Make up courses - which one?

[lauren_A]

Hi, I'm really want to do a make up course mainly special occasion and proms etc I have found a course in Huyton Liverpool (Diva Beauty Accademy) its for a VTCT Cosmetic Makeup has anybody done this course? its monday night for 10 weeks which suits me fine as i need a night course, does anybody know of any other places in the liverpool/northwest area that does courses like these. Hopefully once completed i will do the photographic makeup (another VTCT) so i can work with photographers too, is this a good idea? very unsure about the revenue side of things too, so if anybody can help me, that would be great thanks

 

[suzyc]

Hi I'm looking for makeup courses as well but I'm in the Birmingham area sorry chick xxx

 

[emsyj]

I've done the VTCT Level 2 Certificate in Cosmetic Make-up, although not at the college you name - at a private place on the Wirral. You would be best advised to check the course content, as my understanding is that in order for it to be a VTCT accredited course there must be some 'academic' content and so we had lots of theory about the skin, lymphatic system, skin diseases etc which took a lot of the teaching time and didn't help my makeup skills! We also had to do written exams, which weren't hard but again it takes up teaching time when you could be doing something practical. We also had to do eye treatments as part of the course (I think you have to do something like this as part of it, it's not 'pure' makeup - although the Level 3 Fashion & Photographic is...) We did lash perming & lash and brow tints, which took up 6 weeks of the course (evening course like the one you're looking at). So in all, it left very little time for demo's and learning.

I think to be honest it was a waste of time in terms of actually learning how to apply makeup. I am based near you and from my (extensive!!!) research, most of the working makeup artists in our area trained at School of Makeup in Stockport. There's also a place called the Davy Jones School in Liverpool (Victoria St) but they seem focussed on prosthetics and stage/film makeup rather than bridal and beauty, so depends what you're looking for - I haven't read any reviews about them and don't know of anyone who's trained there, so I can't comment on their courses, but it does look like a good school and Davy Jones is very well known.

I also did a 2 day course in Bridal Makeup at Cheshire Makeup Academy and it was a million miles away from the VTCT course in terms of what I learned - the tutor was a working makeup artist and it was entirely practical. The theory content is taught by giving you a manual to read and then you do a quick exam and that's it - there's no 'classroom' type teaching of theory, it's all about doing the makeup. I learned so much more in those 2 days than I did in 16 weeks of VTCT!!! Also, the VTCT course I did was taught by a (lovely and extremely highly qualified) beauty therapy tutor - and all due respect to her, she's highly skilled at beauty treatments but she is not a makeup artist and makeup is not the main focus of her work, so I think that makes a difference (just being honest).

I'm saving up now to do the 3 week fashion hair & makeup course at School of Makeup next year after my next baby is born. It's expensive, but I feel like every makeup artist I come across went there and so it seems to do the job - also the tutor at Cheshire Makeup Academy said it was the only school locally that she would recommend for a longer course.

Hope that helps - bit of an essay, but I have spent sooooooooo much time and money on this already I thought I'd save you the bother haha!!!! :lol:

 

[emsyj]

Oh sorry, I should have said - I got the info from Art Deco too, if you want me to fwd it then private message me your email address and I'll send it on. They do individual days that you can build up - starting with basic, then there's bridal, vintage, fashion etc. You have to buy a kit from them to use as they only teach using their own products. This was what put me off (plus the fact they insisted I would have to do the basic day even though I'd done other courses previously, so it worked out more than I wanted to pay) - but I've only ever read positive reviews of their products so may be worth a look.

 

[Nailsanonymous]

I have done my makeup courses at the NorthWest MediaMake Up School, premises now in Media City Salford where the BBC is etc..

Fabulous school and owner/principal is fab.

I didn't do VTCT accredited courses but they are available. if I had the money I would do everything they have available.

Website below

Media Hair & Make Up Courses, Make Up School, SFX Makeup & Wigs

 

[emsyj]

I tried repeatedly to contact the Northwest Media Makeup School for information and they never answered the phone and didn't respond to voicemail messages so I gave up. They do a 12 week one day a week bridal hair & makeup course that I was really interested in, can I ask which course(s) you did there?

 

[Nailsanonymous]

I tried repeatedly to contact the Northwest Media Makeup School for information and they never answered the phone and didn't respond to voicemail messages so I gave up. They do a 12 week one day a week bridal hair & makeup course that I was really interested in, can I ask which course(s) you did there?

The one you wanted to do....it was great....when were you trying to contact them as they have moved recently?

 

[emsyj]

A while ago now - earlier this year. I did the Cheshire Makeup Academy course in May (having failed to get through to NWM school) so it would have been about March/April I guess. It was sooooooo frustrating!

Did you feel confident once you'd done the training? I have already done the makeup courses I mentioned above, plus a 10 week evening course in basic hair styling/hair up, but I want something in more depth as I don't feel like I am competent at the moment. If you're able to give me any more info and details about the bridal course I'd be super grateful - was it worth the money? Have you got work from it?

Questions, questions! :green:

 

[Nailsanonymous]

A while ago now - earlier this year. I did the Cheshire Makeup Academy course in May (having failed to get through to NWM school) so it would have been about March/April I guess. It was sooooooo frustrating!

Did you feel confident once you'd done the training? I have already done the makeup courses I mentioned above, plus a 10 week evening course in basic hair styling/hair up, but I want something in more depth as I don't feel like I am competent at the moment. If you're able to give me any more info and details about the bridal course I'd be super grateful - was it worth the money? Have you got work from it?

