A makeup artist is responsible for applying makeup to a person's face and/or body. You can find makeup artists in various industries including film & television, bridal, theatrical, fashion, etc. Makeup is applied very differently in each of these industries to achieve the necessary intended effect. For example, theatrical makeup is more exaggerated because the audience is far away, while film makeup is very natural because the audience is very close.
To become a makeup artist, you first and foremost have to train and hone your craft; whether that is through taking a certified course or by getting as much real-world experience as possible, or preferably both. In some states, you might need to go a step further and get a cosmetology license to be able to professionally work as a makeup artist.
As you gain experience, make sure to create a portfolio of your work. Being able to show a portfolio of your work is hugely important to recruiters. Also important but not as talked about, you will need to be a great communicator and collaborator. You will be working closely with the person you are doing makeup on and also with your clients. Your reputation is everything in this industry so make sure you are known to be an efficient and pleasant makeup professional.
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Being a trainee makeup artist is a great way to enter the makeup artist industry. You get an opportunity to show your talent, as well as to network with future potential employers. In this position, you will be working with a more established makeup artist and assisting where needed. This may include setting up, keeping the station organized, handing over supplies to the senior makeup artist when requested, and doing minimal makeup on the subjects. If you prove yourself, you may be tasked with applying more intricate makeup and being given more responsibility.
When you are applying for this job, you want your resume to show any previous experience as well as any certification and training you have completed. Listing a wide skill set will also be a huge advantage as it will show you to be even more useful on the job.
Recruiters will want to know that you are knowledgeable and practiced in doing makeup. Certification and training are easy ways to show that you have a strong skill set and can do makeup to a certain standard. They also show your commitment to your profession.
There are many steps/tasks in doing makeup, from developing the concept, to applying various types of makeup, to doing aftercare for subjects. Listing the tasks you have completed will show recruiters the breadth of your experience and will also highlight your knowledge of the industry and the makeup process.
A senior makeup artist is responsible for the cosmetic appearance of all subjects or clients. They are tasked with budgeting for and sourcing the appropriate makeup supplies. They may have assistants working under them but will be held responsible for their work. They will also be part of the development of makeup concepts and will advise clients where necessary.
A senior makeup artist’s resume should reflect their efficiency as well as their leadership capabilities. Highlighting their ability to work within a budget would also be very desirable to recruiters.
Staying on budget is very important for any production. Quantifying how much you were able to save a production is, therefore, a huge plus for recruiters. Be sure to be specific on how you saved money without compromising quality.
Being able to show that you started as a trainee and worked your way up shows that you are a committed professional. It also shows that other employers had enough confidence in your work to promote you. If they had confidence in you, so will recruiters.
Chief makeup artists, also known as key makeup artists, are the heads of the makeup department. They are responsible for hiring people for the department, creating budgets, and will take the lead on creating concepts and making sure that everything makeup-related in the script is taken care of. They will be accountable to the client and will need to be able to multitask between applying makeup themselves and supervising their juniors.
As the leader of the makeup department, you cannot afford to let anything slip by. You must interrogate the script you are working with and be very keen that your juniors have accomplished the needed look for each subject or scene. So list tasks you have completed that show your thoroughness.
Leadership skills are integral as a head of department, particularly in a Chief Makeup Artist role. So highlight any experience where you have led a team and include any success your team had under your leadership.
As a hiring manager who has reviewed countless makeup artist resumes for top brands like L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, and MAC Cosmetics, I've seen firsthand what makes a resume stand out. To help you create a strong makeup artist resume that will catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers, I've put together these expert tips. By following this advice, you'll be well on your way to showcasing your skills and experience in the best possible light.
Make sure to showcase your specific makeup skills on your resume. Hiring managers want to see that you have the technical abilities required for the job.
Avoid being too general or vague when describing your skills:
A resume summary for a makeup artist is optional, but it can be a great way to provide additional context about your skills and experience that may not be immediately clear from the rest of your resume. It's especially useful if you're changing careers or have a lot of experience to summarize. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it's outdated and doesn't provide value to hiring managers.
When writing your summary, focus on highlighting your most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements as they relate to the makeup artist role. Keep it concise, ideally no more than 3-4 sentences or bullet points. And while it's important to showcase your skills, avoid directly listing soft skills or using corporate buzzwords like "proven track record."
The work experience section is the core of your makeup artist resume. It's where you show hiring managers that you have the skills and experience to excel in the role. In this section, list your relevant work history in reverse-chronological order, with your most recent experience at the top.
Here are some key things to keep in mind as you write your work experience section:
Action verbs help highlight what tasks you are particularly skilled and experienced in. Makeup artist resumes should use action verbs that show creativity, collaboration, and efficiency. Action verbs like “Researched”, “Collaborated” or “Created” are strong action verbs that show your multipronged skill set.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
As much as the makeup artist profession is creative, there are still technical skills that underpin the industry. To impress recruiters, you will want to list all industry-related skills and capabilities.
Add these skills to the skills section on your resume to show potential employers your prowess and help you secure your next big job.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Makeup Artist job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
