoid drying your makeup products in the bathroom, as this area and its surfaces can be easily contaminated in many ways.

Adding to the problem

A huge part of the issue is that makeup companies aren’t always releasing as much information to us as they could be, especially in terms of how to properly use, maintain, and clean the product. For newer, trendy items such as the beauty blender, there’s even less info for us to rely on.

Dr. Amreen Bashir, who led the study at Aston University, argued that cosmetic brands really need to provide clear instructions; that “more needs to be done to help educate consumers, and the makeup industry as a whole, about the need to wash beauty blenders regularly and dry them thoroughly”. Clearly, there needs to be more effort devoted to regulating the product packaging within the makeup industry.

Tips to keeping things clean

Beyond what makeup companies do, the rest of the responsibility falls on us. So what can we do to try and keep our makeup products germ-free (at least, to the best of our ability)? Here are some helpful tips:

Always wash your hands AND face before putting on makeup. If making any touch ups later on, wash your hands again. Basically, never touch makeup if your hands aren’t clean.
Never let anyone else use your products. If you’re a makeup artist, always use new, fresh applicators on all clients. Once used, throw it away immediately. Never use the same applicator on two clients, unless it’s been thoroughly cleaned and properly dried first.
Don’t double dip with a disposable applicator. Remember, one applicator = one use. If more product is needed, use a fresh/clean applicator.
Stop using any product once it reaches its expiration date. Again, remember that the expiry date is there for a reason!
Always keep your makeup products themselves clean and properly stored. If you’re unsure the proper method of cleaning each product, QC offers a wonderful, thorough guide here.

If you’re guilty of a few of these sanitation sins, that’s okay. It’s still the first month of the new decade, so there’s plenty of time to turn things around! What matter is that now you know, so you can work on adopting new and better makeup habits in 2020.

If you’re already taking all of these measures? Hey, we’re proud of you! Use your knowledge to go forth and help protect others from the wrath of all those pesky superbugs. Make the world a better place, one squeaky clean beauty blender at a time!

Want more advice on making sure you always keep your makeup products clean? Here are 8 extra tips!

Jan 16

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Paid in Exposure: How to Scam a Makeup Artist into Working for Free

By Sarah Cavanagh Your Makeup Career 2 Comments

In this day and age, everyone wants something for a price. Nobody does anything out of the kindness of their hearts anymore! Sure, you may have a big event coming up, and you absolutely want need a makeup artist to make you look flawless on the big day. But you also have other, more important things that you need to spend your money on.

Some may call you a “choosing beggar”, but you’re not! You’re just savvy when it comes to finances. Don’t worry, we’ve got just what you need. Whether you’re a friend or family member of the makeup artist in question, or just a stranger on the internet, listen up: if you use these tactics, you’ll never need to pay for somebody else’s hard work, time, or effort ever again!

Tactic #1: Play the victim

When you initially contact your chosen makeup artist, be as sweet as possible. After all, you do love her work and think she’s very talented. She’s the one you’ve set your heart on to make you look beautiful on your big day. You absolutely must have her! So naturally, after you start off by gushing about how talented she is, the best way to maximize your chances of her agreeing to work for you will be to lay on your sob story really thick.

If you’re her friend or family member:

She may already know whatever’s been going on with you, but tell her anyway. Since you actually know her in real life, you’re automatically more special in her eyes that some random stranger she’s never met before. You deserve special treatment.

Note: ‘Friend’ is a relative term. Who cares if you only knew her back in the elementary school, and haven’t spoken since you spread that rumor about her after grade eight graduation? You’ve known each other since forever – that amount of time makes you practically besties!

If you’re an internet stranger:

She doesn’t know your tragic backstory, so spare no details. You get bonus points if your child has a fake terminal illness, a completely alive parent just died, and you’re 100% broke and helpless (after buying the latest iPhone).

If you can work all three of these into your sales pitch, you’ve unlocked the Choosing Beggar trifecta. In your mind, this guarantees that there’s no way she’ll say no – unless she’s a horrible human being who doesn’t care one bit about her makeup business.

Tactic #2: Act shocked when she expects payment

Okay, so your makeup artist has agreed to take the job. But wait, she wants money to do it? Seriously!?

If you’re her friend or family member:

It seems she’s forgotten that she knows you in real life, and you’re not just some unimportant stranger. It’s incredibly insulting that she and you are so close, and yet you still have to pay. At the very least, you should be receiving some sort of hefty discount.

But really, she should be providing you with a complimentary service, simply because she cares. If anything, she should be paying you for allowing her the privilege of using her skills on you!

If you’re an internet stranger:

Does she not understand who you are? Knowing you, you’re one of the following:

An ‘influencer’ with a decently sized follower count
Someone who’s ‘well on their way’ to becoming an influencer. You likely don’t have enough followers to monetize yourself, but you make up for that in self-confidence!
Someone referred by a person the makeup artist actually knows. By association, she should be treating you like her own flesh and blood! Hey, she gave her sister a discounted price – you should be getting one, too!
A potentially paying customer, and the customer is ALWAYS right!

Why should you be punished for the fact that she’s put years, and tons of money, into both her education and experience? You’re not paying for her experience! It’s not your responsibility to fund her makeup business! You should only be paying for the amount of time and makeup product the job takes!

