I Wanna Be an MUA: Know Your Worth!

*EDIT* I found this post in my drafts and have no clue why I never posted it but there is no time like the present right?  It's still valid and timely as I had to deal with something similar recently...unfortunately 

I feel like I do a post or video of this nature every year...I know for certain I get the question from other MUAs or find myself in a group discussion about it more than that! Today's topic my friends is about setting your rate as a makeup artist but more importantly knowing your worth as one.

Allow me to preface this post by saying that I may ruffle a few feathers and for that I do not apologize one bit. The truth can hurt at times and so it is what it is. That said, lets continue shall we?

This meme was floating around the net last week I believe via Instagram...

I didn't feel the need to post it on my account because though it sparks a much needed conversation, it isn't one I have to ask because I have my rates set and they are really not up for discussion...

This is not a form of me putting on airs, it's more so an expression of growth because you see, I've been that artist. Unsure if my prices were too high, feeling let down if a potential client chose to go with someone charging a lot less just to get the work; researching for hours to get my rate just right...and see that's the key. I did the research.

I know my prices aren't high, I know plenty of artists who charge more and rightfully so. As the meme poses the question above you as an artist have to consider the service you are offering and your client needs to realize if they want what can still be considered a luxury service then they should be prepared to pay accordingly. The client who feels some kind of way about paying that is not a client you want in my opinion.

Now granted there are some instances in which you adjust for friends, family, hell even celebrities because its the right thing to do and/or it's going to look good on your résumé/in your portfolio. However, have the knowledge to recognize when you are being taken advantage of.

I want to share with you an exchange that took place just today between myself and a potential client/social associate:

Potential Client (hereafter referred to as PC): Hey! You available to do my make up tomorrow am around 10 am? Sorry it's last minute. Let me know if ur free and how much. It's for my bridal shower. I just want something light and pretty with simple lashes.

Me: Hey! Yes I just so happen to be off tomorrow. I normally charge ($price and names removed for privacy) but as a gift for your shower and wedding (congrats!!!) name your price and I will honor it. 😊

PC: Yay that ur free! I had no idea make up cost that much! Lol I really do not want to LOOK like I had my make up done. I'm not a real housewife or anything. Lol I just wanna look like I put a little extra effort. So hopefully you won't have to expend much energy. Don't wanna look beat. Just awake and pretty. Lol with that said what so you think is a fair price. I don't even pay ($X amt) for hair so I really wasn't looking to spend that much. Let me know!

Me: I know - a lot of people don't. But in our area that's the median (i know artists that charge more) especially in having someone professionally trained come to you with their kit, chair and possibly lighting and a table(thanks meme for that wording) It is the cost of that, travel/parking, the service itself and the time. For those that go directly to MAC it's ($x amt) At the salon and spa where I work (x location) where our clients are CNN analysts, congressional leaders and high profile lawyers we charge ($x amt) and that is for me to touch up their lipstick and maybe mascara only.

All that said - as an entrepreneur and soon to be mom I hope you understand; definitely not stated with ill intent. I just like to explain it to those who inquire so they are aware going forward.

The "no makeup" look, still requires makeup. I would even out your skin tone and hide any imperfections and make it look like you are not wearing makeup which is a skill that a lot of people have not mastered but is integral. The lashes would be minimal but enough to make you look awake and provide a slight lift to the eye. Polished and pretty, not overdone.

Given all of this I propose ($x amt with a discount). If that is still a bit too much I understand and hopefully we can work together in the future and I would refer another artist to you who may charge a bit less as they are working on building their expertise.

PC: Hey, I totally respect what you do and your rates. I would never question you on why your fees are what they are as I wouldn't expect that in my line of work. With that said, that is more than I planned on spending for the occasion considering I will just wash it off in a few hours. I do appreciate your consideration and wish you luck in all your endeavors!!!

Me: Ok sure, and thank you for considering me. Did you want me to refer someone else?

