5 Things Every Makeup Artist Wishes Everyone Knew

I was never thankful for professional people that arrive late, until that summer afternoon when I got to sit down and talk with Ria Aquino, who instantly became one of my favorite makeup artists. Together, we waited for those late people over a good hour-long conversation about that one thing we have in common besides hating late people — cosmetics.  One hour of encouragement and inspiration from Ria was all it took for me to professionally engage in makeup. There are many things I wish I could add to the list, but here are the important things I wish you all knew. 

1. As much as we would want to do your makeup for free, we can’t. 

Believe or not, we would love to do your makeup for free. Why? Because we love doing what we do, which is why we pursued this career. I see myself doing people’s faces everyday, learning new techniques and working with different types of beauties. No matter how naturally creative or talented a makeup artist is, we can never say no to new knowledge. Just like any other career, we mature through experience, but we just can’t do your makeup for free. First of all, gas is not free. Makeup products and getting all shades of eye shadows, foundations, blushes, and lipsticks are not free. In fact, the good and long-lasting ones are pricey. Getting big ass mirrors with good light bulbs, and those comfortable makeup chairs you’re sitting on aren’t free either. Educating ourselves to be the best at what we do is also not free. 

2. X Deals are okay, but only under certain conditions.

Like internships, we accept X Deals only if we see an advantage to our learning, our career, or our interests.  Other than that, if we still accept the deal, it means you are important to us. Makeup artists will always have a soft spot for loyal clients. We are willing to give discounts, or even make your next appointment free (which I hope does not negate my point in number one). 

3. Please tell us if you don’t like what we did to your face.

I learned this when I was working for MAC Cosmetics when an unsatisfied customer approached me and said she hated how the salon did her hair and makeup. She asked for help and requested for a do over. Once it was over, I thought to myself, if ever the same situation happened to me, I wish my client would fearlessly tell me. It’s true, because first, you probably paid for it. Second, being a makeup artist is not about us. It’s about you. 

4. Makeup is never meant to change your face. It is meant to enhance your beauty. 

If there was only one thing you must know about makeup, it would be this one. The makeup artists I admire are the ones who specify in natural beauty and healthy looking skin. If your makeup artist changed the way you look to the point where in people you know could no longer recognize you, it means he/she did your face wrong. “You look great!” will always, always be better than “Wow, you look different!” We hope you remember that. 

5. On the contrary, makeup teaches you how to appreciate beauty rather than hating your face without it.

Before I became a makeup artist, I couldn’t step out of the house without my everyday makeup on. I felt uncomfortable, incomplete, and ugly without it. When I studied makeup, I learned how to appreciate my face and its features because you can never truly love makeup if you don’t appreciate all types of beauty. My bare face now seems like I do have makeup on, just with more natural tones. Makeup changed the way I see myself and other people. 

I will never forget what my makeup professor told me. He said that the most wonderful thing makeup ever taught him was that, there is not a single face in this world you can classify as ugly. And I believe it. Everyone is beautiful and makeup was created to enhance it. If you hate how your face looks without makeup, you don’t know what makeup was truly made for.