Regardless, your best bet is to offer her something that’s even better than real money: internet clout! Sure, you could give her what she’s asking to do the job, but you could also take all sorts of photos of yourself once she’s done your makeup, and then post them online. The exposure it’d give her and her makeup business to the public will get her name out there, bring her more clientele, and thus, more money than what she’s trying to charge you.

If anything, you’d be doing her a favor!

Tactic #3: Have a complete and total meltdown when she says no

She has the nerve to refuse your generous offer? Time to go scorched earth!

If you’re her friend or family member:

Tell her you CANNOT believe that she’d be so selfish and do this to someone she’s supposed to be friends/family with! Search your memory and pull up any and every instance – no matter insignificant – in which you’d helped her in the past, and rub them all in her face.

Throw in a mean name and an insult here and there. Undermine her career and tell her to “get a real job”. If none of that works, then go for the clincher: threaten to complain about her on your social media, and even tell mutual friends/family members.

If she refuses to do one teensy little favor for you in your desperate time of need, she might as well be dead to you. But not before you make sure everyone knows how awful she truly is!

If you’re an internet stranger:

Go from zero to psycho instantly. Leave no room for rational thinking. Call her every name in the book, and tell her that her makeup skills SUCK. Let her know that you actually have a guy that can do your makeup for way cheaper, but you were just coming to her first to do her the favor of giving her some work.

When all else fails, and it will, it’s time to pull out the big guns. Threaten her makeup business and livelihood – that’ll teach her! Here are some ways you can tell her you’ll do:

Leave a bad review
Bash her across social media
Report her for being a ‘scammer’
If you’re feeling especially vengeful, you can even threaten to dox her to others online

As you can see, your options truly are limitless! She needs to remember that you’re the one with the power. Her career lies in your hands. You’re the customer, and the responsibility is on HER to negotiate and ultimately give you what you want.

Then, at the end of the day, regardless of whether you’re a friend, a family member, or an internet stranger, you can sleep peacefully at night… knowing deep inside your heart that you are the absolute worst.

In all seriousness, though…

Please don’t ever be this type of person. For real.

If you’re a makeup artist – especially one who offers freelance work – don’t let yourself be bullied by someone like this. In the face of one, remember to keep the high ground: stay calm, stay polite, and then block contact. Do not engage, and DEFINITELY never agree to provide them your services. People like this will never be happy, no matter how hard you try.

Choosing beggars will always try to get something for nothing. Contrary to what they may say, no matter how popular they seem on the internet, exposure isn’t going to pay your bills!

The fact is: you are getting paid for your experience. You charge customers not just for the time it’ll take to do their makeup, but for the money and care you put into your products. You’re getting paid for all those years of schooling and practice that’ve made you as good at makeup as you are today.

After all, your skills are why anyone comes to you in the first place, right? The right customer will always be able to see the value in your skills, and will be more than happy to pay for them – with real money.

Unsure what to charge your makeup clients? We can help guide you in the right direction!

Jan 15

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woman with pinup-style hair and makeup winking and giving OK sign with hand

The Pros and Cons of Being a Freelance Makeup Artist

By Sarah Cavanagh Your Makeup Career No Comments

Nothing worth doing is going to come easy – but as a hard-working makeup artist you probably already know that!

Whether you specialize in weddings, fashion, special FX, etc., you’re aware of the different highs and lows that come with your incredible profession. But if you’re just breaking into the industry and have goals to work as an independent MU A in 2020, you may not know what to expect.

The truth is: even though there are a variety of different freelance makeup artist jobs out there, they all have the same benefits and disadvantages in common. Below, we’ll explore 5 of the most common pros and cons of being a freelance makeup artist.

Pro: You Are Your Own Boss!

If the typical 9 to 5 grind under someone else’s management doesn’t appeal to you, then being a freelance MUA is perfect! You won’t have a supervisor breathing down your neck, or stifling your creativity. You’ll also never get bored from having to do the same menial tasks day in and day out.

As a freelancer, everything about your business is 100% in your control: when you work, what you charge, the jobs you’ll take, and more! No two jobs will ever be the same, too, so each day will be just as exciting and challenging as the last!

Con: You Are Your Own Boss.

Yeah, it’s great to not have to answer to anybody, but that also means that all the responsibility of literally everything falls on you. No one’s going to do the work or promote your business for you, so you’re going to have to work hard in order to get things off the ground and moving. Building your portfolio and reputation takes time and effort; if you aren’t willing to invest in yourself, you can’t be surprised if you aren’t successful.

Running your own business – a successful one, at that – isn’t to be taken lightly. If you aren’t truly up to the challenge, you probably won’t succeed. When you succeed, it’s entirely on you. That sense of pride and accomplishment has been earned because you made that all happen on your own. But on the flip side: if you fail because you didn’t try hard enough, that’s also on you. In this business, you can only get what you put into it.

Pro: You work on your own schedule!

Not a fan of mornings? Don’t book clients in the early morning. Simple. You make your own hours, meaning you choose clients that fit your schedule. You don’t have a boss to answer to so no one can deny you vacation time. Your time is your own!

Con: You Work on Your Own Schedule.

Sure, you can choose not to work whenever you want, but that can also mean sacrificing the opportunity to get more employment. In the makeup industry, a lot of your jobs will take place on the weekends.