PC: Ummmm idk...it's not that serious to me. I don't really like strangers. Lol I'll just do what I can so myself. Thanks!!

Me: Lol ok

I share this to show that even if you do try to please people by being flexible on your rates it still may not be enough. So rather than alienating yourself from your peers, for one client and/or being in the people pleasing business, why not please yourself?

Being in this industry requires continued education, networking, marketing, keeping up with trends, keeping a kit stocked, travel fees etc so on and so forth and guess what? At some point, if not all the time, these things cost money.

This industry is over saturated. I was asked to speak on a career panel last weekend and once we were done another panelist approached me to say "I do make up too! It's my side side hustle; doing makeup for people." All I could offer in response was "I see!" *blink blink*. And that's just it, everywhere you go now there will be at least 2 people there for every 10 that says they "do makeup". Now to me there is a difference between a makeup artist and someone who says they "do makeup" but I digress. What I will say is you probably do not want to be identified as someone who does makeup...just saying.

Is wearing makeup deceitful?

I know most of you have seen the before and after images that makeup artists post to show how transformations take place when someone sits in our chair, you may also be an artist who has done the same.  Why is this today's topic of conversation?

Well it seems that a couple of images showcasing the work of fellow artist Alexandra Butler have caused quite a stir in the past few weeks, I know because I have witnessed it and have also been engaged in conversation related to it.  If you do a search of Alex's work either via her Facebook, Instagram or Twitter you will see said images.  I am not going to post them here because she has enough people taking liberty of her images, but I digress...

A number of people have now called in to question not only her responsibility as an artist based on these images but also her clients level of self-truth and, to me, that of those of us who are either makeup artists by trade or just beauty lovers in general who either want to have a polished look or just love to wear makeup period no matter how much or how little.

My Partners in Pretty and I have been discussing this ad nauseum so here is my stance with a few nuggets of wisdom from them as well... Kerris of Pumps and Gloss made an amazing point this morning.  She stated "we don't know the context of the look."  Which is true.

If we go by clients of makeup artists in general they usually have a look in mind when they hire you.  If its for their wedding day, they want to look soft and pretty, or like themselves but better because of the amount of pics being taken.

Kerris also said, "I feel like deceit is such a strong word...so if I wear a bra, is that deceit?  If I wear the right silhouette for my shape is that deceit?"  Not in my mind, or if it is then I am sure enough guilty of it!  If that is the case do we not all deceive each other day in and day out?  I couldn't possibly walk outside with no bra, for that matter, if I went outside with no clothes at all, I am pretty sure I would be arrested...

Here is what puts me on the fence about this makeup vs natural debate, when one performs a makeover of an extreme level, which people are saying this particular case is, it casts a certain light on those who are a makeup artist by trade.

Bra makers and fashion designers don't get a bad rep for making clothes.  However, if I wear makeup every day because it is my job to portray a certain image then its like (pardon the slang about to take place) oh you fakin, you don't look like that fo' real!  Meet you somewhere and wake up to somebody completely different...(end slang interlude).

Nikkia of Silverlips Beauty looks at it this way "She (meaning Alex) did the girl's makeup, she covered all her imperfections for her occasion, that's it.  How is it deceit when that girl probably wanted a transformation?  Ol' girl looked happy and that's all that matters at the end of the day."

She went on to say that "MUAs on these social platforms should not be using other folks work as a way to trash their work.  Its not fair especially since we do not know the demands the client made..for doing what may have been requested..."  Agreed Nikkia.

There are days that ALL of us, men and women, wake up feeling a little less than ourselves.  It could be a bad hair day, it could be that our outfit didnt pan out the way we envisioned or it could be a blemish or breakout.  Women have the luxury of makeup to help shield facial imperfections from the world, therefore giving us a little bit of armor to face the day, why is that wrong?  Why can't I enhance what I have?  Who am I hurting?

