What is my next step?

Hi all,

I have just completed my Foundation Certificate in Make Up Artistry with AOFM in London, which was great, learnt a huge amount! I will be doing the Advance Level and then the Master Level in January. My question today is what do I do in the mean time? I have a full time job. Should I assist on my days off (which I am more than happy to do) or should I do testing? I dont think i am at the level to do testiings as yet :/ as the course was only a week long. Have u guys got any suggestions, what do you think? I am also considering doing part time work with MAC if possible... I am a little lost at the moment... testing, part-time work or assting? Please advise me as i really want to get all the necessary training and practise I possibly can for my new career in Make up. Any suggestions.... thank you kindly xo

I would suggest you take a position at a makeup counter or retail outlet, at least part time. It'll allow you to practice, practice, practice on all skin types, ages and colours. 

What you do next entirely depends on where you want to go with your artistry. Where do you want to end up?

Hi Gems. Well the first thing I would ask yourself is: "How proficient are you with a make-up application just after one week?"

The requirements of an Assistant is that you must be fully capable to fill in for the Key at any moment if needed, regardless if it's an editorial, wedding, music vid, film set, creature shop (lab), etc. Doing menial tasks is useless to a Key.

Testing is what you do to promote your work to others in the industry like photographers and agents / agencies to get jobs and gigs, and this pool is very highly competitive.

Working for MAC, Lancome, Estee Lauder, NARS, Smashbox, Illamasqua, etc is ALL about retail sales. Do you want to quit your job for another 9-5 job selling make-up? This is an option if you're used to a steady 2 week paycheque. There is nothing wrong with working in this part of the industry, we all have done so at one time or another in our careers.

You being at this level, I would suggest practicing on friends and classmates on the weekends to build up your proficiency. Also based on your post, you don't know what area of make-up you want to go into yet. In most cases this is normal, and this process might help, at least until you go back in January where you'll have a better idea of what direction you want to go in.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Jessybel /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I would suggest you take a position at a makeup counter or retail outlet, at least part time. It'll allow you to practice, practice, practice on all skin types, ages and colours. 

What you do next entirely depends on where you want to go with your artistry. Where do you want to end up?

Click to expand...

Here's a scenario...

You have one week of make-up experience. Yes counters do on-the-job training. Make-up counters get only 2 types, and ONLY 2 types of customers. 1) The new customer and 2) The replenishment customer. And the most type of consult that they ask for is a foundation colour-match, the second is a lipcolour match, the third is eyeshadow and the rest is just cross-selling.

Now the replenishment customer comes in and she wants a new seasonal foundation, now that her skin is loosing her summer tan, and of course she is looking for a certain texture. Customers will always buy if you nail her colour match the first time. The store and the customer doesn't have time for a 1 weeker to practice on them to get it right. The store will loose sales and customers, especially when you need to get a potential sale after a 5 minute (max) consult.

Now, lets say you have six months of make-up experience. As a Counter Manager, who would you hire to get sales, create new customers and maintain your existing ones? A person with only one week of make-up experience or one that has six months? What would make better business sense for the company to increase their bottom line?

Also, why put a newbie through a potential embarrasing situation that will only serve to curb her enthusiasm for the industry?

Just sayin'

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for your replies...@ Jessybel.... are u a MUA? Is that how you started out? @vogueboy this is what i was thinking, with 1 week experience i dont think i would be any good working for MAC, Bobbi Brown ect. (however they do do training)! I would like to do more fashion make and bridal! So ure basically saying that working in retail is not such a good idea? How do i go about doing my testings? Its a little confusing as after a weeks experience i feel i dont have the skills to do testings as i wud need a prfessional photographer, and a prfessional stylist. I am in the process of buldding my kit so havent got that many products as yet. how did u start out? Did u find it hard to crack into the industry? What sort of MU do you do?

Thank you in advance
 

Hey Gems, you ask very good questions. Your instructors would be a good first place to start to ask them, to get their insight into the industry...

Here's the thing. you've expressed interest in Fashion and Bridal, two totally different make-up styles and disciplines. Working in retail will not help you get into the Fashion and Brida worlds, nor will you learn those styles in a retail environment. However, there is nothing wrong with working in retail in order to gain product knowledge, learn conflict resolution, and learn how do a business plan.

Now you have to make a choice on where your focus is going to be...

The answer to these questions will only be answered by you by taking a longer, more comprehensive make-up school and by also asking your instructors about their experiences working in the field.

Most students who graduate from a 6 month to a 1 year make-up school, have a large make-up knowledge base that they can work in various make-up styles at the same time. For example, they work for MAC p/t during the weekday and they do Bridal work on the weekends and they might even do shoots on their day off during the week to work on their book.

As for where to start, Make-up schools have resources that will put their senior students in touch with industry professionals and they go from there. Most schools have a professional reputation in the global industry that they have to maintain, Like MUD and Complections, thus they only give their top students introductions.

Building your kit is a long, slow and expensive process that will involve your entire career.

