The weather is finally becoming nice! That means weddings, parties, proms, you name it are right around the corner. If you're one of these people you're probably on the hunt for an MUA right now. Some of you may have booked appointments at MAC way in advance for your special event. Nothing wrong with that! But here are some tips just incase you haven't found someone yet.
1) Look at their social media
Most MUAs nowadays, post their work online so that potential customers can see it. However pay very close attention to their work. Is the work messy? Is it neat? Do they work with natural colors best or bright colors best? Have they had many clients or are they just starting out? Just some things to think about!
2) Look at their clientele
SO IMPORTANT! While on their social media, pay close attention to the clients they are working with. Do they work with primarily caucasian skin tones or medium to deeper ones? Or do they work with a wide variety?
If they aren't on social media look at their location. Why location? Well, that determines clientele. If your MUA is located in the suburbs, then theres a chance that they might not be exposed to more diverse skin tones. This isn't their fault. The blame is due in part to a lack of education unfortunately. And by that, I mean that if you aren't used to working with a diverse shade range, then you most likely aren't going to nail it on your first try. This was my experience when I got my makeup done for my Sweet 16. The woman doing my makeup was not used to working with a skin shade like mine and it showed. She made my face much darker than it actually was, and in doing so, enhanced the hyperpigmentation on my skin from acne scars and any acne I had on already. I ended up re-doing my base myself when I came home. It costed me $50.
3) When in doubt go for MAC or Sephora
I know sometimes we feel like going to a "professional makeup artist" is much better than going to MAC or Sephora. But the truth is, you get a better value when you do reserve appointments at these places. At both companies, you spend $50 worth on products, and then using the products that you purchased, they apply the makeup for you. While in contrast, There are other pros as well. Working at MAC and Sephora exposes the artists to much more diverse clientele, thereby allowing them to get experience and much more feedback on their work. On a side note, if you are an MUA these are great opportunities for you to gain experience if you're on the hunt for a job.
4) There isn't anything wrong with just doing it yourself
I did my own Prom makeup and I loved the way it came out. To be honest, I didn't really know what I was doing at the time. I just Youtubed "Kim Kardashian smokey eye"(cause that was still in at the time) and I followed some Youtuber's tutorial. It looked so much better than when I got it professionally done. I was able to go in and cover up whatever I needed to with my own concealer, and own foundation, and I just felt so great when it was done. My point is you're in more control when you do it yourself and this doesn't make your makeup any less than beautiful than if you were to go to a professional. Just practice before your special event and you'll be fine.
I do my own special event makeup now because I frankly am never happy when I get it done professionally. I also do my mom's, and grandma's from time to time and they love it (trust, they'd tell me if they didn't). This option might be more expensive depending on what products you buy. I purchased a lot of high-end products because they really worked well for me and I knew that beforehand. So, if you are going to opt for the DIY option, don't try out new products stick to what you know.
