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Where Makeup Artists Work & What They Do

Where makeup artists work

Makeup artists can work in various industries, including film, television, theatre, fashion, beauty, and retail. This post gives an overview of each of those industries. In particular, we look at the media makeup artist, where we outline the general duties, the skills needed, and what the hours and working conditions are.

Get Started

You need some solid training before you can apply for a makeup trainee position. Fortunately, there are several options for those wanting to be a media makeup artist, including:

  • A specialist course in media makeup at a private training provider – many private makeup schools are offering various beginner courses. Some are short and intensive; others are longer.
  • A college or university course in media makeup – there are various qualifications available in makeup, but related subjects can also be good. For example, fine art and sculpting are good skills for those wanting to work in prosthetics.

  • Getting trained by someone you know – if you are lucky enough to have a friend or relative already in the industry, they may take you on and train you up.

Personal Skills Needed

  • Artistic ability – and being able to work with your hands. Know colour theory and understand basic facial anatomy and proportions.
  • Pay attention to detail – you need to work to specific designs and replicate them on subsequent filming days. Likewise, you need to watch actors on set, and monitor their hair and makeup, noticing if anything changes.
  • Health and safety knowledge – you must work safely, not only for yourself but to keep those around you safe. Therefore, it’s vital to work to good hygienic standards.
  • People skills and teamwork – you work with every type of personality, from nice ones to those who are awful. It’s where people skills come in. You also liaise with other departments, so good communication is essential. Similarly, be good-natured and don’t get involved with petty politics or back-biting.
  • Organisational skills – to run smoothly, efficiently and keep on top of tasks, a production needs good organisation.
  • Time management – you need to be on time to work. You also work to deadlines getting actors ready. Ultimately, no one will thank you for being late or constantly going over your prep times.
  • Be flexible and ready for anything – as anything can change or happen, particularly during a live show. In other words, nothing is rigid and set in stone, so you must be able to deal with last-minute changes or problems with a cool head and good humour.
  • You are generally freelance – this means you’re self-employed and have to maintain business accounts, as well as pay tax as required by the law in your home country. So bookkeeping skills are essential.

Main Tasks

Your actual duties will depend on your job level. However, there are tasks that everyone has to be able to do:

  • Research and design – there is always research to do, be it period work, casualty effects, or special effects.
  • Preparation – a makeup department needs to prep to be ready to do the job at hand. Likewise, they constantly need to be prepared for changes. Also, the stock needs maintenance. Wigs and facial hair, prosthetic pieces, and all such things need prepping ready for use.
  • Break down a script – meaning any references to the characters are noted and considered for the design. Usually, the Head of Department (HOD) does this, but the whole team should understand the story days and character development.
  • Create the required looks and styles – you must work to the HOD’s requirements, creating the makeup and hairstyles as specified. You may work on principal actors (once you’ve enough experience) or background artists. Theatre actors generally do their makeup, unless it is specialised. Therefore, for theatre productions, you will be mainly washing, setting and dressing wigs.
  • Maintenance – an actor’s hair and makeup have to be maintained correctly throughout the working day. It involves standing by on set to carry out touch-ups.
  • Continuity – taking photos and making notes for future reference, ensuring that scenes set on the same story day have continuity of how everyone looks.
  • Clean up – a makeup working environment needs keeping clean and tidy. Tools and equipment need disinfecting. Likewise, the actors may need cleaning up at the end of filming, or prosthetics removing. Work stations need wiping down and topping up with fresh supplies of things like tissues and cotton buds. Wigs and facial hair need cleaning and washing. Wraps, towels and facecloths need to be washed.

Hours

  • For film and TV work – the hours are long. You may have to relocate temporarily for the duration of the production. Television studios that employ a regular makeup team may provide a more regular schedule, but it will still involve working long hours.
  • For theatre – you generally start work in the afternoon at some point. The start time will depend on the number of wigs to set and dress. The exception is matinee days when you will need to be there in the morning. A show usually finishes by 11 p.m., though sometimes there is work to finish afterwards. Eight shows a week, taking place over six days, is the standard show rota.

Working Environment

  • For film and TV work – you work in a studio, on set, or at a location. A studio is a purpose-built building for filming, for example, a news studio. A set or location can be situated anywhere in the world, inside any type of building – or you could be outdoors in all weather conditions.
  • For theatre – you work in a wig room. Most likely, these rooms are cramped with poor lighting and ventilation. Furthermore, backstage can be narrow with lots of trip hazards to be aware of. If you are on tour, you will have to pack everything down into trunks for travelling to the next venue at the end of each run.

Career Path

No matter what training you do, you start as a trainee. You have much to learn about working in the real world. A training course shows you the theory, but you now have to put this to use on a real production.

Expect to be a trainee for at least two years – you have much to learn and need to build up skills.