There may also be times where you’re booked last minute. You may not have the work the standard 9 to 5 job, but if you’re serious about doing makeup professionally as your career, you’re going to have to commit (to the best of your ability) to the times when traffic for business is highest.

So, there may be times when you have to cancel plans to book a job. You’re also likely going to have to kiss most of your weekends goodbye.

Pro: You’re in Charge of Your Income!

Being able to decide how much you want to charge clients and make per job is, without a doubt, one of the coolest parts of being a freelancer. How many other people get to say that they can pick their own wages? As you develop in the industry, gain experience and clients, and get better, you’ll be able to increase your prices and charge a good price for the services you’re offering.

If you’re working full-time as a freelancer and have been at it for a while, it can definitely be enough for you to pay your bills and live comfortably.

Pro tip: You may not always know how much you should be charging for your services, and that’s okay! Here’s a comprehensive list, based on the type of MUA job, to help you figure it out! what prices you can – and should – aim for with your clients!

Con: You’re in Charge of Your Income.

Some people have big dreams, others can have big egos. Either way, if you go into this type of industry with unrealistic expectations, you’re going to be unpleasantly disappointed. Case in point: not knowing what to charge when first starting out, and then charging too much or too little.

Charging too much without the reputation to back it up is an effective way of tanking your business before it even starts. Charging too little is a great way to get an influx of clients… but you won’t make any money off those clients. You deserve to be paid for your work!

Pro: You meet all sorts of new people!

Being a freelance makeup artist is a career that will bring you countless experiences and unforgettable memories – especially between you and your client. Helping to transform a person and make her feel beautiful is a special type of bonding experience.

Since the results of your work are instantaneous, too, you both get to benefit from the final product together, right at that moment. Not many people are lucky enough to have that in their job, let alone on a regular basis!

Con: You meet all sorts of new people.

You aren’t going to be able to please everyone. That’s just life. Now and then, a client will be having a bad day and take it out on you. Sometimes, she may really hate what you’ve done to her face, and since you’re the one who did the job, you’re the one who’s going to have to hear all about it. Having a client be unsatisfied with your work can be hard for anybody – especially someone like you, who truly loves what they do, and just wants to make others happy.

Getting yelled at and/or being verbally abused is a whole other level. While it doesn’t happen often, it may happen once in a blue moon. While there may not be any way to prepare yourself, just remember: all that you can do is your best. If you’re ever struggling to deal with a client who insists on berating you and being unreasonable, it’s probably best at that point to politely end the session, pack your things up, and leave.

Pro: The Competition is Tough!

This keeps you motivated! You thrive on being creative. You want to be one of the best, and how can you become the best? By beating the best!

The makeup industry is competitive, especially for freelancers. You need to be able to stand out from this competition if you ever hope to be successful. You revel in this – and welcome it, even – because it pushes you to always give your 100% and test your own creative boundaries.

Pro tip: Looking for some insider advice on how to stand out from the competition? Here are 3 of our top recommendations!

Pro: The Competition is Tough.

Unfortunately, the downside is that if you’re not as self-disciplined and motivated as the person described above, you may be in for a nasty surprise.

You need to fight to prove to potential clientele why you’re special and worth giving their time and money to. You have to be willing to put in the hours required to build your online presence, create your business’s brand, and establish a rapport with customers, as well as others in the industry.

We’ll be honest: if this sounds like too much work for you, bow out now. If you think you can find a way to bypass these steps and get all the benefits without first earning your stripes, you’re wrong. As we mentioned before, you get in this industry what you put into it. Put the bare minimum, and your business will get the bare minimum.

But put in your heart and soul, and your business will eventually soar!

When all is said and done, you’re doing this because this is what you LOVE. That’s the dream we all wish could come true – and you’re actually doing it! Do you realize how special that is? How admirable that makes you? When you love something, you give it your all. We know that’s what you’ll do in your career, so regardless of whatever challenges you face, the positives will always outweigh the negatives.

That’s the mindset you have to go into this with because it’s true. At the end of the day, getting to do what you love will always be worth it!

Want to leverage your online makeup schooling to help you find the best jobs? Read more and find out how!

Jan 10

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My New Year Resolutions for My Professional Makeup Career in 2020 [video]

By Sarah Cavanagh Education, From the Experts, Your Makeup Career No Comments

Devyn Gregorio is a QC Makeup Academy Student Ambassador. You can find her on her YouTube Channel, Gregorio Girls Makeup, where she makes beauty videos with her sister, Seanna. Today, Devyn breaks down her top 3 goals for her professional MUA career in 2020!

Let’s Recap:

Devyn foresees the upcoming year as being one of growth – not just personally, but for her professional makeup career as well. Being an ambitious woman, she has many goals that she’s always striving for. But in 2020, Devyn wishes to specifically focus her efforts on the following 3 resolutions:

Furthering her makeup education
Continue to improve her makeup techniques
Growing her beauty channel on YouTube

Let’s look a little deeper into each goal!

Resolution #1: “Further My Makeup Education”

Devyn understands that, with any craft, you have to be a student just as much as a master. This is why she’s always pushing herself to see what else she can discover and how she can improve when it comes to makeup. 2019 was a very exploratory year for Devyn, wherein she took the time needed to figure out where she wanted to go with her makeup career.

