There are many professions whose representatives devote themselves to creating or emphasizing beauty. Many of them work directly with people: hairdressers, manicurists, stylists, makeup artists. We can continue to list a number of these interesting professions, but now we will focus on makeup artists.
Almost every second person believes that the work of a makeup artist does not require any skills or abilities at all: take courses for two weeks, and then swing your brushes and shovel money. But Reconomica spoke with a representative of the profession who debunked these myths. Below, read the whole truth about how a makeup artist actually works, what difficulties he faces, and what is needed to become a true master of his craft.
The difficult path of a makeup artist
My name is Brown Violanda. I am 20 years old, I live in the city of Omsk, my work experience is 2 years. I think that the profession of a makeup artist is an art, it’s a small holiday during work, because it’s so nice to bring beauty into the world, emphasizing the natural beauty of a girl, which she might not have previously noticed.
To work as a makeup artist, you must love to give joy and have a positive attitude, since clients subtly feel the unpleasant nature of the artist and, because of this, may avoid him. Also, perseverance, tact, accuracy, punctuality, attentiveness and, of course, inspiration, which a makeup artist simply needs, will not hurt, because his path will definitely be difficult, and you need to have the strength and desire to overcome all difficulties on this path to professional success.
Can't afford the services of a makeup artist? Read also: How to take care of yourself without special expenses.
What you need to start
Before work, careful preparation is necessary: large financial investments, which, unfortunately, are not available to everyone, which makes it very difficult for even talented people to enter the profession.
At first, I was happy with every new purchase and felt an acute lack of funds to purchase all the cosmetic products that I needed.
Makeup artist case
At first, my income was very small: mostly I worked with models for a portfolio for free, or they paid me exclusively for the cost of cosmetics. All the money earned went to replenish the makeup artist’s case, which contains brushes, sponges, decorative, caring and cleansing cosmetics. Everyone needs a makeup artist's case in their work: in rare cases, a salon can provide cosmetics for work, but the profession itself implies constant development, improvement, and courses that cannot be completed without having your own case.
Makeup artist case.
Portfolio is the main document of a makeup artist
There are also many controversial cosmetic products that some makeup artists are delighted with, but others do not want to use them. Salon cosmetics cannot be completely adjusted to the preferences of the specialist. Therefore, I, like most beginning makeup artists (and two years of work experience does not make you a master), work from home and on location.
Sometimes I temporarily rent a studio and quite often participate in photo days, where it is necessary to do quick and high-quality makeup and hairstyle for the model, while the photographer takes photographs and then retouches the photo. Afterwards, the photographer, you as a makeup artist and the model have a photo for your portfolio. This mutually beneficial condition is a quid pro quo.
At first, you will have to participate in such cooperation often, since the skill of a makeup artist can be assessed by his photo in the portfolio, which is the most important document of a specialist.
It doesn’t matter to the client how many courses and advanced training I have completed, but what matters is the quality of work I am ready to provide.
As a rule, the client chooses a master based on a photo of his work. However, legally the photographer is more protected in the case of cooperation of this kind, so it is important to have communication skills in order to find a common language with the photographer and the model.
Business concept
There are two main directions of the makeup school: individual lessons and training of specialists who plan to work in the beauty industry in the future. Before preparing to launch a business, you need to figure out which direction you will choose.
Individual classes are conducted mainly for stylish and well-groomed women, not only on holidays, but also on weekdays, without resorting to the help of specialists on a daily basis. The teacher studies the anatomical features of each individual student’s face, gives advice on how to emphasize strengths and hide flaws, and then introduces the technique of creating several images: first, the master explains everything in theory, and then, as practice, the student trains on herself.
The second type of classes assumes that after completion, each student will receive a school completion certificate and will be able to become a real specialist in the field of makeup. This direction requires greater costs and greater responsibility, however, with successful training, makeup artists - graduates of your school will indicate the level and success, and also serve as living advertising.
The role of training in the profession
Before you start putting together a portfolio, you need to undergo training with a highly qualified master teacher who will help you understand the basics of makeup, eyebrow shaping, etc. This is called the “Basic Makeup Artist Course.”
It is important to find a really good teacher and take courses with training on models.
It is necessary to combine both theoretical and practical parts, however, this course may soon become insufficient: sooner or later there will be a need to deepen one’s knowledge, because there is simply an endless variety of faces and their characteristics.
