If you’re creative with a makeup brush and love helping people get glammed up, then a career as a freelance makeup artist could be ideal for you. As a makeup artist, you’ll have the flexibility to shape your career as you want. You could work as a wedding makeup artist, work in the theatre, or land a job on a film set.
The hours are typically quite flexible and you’ll have the opportunity to set your own prices. As long as you can find clients willing to pay the rates you set, you should have no issues getting booked up and staying busy.
If you’re thinking about starting a makeup artist business in the UK, read on to learn the 6 steps you’ll need to follow.
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You’ll likely need some kind of qualifications to show that you have the skills required to be a makeup artist. You’ll also need public liability insurance. Check with your local council to find out what regulations are in place for makeup artists in your area.
If you are self-taught, you might be able to start working without a qualification. However, you should always have insurance in place to protect yourself and your business in the event a customer is injured or has an adverse reaction to your products. Customers can also take legal action if you fail to show up for a booking, so you should make sure you’re covered.
Show, don’t tell. Customers won’t take a chance on a completely unknown makeup artist with no experience to share. Start building your portfolio by offering to do a friend’s makeup and taking professional photos of the results. As you start to build your customer base, don’t forget to continue adding to your portfolio.
You need the right tools to get your job done. Makeup, brushes and cleaning supplies are essential. You also need to make sure you follow hygiene regulations to avoid the risk of cross-contamination between customers. If you’re not sure where to start, try starting as a makeup assistant to learn the tricks of the trade.
When you’re ready to start taking bookings, you need to let people know you are available. A website and social media channels are a great place to start. However, you also need to be proactive in finding new customers. If you’re a wedding makeup artist, try attending wedding fayres and offer makeup trials on the day. This can be an incredible way to secure bookings and generate some buzz.
Reviews are the lifeblood of the makeup artist industry. You need to be continually gathering reviews to demonstrate your skills and experience. Most customers won’t leave a review unless prompted, so you should establish a routine of following up with your customers to request a review. This can be automated quite easily if you’re using online booking software. Asking for reviews can feel awkward, but automating the process will make it completely effortless.
Once you are established and generating a steady stream of bookings, you can’t take your foot off the accelerator. You need to be keeping on top of the latest trends, learning new skills and looking for new ways to market your business.
Once you are regularly fully booked, you can think about increasing your prices. This might lead to fewer bookings, but you’ll be making the same amount of money. Over time, you might find that you are fully booked again, and you can increase your prices once again. This is how freelance makeup artists increase their earning potential.
