One hundred YouTube video tutorials and practice on your friends' faces every weekend won't make you a professional makeup artist. This work takes much more effort and time. Together with Lyubov Oderova, the founder of the annual MAKEUPDAYS beauty festival, we figure out how and how to start the path of a makeup artist.
First steps in the profession of a makeup artist
Before starting the path to the profession of a makeup artist, you need to decide why you need it and whether you are ready for it. After all, a makeup artist is not just someone who can turn any girl into a princess. This is part-time a psychologist and a person who is responsible for the face of his client. He should always be easy to communicate and be able to find a common language with everyone who touches his brush.
If you are clearly sure that the profession of a makeup artist is your calling, then first of all you need to study the school market. If five years ago schools could be counted on one hand, today on almost every street you can find courses from three days to six months. When choosing a school for yourself, you should definitely read reviews, look at teachers and their profiles on social networks, find out in which events, Russian and foreign, the school takes part.
Can you learn everything over the Internet?
Now there are a lot of online courses and master classes, but the profession of a makeup artist is akin to the profession of a surgeon. They cannot learn through YouTube, like a makeup artist: he must know the anatomy of the face, know the skin, feel it and know how to prepare each type for the application of decorative cosmetics. Online courses with a competent speaker are only suitable for advanced training, but not for obtaining basic knowledge.
What skills and abilities need to be developed?
It is quite difficult to become a makeup artist if you do not have a sense of taste and the ability to imagine a city on a plane. One of the most common problems is that many people create in their head a formula for the "perfect" make-up and apply it on all clients without taking into account individual characteristics. Therefore, first of all, you should train your taste and ability to choose the makeup and shades for the client that suit him.
You also need to be able to develop a psychologist in yourself. The client should become yours forever, love and set an example. You both should be as comfortable as possible with each other. A professional needs to be able to win over and maintain a conversation, even if he doesn't want to.
In addition, do not forget to always improve your skills in complex techniques, follow the makeup artists and the market, not only in Russia, but also in the world, in order to develop individuality and zest in yourself. A person should recognize your style in your works.
What basic things do you need to buy in the first stages of training?
Take note:
- Accessories (brushes, sponges, etc.)
- Care products
- Decorative cosmetics
- Bags, wet and dry wipes
A well-filled basic makeup artist case, which has both a mass market and a luxury, costs around 70 thousand rubles. Every professional should have a variety of cosmetics for every client.
How often should you practice
You should always do it. It is impossible to do your job well, let alone teach someone, without getting your hands on it and gaining a lot of experience with clients. First of all, you need to go through a lot of independent work. To fill a bunch of bumps, get positive and negative experiences, engage in yourself all the time and constantly try yourself in different directions. If you're just a commercial make-up artist who only works with clients, why not work on the set or write to a foreign agency to just wash someone's brushes there, but watch the backstage in Europe? (read also: "7 useful makeup tips from makeup artists from fashion weeks")
How long does it take to become a makeup artist
There are people who struggle for a year and cannot do good shading, understand symmetry, pick a tone for oily, normal and dry skin, and there are those who learn everything in a month. Everything is individual, but you need a good base, a solid foundation. When you know how to answer any client's question, then you can consider yourself a real make-up artist.
Where to gain experience
Remember: you do not need to repeat everything as a carbon copy after someone else, it is important to gain experience regularly and systematically. Having decided on the style, you need to draw inspiration from everywhere. Whether a makeup artist works in a commercial environment, on rentals, in magazines or at shows, you need to visit exhibitions, go out into the countryside, fly on airplanes - everyone has different sources of inspiration, but you can find him everywhere. Even on Instagram and YouTube (read also: "16 Tips From Instagram Bloggers We Buy Cosmetics From"). Go to fashion shows, watch the variety of new looks and inspire your make-up creativity with them.
About the expert:
Lyubov Oderova
Photo: Getty Images
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