Pros & Cons: Quit Your Day Job to Be a Makeup Artist

For most emerging makeup artists, working a day job to help pay the bills is a fact of life. But what should you do when you want to focus solely on your makeup career?

The right answer lies in your own experience, and depends on your personal situation. If you need a change in your life or you want to challenge yourself, there’s a ton of reasons why starting your makeup artistry career is the right choice!

Take note of the pros and cons of quitting your day job to be a makeup artist. Decide on the path you’re ready to take!

PRO

You get to pursue your passion full-time

This is a major push for many emerging makeup artists. If you’re stuck in a boring job or you just aren’t interested in your current field, you should be looking to pursue a career you’re passionate about. Going to work shouldn’t be a chore – you should love what you do and commit yourself to doing the best you can! Quitting your day job sounds pretty good right about now, doesn’t it?

Having time to pursue your passion can give you a whole new perspective on life. You’ll be much happier and feel fulfilled in your life, rather than dragging yourself to a job you don’t like every day. We work for most of our lives – you can’t settle for being unhappy 80% of the time.

Consider your current feeling towards your day job. If you feel dread or anxiety about having to go to work, it might not be the place for you!

CON

Building your brand can take time

Yes, this can be a burden for any new business. If you’re interested in becoming a freelance makeup artist or running your own salon, it can take months to build up a client base and start turning a profit. For most makeup artists, this can be a daunting task!

We will point out that freelancing is a great way to network with new clients and make connections in the industry. So if your ultimate dream is to open your own makeup studio or salon, try starting as a freelancer. You’ll have a long list of clients to invite to your grand opening!

PRO

More practice = more credibility

We all know how important practice is when it comes to learning professional makeup artistry. Without it, you’re just packing products on your client’s face and hoping for the best! Quitting your full time job to pursue a career in makeup will give you time to practice and learn proper techniques.

Whether you work on friends, family members, or models, having the time to spend practicing on other faces will let you build skills – and they’ll come a lot quicker if you don’t have to spend 8 hours at work each day!

Although having time to practice and perfect your makeup techniques is important, there are ways to keep a full time job and learn at the same time. If you decide you need to keep your day job, enroll in an online makeup class so you can keep with up your practice. This way, you can work at home when you get some free time instead of making an impulsive decision!

CON

Uncertain budget

Jobs exist to give us a chance to earn money and live a comfortable life. Even though you technically won’t be unemployed as your start your makeup jobs, you’ll still face some challenges that you would otherwise forget about…

A stable income is a huge benefit of a day job – you know exactly when and how much you’ll be paid. For an emerging makeup artist, your income can be staggered and unpredictable!

One way around this is to apply for jobs at a makeup counter or in a local salon. This will give you some guaranteed hours and let you learn from experienced makeup artists!

PRO

Flexible scheduling

For the girl with a busy schedule, quitting your day job will free up so much of your time! If you’re in a good place and can afford to lose one income, then quitting your day job to focus on makeup full time can help you get things done.

Freelance makeup artists are in charge of their own schedule…well, for the most part. You can work your appointments around your personal life, and meet up with clients when they’re available. Especially for moms, learning makeup online and freelancing can save you tons of stress.

There’s no fighting the fact that an open availability puts you a step up on the competition!

CON

Random work hours

On the flip side, a full time job gives you a stable work schedule day-by-day. Working as a makeup artist can give you hours in the evenings, weekends, and at random times during the day. If you’re up for the exciting and energetic pace that a makeup career can give you, then all the power to you! Start working as a makeup artist full time and embrace this lifestyle.

If you prefer to have a stable schedule each week, keeping a side job can help you out. Talk to your boss about working half days, or cutting your hours down to a few days each week. They should be supportive of your goals, but if not you can find a fun part time job to work on the side! Say, at a cosmetics store?

Working as a makeup artist requires flexibility in your career. You’re usually working with someone else’s schedule – even celebrity, film, and fashion makeup artists do! It’s part of the job description, and sometimes you just need to get used to it!

Your makeup career will always be thrilling – each day is different and you never know who you’ll meet! Getting the confidence to become a makeup artist full time can be hard, but just keep powering through and you’ll make it out on top.

Are you building the confidence to break into the makeup industry? Find out which makeup career suits you best, and dive in!