Monday 25 June 2012

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Do you really need to go to school in order to become a makeup artist?

Today I thought I would write about the most common question I get asked as a makeup artist. I know that there are a lot of articles about this topic but I feel that some of them are relatively misleading so I thought that I would share my experience in the hope of helping you make more of an informed decision.

Unlike other disciplines and contrary to popular belief, you actually do not need to go to school in order to become a makeup artist. However having said that, going to school and studying makeup artistry can help you tremendously when you are looking tor a job.

In all honesty, I think that if you are good at what you do and have the drive and passion to succeed then you don't have to go to makeup school. All you need is lots of practice and experience doing makeup and creating different looks. For example, my teacher from my makeup artistry course had no beauty qualifications whatsoever but she had years of experience and was a magnificent makeup artist who worked for Mac and behind the scenes at the local TV station.

Although makeup qualifications are not a necessity, I think they really do make a difference. First of all, if you feel like you would like to learn different techniques or about how to use different brushes and formulas then you will really benefit from going to makeup school. There are many makeup courses on the market and they vary tremendously in price so it is important to do your research and do a course that covers all the things you want to learn. I studied makeup at my local TAFE which was one of the most affordable options available to me and had the flexibility to fit around my other study commitments at the time. I found that after I obtained my certificate it was so much easier to get a job in the beauty industry. Although, being a beauty fanatic, I admit that I already knew a lot of the stuff that I got taught at makeup school.

Before I got certified, the only experience I had was doing makeup for my friends and family for special occasions like formals and weddings, so I found it hard when I applied for a job because my experience was limited and I had no qualifications. The beauty industry can be very competitive and sometimes you need to have something extra in order to stand out from the other applicants. Even while studying, I noticed that I got more job interviews and I even had a choice about which job to take. Before I started my studies I wouldn't even make it to the second round of interviews! At the interviews I attended, I found that I was usually the only applicant who had any formal training and qualifications and that really made a difference in helping me stand out from the crowd. Even before I finished my beauty qualifications, I landed a job at Estee Lauder at my local David Jones! (which is a large department store similar to Macy's in America)

In conclusion, whatever path you decide to take what it all comes down to is experience and practice. You don't have to go to makeup school to become a makeup artist and you can still get a job in the beauty industry. Going to school will just give formal recognition to your skills and knowledge and make it a lot easier for you to get a job in the industry. Another benefit of being certified is that you get access to extras such as beauty wholesalers that are trade only.

I hope that this post helped you and gave you a different perspective about makeup school. Feel free to leave your feedback about whether you would like me to do more posts like this.


6 Reactions to this post

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  1. Natasha Fazli said... 26 June 2012 at 01:11

    Enjoyed your blog post!! Plz ck out mine as well Get Glam Im following u, follow back :) 

  2. Mia P. said... 26 June 2012 at 22:49

    Great post!  I always wish I had done a makeup course, more for personal use than professional.  I looked into doing one through the Academy of Makeup in Brisbane and even went to an open day but (like most courses) it's so expensive :(

  3. Kumiko Mae 久美子 said... 28 June 2012 at 12:43

    i dont think u really need to go to makeup school to be a MUA. it's all about your craft, creativity, perseverance and hardwork. of course proper training helps but like in anything, you may have all the credentials but if you dont work for your success, it wont just come to you -Loving Sunshine

  4. Ruhie theSweetlife said... 1 July 2012 at 23:56

    Gr8 post :)
    Ruhie http://emoruhi.blogspot.in/

  5. Tiarni Searl said... 2 July 2012 at 19:48

    i couldnt agree more! i started out hairdressing and one of my clients asked while i was doing her hair for her wedding to also do her makeup,from then on i kept going with it and i now do more of that than hair and turned it into a business! love you're blog i subbed :)
     http://allthingsbeautybytiarni.blogspot.com.au/

  6. Jonathan said... 5 July 2012 at 00:49

    Some clients ask for their makeup artist's portfolio and certificates..so I think its essential for freelancers too to complete a formal degree course in makeup .

    http://www.hairextensions-australia.com.au
    Jon Nelson

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