What you should know before hiring a Makeup Artist

Happy new year!! May 2011 top 2010 for everyone!!! I can't believe I'm blogging again today since I blogged yesterday! This is one of my goals...to blog more but...I'm realistic, I can only try my best! ^o^

This post is inspired by a recent conversation I had with my sister-in-law during her visit over Thanksgiving, and also my partner's fraternity brothers who were visiting town recently.  The core of what led me to write this post is unsanitary practices I've witnessed in the past - and also, I become really surprised when models (who get makeup done all the time for their jobs) would compliment me for being super sanitary and when I pull out my disposable mascara wands, they say to me: "Oh it's so good you are careful (with mascara) and use disposables!"  My reaction on my face is: "You mean...you've worked with OTHER ARTISTS WHO DON'T USE DISPOSABLES WITH MASCARA!??!?!" But most people don't get their makeup done everyday (unless you are a reality tv star! ;P)  and so I'm wondering if clients who are searching for their makeup artists, or go to a trial session know how check these things.  I've had my makeup done for my brother-in-law & sister-in-law's wedding (it was nice to receive makeup application for once!!!) but I was freaking out the whole time...I can't help but wonder how these artists get away with those things.....freaks me out.........so how do you separate a good professional makeup artist, and....not?  These are 100% my personal opinions and sentiments~ although they are shared by many artists out there!!! 

Before I get started, I highly recommend the following blog posts by makeup artist Jessica Jean Mayers:

Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Makeup Artist & Weddings - Makeup Artists rule to live by !  When I saw these posts I can't help but go: "Omg~ so true~ exactly how I feel~" ^^|| So I'm going to follow Jessica's footsteps and add a couple things in my own blog just in case you don't know these things already! 

What you should know (or find out!) before hiring a Makeup Artist (abbreviated as 'MUA') / Indicators of professionalism

1. Does the artist practice proper sanitation? 

...Basic, but can be overlooked.  I've seen scary stuff in person, and especially on youtube...*shiver...* gives me the CREEPS.

Good sanitation practices to look for:

• Does the artist use clean brushes and sanitize the brushes in between clients? 
• Does the artist wash hands or use hand sanitizer before touching your face?  Does the artist wash/sanitize hands in between clients?
• Does the artist use palette knifes or disposable spatulas to remove cream/liquid products from a jar onto a clean surface (clean hands or clean palette) and using a clean brush or clean fingers to apply it on your face? 
• Does the artist clean the implements in between dipping into products (aka: not double dipping and preventing cross-contamination?) Does the artist use disposable mascara wands? 
• Does the artist disinfect tweezers and scissors with proper disinfection solutions?  
• Does the artist bring clean implements (tweezers, lash curler) and disposables in a clean or separate container, free from exposure to moisture and bacteria?
• Does the artist place soiled items in a designated bag (for reusable items) and throw disposables/trash away?

Bad, unsanitary practices to look out for:

• Does the artist use products straight from the tub of product and on to your face? or straight out of a mascara tube?
• Does the artist apply lash glue straight from the tube? 
• Does the artist uses a lip brush straight from the tube and then double dip on to the lipstick to apply more lipstick on your lips? 
• Does the artist BLOW on the lash glue or the eyeshadow brush OR the blush brush!?!??! Do you like spit on your face?  or near your eyes on the false lashes?!?
• Does the artist have a habit of touching his/her face and hair before touching your face?