With experience, you work up to being an assistant, then a makeup artist, crowd supervisor and, eventually, a makeup designer, if you wanted to. Not everyone wants to be the HOD, of course.

There are also specialist skills – for example, prosthetic makeup and body art. You may wish to work exclusively in one of these areas instead.

Job Prospects

The competition for jobs is fierce, so networking is vital – as is having a thick skin and a positive attitude. Ultimately, there are not enough jobs for everyone who does a makeup course. To find work, you need to:

  • Build a network of contacts.
  • Send out your CV to makeup designers and production offices.
  • Build a good portfolio showcasing your abilities – you could have an online portfolio. Keep it varied and only showcase your very best work.
  • Have a business card to hand out.
Where makeup artists work like film

Makeup Artist for Fashion Industry

Working in the fashion industry includes preparing models for photoshoots, live runway shows and advertisements.

  • Specialist fashion makeup courses – you don’t need a film and TV makeup course, as fashion is a different working environment. Both private and public colleges teach fashion makeup.
  • Hair and makeup are often separate, so you tend to specialise in one or the other. To work in hair, a background in hairdressing is essential.
  • You work independently or as part of a team for modelling agencies, fashion labels, or magazines.
  • You take direction from the client (for example, the fashion label) and create makeups by following with the look required.
  • Keep up with the latest trends. Stay aware of what is fashionable now or will be soon.
  • High artistic flair and ability – fashion work requires a high artistic ability, with a keen eye for detail because you could be doing anything from natural to fantasy. A knowledge of period styles is also helpful.
  • Knowledge of how lighting affects the appearance of makeup is advisable.
  • The ability to work quickly under pressure is essential for live shows. Being prepped and keeping cool under pressure is important.

Freelance Makeup for Beauty & Weddings

The beauty industry includes doing weddings, proms, makeovers, hen parties, and other special occasions. Here, the makeups are for private clients and usually take place in their home or at a venue. Portrait photoshoots take place at a photographer’s studio.

  • Specialist beauty and wedding makeup courses – some courses introduce you to the world of beauty makeup and hairstyling.
  • The makeup looks range from natural to glamorous. Camouflage work may also be needed to cover tattoos or skin pigmentation issues.
  • Have a good range of products – to suit all skin types, tones and ages. Likewise, if you do hair, you need all the styling tools and equipment.
  • Good business acumen is a necessity to market yourself. For example, advertise your skills in wedding magazines and at wedding fairs. Set up a website with good quality photographs of your work and outline your services and prices clearly.
  • Strong people skills – and to be able to communicate efficiently. Carry out proper consultations to understand the client’s wishes. Build up a book of styles and makeup looks to show clients, as a picture can often clarify things better than words.
  • Be fully mobile and have the necessary kit and equipment, like a portable mirror. You also need to be insured.
  • You often work solo and freelance – meaning you are self-employed and have to keep accurate business accounts and pay tax.

Working in Retail Makeup

The retail sector includes working in a makeup shop, a department store counter or concession, and a salon or spa.

To work for a makeup brand in a shop, you do not need to do a makeup course necessarily, as you will be trained in-house. However, a short course in basic makeup or similar may be useful. 

To work in a salon or spa, you typically need some formal training in beauty therapy or cosmetology. Some countries may require that you have a license.

  • Customer skills – retail work involves answering customers’ questions, giving makeovers, demonstrating application techniques, and selling the products (often on a commission basis). In other words, you have to able to relate to people.
  • Salon and spa work involves performing facials, doing skin consultations, recommending makeup products, and doing makeovers.
  • Makeup looks range from natural to glamorous. The work is along similar lines to the freelance beauty makeup artist, including things like weddings, proms and other special events. Camouflage work may also be needed to cover tattoos or skin pigmentation issues.
  • Good working practices are essential – wash your hands, disinfect brushes and keep the makeup clean.

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5 thoughts on “Where Makeup Artists Work & What They Do”

  1. Hi my name is Avneet kaur I m certified makeup artist I m looking for work in TV as a makeup artist plz go and check my work my instagram Id is avneetkaur_makeup

  2. Hi im an arabian makeup artist but im at college in edenvale i really need a job please any one can help ? Im 18 years old

  3. Helpful stuff and to the point. The ‘finding a make-up school’ post was good too – sarcastic ! ?
    (meant nicely!! made me laugh – i know there are lots of sh****y courses out there… unfortunately i did one – taken in by the gloss)

    1. Hi Jenna – thanks for your comment. Oh, that’s a shame if you did a “bad course”. Sadly, MU has become trendy and courses have popped up everywhere. There are good ones, but yes some people are good at “gloss”. Remember, a course isn’t the be all and end all of a MUA, nor does it a MUA make, so don’t let a bad experience taint your future ?

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Where makeup artists work