The Rise of the Amateur Make-Up Artist

by Ulster Life • November 4, 2015 • Beauty, Business, Fashion • Comments (0) • 1929

Two Fifths of Make-Up Artists Have ‘No Training’

New research has uncovered how many make-up artists operating in the UK have no training whatsoever in the field, revealing that a third of these also charge the same price as their competitors who have undertaken training and earned qualifications in the field.

Recent research, undertaken anonymously, has revealed the extent to which make up artists in the UK are operating in an entirely unqualified way; as two in five confess they have undergone ‘no training’ in their subject at all.

The research was commissioned by www.babtac.com (The British Association of Beauty Therapists and Cosmetologists), the premier UK association for beauty, hair, holistic and sports therapies. A total of 512 make-up artists took part in the recent survey, all of whom were at least 18 years old and had provided make-up services for a minimum of 18 months.

Initially, all respondents were asked if they had undertaken any training in make-up, to which 42% stated that they had not. A further 9% were ‘not sure’ if they had undertaken any make-up training, while the remaining 49% stated that they had.

All those who were practicing unqualified were then asked if they had any type of insurance, to which 68% stated that they did not. When asked if they advised their clients that they were untrained, only 21% stated that they did. A further 14% stated that it ‘just doesn’t come up’, while the majority (65%) agreed that they consciously do not tell their clients that they are not officially trained.

When asked why they first began offering make-up services and asked to identify all reasons which had influenced their decision, the following top five reasons were revealed:

I wanted to make some extra cash – 74%
I felt I was naturally good at make-up – 69%
It was a fun hobby – 65%
It was something I was able to do without qualifications – 53%
I was inspired by friends/family in the beauty industry – 41%

In order to understand this phenomenon further, the same group of respondents were then asked whether they price their services lower than their trained rivals, to which a third stated that their prices are ‘in line with or higher than’ their competition. Furthermore, 29% stated that offering make-up services for which they are not trained is now their full time job.

Two thirds (67%) of those working as untrained make-up artists stated that they do not plan to have any training in the future, with the majority of these (85%) stating that they do not believe it would benefit their business in any way.

Jason Phillips, Chairman of BABTAC, made the following comments regarding the results of the study:

“This is a really tough one; technically, make-up artists do not legally have to have training, so there’s no law-breaking going on here. If it makes the client a saving and the artist is naturally gifted or very well self-taught, then I think very few people would really mind. Having said that, proper training will teach these artists how to handle their business, as well as their brush strokes! Make-up artistry is not the simple process which many believe it to be; there are all kinds of nuances and intricacies which are well worth learning, particularly if this is a full time career or even your own business prospect.”

He continued:

“Even if you are working untrained in the field and your business is blossoming, you could branch further still with a little guidance. Perhaps you could learn to turn your hand to stage or photography make-up, both of which require different techniques which are less easy to pick up from YouTube tutorials! The most important thing from our perspective is that you are transparent with your clients and they know exactly what they are getting, as well as making sure you are protected with a good insurance provider. Otherwise, this could well become a recipe for a very expensive disaster.”