As a makeup school, we see many mistakes made over the years with each new cohort- through no fault of theirs! Many makeup wearers start in their teenage years and formed lasting habits. Whilst these habits might work great for their skin, it doesn’t always translate well for others. In this blog, we will be discussing tips to avoid these makeup mistakes.
Makeup is an art form that is ever-evolving and improving, so techniques and products can become outdated quickly. Makeup artists and trends can be fast-paced and confusing to novice makeup wearers. This leaves room for a lot of mistakes. However, the most common makeup mistakes we’ve found are easily fixable by swapping products or using different techniques.
As always, all of our tips come from professional makeup artists working in the industry!
A big makeup mistake we find from makeup wearers every is skin prep or the lack of! Applying your makeup on dry skin is a big no and honestly doing so causes numerous problems.
The reason why? Primer helps reduce the appearance of redness, protect the pores of the skin and smooth out skin appearance/texture before the foundation is applied.
Skipping primer can cause the makeup to look uneven and cake. It can even affect the appearance of the foundation’s colour by making the foundation look a lot lighter. The barrier the primer provides between skin and foundation helps the makeup to look more flawless and last longer on the face. Moisturising before putting on primer is just as important because makeup is naturally drying. This is also important for the health of the skin, it is the biggest organ in the body!
With the rise of social media, many beauty companies use social media to market to their consumers and also debut any new products they have. Companies also use social media to send PR packages to influencers to promote their products to their audience.
New products tend to “trend” on social media with thousands of people talking about them. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing, however, it is detrimental to people who are not aware of how products are formulated for different skin types. This mistake is easy to fix, consumers should try and know their skin type before buying products. This will save time and lots of money!
If you’re doing your makeup regularly, your makeup will inevitably build up on your makeup brushes and sponges. The key is to prevent this from happening, as this becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and dirt to cause problems on the face. It also negates washing the face before applying makeup. You’re washing one type of dirt off to put it back more on the face.
Creamy makeup products are more susceptible to bacteria as it thrives more in moist environments. This causes acne, breakouts and, in more extreme cases, viral illnesses. We recommend washing brushes every 7 to 10 days, if your brushes are used solely on your face. However, if you are a makeup artist, your brushes are to be washed between every client.
Now, this is a makeup mistake we’ve seen more recently and is one to avoid! In current years, the luminous glowy look has grown increasingly popular. From foundation formulas to products designed for highlighting, using all of them at once is a no go. Too much highlighting causes the face to appear shiny in an oily way instead of a dewy way.
Most makeup artists suggest applying highlighting products in small and strategic areas around the face. Specifically where light naturally hits the face, such as cheekbones, parts of the forehead and nose. An easy way to apply some highlight is by using the pointer, middle and ring fingers to apply on the parts of the face that needs to be accentuated.
Have you found these tips on makeup mistakes to avoid helpful? At LSBM, we believe in cementing the foundations of makeup before students move on to the more fun and creative elements. All of our MASA courses cover a two-week introduction to the principles of makeup. The introduction period will cover important aspects that are required from makeup artists globally, such as:
If you are interested in finding out more about our MASA courses and how they can elevate your makeup game, then get in contact with us today!
Have you recently completed training as a makeup artist and now looking to market yourself as a makeup artist and welcome some new clients? Then look no further than social media marketing! Wherever you turn on social media, people are marketing themselves, their skills and hobbies. As social media continues to grow, there are more ways for freelance makeup artists to create and promote their ability.
Social media is the new standard in the makeup industry, with consumers engaging and interacting with businesses every day. Despite the billions of people using social media, customers won’t automatically come to an account they do not know of. To get these clients and followers, your account must be attractive and unique to retain the people viewing your business page.
So let’s get into how you can use social media to market yourself as a freelance makeup artist. But firstly, let’s get into how social media has impacted the makeup industry and MUAs.
When social media first started, it was a platform that people used to stay connected with family & friends. Some would even use it to even keep up with what their favourite celebrities or sportspeople are doing. However, as time has gone on, small business owners have seen the marketing benefits of social media. Platforms such as Instagram are full of makeup artists, sharing their creations with consumers who may want to hire them in future. Social platforms have made makeup looks, trends and experiences more accessible for consumers. Clients can now see a variety of their skills before they buy or book.
Consumer buying habits have also changed drastically since the rise of social media. The majority of brands are now creating products that are either very affordable or inclusive. Although, a higher percentage of consumers are buying cosmetic products/services based on what influencers are pushing to them or what is currently trending in the overall makeup industry.
