Commercial/Celebrity Hair and Make-Up Artist

For this task, I have been asked to research in to options for progression after university. The term ‘Commercial’ is used to describe a Make-Up artist with a wide skill set. Although an artist may have chosen to specialize in a specific subject, they can still fall under the category if they are choosing to work on a wide range of projects – allowing them to use their full broad skill set. These artists may be found working in Film, TV, freelance, or even in a salon, however I have chosen to focus on the roles and responsibilities of a celebrity MUA.

A celebrity Make-Up artist is the perfect example for this role, as when working for celebrities, a Hair and Make-up Artist must have a broad set of skills, allowing them to achieve a flawless finish on any brief. Think about it, celebrities use make-up for all occasions; their everyday glam, red carpet glam, editorial work, brand advertisements, social media work, and even holidays like Halloween!

More often than not, Celebrities will hire one MUA consistently, and sometimes these artists will be required to live with or relatively close to their clients, guaranteeing their presence when needed as the client does not want to use anyone else. This is because for those in the public eye consistency is key, as trolls and tabloids will pick at any tiny fault or difference they can find. These Hair and Make-Up artists will usually carry a spare kit everywhere they go (or keep one in the car), to ensure they are always kitted out in case of an emergency – as you are essentially on a 24/7 call out. Usually, you will be required to work seven days a week, with a minimum of 40 hours work in total (however as just stated you are essentially on call 24/7).

Although this may sound easier than working in the Film or Fashion industries, these artists are required to work with demanding schedules. Just like in the film industry you may be required to travel for days, weeks or even months at a time if your client is on tour. Alternatively, like in Fashion, a Celebrity may have multiple events scheduled in one day, requiring multiple makeup changes.

However, as you are essentially with your client all the time, these artists usually form close friendships with their clients meaning the work may become much more relaxed.

Pay hugely varies depending on the status of your client, however an average starting salary in this business is around £34,000 per year. Working in a this role means you are responsible for creating new, unique and trendy looks for your client – therefore a social media presence is necessary. An additional skill of working with technology and social media marketing is a good thing to have when working this role, as a strong focus on social media marketing and monitoring trends is required.