Learning over time should not stop
It is important to immediately focus on regular master classes and lessons. After the basic course, I have already completed quite a lot of them: color mathematics, coloristics, lifting makeup, smokey makeup, wedding makeup and others. I have not yet met a single master who did not aim for training or inspiration at master classes. It also makes sense not to skimp on training and turn to a truly worthy makeup artist-teacher. I repeat: it doesn’t matter how many certificates and diplomas you collect, because clients are practically not interested in this, but your skills and knowledge will always be above all else.
The knowledge and skills of the master are important for the client.
Is it worth applying to become a makeup artist at a government agency?
There is also a training program “Styling and the art of makeup” at the faculties of government institutions, but makeup artists themselves do not recommend undergoing long-term training there, since it does not correspond to modern trends in makeup, does not provide sufficiently correct knowledge, and difficulties may arise with the selection of cosmetics.
Perhaps such an institution can produce a good makeup artist (which I doubt), but several years spent on dubious training are not worth it, since good courses allow you to enter the profession after only 2 weeks of training and practice on models.
In any case, in the future it is necessary to constantly improve.
Business plan: how to open a makeup school
However, in order to advantageously emphasize the advantages given by nature and skillfully hide annoying shortcomings, a woman needs to have the appropriate knowledge of technology. Therefore, not every representative of the fair sex knows how to apply makeup correctly. That is why nowadays all kinds of beauty schools are in increasing demand, offering various formats of training courses - from basic “makeup for yourself” to exclusive master classes that allow you to master the latest developments in the field of the beauty industry. You can make a good profit from the desire of women to learn to look attractive and alluring, and if you yourself are a leading figure in the salon business and understand the necessary subtleties, then the idea of opening a makeup school is just for you.
However, you can open your own business in the field of teaching the art of makeup and visage without being a luminary of the salon business. You can act as an investor - however, then the project will require much larger investments, since you will rely entirely on the experience of your teachers, and then they must definitely be first-class specialists (and, as you know, the higher the qualifications of the master, the greater his requests in the field wages).
Before you start: choosing a school format
Before purchasing materials and equipment, looking for a place to rent, hiring teachers and deciding other organizational issues, decide for whom exactly you are going to work. Who will become your students - women who want to learn the basics of makeup “for themselves” or those who want to learn professional makeup techniques with a view to subsequent employment in the beauty industry? You need to clearly understand the difference between makeup and make-up. The fundamental difference is that makeup is simply a technique for correctly applying cosmetics in order to emphasize advantages and retouch flaws, while makeup is the whole art of creating an image, and one that expresses a certain idea and provokes the viewer to certain emotions. Makeup is used in “ordinary” life, on festive and everyday occasions, and makeup is already a professional industry. Makeup artists collaborate with photographers and event organizers; not a single staged shoot and, of course, not a single fashion show is complete without their services. Makeup can be done by any layman, but makeup requires a professional level. Thus, the profile of your school will directly depend on what you yourself can and can do. At a makeup school, the main goal of classes is to learn how to work with your own face, taking into account all its natural features. Classes, as a rule, are conducted in the form of individual consultations, less often - mini-groups (six to seven people). For each individual student, a color palette and optimal makeup application techniques are selected. During the course (usually it does not take much time - only 5-6 lessons, the first of which is introductory), women receive practical advice on daytime and evening makeup and practice the lessons learned on themselves. The average cost of such private courses is approximately 5,000 rubles. The makeup school, in turn, is a full-fledged training course, the main goal of which is to train professional artists, that is, those people who need makeup not for themselves, but for their future clients. The course takes an average of 54 academic hours, and its cost ranges from 20,000 to 25,000 rubles. Upon completion of training, you will be issued a diploma with the seal of your educational institution and signatures of teachers. Its value directly depends on your own reputation and on the reputation and qualifications of your teachers.
Also at the makeup school you can conduct master classes on new and most popular techniques - for example, body art, mehendi (henna tattoo) or makeup using the airbrush technique (that is, using airbrush elements). Makeup artists usually attend such courses to improve their skills and gain new skills that make their professional reputation more significant. If your budget allows, then you can invite recognized specialists in the field of makeup to conduct master classes - their wages can be high even for one or two lessons, but a big name will help you attract more students, and cooperation with highly qualified artists will undoubtedly will benefit your reputation.
Room
A room for a makeup school will not require large areas - it will be enough if it can accommodate five or six study places (a mirror with a shelf or table to accommodate all the necessary accessories, as well as a chair). You will need more spacious premises when you plan to expand your business and open branches of the school. The main requirement for a room is that it be cozy and stimulating for creativity. However, it is not necessary to make creative renovations - it will be enough to make the training room neat and pleasant. As a rule, repairing and equipping the premises with the necessary equipment, together with the first payment for rent, requires about 150,000 rubles. It’s better to find out the exact rental prices in your city yourself by making a selection of offices that interest you and contacting their owners (for this you don’t even have to spend money on telephone communications - email correspondence will be enough).
