A makeup artist is a professional in the beauty field, responsible for caring for their clients’ facial appearance, often giving them a rejuvenating effect or correcting imperfections such as wrinkles and pimples, for example. Women who wish to work with makeup application usually take a professional course or college program that enables them, in a practical way, to pursue this profession1. There are many places and situations in which a makeup artist is requested to perform their work. Beauty salons, spas, weddings, company events, fashion shows, photo shoots, theater productions, music video recordings, film shoots, conventions, and events in general.
Women in the Makeup Market
As with many professions in the beauty industry, makeup is also a field that includes a large number of women. Whether it’s due to historical factors, their ability to recognize that each face needs a specific type of makeup, or simply the enjoyment many women find in this profession. The truth is that the market is very welcoming and offers various career paths for women to follow. For this reason, it is considered a great area for female professional growth.
What Is the Profile of a Makeup Artist?
It is essential that a woman who wants to work as a makeup artist has a good aesthetic sense, meaning that in addition to knowing how to work with all types of makeup application, she also knows where and how it should be applied in different situations. The ease of working with manual tasks is also an important trait that makes up a makeup artist’s profile, as the job often requires a level of care and delicacy that needs to be refined.
Professional Characteristics
But to be a good makeup artist, it is also necessary to have qualities that go beyond the work itself. You need to enjoy dealing directly with people and have good communication skills to understand exactly what your client wants. Being interested in new trends and staying up to date with new technologies are also things that help a makeup professional ensure their work stays fresh and adapts to constant changes in the market. It is important to note that, as with many professions, a makeup artist who does not keep up to date risks becoming obsolete. In addition, we can also mention creativity and perfectionism as characteristics that help complete the profile of a good makeup professional. Although these may not be strictly necessary, they can make all the difference throughout a makeup artist’s career, especially when faced with an emergency situation.
What Does a Makeup Artist Do?
The main role of any makeup artist is to change their clients’ appearance. This transformation can serve various purposes, both aesthetic and artistic, which is why we can say that there are currently several types of makeup artists in the job market, each specialized in the requirements of a particular audience or catering to specific market demands:
- Event Makeup Artist
- Theater Makeup Artist
- Television and Cinema Makeup Artist
Areas of Practice
Each type of makeup artist can work in a wide range of places, with different working hours and salaries. But there is also the possibility for a makeup artist to work as a freelancer, allowing flexibility in managing their own hours and being more adaptable as a professional. Now let’s describe each role.
Event Makeup Artist
This type of professional aims to provide makeup for women and men for events and parties, preparing them both for the evening and daytime. One of the events where this professional is most in demand is weddings. A bride, specifically, requires special attention from the professional. To work with party makeup, the professional must know how to deal with tight schedules, since makeup often needs to be done right before the event, and the artist needs to serve more than one client per day. Another important factor is knowing how to handle client demands, being patient, and delivering the best result possible, even if it requires some extra effort. This will certainly ensure your work is recognized. An event makeup artist often works in a beauty salon where women or even men can also have other aesthetic treatments such as hairstyling and manicures, for example. But there are also professionals who work independently and offer home services, preparing clients for parties with scheduled appointments at their own homes or in a pre-arranged location.
Theater Makeup Artist
A professional specialized in theater makeup needs to master certain techniques to help bring characters to life and deliver artistic work for the audience to perceive. One of the biggest challenges for this type of makeup artist is achieving realism that isn’t exaggerated, but is effective enough for the entire theater audience to see. There are specific courses to achieve these results, and with practice, professionals become more and more specialized. Of course, every play and every character requiring makeup has its own demands, which can be more or less exaggerated to emphasize comedic or dramatic tones. That is why it is important to have a basic understanding of general rules before considering work in this area.
Television and Cinema Makeup Artist
This type of makeup artist works differently from those in theater, although in some aspects the two overlap. A television and cinema makeup artist, for example, will almost never create an excessively heavy makeup look for a character, unless there is a very specific requirement, which is rare. However, a makeup artist working with drama and fiction will also have to deal with different types of makeup to create characters and settings. This type of makeup artist often works as part of a team within the art department of a film, TV series, or soap opera. There are also makeup artists who work in television outside drama and fiction, doing makeup for talk shows and news programs. This kind of artist needs to be attentive to the demands of each type of lighting and air time, with a more regular routine than those working in fiction, as the required makeup look is almost always the same.
Training for Makeup Artists
Although a specific qualification is not required to work as a makeup artist, various professional courses and cosmetology colleges provide good direction. These courses help a makeup artist learn not only manual skills, but also about skin types, care needed for each type of makeup, as well as entrepreneurship principles and help future professionals plan how to grow in their field. A professional makeup course can vary in price, depending on the type of course (general or specific) and the times they are offered. Prices can range from R$ 500.00 to R$ 2,700.00. Tuition fees for a cosmetology university, on average, range from R$ 800.00 to R$ 1,300.00.
Main Makeup Schools in Brazil
- Senac – São Paulo (SP)
- Escola Madre – São Paulo (SP)
- Instituto Embelleze – Multiple states nationwide
- Instituto L’oréal Professional – Multiple states nationwide
- Liceu de Maquiagem – São Paulo (SP)
Main Cosmetology Universities in Brazil
- Estácio de Sá University – Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
- Vila Velha University Center – Vila Velha (ES)
- Anhembi Morumbi University – São Paulo (SP)
- Southern Santa Catarina University – Tubarão (SC)
- Paulista University – São Paulo (SP)
- Mato-Grossense Center College – Sorriso (MT)
How Much Does a Makeup Artist Earn? Depending on the type of makeup artist and the workplace, salaries may vary. Even so, it is possible to estimate an average across all types of makeup artists to get a sense of what a makeup artist earns. Keep in mind that the numbers represent an average and not a fixed monthly income for each type.
How Much Does a Freelance Makeup Artist Earn?
- Lowest salary: R$ 760.00
- Average salary: R$ 2,354.00
- Highest salary: R$ 5,470.00
How Much Does a Makeup Teacher Earn?
- Lowest salary: R$ 1,300.00
- Average salary: R$ 3,500.00
- Highest salary: R$ 5,000.00
Being a makeup artist can be challenging, but also very rewarding for professionals who see their work fulfilled. It often requires tight schedules, working on weekends, and serving many clients in a single day. Therefore, the profession is recommended for those who truly love what they do and take pleasure in seeing their makeup have the desired effect on each client. So, whether in the beauty or artistic field, it’s important to know that the makeup artist is a highly important professional who deserves recognition for the work they do. Also see: Photographer – What Do They Do and How Much Do They Earn Photos: shenzai, Ludmila_ph