In 2020, she’s now ready to get back to the basics of makeup and her cosmetic understanding. Having previously graduated from QC’s Master Makeup Artistry course – which Devyn states laid the foundation of her makeup knowledge – she still owns all of her textbooks and course materials. Going back over and re-studying this content will help refresh both her general and advanced makeup knowledge. So that’s what she plans to do!

She’s also a current student in QC’s Advanced Skincare Course. Ideally, Devyn is aiming to complete this program during the first quarter of the year. In her experience as both a working makeup artist and YouTube beauty vlogger, she finds that questions about skincare are asked just as frequently as cosmetic-related ones.

As a professional makeup artist, you need to be able to provide the correct information to your clients and subscribers. Devyn credits QC’s Skincare Course for teaching her the fundamentals of skincare, as well as teaching her which skincare products to use, how to use them in conjunction with makeup products, and much more!

Devyn’s desire to always continue learning ties in with her desire to be as informed as possible for her:

Makeup clients
Friends and family
YouTube subscribers
Social media followers

They’re always going to be asking questions, and Devyn knows that in order to give the best services she possibly can, she’ll need to know the best answers. Pushing herself to continue her online makeup education will only result in Devyn becoming an even better MUA.

Resolution #2: “Continue to Improve My Makeup Techniques”

On both her clients and herself, Devyn’s second goal for 2020 is to expand her technical knowledge on makeup application, and continue to hone her skills. No one is going to be 100% perfect at makeup all of the time. It’s important to be able to self-critique, and understand the areas where you can improve. While she credits herself as having a natural flair for makeup, Devyn admits that she’s also very heavy-handed.

Her basic techniques, she feels, can use some work. Some examples of basic techniques include:

Holding your brushes properly
Blending properly
Using the correct amount of pressure during application
Noticing the subtle differences in skin colors and textures
Mastering color science so you can develop your natural eye for which colors work best on people, etc.

Devyn’s motivation behind this New Year resolution is two-fold. Firstly, like any good MUA, she wants to be able to provide greater services for her clients. Secondly, as a true artist, she simply wants to be better her craft.

One of the ways that Devyn intends to expand her knowledge is by attending classes held by other makeup artists. As an artist, you can become too used to your own technique, routine, and way of doing things. As a result, you can lose sight of the fact that there might be better ways to do things.

Learning from someone else, and understanding why they do what they do, is so helpful to a makeup artist! It’s not even about changing your current style; rather, about helping you hone your skills in order to transform into an even stronger version of yourself.

Resolution #3: “Grow My Makeup Channel on YouTube”

At the heart of it, Devyn loves makeup and creating videos about it! In fact, the whole reason why she ventured into the world of makeup and YouTube beauty vlogging was because she and her sister, Seanna, watched others do it. This eventually motivated them both to do it themselves.

After starting their channel, Gregorio Girls Makeup, Devyn grew motivated in pursuing makeup artistry as a career. This quickly guided her towards online makeup school so that she could study and earn a professional certification in the field.

In 2019, however, both Devyn and her sister took a break from their channel in order to step back, reassess their goals, and rediscover their vision for both themselves and their YouTube presence. This move turned out to be the right one, because now Devyn’s drive is at an all-time high! Now that the New Year has come, she has huge plans for Gregorio Girls Makeup in 2020!

In order to see this goal to fruition, Devyn’s game plan is two-fold:

Put her focus back into regularly posting a wide variety of different makeup content. Devyn feels that she should be able to realistically post one new video each week.
Wants to find and build the ‘Gregorio Girl tribe’/fan-base. Arguably her biggest and boldest goal for 2020, Devyn wants to expand her channel’s subscriber count from approximately 1,500 to somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 by the end of the year. Wow!

Pro tip: While this is undoubtedly ambitious, and definitely a challenge, it’s NOT impossible. Acquiring such a large social media following is both realistic and attainable if you post frequently, post the right content, and have the right sort of people discover, like, and share your posts. While it doesn’t always pan out, the more effort and quality content you invest, the better your chances will be to be the next breakout MUA.

Devyn’s story began with making makeup videos. It only makes sense to her that she come full circle in 2020, and go back to her roots in every way possible. While she admits that it’s been a “bumpy ride”, she’s excited for the New Year. With more insight and direction than ever before, she has her sights set on her final destination, and can’t wait to see what happens along the way.

Ultimately, here is Devyn’s biggest piece of advice to anyone interested in starting a career in makeup, is interested in makeup schooling, or just wants to start a beauty blog/vlog: Just do it! Explore your options, do what you feel in your heart is best for you, and see where life takes you. Go into 2020 with an open mind, and know that whatever it is you want to do, you can do it!

Curious about which MUA jobs pay the highest salaries? Here are 4 possible paths you can choose in the makeup industry!

Jan 09

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How to Pass Your Online Makeup Artist Classes with Flying Colors

By Sarah Cavanagh About the School, Education, Your Makeup Career No Comments

Taking online makeup artist classes provides unique benefits and advantages to anyone with a dream of becoming a professional MUA. We’ve put together a helpful list of 5 useful tips (in no particular order) for you to ace your classes.

Follow them faithfully, and you’ll not only successfully complete your online makeup artist classes, you’ll pass them with flying colors!