An interesting and original solution could be to rent a point with transparent walls in some shopping complex. Then the learning process itself, visible to all visitors passing by, will become your advertising tool. However, renting such premises may require higher costs than renting a regular office.
Purchase of equipment and materials
As mentioned above, you will need to purchase equipment for training places - mirrors, comfortable chairs, tables or shelves for placing the work equipment of makeup artists, as well as a washbasin with a hand dryer (ideally, each place should have such a washbasin). If you are a beginning entrepreneur with limited start-up capital, then you should not buy branded furniture - it is enough that it is comfortable to use and looks decent. You can purchase furniture that has already been used - this way you can save even more. But what you shouldn’t save on is cosmetics, brushes, sponges and other equipment necessary directly for applying makeup. The supplies your students use must be of high quality, otherwise you will not be able to maintain the image of your school at the proper level and increase your competitiveness. In addition, professional teaching specialists may simply refuse to work with low-quality cosmetics. Some makeup schools charge students an additional fee for providing cosmetics, but you should not follow the example of such establishments - this will worsen your reputation among potential consumers of your services. It would be more advisable to include the cost of the “free” cosmetics provided in the final receipt for the course.
We suggest you estimate the amount needed to purchase furniture, cosmetics and other accessories yourself - to do this, make a list of necessary expense items for specific parameters and brands and use the Internet to make a selection of prices.
Marketing
Competition in the beauty industry is very high, so business promotion will need to be taken seriously. In order to make yourself known to potential students, you can use the following advertising techniques: - Invest money in holding a fashion event. Announcing the name of your school on the list of sponsors of a beauty contest or fashion festival will help you immediately reach a thematic audience. — Order an advertising article about your school in a specialized magazine. Then your potential clients will be able to read a detailed story about what can be learned in your courses, the qualifications of your teachers and other competitive advantages. — Issue a series of gift certificates to pay for tuition. They can be distributed independently, or they can be sold through practical gift agencies. — Distribute flyers to mailboxes in your area or hire street promoters. To prevent the flyer from going into the trash as unnecessary, make it a coupon for a discount on tuition fees. Even if the person who received this advertisement does not resort to your services, there is a high chance that he will save it out of frugality and it will catch the eye of your potential student. — Invite students to free trial classes. When launching a project, you can organize an “open day” during which everyone can get acquainted with the work of your school.
You need to invest in an advertising campaign systematically - only through constant information about your activities can you achieve the desired influx of students. Don’t forget to lead a group on social networks - in addition to the works and achievements of your students, you should also post thematic content there: tips on makeup and self-care, various beauty life hacks and simply beautiful motivating photo collections. Then it will be interesting to join your group, and advertising posts will bring more returns. In addition, social networks can also be used for “repost” sweepstakes, where a winner is randomly selected from among the subscribers who posted your ad - and this person receives, for example, several free classes, a significant discount on the cost of a training course, or some other beauty accessory. Make such competitions regular and you will have a good online channel for free (minus the cost of the prize) advertising.
Investments and payback
As mentioned above, it is best to estimate the amount of investment in opening a makeup school yourself - it depends on the region in which you are going to do business, and on the specific location of the office, and on what equipment and consumables you will purchase and what teachers to hire. In any case, the minimum “start-up contribution” to this business starts from 200,000 rubles. With a regularly conducted advertising campaign and good competitiveness of the school, the payback of the project is 1-2 years.
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Where is it better to work: in a salon or at home?
Working with a client for direct payment, excluding photo days, can be done both in a salon and at home.
The first case has its advantages:
- Working in a salon is safer (often unpleasant situations, including escape, occurred during home visits).
- Cosmetics are provided by the salon (then the funds are divided at the rate of 50%/50% or 60%/40%, where the first figure is the salon’s percentage, the second is the master’s percentage). Sometimes the salon hires a master with his own case, in which case most often the salon receives 30%, and the master 70% of the income.
Makeup artist's workplace.
Working from home also has its advantages:
- The ability of the master to travel to the client’s home (which, for example, is necessary for wedding makeup).
- The opportunity, in addition to commercial work, to devote time to art and work for oneself.
- Not all clients like having several seats in the salon, because this causes difficulties in communicating with the specialist when, for example, a loud client is sitting next door.
