Makeup Artists- advice/inspiration

[Glitterbox81]

So. Makeup is my true love- I am enjoying learning doing nails etc but it's make-up that I'm really passionate about. It's make-up that really made me decide at the grand old age of 31 to completely change my career.

I'm currently working in IT and doing beauty part time and really trying hard to get a kit together and save up to do a really good make-up course. At the moment either Illamasqua or the Scottish Academy Of Make-Up. In the meantime next week I'm doing a 2 day Jane Iredale course because then I can get insurance and can at least start getting some work maybe doing proms etc for now to get hands on practise in.

I live in Aberdeen and moving isn't an option so I'd imagine 99.9% of work I'll get will be bridal make-up.

I really want to do makeup first and foremost with the beauty on the side but at the same time I'm not really in a place where I can afford to spend £1.5k on a make-up course if it's going to go nowhere. I'm absolutely willing to do makeup for prints and work for free to build up my portfolio if I know it's going to go somewhere but do you think you really have to be living in a major city to be a success?

 

[squidgernetball]

No is the simple answer. I use Jane Iredale for brides and think it is simply one of the best products I have ever used. I'm in a village in the middle of nowhere, and as I also do beauty, I actually stopped advertising bridal make up as it took me out of the salon for too long. I only do one wedding per day - obviously that wouldn't always actually be the case, but it allows the bride to feel very special, and if I did do a second wedding, I make sure I don't need to be there before the first wedding started. I am super flexible and make it my mission to overcome any problems on the day. I sew on buttons, I assist the bride in getting her boobs in the right place - anything that needs to be done, I will do, so she just has to think about getting married. I travel for weddings obviously, and will charge for petrol if it's a long way. More and more people are getting married in the week as it's cheaper, so that is worth bearing in mind. I did the make up at one wedding and the hairdresser said to the bride "I'll leave you with my assistant as I have 4 weddings today". I thought that sounded awful, added to which, the bride told me after that she didn't get a reduction for the assistant, and the poor girl ended up running late. Bet they don't still have 4 weddings a day as no-one would recommend! Good luck x

 

[Nikki12]

Totally agree with squidgernetball. I have heard the same thing, i thinkthe reason you will get recommendations is beacuse you go the extra mile, lacing up dresses helping with shoes running around to find a wandering nan, anything. Ithink you will befine. in quieter places there are still weddings etc. maybe less but there will also be less competition with other makeup companies. I joined STARNOW for a few months when i first started . pple were always contacting me to do photoshoots for free. i had a look at the persons work first then if i was happy and it was something i could use on my website i did it. I would deffinately say there are alot of pple that put on there website at many photos as poss with quantity not quality. I would deffinately look at your photos then just pic out the ones that show ur work off best. i only started with about 20 but then at every wedding leave your card with the photographer and they are usually more than happy to e mail them to u watermarked.HTH.x

 

[hairstudent]

Welcome to my world, ex IT Consultant for IBM now MUA it's the best thing I have ever done, I use my knowledge of IT to do my website, google analytics etc... And I use Mii cosmetics which I am trained in, you get wonderful one to one training every 8 weeks and loads of support, I also have a diploma and NVQ2 in cosmetic makeup, if you want to message me feel free, I am sure you do fab, good luck!!!

 

[squidgernetball]

Definitely agree with Nikki12. I did some make up for a bridal shoot. the photographer was rubbish, the bride models were minging, it was a complete waste of my time. I have done the models make up at a wedding fair in exchange for a free table, and that has been really good. Great experience doing 'proper' models and having your name linked with the show was really good. Pics that were worth showing as models/dresses etc were gorgeous. Would highly recommend doing a wedding fair - if the price is high, negotiate!!!

 

[Glitterbox81]

Thanks everyone! I love makeup so much I'd happily do it free all day every day but sadly my mortgage company won't agree that's a good idea :lol:

I'm slowly but surely building up my pro kit buying a few bits each month- this month it was an Inglot lipstick palette with 10 colours. I spend all my spare time reading makeup magazines, watching YouTube videos and reading make-up artist forums to find out the best products and tips oh and of course playing around putting makeup on. It's an obsession.

I've got a lot of willing friends to practise on and a couple of my mates are part time wedding photographers so hopefully we'll be able to get together and do some mutually beneficial shoots.

 

[emcmillan]

Hi there - i have just recently qualified after doing a course at the Scottish Beauty School in Hillington, I see that you are in Aberdeen, there were a few girls on my course from that area and were all either planning to go self employed mobile make up artist or owned their own salon and wanted to add to their experience - the course gave you an SVQ in Corrective, Day and Evening MakeUp Application - the course was over 3 days and was ran by Helen Cannon a well known celebrity make up artist - I found the course excellent and it gave me the tools to go ahead and get insurance - it also gave lots of practice on real life models (other students) - im not sure what your looking for but I ran the course past a beautician friend and she said that they covered everything that was essential in running a make up only mobile business - teamed together with years of doing my own, reading, watching tutorials it has given me a really good base to progress - the course was around £350 and I would say its well worth it - plus you get wholesale NSI products as they have a NSI store on site!!

 

[Glitterbox81]

thanks! i'll go and have a wee look at that.

 

[emcmillan]

No problem! Any questions or if you want to know more feel free to message me! Good Luck!