1. Set Your Priorities

I know we said that this list was in no particular order, but this really should be your first step. Let’s just say that you’ve already done a ton of research into different accredited online makeup schools, you’ve decided which one you want to attend, and you’ve now already enrolled. The next thing you need to do is be honest with yourself, and figure out how and when you’ll be devoting your time to your schooling.

You may already be working a full or part-time job, in addition to whatever other commitments you have on the go. Or perhaps you’ve got all the time in the world. Either way, we recommend sitting down and writing out your current schedule. Figure out what days and times you’re typically unavailable.

Once you’ve established that, then review your course materials and decide which areas of the class are the most important to you. See how much time you can realistically devote to each task, and from there, outline a routine for yourself. We can’t stress enough how important sticking to this routine will be for your success! Plus, it’ll be good for your mental health: the organization and structure will help you feel less overwhelmed.

Note: the average QC makeup course will require many hours of practice to ensure you submit your best work to your tutor. Reading books, watching videos and submitting assignments will take time, yes, but you should also plan on spending a majority of your time practicing your skills and honing your craft.

2. Set Deadlines and Exercise Good Time-Management Skills

Unlike in physical schools (or even other types of online courses), online makeup artist classes don’t have strict deadlines. While this sounds good on paper, the flip side is that it poses the risk of procrastination. Without anyone guiding you by the hand, it can be way too easy to push everything off until the last minute.

If you hope to succeed in your classes, you’re going to need certain personality traits:

Motivation
Independence
Persistence
Discipline
The ability to properly pace yourself

Be honest with yourself: do you have these traits already? If so, wonderful! If you don’t, though, you’re going to need to quickly figure out how to get them. Being an online makeup students – and being an MUA in general – absolutely require these skills.

When it comes to your schoolwork, take it upon yourself to set deadlines for your assignments. Even better, you can set allotted amounts of time per unit. To keep things organized (and your brain from being too cluttered with info), we strongly recommend writing these schedules, deadlines, and outlines on a calendar, in a planner, etc.

Similarly, even though most online makeup schools provide an abundant amount of time to complete your program, try to set yourself a goal date by which you want to complete the class and graduate. Having your own schedule and sticking to it will not only keep you accountable and exercise self-discipline (a trait that will take you a long way in the makeup industry!), it’ll help you reach your goals faster.

For example, depending on how much time you can devote to your schooling, and how diligent of a student you are, you can complete your Master Makeup Artistry class and receive your certification in as little as 3 months!

That’s the beauty of online makeup school: your destiny is entirely up to you!

3. Invest In Your Makeup Products

We totally understand that when first starting out, you may not have all the money in the world to spend on all sorts of makeup products. That being said, you’re going to need the basics, at the very least. Whether you take online makeup artist classes online or do them in-person, you’re going to need to put money into your makeup products so you can get started.

These are, after all, the tools of your craft! If you don’t use the right products, how can you tap into your full potential and showcase all the talent you have to offer?

QC Makeup Academy offers a complete list of all of the makeup products needed to complete each and every course available. A lot are provided when as part of your makeup kit when you enroll, but there are others that you need to purchase yourself. That being said, don’t look at this list and freak yourself out! In the beginning, and even throughout your professional career, you’re not always going to need to buy the fanciest and most expensive products.

Yes, some of these products will be worth dropping those few extra dollars on. But for many other cosmetic items, you can simply find their drugstore counterparts for a much more affordable price.

4. Stay On Top of Your Health

With your plate as full as it is, it might be easy to wear yourself too thin without even realizing it! Though it may seem like you’re working extra hard, never giving yourself a break will result in you losing steam. So in reality, there won’t be a whole lot of actual energy being put into all that time and work.

Your mind and body will become drained, which might make you crash. If you crash, your motivation plummets, your drive will dwindle, and the idea of giving up altogether will suddenly seem like an appealing notion. Don’t let yourself get to that point!

Yes, your education is important. Work is important. Seeing your friend and family and keeping them happy is important. But what’s most important is YOU. Life is not all work, work, work – you need to make sure you’re able to find the right balance between all of these obligations, and you time.

Aside from ensuring that you schedule regular time to enjoy the things that alleviate stress, try to also follow the basic of self-care. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, drink lots of water, and if you can catch some sunlight during the day, don’t pass it up!

The less overworked you are, the more effort you’ll actually be putting into your classes!

5. Don’t Give up!

Sometimes, even if you do everything right, the finish line still might feel impossible to cross. You’re not alone; it happens to everyone! The important thing is not to get discouraged. Don’t let that little negative voice in your head convince you to give up.

Eventually, you will see the light on the horizon, and you will complete your classes, and you will knock your grades out of the park! But hey, if there are times where you struggle and maybe slack a day or two here and there? We won’t tell anyone! Seriously, don’t beat yourself up over it. Just get back on track the next day, and keep trying your best. That’s all anyone can ever ask of you!

With good habits, the right drive and focus, and a passion for the craft, we know you’ll have nothing to worry about. Just take it one day at a time, do your best, and your tutors will all see how talented and devoted of a makeup artist you are!

Ready to start your online makeup artist classes today? Enroll in QC’s leading Master Makeup Artistry course, and make 2020 the year you achieve your MUA dreams!