As for how I started out, I quit my job and enrolled in a well known industry recognized make-up institution. (Film unions such as IATSE and NABET only take MUA's from schools they recognize. They don't just let anybody work on Kristin Stewart, Bruce Willis, Julianna Moore, Laurence Fishburne, Lindsay Lohan, Jodi Foster... etc) Agencies are a little less strict, but models and celebrities are very high demanding, so they always request the best of the best MUA in whatever city they go to for press pro. And those best of the best MUA's have all gone to accredited schools... Well, most of them.

After I graduated, I worked in retail p/t to help build my kit, the other half of my time I was doing testing, after 5 years of constant testing, I finally got into an agency and started getting paid gigs. Like I said, the Make-up Industry is highly competitive and you're vying  for spots that Pat McGrath, Alex Box, Scott Barnes, Jackie Shawn, and Teena Black etc are competing for.

Yeah, I did my fair share of weddings, but I had enough of the bridezillas, and the constant mind-changing after the consults, Yes, it IS a cash-cow if you do weddings fulltime and can deal with all the drama-rama. After awhile, I knew that wasn't for me.

I loved Editoral Fashion, so I focused on that. Unfortunately, that part of the industry is very, very difficult to get into, It took me a good 7 years to get established in it. However, some MUA's get into it rather quickly if they know the right connections, and you have to be prepared to swallow a few bitter pills on the way up.

My personal experience: I had 10 years doing EF's, I am at the top of my game and along comes a 20 yr old with barely 6 months experience and she got all the top gigs, Why? Her mother knew the Editor-in-Chief... Such is life.

I now do primarily film and tv work. I got into it after a collegue of mine gave me her gig that she couldn't do due to a scheduling conflict, and have been doing it ever since, and that was 10 years ago.

The whole point to all of this, is be pateint. You will get all the practice and experience you need in a school environment, that it will just give you enough knowlege you need to work in the industry. And from then on, your REAL make-up training will begin. In other words: You need to crawl first before you can walk and then walk before you can run, only then you will have at least a chance to run along side with the big boys.

Originally Posted by Gems /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for your replies...@ Jessybel.... are u a MUA? Is that how you started out? @vogueboy this is what i was thinking, with 1 week experience i dont think i would be any good working for MAC, Bobbi Brown ect. (however they do do training)! I would like to do more fashion make and bridal! So ure basically saying that working in retail is not such a good idea? How do i go about doing my testings? Its a little confusing as after a weeks experience i feel i dont have the skills to do testings as i wud need a prfessional photographer, and a prfessional stylist. I am in the process of buldding my kit so havent got that many products as yet. how did u start out? Did u find it hard to crack into the industry? What sort of MU do you do?

Thank you in advance

Click to expand...

Yes, I'm a makeup artist. I work in fashion film and editorial and when i'm not freelancing out, I work in cosmetic retail because I don't have the network to work full time in editorial. I've only been doing this for a few years, which means I am still very new to the industry.  I started out working for free in exchange for printed work in magazines. Now I still will occasionally work for free or for a "kit fee" if I think the opportunity will benefit my career. I networked with good photographers, who now call on me for work when they get work, or if they know someone that needs a MUA. I also get a lot of work through friends and family, who refer their brides, prom girls and special occasion makeup needs to me. Network, network, network.

I also go out and get my own gigs - I throw around my portfolio and contact people that I'm interested in working with. I've had a few lucky breaks because I put myself out there, I show up on time I work hard and I have a complete, clean, kit. I also attend the trade shows and talk to people. It's all about who you know and having a good attitude. Just don't sell yourself as the best artist ever if you're not there yet - because it's a small industry and word will get around fast.

Retail is hard selling, but it gives you extreme product knowledge and a LOT of practice on a wide range of issues you will encounter in your career. I find that it also keeps you 100% up to date on what is new, trendy and what is popular with people. If you're interested in doing Bridal, I would still recommend working at a counter. 90% of the models I deal with on shoots have near-perfect skin, and I usually don't have to worry about issues such as protruding eyes, hooded lids, sagging parts and all the other problems I encounter when working with the general public. Not all brides will be beautiful young women, and you will definitely need to learn how to work with all skin types, colours and ages. 

The base line here, is to practice as much as you can and be proactive in finding work. My family are not beauty focused at all, and no one I know likes to wear makeup, so working at a counter afforded me the chance to practice every day, for 8 hours a day and it really boosted my level of artistry. I was lucky in that my job also afforded me opportunity to work with some amazing artists and the owners of iconic brands. I know a few hair salons owned by huge players in the industry that often take their makeup artists to fashion shows too, so it doesn't always end in retail, there is huge opportunity there. 

Here we have two view points that are talking about the same thing, and I agree with Jessybel.

Hey guys thank you once again, you've both been very helpful! Much appreciated.... after reading what you've both wrote I think I will go into retail part-time because i think it will be a good opportunity (i need to practice and also bulild my confidence and kit..... I guess practise is what i really need as i am only just starting out and from what I've read and heard it is a very competive industry so practising is key, right! I am contemplating doing the 2nd week with the Academy but i am not entirely sure now as im thinking 1 week is not sufficient time to learn different skills and techniques hmmmmmmmmmm!!

Thanks again