Professional Makeup Artist: One Career, Many Paths.

What is your passion in the world of makeup? Are you more drawn to artistic makeup, special effects makeup, body painting, or so-called "fashion" makeup...?

It’s important to ask yourself this question and refine your choices because your professional path will depend on your specialty.

Keep in mind that a makeup artist working in theaters, on film sets, or on TV stages has a completely different routine than a makeup artist like me working at home.

For the first category, makeup artists typically work for companies.

The main advantage is that each contract secured is usually more financially rewarding, and makeup artists are often hired for a specific period or even on permanent contracts.

However, the downsides can include waiting times between takes, a highly procedural workflow, and sometimes repetitive tasks.

On the other hand, in freelance or home-based makeup, bookings often come "day by day," especially in the early stages, and the income per job is typically lower than what a corporate contract provides.

That said, you enjoy freedom over your schedule, and client relationships are just as important as technical skills.

This is what suits me best.

It brings me immense joy to make my clients look beautiful and to see their eyes light up when they see themselves.

Don’t hesitate to meet with makeup artists and ask them how their day-to-day work is structured.

This will likely help you narrow down your career direction.

Professional Makeup Artist: Choose the Training That Suits You

As for me, I attended the Institut Technique du Maquillage (ITM) in Paris for two years starting in 2003.

This was a rich and comprehensive training program, ideal for those looking to specialize in artistic makeup.

Of course, it also covers the foundations of classic professional makeup.

You can also consider Karis Formations, which offers complete and affordable professional makeup training, with the option to study remotely.

For those already working in the beauty sector (hairdressers, estheticians, stylists, photographers...), I offer individual and customizable makeup lessons in Servon, Seine-et-Marne (77170). This is an ideal option for beauty professionals looking to expand their skillset and offer makeup services to their clients.

Whatever path you choose, I can only recommend this career, which I’ve been passionate about for nearly 15 years. It’s an incredibly enriching field, both professionally and personally!