Jan 08

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Online Makeup Schools: Expectation vs. Reality

By Sarah Cavanagh Education, Your Makeup Career No Comments

What better way to welcome 2020 and the new decade than by finally pursuing your dream of becoming a professional makeup artist? We’re very proud of you for taking this step! If you’re reading this, it’s because you’ve either decided you want to enroll in online makeup school, or you’re weighing your options and want to get a better idea of what online makeup school is truly like.

We can help! Below, we’ve debunked 5 of the most common (and completely false) expectations about online makeup school. This way, you can make a completely informed decision and be assured that your hard-earned money will get you hard-earned results!

Expectation #1: Because it’s cheaper than a brick-and-mortar school, the quality of the education will be lower.

This seems like a no-brainer: if something costs less, it’s usually because it’s not as good. Physical brick-and-mortar makeup schools have a higher tuition rate, so they must be more legit than what you can find online. Perhaps there are no real assignments or tests. The feedback you receive from your instructor is probably just going to be the same generic, pre-recorded response for every student.

Reality: The quality of education is exactly the same (maybe even better!).

The real reason why online makeup schools are less expensive has nothing to do with the actual education being offered. It’s simply because there’s no physical school or campus to run and/or maintain. This means way lower overhead costs factored into your tuition! For many physical schools, these overhead fees are what, in fact, eat up a large portion of the overall price.

Rest assured, a legitimate, accredited online makeup school will provide you with the same quality instructors, the same quality courses and assignments, and the same quality certification upon the completion of your program.

For each course, there will be Units. In each Unit, you will have assignments that’ll require you to videotape/photograph and physical demonstrate the makeup practices and theory you’re being taught. Your instructors – professional working makeup artists – will review each assignment you submit and provide you with detailed, personalized feedback.

Many online makeup tutors actually used to teach in brick-and-mortar school settings. They can attest to the fact that there is very little to no difference between the teachings they provide in-person, versus what they do for you online!

Expectation #2: You won’t actually learn anything, and you’ll be asked to purchase your diploma/certification.

Most online schools are scams in some capacity, right? Even if they provide you with some tools, you can’t actually learn enough to become a professional makeup artist. You can only truly learn makeup by being taught in-person! “Learning” by watching videos? You may as well just be watching a YouTube beauty vlogger. Plus, once you’ve already put in all that hard work and time, that’s probably when they throw a curveball and reveal that you need to pay for your diploma/certification.

Reality: You’ll learn the skills required to become a professional MUA, and receive professionally-recognized certification at no extra cost.

For starters, let’s do away with the idea that online schooling is the same as watching YouTube videos. YouTube videos don’t teach you actual skills, and won’t have a professionally working tutor critiquing your work and providing you with detailed feedback to help you learn, correct yourself, and grow.

Furthermore, most beauty vloggers are demonstrating a look on themselves, often skipping through sections or glossing over which techniques they’re using. In online makeup classes, a model is used in all instructional videos, in order to demonstrate how to apply makeup on a client. The entire purpose of the video is to walk you through the whole process, step-by-step, and thoroughly explain methods so that you can not only replicate “looks” but actually understand the fundamentals behind each look.

Lastly, you have no way of knowing if the YouTube vlogger you’re watching is doing things correctly! As QC executive makeup artist and tutor, Nathan Johnson, points out in his Color Correcting webinar: many of these vloggers don’t teach you the right way to do makeup. As a result, you unknowingly pick up bad habits and then provide mediocre results for your client.

Certified online makeup school tutors properly prepare you to receive your certification upon graduation from your program. This certification will not only boost your confidence as an MUA, but it makes you credible to both employers and clients. It proves to them that you’ve been properly trained, and helps you stand out from the competition.

Importantly: an online makeup school’s diploma/certificate should always be included within the overall cost of your tuition, and not a separate or recurring fee! If an online makeup school tries to spring this expense on you unexpectedly, this is a red flag. That school cannot be trusted.

Expectation #3: You’ll have scheduled classes, and a short amount of time to complete the course.

In college and University, when you sign up for an online class, you’re provided with a set schedule for when the online class takes place. For some classes, it’s a live feed that all students are viewing at the same time.

So you’ll need need to work your schedule around your classes. If things conflict and you can’t make it? Too bad! Then once those classes are done, you’ll have an exam, which you can either pass or fail. The whole experience will probably be condensed to a few months, at best.

Reality: Online makeup school is all about flexibility!

Legitimate online makeup schools recognize that their students have busy lives, and are often pursuing this education in addition to work and other commitments. Because of this, one of the biggest perks of online makeup school is that everything is done entirely at your convenience.

No need to commute or live in a big, expensive city. No matter where you are, you can get the proper training and receive certification – even from the comfort of your own living room!

You’ll be given ample amount of time to complete the course, starting from the day you enroll. There are no set class times, either; you do your required reading and assignments whenever works for you. So long as you submit your final assignment before the end of your 2-year window, you’re good!

That being said, if you have ample time of your hands, or are just really committed to working super diligently, you can complete your program, graduate, and become certified in as little as 3 months!

Expectation #4: It’ll be easy enough that you can bluff your way through the course.

Thanks to everything being done online, you don’t need to read all of your course material. No one’s going to double-check that anyways! The material is probably simple enough that you can just wing it.