"The sig" gets a bit perturbed when guys/girls CLAIM they want someone au naturel.  He thinks it a bit misleading because no one wants their "sig" to walk around looking a mess.  Transforming into a whole different person ok, that's different (and for sake of argument there are indeed folks who do that on a regular basis which gets a bit of side eye from me) but a little base, eye, lip and cheek?  Who cares?!

For me, I use my Instagram to post pics of work I have done, a few before and afters and also pics of myself...both with AND without makeup.  I don't think I look too different, its still me, just enhanced a bit.  Its the same reason I may choose to wear a certain outfit, or why I style my hair a certain way, to me its the same thing and I do not feel deceitful for doing so.

I say all this to say, lets not be so quick to judge.  There is nothing wrong with putting on a show for your birthday or other special event.  There is nothing wrong with admiring makeup from the soft and demure, to the most extreme drag beat down to the creation of monsters and beasts with FX makeup.  Its makeup for goodness sake!  We are not formulating government policy people.  We are simply trying to make someone feel pretty when they view their image, even if its only for a few hours.

Keep on keepin on Alex girl!

How do you feel about wearing makeup?  Do those who wear a bit more deceive those they meet?

Quality over Quantity

This post is in no way shape or form meant to embarrass or put anyone in front street but it def deserves to be said...

Reason for the post - a makeup bag was left in our car over a year ago.  I tried a number of times to return it to its rightful owner to no avail.  In the midst of doing my annual makeup purge I came across the bag again.  The beauty lover in me couldnt resist checking out the goodies inside...

At first I was thinking oh ok cool, mostly MAC products, nothing out of the ordinary there until I took a closer look and discovered that most of the products were merely masquerading as MAC products.  See below...

the bottom palette is the real MAC Hello Kitty palette

open palettes - the real one has only 4 shadows

after swatching the color stained my hand and took some scrubbing to get off

another look

a "mac" lipstick

and another

almost identical...

until you look at the bottom

again, could fool you if you are new to the brand

but always check the labels

and in the age of smart phones it is easy to do a search for swatches or product images of a particular shade - this is NOT 'coppering'  - further more, NO SINGLE SHADOWS CAME OUT WITH THE HELLO KITTY COLLECTION!!!

looks like She Zam...

but again the label confirms that it is not

THIS is She Zam - one of my fav Dazzleglass shades

the bottom of the real She Zam

Again this is NOT to embarass but to EDUCATE!  When I looked up MAC Hello Kitty collection there were so many images for faux MAC it was ridiculous.  Everyone cannot afford MAC, especially with the amount of collections they come out with, hell sometimes I pass up on things too and I am a pro member!  

If you really must have MAC then start with a few staples and build your collection as your pockets allow but in this day and age there are products that are more affordable that are comparable and sometimes even surpass what a name brand can offer.

Those looking to profit from the sale of these counterfeit items are only wanting to make a quick buck, they are definitely NOT concerned about your safety.  Now does it matter how beat down you feel your face is if you no longer have the eyesight to see it yourself because you put non-cosmetic grade, non eye-safe pigments on your eyes?  I think not.

Check out this search link for articles on counterfeit makeup and the dangers associated with purchasing them.  Not trying to scare you...nah eff that, I am; because it is just that serious.  Keep makeup fun, its really not that serious to lose an eye over...literally.

Have you ever mistakenly purchased counterfeit makeup or know someone who has?  Tell me about your experience.

My NYE Look - Pink Glitter and Candy Yum Yum

Yearly Makeup Purge-2012 edition

Each year I go through all of my makeup and hair stuff, both personal and those items for my kit and I purge. Anything I don't use gets snatched up by my mom first, friends and family second and I also give it to other artists who may be building their kits.

This year I got rid of a decent amount of stuff but I realize I didn't over purchase this year also which is good.     The pics below show what is left.

various things including lip products, foundations, eyeshadow, blush, etc so on and so forth

palettes

pigments and glitters (which I usually dont give away fully, but I do sample them out)

I have since organized my pigment and glitter drawers by shade/tone.  This is just my personal collection.  I also purge the professional kit and then re-up on what I need.  Like I am going with new foundations this year so I will be getting rid of my palettes from last year soon.