Features of home work
It is important to understand that to work from home you need a specially equipped home studio with good lighting and the absence of relatives and children. In the room where the work is being done, it would be unpleasant for the client if I was doing makeup in the kitchen while my husband was grumbling around me and the children were running around. Also, to work at home, the master needs, in addition to everything, to purchase a ring lamp with cold and warm lighting, a large mirror, a cosmetic table, a comfortable chair for work and a suitcase on wheels for cosmetics.
Documentation
Individual entrepreneurs and LLCs are suitable for registering a business. Typically, an individual entrepreneur is opened with a simplified taxation system or a single tax on imputed income. You will need an open bank account.
Package of documents:
- Certificate of registration of individual entrepreneur or LLC.
- License.
- Permission from the sanitary and epidemiological station.
- Fire inspection permit.
- Certificate of registration with the tax authorities.
- Registration with the Social Insurance Fund and the Pension Fund as an employer. Needed to hire workers according to Labor Code.
A manicure business does not require a large package of documents, but you need to be prepared for inspections by the sanitary and epidemiological station, control that employees undergo a medical examination (marks in the medical book are updated every 6 months), and maintain the conditions in the salon necessary for servicing clients.
If the owner of the premises has not entered into an agreement for the disposal of fluorescent lamps, solid waste, or garbage removal, the solution to these issues will fall on your shoulders.
How much does a makeup artist earn?
Earnings vary depending on the quality of cosmetics you use, what economic region you are in, and the level of your work. As a rule, the initial price is about 300 rubles for makeup, but later these funds are not enough to cover all expenses, and the price must be increased. Too low a price subsequently leads to decline. The makeup artist begins to think: “Why should I work, improve my level, if the price for my services is already quite low?”
If you raise prices without developing in the profession, the decline will be felt even more acutely, because if the price increases, most clients will stop using the services of this master, if he is a beginner.
How best to increase prices for your services
With gradual improvement of one's skills, an increase in prices seems logical approximately in this order: 300>500>700>1000>1500>2000, etc. On average, a master charges 1500-2000 rubles. for makeup, and the visit of a makeup artist to your home is paid additionally.
The most painless time to raise prices is at the end of November or early December. At this time, there is a general increase in prices, and at this level it will be easier for the client to accept the increase in the cost of the master’s services.
This is very important: to understand the client’s psychology, to find an approach to each individual and to people in general.
Registration of individual entrepreneur
A makeup artist can work as an individual, or can form an individual entrepreneur. Most often they prefer the first option. I would recommend registering as an individual entrepreneur, because, despite the percentage paid in taxes, after registration you will have official recognition, legal guarantees and protection for the duration of your activity. If there is no opportunity to register an individual entrepreneur, then work as an individual, usually this has no consequences.
Financial calculations
Start-up capital
It is clear that any business requires financial investments. The main cost items for a makeup school business project are:
- rent;
- purchase of equipment and cosmetics;
- advertising;
- salaries for teachers.
| Expenditure | Minimum investment | Maximum investment |
| Individual entrepreneur registration | 800 rub. | 800 rub. |
| Renting premises | 50,000 rub. | 100,000 rub. |
| Workplace equipment | 30,000 rub. | 50,000 rub. |
| Purchasing cosmetics | 30,000 rub. | 50,000 rub. |
| Teacher's salary | 50,000 rub. | 60,000 rub. |
| 5,000 rub. | 10,000 rub. | |
| TOTAL | RUB 165,800 | RUB 270,800 |
Monthly expenses
The monthly expenses of a functioning school are, of course, less than the start-up capital, but not significantly. The fact is that from the main expense items only equipment and registration of individual entrepreneurs are deducted, but payment of utilities, payment of taxes, purchase of new consumables and other expenses are added (furniture breaks, and mirrors are broken). Thus, monthly expenses will be 130,000–180,000 rubles.
How much can you earn?
In popular makeup schools, one lesson costs 1,500 rubles. However, a novice businessman should lower the bar and ask for about 1,000 rubles for one lesson. With proper advertising, you can recruit a group of 7-8 people. If you conduct monthly courses of 4 lessons per week, then in a month you can earn about 110-120 thousand per month. Add here individual makeup courses (on free days you can take about 2-3 students per day): add 30-40 thousand rubles to your profit.
Payback period
Of course, it is worth noting that investments are indicated approximately: they depend on the region, office location, quality of equipment and cosmetics, and professionalism of teachers. On average, with regular advertising and high quality of services provided, a project can pay for itself in 1-2 years.
