I did a makeup consult the other night and let me tell you – I had fun! I love working with new people and getting to pass on what I’ve learned about the makeup industry. And when you look at this industry, there really are so many possibilities, especially with various events.

First I’d like to say that I’m completely self-taught. It is through reading and doing that I actually was able to get a grasp on what I love to do. Makeup artists don’t necessarily need any formal training, but sometimes it’s a really good way to get more information and some sort of backing. I’m just getting started myself, and although I may pursue some sort of esthetician program eventually, I’m really working on getting my name out there through word of mouth – it’s very powerful!

In any case, here are a few events where a makeup artist is certainly necessary:

Weddings
Even the girl who never wears an ounce of makeup wants to look her best on her wedding day. And it is that girl that would especially get her makeup done. Even I would get my makeup done because it’s a way to pamper myself, not stress, and look my best. Most makeup artists do a trial run beforehand so they’ll be sure they will like the makeup job on the big day. In fact, some wedding parties also get their makeup done. Really there are many opportunities to be had within the wedding industry.

Proms
Prom season is upon us! Well, almost. It is April, after all. So lots of excited teen girls want to get their makeup done – and their parents are prepared to pay for this service. This might be a good opportunity to get some extra pocket money.

Birthdays
For milestone birthdays especially, everyone wants to look their best. And getting their hair and makeup done will help make them feel beautiful. Whether they are just going out on the town or they are going to an actual party, there are those that would delight in having their makeup done by a professional.

These are just some of the occasions that keep a makeup artist employed. If you’re passionate about this then get going on expanding your career possibilities. And if you want to get more involved with techniques and patterns and color theory, then explore the benefits of a makeup career.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• The middle 50 percent nationally earns $35,250 annually.
• In the decade from 2006-2016, it is estimated that the makeup field will increase by 40 percent. However, it is currently small in size so this will really only add a few hundred workers (hey, an increase is an increase, right?).

-Amanda Fornecker

Elke Von Freudenberg is a makeup artist with over 20 years of experience. From working with celebrities to creating her own lines and designing products, Elke has many different interests within the beauty industry. She also has her own blog and website. Read on for a Q&A with this celebrity makeup artist. Will you follow in her successful footsteps?

What is a day in the life of Elke like?
It’s different every day. If I have nothing scheduled, then I’m pretty much on the computer all day until about 10p.m. Otherwise…

6a.m.: I wake up, work out, then hit the computer and have breakfast while I go through emails, read my RSS feeds and update all my blogs.

11a.m.: I’m out to meetings, at the salon, going to events, interviewing assistants, doing photo shoots, going over new products for the new eyebrow line, overseeing distribution, planning promotions and sales for the line, or designing new products for the collection.

What’s your educational background?
I have an Associate of Arts degree in fashion merchandising, and an Esthetician’s License in both NY and CA. Other than that, I haven’t had any official makeup or beauty training. I learned as I went…

How did you get your start?
I actually went to modeling school in high school, thinking I could be a model (yeah right!) and I actually ended up doing the makeup on the models every weekend for their photo shoots. I loved it and several photographers told me I should look into makeup as a career. So I went to beauty school at night and on the weekends in my senior year of high school, and got my license the same month I graduated. I then started doing photo shoots in college and worked on putting together my portfolio.

Who was your favorite celebrity client and why?
I have two, just because they are so sweet and I drop anything I’m doing to work with them when they call me:

ALEXANDRA PAUL, who I met on a photo shoot for Clinique years ago (she was on Baywatch) and FIONNULA FLANAGAN who I met doing PR for her movie, The Ya Ya Sisterhood. She is now the mom on Brotherhood and also was on Lost. They are both so sweet and nice and I truly enjoy their company as well as working with them.

Also JAMES FRANCO from Spiderman was really nice too…

What is your favorite kind of work – editorial, advertising, runway, etc? And why?
My favorite kind is beauty and fashion editorials. The work is so much fun. Designing a specific look to go with the trends or the fashion collections is great. I love the detailed process of photography makeup the most (everything needs to be incredibly perfect application-wise for photography, but I love that part!)

Tell us one of your beauty secrets.
Get great lashes by applying one coat each of two different mascaras. You’ll get the look you’re trying to get that way!

What’s the best part of your job?
I would say the actual creative part of the makeup process: watching a face transform before your eyes… and then seeing the final results in a magazine.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The worst part is the not knowing what will happen next week or next month. This industry changes so quickly and you never know where your next job is. But I’ve been doing it for so long, I’m used to it.

What’s your advice to aspiring makeup artists?
Get your technique down. Be flawless. Be perfect. Everyone will thank you for it. Don’t rely on Photoshop to fix your mistakes because it may not always be there. Be nice, be on time, be available, be professional. You would think everyone is like that but they’re not. Be the one that is and you’ll work like crazy. Everybody will work with a non-professional once, but never again. Be professional, and they’ll work with you every time.

Anything else?
Enjoy it! Have fun with it. You never know what can lead to what. A job, a connection… this industry is based on who you know, not how good you are. You’ll be amazed at how far you can go. Be the one everyone wants to know.

Makeup has never done much for me, but I think that’s because I’m not doing it right. Makeup should enhance and conceal, highlight and reveal. But makeup on its own is relatively powerless. In the hands of an amateur like me, makeup can’t realize its full potential (but it can definitely do a lot of damage!). In the hands of a professional makeup artist, however, makeup can be transformative.

I am continually amazed when I see before and after shots of people on the pages of a magazine. I’m amazed at the way makeup artists can present attractive but flawed people as picture-perfect. It’s their job, of course, but it’s incredible nonetheless.

Makeup artistry isn’t just about making people pretty, though. A professional makeup artist has to interpret the makeup requirements of clients and produce a creative and technically accurate visual representation. That means using their artistry to make people appear tan, sallow, old, young, fat, skinny, or anything in between.

Plus, makeup artists have a great opportunity to blend their passion for beauty with their love for entertainment and events to work on photography, film, TV, and runway makeup.

Most makeup artistry is focused on making people look as attractive or believable as possible, but photography, TV, and runway makeup is also highly stylized. Television makeup artists in particular must contend with the challenges of high-definition TV, whose sharp resolution requires a new level of coverage to minimize flaws. After all, are we really ready to see all the wrinkles and pock marks on our favorite stars’ faces?

And who knew that makeup artistry could be such an in-demand career? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of makeup artists is projected to increase a whopping 40 percent from 2006 to 2016. That’s way faster than the average occupational increase, which is about 10 percent.

Of course, those who participate in formal training leading to a certificate or diploma in makeup artistry or a degree in cosmetology are ahead of the employment game. Professional makeup artist programs offer theoretical and practical makeup courses pertaining to different styles of makeup, history, and tools and their care. Makeup artist training can provide a practical understanding of lighting, the photographic process, colors, continuity, and the impact of makeup processes on the skin.

So it stands to reason that the more you learn, the better prepared you’ll be to make a name for yourself in the beauty and entertainment biz. Maybe you can even make a difference on a makeup-challenged person like me!

-Robyn Tellefsen