Hello everyone, just wanted to know how you become a make-up artist. I trained at college to do make-up as a beauty consultant. Can I now call myself a make-up artist?
Thanks

Hi chick, I dont know and am assuming from the non replies perhaps others dont either. Try ringing learn direct careers advice and ask them what qualifications they would expect a fully trained make up artist to have. Might give you a bit of an idea perhaps (blind leading blind isnt it !) xx

What sort of make-up artist do you want to become? How long was the course at college for beauty consultancy and what did it entail? Did they actually teach make-up application?

The reason I ask these questions is because one does not neccessarily need formal training to become a make-up artist although it does help with learning the do's and don'ts and to get insurance coverage. It also depends on whether or not you plan to work in film/stage/media make-up or bridal. Having a natural flair for make-up application also helps enormously.

I did 2 one day make-up courses. One was for bridal and one was for ethnic skin tones. Then I also covered make-up quite extensively during my beauty therapy diploma. I advertise myself as a bridal make-up artist and do consider myself qualified to do so.

Hope this goes some way to answering your query. x

Hi Hun

I call myself a make up artist, I spent a year studying just make up at college full time.

But I'll tell you something. Go to your library and look for a couple of books by Kevin Aucoin, one called Making Faces, can't remember the name of the other right now. He died a few years ago, but have alook through the books, that guy was a fantastic make up artist, and he was completely self taught! I feel he definitely had the right to call himself a make up artist!

I think the problem you might have, which everyone has, is actually getting work, if you want to do film/tv/theatre work. It is really difficult unless you know someone. One of my teachers had been trying to get in the business for 8 years, and was still working for nothing, trying to get her foot in the door, and working as a tutor and on a counter to pay the bills!

I really do wish you luck, and to be honest I think it's up to you to decide if you are a make up artist or not! If you do want to go the route above, work hard, be prepared to drop everything if someone offers you a job, and you go for it!

I have worked with Revlon, Lamcome and guerlain and was trained by each. I did the consultancy course as I wanted insurance and to do make-up mobile as the pharmacy I work is no longer stocking the companies and I will miss it.
So how do you define between Beauty Consultant and Make-up Artist???????? What am I