Do you use the dawn of a new year to get your makeup collection in order?

Christmas Day 2012-berry lips

Diary of an MUA: July 1st photo shoot

I had the pleasure of working a photoshoot yesterday with a wonderful pair of ladies who are starting a new business venture. Four models and the two owners and I did all the makeup. I snapped a few pics of the work, trying to get better at remembering. Enjoy!

Update: forgot a couple of pictures! I added them now :)

Diary of an MUA: Capital Couture: DC Fashion Walk

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to work the Capital Couture: DC Fashion Walk event along with my MUA boo Shida.  We were the only two artists on hand tasked with getting a number of models ready for the event.  Anyone who has worked runway knows that it can be extra fast paced and this event was no exception.  There was certain moments of calm but the end was all go, go and GO!  The look was classic beauty since there were a number of models who wore a few different looks.  I was able to snap a few pics but not all my models.  If I come across any of the runway photos I will be sure to update this post but in the meantime, here you go!

my look for the day, nothing too over the top in keeping with the requested look of the day

Shida in action - I am team #iphone now and the picstitch app gets put to work on the regular!

forgot to get her before pic but Shida caught me in action :)

Diary of an MUA: Prom Season 2012

I have a specific passion when it comes to freelancing however I do a little bit of everything as my schedule permits, including proms.  I tend to only take on one or two prom clients per year and this young lady was it for this season.  Her mom and I met while working together last year and hit it off immediately, so when she put the word out about her baby needing some assistance I was happy to oblige.

What I loved most about my client was her decisiveness...she knew exactly what she wanted-to look her age.  She told me what makeup she normally wears and was adamant about not looking like you could scrape makeup off her face.  So we kept it natural but pretty. 

As a teen she did need some corrective makeup application but not too much.  She was pleased with how it turned out and I was also.  :)

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In Shana's Hair Kit f. Karmin Titanium (Part 1)

I was sent the Karmin Titatanium Professional Hair Straightener Iron to review by www.hairproductspro.com.  Of course I could not use it on myself so thanks Mom for being my human mannequin.  :)  Check the video for my thoughts on the performance of the tool and see the before and after pics of my mom's hair below.

Diary of an MUA: New Segment-In Shana's Kit! f. Beauty Blenders, etc.

Hey hey hey everybody!  I have gotten back into my YouTube flow and I wanted to start a new segment which I am calling 'In Shana's Kit'.  During these videos I will show you the things that I am using in my kit, how I came to find out about the mentioned products and how I use them/why I use them.

The blog posts that accompany the videos wont be too long and drawn since most of the information will be included both in the video itself and in the bottom bar of the video.  So the blog post just serves to provide any product images or additional info I may have omitted during speaking.

Anyway, hope you like the new addition and as always if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer or point you in the right direction!

Check the first video below!

The Makeup Show NYC 2012 Recap in Pictures

Full post coming soon!

The Makeup Show NYC 2012 Blogger Preview

I live for the time of year when TMSNYC rolls around.  Not only for the show itself but for the mini reunion that takes place with my fellow bloggers and mua's!  I had such a great time and the weather was amazing.

A proper recap complete with products is coming but wanted to share this quickie.

February Photo-A-Day Challenge-2/1

Kenya, my beauty blogging buddy from Brown Girlz Rock, shared this challenge with a few of us today. 

Seeing as though I have been pretty lax in the blogging department I figured this would be a good spark to ignite the passion to blog again.

