Struggling to find makeup assistants

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Lady Murasaki

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Apr 22, 2011
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Location
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Since moving to Hampshire I have really struggled to find qualified and insured makeup artists to assist me

I have advertised on here, gumtree and in other places.

i have found that the standard of cleanliness while doing trade tests amongst most artists is shocking.

No disposables used, using their arms as palettes to mix foundation on, having not enough brushes and list goes on.

I don't want to turn away large bookings as I don't want I loose money and can do the on my own, however sometime clients insist an assistant.

I pay a good p/h rate plus travel, I don't make any money on this and what the client pays for their fees the assistant gets.

I am thinking thorough that I should be charging the client a small admin fee as ringing around or emailing suitable assistants and sorting their paper work out does take up my time especially if an assistant has been requested by the client and is not really needed.

Sorry to ramble on, but I'm really at a loss what to do for the best 😕
 
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I could help by giving you a couple of names of MUAs that I know are truly excellent, however they are very experienced and more likely to be requiring assistants than to assist, but may do so for very large jobs and editorial write up. what is the nature of the work you are requiring assistants for? Have you tried to contact any academies? Often those starting out are very keen to build portfolio and gain experience, perhaps with a little guidance in how you like things done you can sort out a couple of reliable newly trained and enthusiastic artists who can help you cover if its for smaller jobs.
 
I could help by giving you a couple of names of MUAs that I know are truly excellent, however they are very experienced and more likely to be requiring assistants than to assist, but may do so for very large jobs and editorial write up. what is the nature of the work you are requiring assistants for? Have you tried to contact any academies? Often those starting out are very keen to build portfolio and gain experience, perhaps with a little guidance in how you like things done you can sort out a couple of reliable newly trained and enthusiastic artists who can help you cover if its for smaller jobs.

I have over 13 years experience in the industry doing weddings and editorial and I do find this that once you reach a certain level you won't assist unless its for editorial work and credits.

I'm looking for assistants for wedding work, however I find that many newbies need a lot of reassurance, guidance and time spent on them to get them up to scratch and I feel it is a waste of time doing this as I will just end up being used (this has happen to once and never again will it happen).

I also don't want my clients harassed by inexperienced assistants wanting pictures for their portfolios or to put on their Facebook page, as many don't seem to understand that they are being paid for job so that means no photos.

My clients come to me as i am discreet and they know that I will not be thrusting an iPhone in their face want pictures for my website or Facebook or blabbing to so And so about their wedding on Facebook !
 
I have over 13 years experience in the industry doing weddings and editorial and I do find this that once you reach a certain level you won't assist unless its for editorial work and credits.

I'm looking for assistants for wedding work, however I find that many newbies need a lot of reassurance, guidance and time spent on them to get them up to scratch and I feel it is a waste of time doing this as I will just end up being used (this has happen to once and never again will it happen).

I also don't want my clients harassed by inexperienced assistants wanting pictures for their portfolios or to put on their Facebook page, as many don't seem to understand that they are being paid for job so that means no photos.

My clients come to me as i am discreet and they know that I will not be thrusting an iPhone in their face want pictures for my website or Facebook or blabbing to so And so about their wedding on Facebook !
I get you, you need a less experienced assistant but that is in the ball and knows what is expected. To be honest paid work as an assistant for bridal sounds great, you gain experience whilst under guidance from an experienced MUA. we had to do tons of unpaid work in the beginning and conditions not always great eh ;-) when I started out I'd have jumped at such a great chance and am sure you would have too!! Bridal you were on your own lol and thats when guidance would come in handy. in theory it should be quite easy to find people but I know things have changed and its not easy. Not sure I know what's best to suggest except try the main academies in London, how completely frustrating for you xx
 
Can't the photographers you work with recommend assistants? I'm sure they will be testing with new MUAs all the time :)
 
Where in Hampshire are you?
 
Can't the photographers you work with recommend assistants? I'm sure they will be testing with new MUAs all the time :)

I only work with professional photographers through work assignments with agencies and not with local 'photographic studios' that pay £45 to do 3 faces and 'light hairstyling' so it would be hard to recommendations this way.

I find that most of these photographers that run high street photo studios are non professionals and have no idea what makes a good mua as all they are concerned about is getting someone for free or at the lowest price and not with overall quality of a artists work.

Most of the muas they take are on are uninsured and/or are unqualified and I need someone with qualifications and insurance

So I'm not going to waste my time getting assistants this way.
 
I would get in touch with The London School of Beauty and Make Up and explain what you are looking for, also get in touch with a few other academies and I am sure that they will be pleased to have someone that they can suggest to newly trained for them to apply to you as an assistant, what you are offering is an excellent opportunity for a new artist, paid work under guidance. x
 
I only work with professional photographers through work assignments with agencies and not with local 'photographic studios' that pay £45 to do 3 faces and 'light hairstyling' so it would be hard to recommendations this way.

I find that most of these photographers that run high street photo studios are non professionals and have no idea what makes a good mua as all they are concerned about is getting someone for free or at the lowest price and not with overall quality of a artists work.

Most of the muas they take are on are uninsured and/or are unqualified and I need someone with qualifications and insurance

So I'm not going to waste my time getting assistants this way.

I'm a commercial make-up artist so I can assure you professional photographers test. If you're with a professional agency they will also test new people.

I've been working in the industry for over 7yrs but still do test shoots with agency models to keep my portfolio fresh. My ad campaigns are usually for things like sofa companies so don't really show off my creative skills lol

I have the opposite problem I meet fresh talent constantly, but they aren't interested in doing bridal make-up. But over the years I've built up a good list of make-up artists I can call, but I use experienced artists to help me with bridal so not really assistants, think they'd tell me to get lost if I asked them to clean my brushes lol
 
I don't ask them to clean brushes.

I know professional photographers test muas, however these artists are not looking to assist other professional doing weddings.
 
Have you asked? I LOVE doing bridal alongside my other work, so nice seeing the bride's reaction :D
 
Have you asked? I LOVE doing bridal alongside my other work, so nice seeing the bride's reaction :D

I have assisted colleagues in the past for Asian weddings, I think Lyddy is right, perhaps ask colleagues in the area, you could put together a team of you x
 
Maybe don't refer to it as a make up assistant that you are looking for and just say that you are wanting someone to work along side you on bridal work. Also tell them whats expected if their work was good and brushes clean etc but they mix foundation on their arm you can always say you are happy to work with them if they use a pallet instead.
 
If you pm me your details I can pass it on to a girl I know that I'm sure would love to help x
 
Maybe don't refer to it as a make up assistant that you are looking for and just say that you are wanting someone to work along side you on bridal work. Also tell them whats expected if their work was good and brushes clean etc but they mix foundation on their arm you can always say you are happy to work with them if they use a pallet instead.

If I don't refer to it as an assisting role many of them expect to do the bride on the day, they also feel they can chose how many clients they get to do and who they do etc

I have mentioned what is expected of them and not to use their arm as a palette, but it falls on deaf ears

Maybe I have unrealistic expectations :-/
 

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