Also, with no one physically there to see your work, you can fake it on camera and cut corners when you photograph your assignments. You may be missing one or two things, but your tutor shouldn’t notice.

Reality: If it’s easy, then it’s probably a scam school.

The only thing you should be winging is your eyeliner! But also, if you’re not even serious about putting in 100% effort into your education, why enroll at all? It makes no sense to spend your own money on something you don’t plan to utilize.

That being said, online makeup school should not be easy. It should be challenging and help you grow, like you’d expect from any legitimate education. And don’t fool yourself: your tutor is the expert, not you. If you think you’ll be able to pull a fast one over them, you’re wrong. With the level of scrutiny they give each assignment, there’s very little they ever miss.

Straight up: if your online school feels way too easy, it’s probably not because you’re a genius (though hey, you might be) – more likely, it’s because you just got scammed. We hope you can get your money back.

Expectation #5: Even with training, you can’t actually make a serious career out of being an MUA.

At the end of the day, no matter how much you love makeup, most people can’t actually make a career off of it. If they can, it’ll be a part-time, second job at best. There’s no point in investing money and time into something you can’t truly pursue.

Reality: You absolutely can – and many QC graduates DO!

Working as a full-time professional makeup artist can actually be a very comfortable living. Sure, there are plenty of people who admittedly only do it as a hobby or second job, but how else can they grow and build their portfolios? If it’s your dream, the time and effort it takes to establish yourself and your business will be worth it.

All that being said, plenty of online makeup school graduates do go on to turn makeup artistry into their full-time living. QC, for instance, has countless students and graduates that have gone on to be successful within the industry! Many even run their own MUA businesses.

The only thing stopping your dreams from becoming a reality is you. Are YOU willing to take the first step towards your future? Make 2020 your year!

Enroll in QC’s leading online makeup school, and start your MUA certification today!

Jan 03

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Makeup artist salary article Feature Image

Which Makeup Artist Jobs Have the Highest Salary?

By Sarah Cavanagh Your Makeup Career No Comments

If you dream of becoming a professional MUA, you’re likely wondering how high your makeup artist salary can possibly be. This is an excellent question!

After all, when planning out your career, it’s normal to think long-term and have an endgame goal to strive towards. Whether you’re considering a career as a makeup artist, or you’re already a working professional, it’s only natural that you’ll want to know what sort of money you can potentially earn.

Though there are many different avenues you can explore, we’ve put together a list of 4 of the highest paying jobs you can have as a makeup artist. Plus, we’ve also included a few additional factors worth considering, too.

Note: All salaries described in this article are in US Dollars.

Do Makeup Artists Get Paid Well?

This is a good place to start. If your dream career won’t make you enough to pay the bills, then while it can be an awesome passion project, it won’t be sustainable as a full-time career.

Luckily, makeup artists DO get paid very well!

It’s important to keep in mind that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” makeup artist salary. Two MUAs living in the same city can make totally different incomes. How much you earn is dependent on a number of impacting factors.

For instance, if you were to be hired on by an existing company, beauty salon, makeup counter, etc., you’d likely receive a set hourly wage. However, if you wanted to open your own makeup business instead (and work freelance, for example), you could make significantly more because you’ll get to set your own rates.

If running your own business, the defining factor will be the amount of effort you’re willing to put into your endeavors. Put in the minimum and you’ll GET the minimum. But if you work hard, stay patient, and maximize every opportunity at your disposal, you’ll not only thrive – you’ll make a killer salary!

What is The Salary of a Makeup Artist?

Keeping in mind what I said above, about there being no definitive makeup artist salary, I can give you general ranges. Here’s what you can expect to make per year, depending on where you live:

United States: Between $40,000 to $70,000 USD (Source: Indeed)
Canada: Between $30,000 to $60,000 USD (Source: Payscale)
United Kingdom: Between $25,000 to $40,000 USD (Source: Indeed)
New Zealand: Between $30,000 to $45,000 USD (Source: Payscale)
Australia: Between $40,000 to $118,000 USD (Source: Indeed)

Makeup artist salary article in-post image 1

Who is The Highest Paid Makeup Artist?

Okay, so now you have a better idea of the type of makeup artist salary you can make. But let’s say you’re ultra ambitious and want to be the GOAT of the beauty world? What kind of MUA should you strive to become then?

Movie/Celebrity Makeup Artist

Ding, ding, ding! This is the answer right here.

Technically, a “movie makeup artist” and a “celebrity makeup artist” are two separate jobs. But since they’re part of the same world, we figured we’d list them together.

With the highest average salary, movie MUAs can typically earn approximately $74,000 USD to $92,000 USD. Coming in as a close second, celebrity makeup artists can find themselves earning an average of $60,000 USD to 86,000 USD per year. Wow!

Job Description

As a movie makeup artist, you’ll responsible for how the actors and actresses appear on camera for each scene. Given that everything is in HD these days, the importance of what you do to make the actors look good (or bad, if the scene calls for it) is a huge responsibility not taken lightly.

A celebrity makeup artist, on the other hand, will tend to work with the stars in a more day-to-day setting. Your talents will be used to prepare your client for events like red carpet appearances, concerts, galas, fundraisers, private parties, etc.