Day 1 - your view today

Mine is all about preparation, tunnel vision if you will.  For what you ask?  Stay tuned!  :)

Diary of an MUA: Player 1, Level Up

We are rolling steady in 2012, kicking our shoes off and getting comfy.  Now I pretty much suck at resolutions so I tend to stay away from them.  I did however fully intend to step out from my comfort zone this year as far as my career in makeup artistry and I am pleased to say that "so far, so good".  If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook then you are already aware of the goings on, but for those who aren't, keep reading and watch the video.  :)

Since recording this video I am happy to report that I have already completed my first gig with my agency!  This past Monday I was working on about 2 hours of sleep but I got it done and the client was pleased with my work, so much so that I was offered more work in the coming months.  So hopefully that pans out because it was a great team to work with.

I have been hustling extra hard this month and it is paying off big time.  I am so very thankful for my fiance aka "the sig", he is my biggest support right now, and none of this would be possible without him.  :)  Leaving my job back in September was one of the best things that could have happened to me, as crazy as that sounds; my health is 100% better and I am living my dream.

I will be continuing to share my experiences and there is a big one/ones to report coming soon so stay tuned for that and as always thank you for visiting my little part of cyberspace.

Diary of an MUA: 'Makeup & Moscato' w/Dell Johnson!

So one of my goals this year is to attend more industry based networking events, "partying with a purpose" if you will.  To set that wheel in motion I had the pleasure of attending “Makeup and Moscato” about two weeks ago.  For those who are unfamiliar with the event it is geared towards industry professionals but also welcomes those who have a love for the industry to come together and get to know each other in a relaxed environment. 

As an added bonus, of course as the name suggests, there are adult beverages involved along with a nice spread of food and yall know I am all about a beverage and a bite!  Even better, our gracious host Dell Johnson of Rondell Johnson Beauty closes out the evening with a makeup demo and answers any questions that attendees may have.  The event was held at Union 206, a studio space in Old Town Virginia that I have had the pleasure of shooting in, and being in a creative space with other creatives added to the welcoming atmosphere. 

Dell’s assistant was also there, Agnes, she made everyone feel welcome and she was so awesome at anticipating Dell’s needs, especially during the demo portion.  She needs to do an assisting 101 course or something, like seriously because a lot of artists have questions about that.

I have known Dell via Twitter and Facebook for about a year now or at least I thought I did…let me explain… one thing I can say about Dell is he is very passionate about his craft.  He takes it very seriously and when he has something to say, he definitely speaks his mind, no holds barred, and for those who have skin that may not be that thick it may rub them the wrong way or his approach can become misconstrued but definitely take the time to get to know him, he’s real, he knows his ish and I respect that.   

When you meet him in person OMG you just want to sit and talk with him for hours.  He is so personable and loveable; his enthusiasm about beauty is infectious in the best way possible and as an added bonus he throws down in the kitchen on some deviled eggs ok?  I blame him for throwing me off my health kick game as I inhaled a half dozen eggs at the event!  LOL

Enough of my rambling – peep the vid to get a taste of ‘Makeup & Moscato’.

So as you can see we were able to ask many questions; contouring the face being the most popular - I mean that IS one of Dell’s many areas of expertise, see some makeup demos, learn and just fellowship with each other. 

If you are in the DC area be sure to attend the next ‘Makeup & Moscato’, you will definitely come away with something whether it be a larger network (Dell is SERIOUS about making you meet people other than who you came with so be prepared!  J) increased knowledge about makeup, tips on how to perfect your artistry or if nothing else a chance to unwind with other like-minded individuals.  

For those who are NOT in the DC area, don’t fret because have transportation, Dell WILL travel!  He also tours with his beauty workshops as well as the networking event.  Visit his site at www.rjohnbeauty.com for his travel schedule and if you don’t see your city listed, reach out to him.  He would be more than happy to add it!

Thank you all for reading/watching and I will see you next time – bye!

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 18

Day 18 – Something you crave a lot

 

Well obviously make up is one thing, more brushes than anything else.  This was my kit from about a year ago.  It has since been even more condensed but you know revamping the kit is a never ending project.

Add to that shoes, seafood, a good glass of wine, oysters on the half shell, peace of mind, a new job...I could go on and on but I wont!  :)