How Some Online Makeup Academies Can Hurt Your Makeup Career

For an extra entry, download our ebook to join our mailing list!

If you want to have a successful career in makeup, your first priority should be acquiring proper training, and thankfully there are many traditional and online schools available. It’s just not possible to start a career as a makeup artist without the right tools and knowledge under your belt, and an online makeup course is a wonderful option for busy professionals. However, just because an online makeup academy seems legitimate and claims to educate aspiring makeup artists doesn’t mean it can’t be a damaging experience. We’re sorry to be so blunt! Don’t fret — read on to find out how some online makeup academies can actually hurt your makeup career instead of propelling you to success in the field, and learn what to avoid as you shop around..

You get no support

Let’s face it – even the best makeup artists need to start somewhere! As you begin your online makeup course, you’re inevitably going to have questions. Maybe you’re stuck on an assignment and want to find out if you’re on the right track. Or perhaps, you need clarification on a certain detail of your course guide. Whatever it is, your online makeup school needs to have a system that will provide you with answers – and quickly. Without a strong student support team, students are set up to fail. By a “strong” support team, we mean one that is available 7 days a week, at most hours of the day, and reachable by phone, email, or a live chat system. If you’re unable to ask questions and make sure you’re on the right track, how can you possibly expect to learn, grow, and eventually be successful in your career? The support from your makeup school will go hand-in-hand with guidance from your tutor. But as a student, you should also always have access to a support team as you complete your assignments and work through your course guides. Support teams also need to have prompt response times, showing they care about your experience and success. This way, you’ll feel confident about the assignments you’re completing, what you’re learning, and you’ll be even more motivated to succeed.

There are no credentials or reviews to be found

These days, it’s difficult to keep a high-quality product (or school) a secret. With social media, websites, and old fashioned word-of-mouth, you’re bound to find a list of the top online makeup schools via Google. Good news travels quickly, and graduates will be quick to share their fabulous experiences on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and as testimonials on the school’s website. Keeping this in mind, beware of schools with less-than-stellar reviews (or a small amount of reviews), as well as those without any accreditation. Full disclosure – the institution you choose to enroll at should have a high rating with the Better Business Bureau, which demonstrates consumer satisfaction and demonstrates that they have an honest and fair reputation amongst students. After all, you’re spending your hard-earned money on tuition, and your career as a makeup artist is at stake. You want your experience to be as amazing and educational as possible! Without a good reputation or accreditation, an online makeup school cannot offer much to students and graduates. And you can bet that upon receiving your makeup artist certification, employers and clients will be curious about the school you attended. Aim for the best when choosing an online makeup school – you want to look back and be proud of where you received your training, and you want others to recognize your accomplishment as well!

No discounts, course materials or career resources

This is really the trifecta of features that a good online makeup academy will offer its students. High-quality online schools know how tricky it can be for newbies to stock their makeup kits, and will offer their students well-discounted products to help them out. After all, you should be able to succeed without breaking the bank! Along the same vein, you should receive a physical package of course materials from your online makeup academy, containing items such as course texts, assignments, and a starter makeup kit. They’ll want you to have all the tools you need upon beginning your course. Finally, why else would you be pursuing a career as a makeup artist besides hoping to land your dream job? Career resources such as help with resume-writing, the ability to network with other students and professionals, and access to job boards are invaluable tools for aspiring makeup artists. Keep your standards high when researching online makeup academies, and don’t settle for schools that don’t offer this trifecta of features (or at least some semblance of this). A highly-regarded makeup school will offer you discounts on professional products and provide you with all the tools and resources you need to achieve success in the industry. Don’t be fooled by academic institutions that don’t have anything to offer their students. You’ll likely end up shelling out a large amount of money on products, need to buy your own course materials, and end up totally alone when it comes to landing your dream job. I mean, aren’t you worth the best?

A lack of business training

The majority of newly certified makeup artists start their careers working freelance. This is a great way to start, as you’ll work on a variety of faces and grow your clientele base. Eventually, though, you’ll likely want to be your own boss. Owning your own business is not only extremely attractive, it’s seriously lucrative! The thing is, you’ll need business training in order to make this dream a reality, and the online makeup academy you choose needs to offer it as part of their curriculum. Certain makeup courses have units specifically focused on starting a business, teaching you how to name and register your business, set up your office, do your taxes, write a business plan, and more. Believe us – you’ll want to start your career as a makeup artist armed with this business savvy. This is why we recommend steering clear of makeup schools that don’t offer business training. You should definitely be learning a thing or two about how to successfully start and manage a business, even if you don’t intend to be your own boss in the future. Not having some business training under your belt can hurt your career as a makeup artist, so be sure to make the right choice when selecting a course.

Is QC Makeup Academy right for you? Find out how it strives to be the best, and get inspired!