The digital makeup industry is more dependent on co-creation between brands and makeup artists, influences and creators. Social media allows a two-way conversation in which consumers can give back feedback that actively affects the market. Makeup consumers benefit from finding out about products quickly, as many brands send PR packages to influencers for them to review it/share their opinion. This way of communication makes it even easier for the consumer to decide on purchasing.
It is also no longer just about products either! Consumers are interested in learning new techniques that will better their makeup application skills.
Social media in recent years has been driving trends within the industry, with some trends even starting on social media due to the popularity of makeup influencers. User-generated content is on the rise and showing no sign of slowing down. To be recognised and grab momentum of the trends, makeup creators tend to respond faster. Responding quickly and putting their spin on these trends will gain them recognition.
Most people who use social media use it as a leisure activity or connect with friends and family. At the same time, social media is a great visual tool, and there are lots of apps that facilitate content creation straight on your phone. These apps also make it easier for beginners to start taking advantage of social media’s marketing benefits.
Makeup artists are fortunate in the sense that their craft is visual! For example, a bride is looking to hire a makeup artist, and friends suggest a few MUAs to her. The bride can easily go to social media to check out the work to see how capable the different makeup artists are. When they find the right MUA for them, they can email or call directly from the app and discuss their requirements with the makeup artist.
In an alternative scenario, the consumer has come across a makeup page and found a look that they want to be recreated on their face. It’s also very beneficial to the makeup artist because they know that they can complete the look.
As visual artists, there is absolutely no reason why you should not be on social media, as the medium enhances and emphasises visuals in different ways. Marketing online also comes with much creative freedom. That is how a lot of artists build a strong following with eye-catching visuals. A good Instagram page can help Makeup artists get brand recognition and collaborations and build their online presence.
Clients do not naturally gravitate towards a new business, the makeup artist has to be proactive. You have to make a conscious effort to promote your business to new clients. If they are aware that you are in demand, they are more likely to come to you. Even well-established brands know the importance of advertising and promotional activities.
With makeup being a visual art form, there are many ways to showcase a visually pleasing portfolio online and market yourself as a makeup artist:
It is better to separate personal social media from your makeup page. Promoting solely as a makeup artist is more effective, and it looks more professional. Therefore you should keep the content that is being posted strictly to makeup. You will also avoid the issue of consumers misunderstanding what your services are.
Additionally, the personal life of the makeup artist may not align with the brand image and voice. There is no harm in having fun or showing a bubbly personality but remember these are your potential clients and not your friends.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook give users the option for a business or a creator profile type. A creator profile is great for those just starting to get the same benefits as a business page.
The objective is to expand social reach on platforms where your potential clients are. The social platform you choose to use should be based on your target audience rather than what you are comfortable using. For instance, Tik Tok & Instagram are more suited to content that is instant whereas YouTube can suit both short and lengthier content.
Popular platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok provide great spaces for makeup artists because your pictures and videos are shared with thousands of people. Followers are not the metric to be concerned with, your engagement is more important. Someone can have 100k followers and only 1% is engaging with them, but someone could have 400 followers and have 100 people actively engaging. To successfully market yourself as a makeup artist, remember to regularly create relevant and exciting content to be shared across your chosen platforms.
Consumers are great at consuming content, so posting often and consistently is key! All social media platforms come with insights that help you understand the demographics and habits of your followers, which is an advantage. Trial and error are essential to understanding when your followers are active. Some platforms have different features for sharing different types of content. Creators should utilise these features together as engaging with the other users on the platform itself.
Most platforms nowadays have hashtags to help users find content specific to that tag. So if someone is looking for a makeup artist in London, they might search #mualondon or #makeupartistslondon and so on. The aim is to target the people who are looking for the service the makeup artist is providing. Overusing hashtags can lead to posts not being seen by the right audience, so the key is to use niche specific hashtags. There are many different ways to strategise, so you must research how to be able to use hashtagging efficiently and effectively.
Finally, Everyone enjoys a good freebie! But remember to do giveaways that align with your brand. For makeup artists, there are many different examples of giveaways they can do: photoshoot with a free makeover, free makeup kit, makeup brushes and so on. It is necessary to take advantage of the influx of followers that a giveaway will bring by engaging them. You may find that many will unfollow once the giveaway ends, but the ones that stay should prove worthwhile!
Have you enjoyed these tips that we hope will teach you to market yourself as a makeup artist! Well, our blog has lots more for aspiring makeup artists. Why not check out ‘How to get into makeup artistry‘ or ‘Choosing a Foundation Makeup Course‘
2022 The London School of Beauty & Make-Up 18-19 Long Lane, First floor, London EC1A 9PL
+44 207 776 9766
