How can I spot a fake make-up artist?

[Katie Pretty Pampers]

So I usually book an amazing makeup artist who always does my make up perfectly and charges £55, she works for MAC and has a website. Unfortunatly for me one evening she was unavailable so a lady who lives near by me was advertising being a make up artist. Her photos looked good and I booked her. She charged £24 this should have been a warning. When she arrived she was being a bit weird with her kit not wantiing me to look at her products again should have been a warning. She asked me what I ususally go for and I said goldy tones and full coverage but my eyes never look good with a smokey eye, I told her what colours my usual MUA uses, I also stated my skin type, very oily. This woman asked what I was wearing so I said a nude dress with deep red heels to match.

So cut a long story short when she was finished i looked in the mirror and was mortified she had used a deep purple eyeshadow with smokey eye which made me look like a man in drag! the coverage was awful. I said to her can we change this as I am off to a wedding reception and have no time. She said this would cost me £30 to fix for her time and me not explaining! I just told her to leave and that I am not paying. She hasn't contacted me since and ruined my evening. Many people have stated she is not qualified and decided she was a MUA one day on facebook. Am I able to report her anywhere?

From now on I will not use anyone else but my regular MUA who always explains the products what they do and if I don't like anything she changes it without hesitation. I am more angry at myself for letting this imposter near me!

 

[wonderwoman]

Bless this is a pretty bad situation that could easily have been rectified. perhaps she only had high street products in her kit bag- which are just as good sometimes. (not to be a brand snob or anything!)

This woman is an impostor- to not go with a gold warm tone and to go towards a purple cool tone??! I don't understand the reasoning! why on earth would she do that? was the purple a jewel tone or more smokey or dull? Then to want to charge more.....jeez...... maybe she thinks shes a mua as she does her own make up this way and not on anyone else.

I don't think there is anything you can do, just mark it as an experience and drill it up as false advertisement. fb is full of them. however girlfriend what you can do is rant, and rant away, it will make you feel 10 times better! xoxo

 

[Katie Pretty Pampers]

It was a very dull colour had no sparkle or anything in it. She also made my eyebrows look black even though I am very fair. I am just so annoyed that she is asking for money for her work. Does anyone know what I can ask future MUA's before I book them so I know they are qualified. Like a question only a qualified MUA would know?

 

[Missy106]

My make up artist only uses body shop make up and she works there and loves their products. Shes not actually been trained as such but my god shes amazing with make up!!!! She onlt charges £20 too,So i dont think because someone doesnt use expensive brands as such makes them not professional. But by the sounds of her going for a cool purple rather than a warm gold tone then she obviously was a chancer and didnt know what she was doing. Personally Id only go with someone else who was recommened to me

 

[beautymaven]

It was a very dull colour had no sparkle or anything in it. She also made my eyebrows look black even though I am very fair. I am just so annoyed that she is asking for money for her work. Does anyone know what I can ask future MUA's before I book them so I know they are qualified. Like a question only a qualified MUA would know?

I'd ask them for examples of their work. Most MUA's will have a hard copy portfolio or links to a legit website with a gallery.

I'd always drag and drop pictures used on Facebook into the Google image search. Will bring back results if the picture appears elsewhere online and if pics are stolen ones, it will usually bring back links to Tumblr or someone else's Instagram for example.

I know this must have been really annoying and upsetting - as far as I'm aware there isn't much regulation in this area that states someone one has to be qualified before advertising as a MUA.

 

[salj]

They can be 'qualified' and still be crap. I would want to see a website and a portfolio. Plus I'm mega picky about brands, so I'd want to know that too. As beautymaven said, you don't have to be qualified to call yourself an MUA, there's no regulation.

Also, I didn't know you could do that with pictures! Good tip thanks

 

[BeautT]

I think it's a shame that people can do a day course and become 'qualified' to really learn a new skill takes time and knowledge which is power! I suspect If she had a good understanding of makeup that she wouldn't of opted for a purple?! I do think makeup is a skill which requires lots of practice and talent.

 

[BeautT]

Sorry missed a bit! Of course we are not sure if it was a day course or not but maybe something a long the lines of being qualified quickly

 

[Blair]

Could you not leave a comment on her Facebook page.. Sure would help warn others about her.
For me I creep Facebook, websites, anything I can find about a person or company before committing to their service. I do read reviews - which sometimes aren't accurate but seeing them and how the person deals with them also persuades me choice to use their services.

 

[Sharkster]

As Salj said, qualifications in make-up mean nothing, it's all about talent. Apparently Pat McGrath is self taught!

I would follow the previous advice and ask to see portfolio pics and ask what brands she carries in her kit and then I would want to see it.

Great tip about the Google photo check beautymaven, I didn't know you could do that either. Some dodgy artists have been known to pass off images as their own.

 

[laurakate]

This thread makes me sad. She could have been legit. Sounds like there was a miscommunication in the consultation technique: if she checked with you as you went along and didn't demand money for adjusting the work this might not have escalated.

My point is that it's a bit harsh to assume that someone is fake, especially if it is a treatment that is subject to opinion. It's not like a bad set of nails for example where faults are less debatable (service breakdown, not taking in sidewalls etc).

 

[kirstie1980]

My advice is to always get a makeup trial done first. If not, ask where they trained, ask to see their certificate. A qualified mua wont hesitate in showing you their credentials

 

[EmmaLF]

I wouldn't bother with asking for 'certificates' some of the best makeup artists in the world didn't go to a training school and were self taught. You can't be taught to be a good artist. I've seen some horrific makeup from girls who paid thousands to train.
Like the girls above said, ask for photos of clients they've done.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

Like any other service in the world, I would check for previous testimonials and photos of their work. Also check they are listening and ask what they suggest. Personal recommendations are the main fail safe, she could well be qualified and insured (valid this to ask) but doing a bad job doesn't make you reportable unfortunately.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

I'd have also asked your regular MUA for a recommendation in her absence.