10 Things I Learned About Life While Doing Makeup

By Sheila Arkee

Being a makeup artist was a big part of my life for a long time and it was truly a dream come true. These days I serve beauty in a different way and my pro kit is in retirement for now, but I will always hold the memory of the time dear.

When you are up close and personal with people on the regular, you learn some things about Life, and the experiences of doing freelance makeup and retail makeup was a fantastic education for a formerly sheltered child like me.

Here are some tokens of wisdom I’ve picked up along the way of being a cosmetics-obsessed makeup artist –

I can’t believe my hair was that long, once.

1. PhotoShop. It happens. Do not worry about those picture perfect models in magazines. That is called fake reality. Please don’t knock yourself over not having perfectly creamy skin, because more than likely, neither does the model.

2.  It’s not worth worrying about finding the perfect red lipstick. Its lipstick. I can tell you the most ridiculous stories about the most ridiculous people spending hours deciding, and the sad thing is that at one point I was one of those ridiculous people, too. It’s not worth stressing over. Really.

3. Don’t let the makeup wear you. Just say no .

4. Everyone needs to wear sunscreen.

5. Having to worry about sales numbers sucks. Royally. When I worked behind a counter I was in stress all the time. Many of the people you see are stressed. It’s not just about your revenue, its about AUS and IPT and all kinds of sales terms. It’s hostile, competitive, and the negativity spreads like unnecessary wildfire.

However one thing I took away from this experience is to avoid clerking, or making quick sales . It’s not about quick sales, its about developing a long term relationship.

6. It’s makeup. Not brain surgery. You can remove it.

7. The best marketing is word of mouth. No one ever fed a closed mouth.

8. Thank you notes are massively underrated. Have you been hired for a makeup gig? Send a handwritten thank you to the person who hired you as soon as its over. Your work does speak for itself, but its the personal care that will make you stand out.

9. The only rule of makeup club? People won’t remember what you did, they’ll remember how you made them feel.

10. It’s not the equipment, its the artist. You don’t have to have the latest and greatest of every hot product. Yes, there are some cases when high-end products perform better, but by and large the gap between high and low-end cosmetics is rapidly shrinking. It’s all about how you use said products.

And a bonus tip, from my heart to yours – nothing is impossible. Trust.