Behind the Glamour: The struggles and Realities of Makeup Artists in the Beauty Industry

At first glance, the world of makeup artistry is the spotlight of creativity, endless opportunities with some glitz and glamour. Social media has shown and highlighted artists transform faces with precision and skill, leading many people to believe that a promising and fulfilling career is waiting for people daring to pick up a brush. However, behind the scenes lie many challenges, systemic issues, instability and many more problems that leave makeup artists struggling with the unmet, false expectations and realities.

The beauty industry often showcases makeup artistry as the ultimate profession. Many upcoming artists are promised and looking at the prospect of working with celebrities, movies and TV shows, with participating in fashion shows, showing their creativity daily. Beauty schools, colleges and online courses promise well-paying jobs, and influencers showcase their achievements, adding to the appeal.

Yet, the end goal within makeup artistry is to succeed, and the path seems straightforward. This industry is very competitive, and many aspiring artists find themselves having more of a freelance role, with inconsistent income and limited job security. Many artists work on a freelance basis; it can be a great way to start within the industry, but it comes with many negatives. For example, many artists start by working the majority for free or low pay to build their credibility and portfolio.

One make-up artist on TikTok, Lauren, came out to say she had to work another job alongside doing makeup as the pay for makeup jobs was not enough to cover the bills. Many artists within social media don't tell viewers and followers the truth about the profession, only showing the highlights and not the lowlights. Social media can play a big part in someone's life, even in choosing a profession. It's important to show the dark side of it, but let's be honest, no one wants to see that; they only want to see the good side.

Megan Quail, a qualified artist, believes that the demand for artists has grown due to the rise of social media. She said: "The growth of social media, streaming platforms and online content creation has made makeup a powerful tool for storytelling"

The demand for makeup artists has undeniably grown over the past decade, with the explosion of social media such as YouTube tutorials and TikTok trends. Make-up is no longer just a finishing touch, it's a storytelling tool, a form of expression for oneself and a means of gaining online attention. Megan elaborated that "Artists play a huge role in film, TV and theatre, whether it's creating a subtle natural look or pulling off elaborate special effects.

"Social media platforms have made these looks trend-driven, with people all over the world replicating what they see"

Make-up artists are now facing ongoing pressure from clients who are being influenced by celebrity culture and social media to deliver looks that are impossible with makeup alone. Megan said: " I was asked to do the 'Kylie Jenner' look on a client, I explained to her that it wouldn't look like how she wanted it, due to Kylie having fillers, using photoshop and filters"

"clients expect to have flawless, smooth make up that celebrities have, but fail to realise that these people have the highest quality cameras, studio lighting, fillers and filters again, creating a false narrative, there is no such thing as perfectly smooth skin, unfortunately social media has blinded people to this matter"

A massive issue within this industry is the expectation for artists to work for free or even for low pay in exchange for experience and exposure. This is unfittingly common within this industry, especially when trying to get your foot in the door. These types of jobs are common within fashion shows, editorial shoots and independent and student film productions. Gaining experience is important, and it is sadly normal that unpaid labour devalues this profession. It also places a financial strain on artists just trying to strive towards their dream career and build their portfolios.

However, despite the rise in makeup artists up and down the country and even worldwide, they claim they are not always seeing the benefits of the glitz and glamour they were promised. Since the pandemic in 2020, the industry has shifted with fewer productions being greenlit and many jobs within beauty that exist offer little to no pay. Megan has had her own experience with this ever since she was qualified.

"A lot of jobs now offer low pay or no pay at all, using excuses like, 'you'll get experience' or 'makeup credit', that might sound nice, but it shouldn't be treated like a perk, it should come with a paid role"

Transport is an issue that is not really talked about as being a key problem within this industry, especially those can't drive. When you are relying on other modes of transportation it can be hard to transport a fully makeup kit to film sets with remote locations. So, should film productions being doing more for these kinds of artists who cannot drive to provide them with adequate transport so they can do their job and get paid.

Megan shared her experience on this. She said: "I have to turn down big pay jobs, it limits me on how many jobs I can do because of the size of my kit"

With upcoming and aspiring, another thing that is not normally shared within the industry and on social media is working conditions when you are starting. It's a challenge, especially when you are just starting. Megan bravely admitted an experience during her training when she was expected to manage a production's entire makeup department with little support and horrible hygiene conditions. She said: "The women in charge left all the notes she had last minute to decide she wanted to change the whole hair and makeup to something new after weeks of no contact, despite my endless tries.

"We were meant to be getting a room with a table, chairs and a light, we had to find out we were working in one bathroom with a shower and a toilet with unfinished business, one toilet between five women with massive kits between them, it just wasn't manageable nor was it humane"

With wanting jobs in this industry to try and break into it, sometimes you have to say no, even risking losing pay or experience. After advocating for a better, cleaner and bigger space, which was denied, they walked out. She said: "After pleading to work in an empty hallway and being told no and to 'stop being drama queens', we decided to leave there and then, as I wasn't willing to work in a deeply unsanitary environment"

The struggle of maintaining a very successful career in makeup artistry can take a toll on artists' mental health. The constant need of clients, keeping up with trends and managing the business aspects of freelancing can lead to burnout. The lack of financial instability and job security can cause further problems leaving many artists feeling underappreciated and overwhelmed. Megan has claimed that "I have thought long and hard whether or not I want to leave this industry, as it's not at all what I was made to believe.

"The hours are incredibly, and it's just not something I'm willing to put in front of my health and well-being"

With the makeup artistry offering pathways for creativity and personal expression, the profession is faced with a lot of challenges that are not covered enough. Financial instability, job security and mental health concerns paint a more difficult picture than the glamorous picture normally portrayed. Highlighting these issues requires a sensitive approach, including fair pay, responsible working conditions and honest training, with mental health support for artists. By confronting these issues and challenges head-on, the beauty industry can move toward a more supportive environment for makeup artists.