3 Other Highly Paid Makeup Artist Jobs

1. Special Effects Makeup Artist

Whether it’s for TV, movies, fashion, photography, or theater, there’s no shortage of talent needed when it comes to good SFX makeup. That being said, special effects makeup requires specific skills and training. You can be a master of regular makeup application, but not have a clue what you’re doing the moment prosthetics come into the mix.

Makeup artist salary in-post image 2, SFX makeup

If you’re interested in pursuing this route, it’s imperative that you study SFX makeup. Learn the different types of products, what they do, how to apply them, how to create the look from them, how they react to the human body, etc.

The reward will be worth it, though! On average, a special FX makeup artist can rake in upwards of $66,800 to $75,000 a year!

2. Independent/Freelance MUA

Many makeup artists wish to branch out and start their own, independent business. This can be a great source of income! In fact, the average freelance MUA can make anywhere from $40,000 USD to $66,000 USD per year.

Fun fact: the top 10 percent can even earn up to six figures! Though your rates will likely be a bit lower in the beginning, as you build your resume, portfolio, and clientele, you’ll be able to start charging more for your services.

That’s part of the beauty of being a freelance entrepreneur: you can charge whatever you want! If your services are worth the price, then as you prove yourself, clients won’t hesitate to invest their money into you and your talents.

3. Brand Makeup Artist

What if you don’t have any interest in the glitz and glamor of the Hollywood industry? In the same breath, what if you don’t care much for sci-fi and fantasy makeup?

What if you don’t even want to run your own business? Does this mean you’re doomed to earn minimum wage and a lousy makeup artist salary for the rest of your life?

Not at all!

Another option you can look into is becoming a makeup artist for a cosmetic brand. NAS, for example, pays their top makeup artists approximately $24.00 an hour – and you don’t even need a cosmetology license to apply for their company! (Though looking at a past job ad they’d posted on Indeed, their expectations are still mega high.)

Even companies like Sephora offer opportunities for eventual growth. Yes, you may start off at minimum wage in the beginning. But with time, you’ll work your way up the ranks and prove yourself. As a result, you can eventually earn as much as $50,000+ per year as a manager!

Other Factors That’ll Impact Your Makeup Artist Salary

Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that the salary of a makeup artist isn’t an exact science. It’s also not concrete, as we’ve learned by now. There are tons of external factors that can affect the amount of money you make.

Let’s take a look at 4 of them, shall we?

1 – Location

If you want to be a movie and/or celebrity makeup artist, then living where the action only makes sense. But the same is applicable in general, too. Where you live in the world, and how well that economy is doing, will play the biggest role in how much you get paid.

Yes, it’s totally possible to be a successful MUA in a smaller town. However, it’s statistically proven that bigger cities will oftentimes amount to a better makeup artist salary. The flip-side, of course, is that larger cities have a higher cost of living. Not to mention, there’ll be more competition.

So, remember to factor that into your calculations!

2 – Education

Get professionally trained and earn internationally-recognized certifications through an accredited makeup school, such as QC Makeup Academy. By maximizing your education and taking a variety of Foundation, Advanced, and Specialty Courses, you’ll be soaking up as much cosmetic information as you possibly can.

Remember: there will ALWAYS be more you can learn. So, be open to learning it! You’ll be expanding your skills and making your resume even more impressive. There’s literally no downside!

Learn all about QC Makeup Academy’s wide variety of self-paced, online makeup and beauty courses here!

3 – Earning Your Stripes

Everyone would love to be able to be the best in their field, right from the get-go. But first you need to work for a while and actually get experience under your belt. Furthermore, you need to take the time to built your brand, establish a solid reputation, and grow your clientele.

Until you’ve done all this, the chances of landing a lucrative job in such a competitive industry are admittedly low. You need to be prepared to put your time and effort in. It may take a while (sometimes years), but if makeup is truly what you’re passionate about, I promise it’ll be worth the wait.

4 – Networking and Social Media

In the makeup industry, it’s not always what you know, but who you know. This is why it’s important for you to connect with other beauty experts on social media, attend functions and benefits, go to movie screenings, etc.

Make use of whatever is at your disposal to help you create connections with others in the industry. As you continue to build your portfolio and hone your skill-set, keep in mind that being both personable and social media-savvy plays a huge part in getting your name out there.

So, put the time and effort not just into your website, but the social media platforms you wish to have a presence on. Publish regular, unique content – and make sure it’s always your best content. Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc. to reach out to those whose work you admire. Maybe there’s a vendor you’re interested in working with!

You’ll be doing your makeup career a MASSIVE favor by learning how to best brand yourself on the internet. As a result, you’ll be absolutely amazed at how far it can take you on the road to success!

Final Thoughts

Those who say that money can’t buy happiness are usually the ones who never had to work a day in their lives to get it. The fact is, money does matter to a certain extent – and having it is awesome.

Of course, in the makeup industry, what you do needs to be first and foremost a labor of love. The passion for the craft must to be your #1 driving force. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself disappointed when you aren’t immediately rich after your first appointment is over.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to do what you love and make a good living off of it, too! So, go forth knowing that in this industry, such a goal is VERY much achievable!

Become a professionally-certified makeup artist, book your first client, and start earning the salary you’ve always dreamed of in as little as 2-6 months. Enroll with QC Makeup Academy today!