7 COMMON Beginner Makeup Artist MISTAKES TO AVOID ( & pro tips)

Hi beauty! If you are reading this article is because you are a makeup artist OR you are interested in becoming one.
Either one of those, I’m glad you stop by this article because honestly as a makeup artist, I would have LOVE having someone with experience sharing this with me when I was just starting.

These are common mistakes that real life, working with clients experience teach you that might or might not be inside makeup schools/programs.

And let’s get started.

1. Doing the same makeup over and over again

I think that having your signature look or statement style is something important-ish you can try to build as you grow your brand as a makeup artist.

But I see this mistake in so many makeup artists, which consists of making the same makeup look to EVERYONE.

Or maybe not the exact same, but so similar that when you see the pictures on their portfolio, it looks like every client has the same look.

While building your style and technique is a MUST, we also need to work on our versatility and capability to adapt to different face shapes, eye shapes, occasions, and also client requests.

while we might encounter clients who give us creative liberty by just asking us to create and do what we do.

In the end, We, as MUAs, are service providers with clients who have specific requests, and those need to be addressed as part of our professionalism.

Sticking to the same makeup look will not allow us to provide that type of personalized customer service.

Be careful with things like doing the same, using the same eyeshadow combination on several clients, using the same eyeliner technique, blushing or lip color, etc.

2. Double-dip your Mascara wand

This is part of the hygienic protocol every makeup artist should follow; however, I see how it is easy to forget or minimize.

I admit I made this mistake when I was starting out.

Once you used your mascara wand on a client, you should NEVER double dip your mascara wand inside the bottle again.

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In your kit, always carry disposable mascara wands that you can use and dispose of with each client.

The right way to use them is by taking some product with the original mascara wand and apply it to a makeup mixing palette or directly to the disposable UNUSED mascara wand and then apply to the client,

if you need more you repeat the same process but this time you don’t touch the disposable one with the original that it comeswith your mascara, you only use the palette.

The same thing applies to lip color applications and eyeliner; I buy this disposable essentials set that comes with mascara wands, lip applicators, and mini eyeliner applicators in an organizer box from Amazon.

3. not mixing foundation or concealer shades to match your client’s skin tone

It’s easy to have a favorite concealer or foundation that it is in a certain shade which is kind of similar to your current client, and forget to shade match correctly and mix/fix the shade if needed when you are just starting out.

It’s common to see makeup mistakes like clients with an orange base, pink base or too fair or too dark for their skin tone.

Let’s all remember that some foundations an even concealers tend to oxidate after applied, so it is always important to know our products in our kit, and try some of them on our clients skin before the full application.

If needed we can always correct and match our client’s skin tone with our products with the correct color theory knowledge.

Inside my master makeup program, I teach all about shade matching, how to fix any foundation/concealer shade, and how to mix the primary colors to achieve any desired shade/color.

I also offer 1:1 feedback on your work and a certificate at the end of the program. It’s fully online, and you receive a paperback, professionally printed makeup manual delivered to your home. You can check all the details here.

4. Not having a clean environment while doing a Makeup Appointment

When I say clean environment, I mean clean in every sense.

Clean, clean (hygienic).

Clean visually

Clean in sound

If you are working in a big salon, it is difficult to control the sound environment, but if you are doing appointments in a location or you have a small beauty/salon studio, having some relaxing music is good for your clients.

While obviously having everything previously disinfected and clean is always essential

and by visually, I mean having your kit perfectly organized, and decluttered, and while doing your work, you have everything in control, still organized, and you know where every product is.

5. Not taking pictures of your work

This is a common mistake I did so many times.

When you are working with too much clients it easy to make this mistake of forgetting taking pictures of your work.

Always take a before an after photo BUT FIRST, ask your client for their permission.

A written consent is essential, specially if you want to build your social media accounts using photos of your work on clients.

Inside the Master Makeup Program, I included a package of Makeup Artist business consent forms, client intake forms, and make contracts for both special occasions and bridal makeup, which are fully editable and customizable for you to add your logo and brand colors!

I see makeup artists often avoiding this step just to save time,

but knowing your client’s information, skin type, and short clinical history, having a photo release form with written permission to use the pictures you take however you want, and contracts for brides and other special occasion makeup are all pluses that protect both you and your clients.

And simply keep things more clear and organized.

and from a client’s perspective, having this forms definitely stands out for professionalism

That’s why I decided to include all of them as a BONUS for my Master Makeup Program Students.

6. Not having Good lighting

When you are starting out, buying all your makeup kit PLUS investing in good lighting can be expensive

but trust me, good lighting is a MUST.

There are affordable ring light on Amazon, with good quality that are also easy to carry on for travel appointments.

I like to use natural light when doing makeup next to a window, but is not alsywas guaranteed you’ll be able to access a window, or the weather can be bad that day and we always need to have access to good lighting

Also, for pictures/videos, good lighting is ESSENTIAL.

I have and recommend this ring light from Amazon.

7. Starting with low rates

This is a sensitive topic, but I’ll just give you my opinion about this just as I feel it.

You do not need to charge less than what your work is worth even if you are just starting out.

You might not charge celebrity makeup artists rates, but feel free and proud to charge jus the right amount that is competitive in your region, and works for you.

If it doesn’t work for you, it is not business. It is only a passion.

which can be good if you only want to do this as a passion/hobby

But if you are serious about making money and turning this into a career, you need to consider costs, products, materials, work hours, taxes, business expenses, etc, in your rates.

I can’t tell you how much is a good rate to start with because this depends on your location, but just to give an idea, I see makeup artists in my area charging between $70-$150

$70 is way too low for me, to be honest, but I see some publishing that rates on the internet, so I guess that it makes sense for them.

I live in a not-so-big city and a small town in the southern part of the US.

to be continued…

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See you soon,
Valeria H.