Questions, questions! :green:

Hi sorry for not replying last night.

No I didn't feel super confident after training, and yes in an ideal world I would have done a 52 week course doing every hair up style imaginable !

But....the training revolved around breaking down hair ups etc so you can work out how to create styles when you go out into the real world.

I bought myself a head and practised a lot and did loads of freebies and still doing freebies as well as paying jobs.

I am not sure what to advise to be honest with regards to more training as I don't think longer training courses exist? One make up artist I talked to said she self taught herself she is brilliant at it !

If you lived nearer maybe we could have had a practice session !!

Hope this helps and if you have any more questions let me know.

 

[PaulaJayne1976]

Hi
I'm on The vtct level 2 cosmetic makeup now but mine is in Stafford and us 1 evening per week for 34 weeks. I'm just doing lash n brow treatments but then go on to cover, day makeup, evening makeup, special occasion makeup and the increasingly popular, makeup lesson. I have to say on mine there is just the right balance of theory and practical and although there is a short multipal choice test on each thing there are no assignments accept for one which is health n safety and then the assessments in each treatment.
I'd definitely give it a whirl chick
Good luck xxx

 

[emsyj]

My course was one evening a week too, but only for 16 weeks so the theory and eye treatments took up a lot of the (very limited) available teaching time. I imagine it seems less focussed on theory when you have 34 weeks of teaching time available, as then you still have plenty of opportunity for demo's and practical stuff.

Thanks for your reply Nailsanonymous - I guess I am a bit unrealistic in wanting to come away from a course feeling like I'm ready to go and know it all! I felt quite confident with makeup after I did the Cheshire Makeup Academy course, but now it's been a couple of months and I haven't done any practice or anything and I don't feel that I am good enough to go on Model Mayhem to get TFP shoots etc so now I sort of feel back to the beginning. I really really enjoyed the hair course I did and I think I took to it quite well - there were about 10 of us on the course and not blowing my own trumpet (much!) but I was better than the others I think, although I don't feel confident with it by any means. I can do straight & curly blow dries and a wet set, and I can do curling with a wand pretty well but the hair up 'tuition' was very limited, the guy seemed to really just be saying, 'oh play around with it and see what happens' etc, whereas I like clear instructions!

I'm interested in the head you bought, can I ask where you got it from? I've seen a few on Amazon but obviously it needs to be real hair and they don't look very convincing on there, I want to be sure I'm getting the right thing... I've got all my hair kit (spent soooooo much money) although need to buy more makeup kit, but would still like to do another course... Maybe I just need a boot up the bum!!!!

 

[Nailsanonymous]

My course was one evening a week too, but only for 16 weeks so the theory and eye treatments took up a lot of the (very limited) available teaching time. I imagine it seems less focussed on theory when you have 34 weeks of teaching time available, as then you still have plenty of opportunity for demo's and practical stuff.

Thanks for your reply Nailsanonymous - I guess I am a bit unrealistic in wanting to come away from a course feeling like I'm ready to go and know it all! I felt quite confident with makeup after I did the Cheshire Makeup Academy course, but now it's been a couple of months and I haven't done any practice or anything and I don't feel that I am good enough to go on Model Mayhem to get TFP shoots etc so now I sort of feel back to the beginning. I really really enjoyed the hair course I did and I think I took to it quite well - there were about 10 of us on the course and not blowing my own trumpet (much!) but I was better than the others I think, although I don't feel confident with it by any means. I can do straight & curly blow dries and a wet set, and I can do curling with a wand pretty well but the hair up 'tuition' was very limited, the guy seemed to really just be saying, 'oh play around with it and see what happens' etc, whereas I like clear instructions!

I'm interested in the head you bought, can I ask where you got it from? I've seen a few on Amazon but obviously it needs to be real hair and they don't look very convincing on there, I want to be sure I'm getting the right thing... I've got all my hair kit (spent soooooo much money) although need to buy more makeup kit, but would still like to do another course... Maybe I just need a boot up the bum!!!!

The head I got whilst on the hair up course - I think they get them on line. They are real hair so you can curl straighten etc.
I have heard that some bought on line can have hair lice etc (not sure if this is a myth or truth) Allan Howard sell them but I am not sure if they are real hair.
The hair up course at the North West Media sounds as though it did more on hair up than the one you did.
Each step was broke down slowly, these basic steps are then applied to any hair up (in theory !)
I don't feel confident yet in the hair, and have only in the last couple of months felt confident in the make up. I started off thinking about models mayhem for TFP but in the end found a friends husband, a cousin and a friend of a friend to take shots. My model was a relative and other two were friends of friends who fancied giving it a go.
All experiences on the shoots were enjoyable and relaxed and a good introduction to shoots.
If you could afford it I would try another hair up course but pick one you know will cover what you need.
Try contacting North West Media Make up School again and have a chat with the owner. They have a facebook page you could try messaging through that.
Any other questions let me know.

 

[koochi beauty]

Hi , I have done makeup at college as part of the beauty course, but I too would really like to gain skills in bridal makeup. I have enquired about the Cheshire makeup academy and too the illamasqua 2 day bridal and beyond course but I am unsure which would be the better course?? They are both 2 day courses. I want mainly hands on learning from professional mua. Hoping someone can help!?