If you’ve never hired a professional makeup artist to do your makeup before, you may not know the proper etiquette required during your session. We’ve compiled a list of questions you should NEVER ask your artist. To be honest, we’re not sure why some of these questions are on our list at all, but unfortunately, they seem to be asked often enough for us to include them!
A professional MUA, especially one who has undergone professional training, has probably been coached on handling unprofessional or offensive questions. After all, maintaining professional client relationships is the key to success when you’re self-employed! But, some questions are still hard to respond to regardless of how many times you run through the scenario in your head!
Before you make things awkward at your consultation, heed our warning and let us answer some of your questions! We’ll make sure your artist never knows that you’d ever intended to ask these things…
1. “I know we didn’t discuss this, but can I get a discount?”
Just because Stephanie, the newly minted MUA down the street, is offering her services at cheaper rates, doesn’t mean you can pressure your artist to lower their prices to match! We understand that you want to shop around before deciding on who you’d like to do your makeup, but once you choose, accept your artist’s rates! An artist will charge more for their expertise depending on the products used as well as their credentials and experience.
If you’ve clicked with your artist during your appointments, you may feel comfortable enough to ask for a discount, but they can’t afford to give every darling damsel a special price when they ask!
2. “I think you’re doing it wrong”
Honey, why? This is downright rude! You may know a thing or two about makeup from your extensive time spent in the Beauty section of YouTube, but you hired a professional to do your makeup for a reason! Trust that they know what they’re doing! Even if you had a problem with their application, there are nicer ways to address the issue.
If something bothers you, kindly let them know that you’d like them to try something else. Don’t say something harsh you might regret during or after the appointment! Otherwise, you will end up offending your artist and making everyone feel like they’ve wasted their time.
3. “Can we hurry this up? I’ve got somewhere to be!”
Your artist has quoted you the time needed for the appointment, and this information is probably in print on the contract you signed! It’s your responsibility to schedule your day accordingly. The last thing you want is a rushed job that makes you look like a tired panda. If you want excellent service, you have to devote the necessary time to your makeup artist.
4. “I don’t like most brands of makeup. Can you just use X brand only?”
If nobody has told you this before, we’re going to tell you now: an artist’s kit is as diverse as the faces they work on! You can’t expect them to buy a product to use on you when they probably have a similar one that works just as well but from a brand unfamiliar to you. This simply isn’t realistic or fair to your artist!
A professional makeup artist’s job is to make sure that they personalize the look they create to reflect your skin type/tone, face shape, occasion, and personality! If they suggest a certain primer and mascara—there’s a reason for it!
Why not branch out and try products you’ve never heard about or have never had the chance to try? If any issues arise from the use of these products during the trial, they can always be remedied later. Nothing is set in stone, so why not give that Stunna Lip Paint a whirl?
5. “Can we skip the consultation?”
You would think that people would want to do a test-run before their events, but this is a question makeup artists often hear from clients! If you were looking to save by skipping the trial, you’re not doing yourself any favors!
Your artist will do their best to listen to your input since it is your face after all, but you may not truly know which colors and techniques best flatter you! During the test run, the artist will try their best to create a look that combines what you want with what they think is best. And if something were to go awry? Like a freak rash from a moisturizer they used? Well, they will be able to test and retest other products until you find something that you’re happy with and will make you look stunning on the big day!
6. “I’m running late. Can we push the appointment to later today?”
This is terribly inconsiderate of your artist’s time! While it would certainly accommodate you, the purchaser of their services, it completely disregards their schedule! They definitely have other commitments, and likely other appointments scheduled.
Trying to reschedule your appointment just hours before your appointment is not only rude, but it can inconvenience the artist! They have to pack their kits according to the looks they are booked for. Not only are you wasting their time, but if you don’t show up and they can’t fit you in at a later time, you have effectively cancelled your appointment—meaning the artist won’t be compensated for their work or time!
If you encounter an artist with a clause in their contract asking for a deposit before the final application, they may have been stung before. Sometimes you can’t help it if you’re late, but do your best and understand the implications for your artist!
If you’re a makeup artist, what other questions have you heard that should be on this list? Tell us all about it in a comment!
All so true! Wonderful article.