Be Humble
If you are considering a career as an Asian bridal makeup artist, to achieve success it is important to adopt a humble and professional attitude, not just say it but act it.
We live in a society where your image is paramount to gaining admiration and acceptance from friends, relatives and strangers alike. Makeup artists therefore have become an indispensable asset. Although makeup artists have always played an important role in transforming the girl next door into a movie star, recognition of this fact has become more apparent in the last few years. The effect of this is that some makeup artists are followed like celebrities by fans who admire their work. Despite this, international makeup artists such as Charlotte Tilbury, Mario Dedivanovic, Lisa Eldridge to name a few, remain humble without the need to point out in every tweet, instagram post, or snapchat their obvious talent (have a look for example at Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic’s Instagram account with approximately 14 million followers. You will notice that not on even one of his posts does he say ‘I wowed Kim with the look I created for her function last night’). Many of these makeup artists have pioneered makeup looks which have become iconic and been replicated by makeup artists all over the world. These are people who truly deserve acknowledgement and praise for their work and makeup techniques which they readily share without feeling threatened, these are the people who truly deserve to be called legends in makeup artistry.
Although the work of a makeup artist is important, especially bridal makeup, as it can make the difference between a memorable day in your life and a disastrous one you would rather forget. It is important to remain grounded and humble as it lays the foundation for continuous improvement.
As a makeup artist you should be open minded and willing to learn and try out new products and techniques all the time, you will only be able to offer your best if you adopt this attitude.
Love Your Work as a Makeup Artist
A true makeup artist can give fantastic results regardless of the age, skin tone or ethnicity of their client. This is evident from the work of top makeup artists such as Kevyn Aucoin or Bobbi Brown for example. You will notice many of the models they have used whether famous or not have features representing ordinary women, for example they may have hooded eyes or less than perfect pouty lips, or a round face, etc. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense as in real life, no makeup artist will only get clients representing our modern perception of perfect beauty i.e. a Kim Kardashian or Angelie Jolie lookalike.
A good makeup artistst does not need to validate their skills with self praise as their work should speak for itself. As a client you should be confident that your makeup artist has experience as seen in their portfolio of applying makeup on models with similar features to yours. As an Asian bridal makeup artist you should be proud to show your versatility in makeup application by including pictures of your work on models with different features and skin tones.
As the saying goes, knowledge is power. A good makeup artist should not be afraid to share their knowledge with clients and students. This demonstrates that you are honest, sincere and fair and want only the best for your clients and students.
Most clients preparing for any important function are likely to be nervous and stressed out, whether for a wedding or catwalk show. The atmosphere in which you will be working is likely to be chaotic with lots of distractions and last minute emergencies. Your job is not only to be flexible and relaxed, but also to be the calming influence for the bride, model or client. If you enjoy your work it will be obvious in your confident manner. Confidence is something which will also develop naturally with experience, remember success comes from confidence, confidence comes from experience, experience comes from practice, practice comes from commitment, and commitment comes from vision.
As human beings we all crave compliments and admiration from others but the question is what have we done to deserve it? Applying makeup on yourself and particularly others is a skill requiring specialised training and a true love for the art. It is a skill which can be developed over time to give amazing results. Seeing the joy on your client’s face once you’ve completed your work is truly rewarding.
Be Organised
Time management is crucial in providing a professional service to your clients. Always be punctual, and where possible be fifteen to twenty minutes early. Ensure that you have allowed enough travelling time between bookings, taking into account possible delays with traffic, road works, etc. The bride, model, client and / or photographer will be relying on you for their success that day. Asian / Indian weddings are notorious for being late. Sometimes the delay is from the photographer, sometimes from the caterers, or even the bride or groom. Be that special asian bridal makeup artist that is early and you will have a much more pleasant day.
You must be efficient i.e. organise your makeup kit so that you do not waste time looking for tools and products required for that booking. Wherever possible avoid taking phone calls especially private calls whilst working on a client, they have paid you to devote your full time and attention on them.
Being organised will keep you calm, reduce stress, and provide clarity of vision. You will certainly be more productive in your life, both personal and business. Being organised will mean being able to find what you want quicker, not buy the same thing twice because you can’t find it. You will build a reputation for being competent and effecient.
You will find being organised will help get you further in your career, and gain your respect from clients and friends. A little effort will go a long way in this regard.
Be Patient
Your patience will be tested to the limit as regardless of the type of booking you are attending. Most people you will deal with will be under pressure affecting their behaviour and mood. Therefore it helps to remain calm and have a thick skin as you may be the only person with them prior to the event that they can express their frustration and anger to if things start going wrong.
You must be a good listener. Don’t be afraid to ask your client questions as only then will you get a true picture of your client’s expectations. For example if you have been employed by a fashion designer for a catwalk show or a photoshoot, you need to know what their vision for the final look is. For bridal makeup for Indian, Pakistani etc brides there is so much variety in looks that without asking questions about makeup styles preferred by the bride or inspirational pictures from magazines or the internet it is hard to fulfil the client’s needs. Again be patient, not everyone knows enough about makeup to understand what is possible and what is not, or what would suit them best. Be thorough in explaining the why nots and offering alternatives. Satisfying your client’s requirements should be your priority, this is one job where you should be open to criticism and your ego will need to take a back seat.
Above all be nice whether you are dealing with a celebrity, fashion designer, model or bride, it costs nothing to be pleasant but it will make your job much easier.
Become an Asian Bridal Makeup Artist
Choose one of our makeup courses and start your journey to becoming a great makeup artist. We teach more makeup looks than any other makeup academy. All our courses are accredited by the The Guild, the UK’s professional trade body for Beauty Therapists.