The makeup industry has grown over the years to include specialized techniques for both special effects and beauty. There are thousands of great makeup products, hundreds of influencers, and a lot of job opportunities. If you have the right skill and personality, you can make a career in makeup and become prominent in the industry.
Why you should choose a career in makeup.
We’ve put together a partial list of reasons why you should choose a career in makeup.
1. Fun Work Environment
Makeup artists work at weddings, photo or video shoots, music events, product launches, and similar settings. This dynamic work environment can help you stay motivated and stave off burnout. It is still a challenging and demanding job, but the atmosphere is casual, so you don’t feel too stressed out.
2. Flexible Schedule
Successful makeup artists don’t have much time on their hands and often maintain a busy schedule. However, they’re always in control of it. When you feel most productive, you can fill up your calendar and keep it sparse on days you feel tired or worn out. This flexibility ensures you have a much better work-life balance than most modern professionals.
3. Networking Opportunities
Makeup artists often rely on word-of-mouth and develop a reputation in their field based on the quality of their work. Every assignment offers an opportunity to get to know new people and work with professionals in related fields. For example, a single photoshoot can get you in touch with a professional photographer, model, studio, and a few agents. Networking will help you get more clients and become more successful. The connections you build can also help you find opportunities if you decide to switch careers down the line.
4. Opportunities For Travel
Makeup artists often need to travel on assignments to different locations. They may accompany the bride to a destination wedding or travel to various event locations. They are also present at video shoots to ensure the models/actors always look good, etc. It isn’t uncommon for makeup artists to tour the country regularly and travel abroad for shows. If you love to travel, being a makeup artist is the perfect job for you. In most cases, you’re traveling on someone else’s dime, which is an added advantage.
5. Creative Atmosphere
A makeup artist works with artists, creators, directors, and visionaries. This vibrant environment helps to stimulate your creative energies. The job will help you come up with different ideas, looks, and techniques. It will always keep your brain ticking, which means you’ll never get bored. Few other careers offer this much opportunity for creative expression. Makeup isn’t just about making people look pretty. It can also include adding exotic features, changing a person’s appearance, recreating wounds and burn marks, etc.
6. A Career in Makeup Offers Job Security
Many people are wary of freelance work and relying on gigs but being a makeup artist offers a lot of job security. There will always be a wedding, concert, event, movie, or photoshoot that requires your services. You can also establish a thriving side career as a social media influencer by starting a YouTube channel or creating tutorials on Instagram. Competition among makeup artists is fierce, but there’s plenty of room for professionals to earn a good living.
7. Variety In Your Day To Day
Makeup artists do something new and exciting every day. One minute they’re creating a soft and beautiful bridal look, while at the next, they’re turning a human into a realistic-looking zombie. You won’t be stuck doing the same thing repeatedly, especially if you network well and take up more challenging projects.
As you can see, being a makeup artist is entertaining and engaging. If you’re looking for a dynamic and flexible career, this is a great choice.
How can you become a makeup artist?
The most rewarding part of furthering your education is discovering what you will love to do in life. At the L Makeup Institute, our mission is to discover, educate, develop and place the best makeup artist and special makeup effects talent. If you are interested in a career in makeup, contact us for information on Programs or Courses at either our Las Vegas or Dallas campuses.