Business At A Glance
Startup Costs: Under $2,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Online Operation? No
Business Overview
If you’ve got a way with makeup–you know how to create magic withpowders, lipsticks and shadows and you like transforming Cinderellasinto princesses–then this could be the business for you. As a makeupartist, you’ll help clients look their best for weddings or otherspecial events, give beauty makeovers to people who want to updatetheir everyday images, or you might specialize in helping peopledisfigured by accident or illness look and feel good again.
If you livein an area with a viable film industry, you can also become a makeupartist to the stars (or star-hopefuls) by working on TV or movieprojects. The advantages to this business are that you can startpart-time and on a shoestring, and you get the rewards of helpingpeople feel good about themselves. As a makeup artist, you’ll need theskills and talent to turn a plain Prudence into a dazzling Diana aswell as the teaching skills to send your clients home with tips on howto achieve everyday glamour results for themselves.
The Market
Your clients can be just about anybody who wants to look good, althoughthey’ll likely be female. You can target brides by establishingrelationships (be sure to leave brochures and business cards) withwedding-oriented businesses like bridal consultants, bridal shops andcaterers. Work up referral networks with event and party planners, too,along with public relations agents.
Nab clients who want a beautymakeover by placing ads in local Yellow Pages and newspapers andleaving brochures at hair salons, trendy boutiques and dress shops.Give workshops for women’s groups or experiment with home parties à laMary Kay–but keep in mind that if you sell your beauty products,you’ll need a resale license. If you plan to work with disfiguredclients, introduce yourself and leave brochures with plastic surgeonsand oncologists.
Needed Equipment
In some states, you need a cosmetology license to work on clients’skin, so be sure to check with your state board of cosmetology. Otherthan that, all you need is makeup, brushes and sponges, and your owninnate talents.