Unfortunately you can only find out these things from either former clients, or meeting them for a trial session.  If they don't practice good sanitation habits on you, they probably didn't on their other clients..and round and round the germs goes...!  I can't stress how important it is...I'm probably considered very strict on even the little-st things, but I know artists who are as strict as I am - and I can tell you that if the artist doesn't practice sanitation practices, you can get:

• Pink-eye (conjunctivitis) or Staph (MSRA) infections in the eye area
• Herpes Simplex (cold sore) - can be spread from mouth, to the nose area or even eyes 
• Exposure to blood-borne pathogens: HIV virus, Hepatitis, etc.
• Actually - there are many more communicable diseases you can catch...Tetanus/Diptheria, food poisoning, tuberculosis, strep throat, blood poisoning, pneomonia, typhoid fever 

What!? HIV? from makeup application? lol Yes chances are lower than say a bacterial infection - but sometimes when you tweeze brows or if their skin have open sores/abscess where blood comes out (including acneic pustules or just injuries where there might be blood), and let's say they use a dirty/contaminated brush or implement, and then apply it onto YOUR face and you just happen to have open skin (think cuts, sores, or open skin from acne) then bam! You are exposed to blood-borne pathogens..Do I look like I'm joking around here?  In Asia it's common to use a blade to groom brows - but if you are not careful, you can easily CUT - no matter how small the cut is - and if you don't dip that implement into approved disinfection solution for 10 minutes (immersed), and then cleansed before using it on the next client, you are exposing all of your clients to potential blood borne pathogens.

How do you know the MUA is doing all of this behind the scenes or even in front of me? 

YOU as the consumer and the client are RESPONSIBLE for preventing unsanitary practices from happening to you.  If during the trial session, the makeup artist comes at you with the mascara straight out of the tube, it is YOUR right to DEMAND a fresh tube of mascara and using disposables and PROTECT YOURSELF from getting pink-eye or staph infections! If at ANY TIME you are uncertain, it is your RIGHT to stop the artist from using contaminated materials on your face.

Of course, hiring a 'true professional' and not a hobbyist will make a difference, but how can you REALLY tell before meeting them?  You still have to be vigilant and protect yourself!!!  I went to a reputable spa one time to check it out as a potential work place (No I don't want to work there after my experience...) but at the end of the service, the esthetician FORGOT to put sunscreen on my face, and when I asked the front desk to ask for me, she confirmed this and then told me I can use the 'mineral makeup with SPF' with the kabuki brush on the counter - first of all, the brush is obviously exposed to germs and not covered, and second of all, IT WAS DIRTY. I demanded a brush cleaner and thankfully the receptionist brought it over quickly - this is my right - I ain't gonna expose myself to unnecessary germs and definitely not going to expose myself to UV rays after a facial!!!! I haven't really gone to another spa since~ but I'm sure other spas are not like this! Unacceptable in my books.  I had this conversation with my friend who is a dentist - and we were both like "EWEEEE!!!!!! THAT'S DANGEROUS & GROSS" lol...but really, you don't have to be in the medical profession to spot bad sanitation practices and appreciate good sanitary makeup artists!!! 

Please click to read the rest of this blog~ and see #2-4 and my conclusion to this post! :)

2. Does the artist charge too little, compared to other artist in the area? 

As Jessica puts it - the rate should reflect the quality of the service ~ but it's comparable to YOUR area only.  Jessica puts it beautifully - she compares with other artists in Toronto area- and not makeup artists in Kentucky, or Maine, Missouri, New York, or Florida!  The "art" world (yes including makeup artistry!) is a free-for-all environment so you can charge WHATEVER YOU WANT - and whether or not it's fair or a good rate, or enough to make a living, that's really up to the 'market.'  I often see threads on weddingbee (I go there sometimes! To see what brides are concerned about!) asking: "Is this too much to pay for a makeup artist and hair stylist?" And let me tell you - unless the person responding to you lives in YOUR city or in your area, that information is absolutely useless to you.  In my opinion, artists should not only look at the other artists in the area they serve, but also match up portfolio-level.  If my portfolio looks about the same as another artist in my area, then chances are we charge about the same!  If you read Jessica's blog you might get some insight about the kind of things and labor the rate also include - like why there's travel fees, etc.  If you see someone charge very little per face or very little for the bride, especially if the makeup artist next door charges 3 times as much - that should be a BIG RED FLAG.  They might not have a proper kit (the tools of our trade), or are assistant-level... Recently I heard a sad story from a model I worked with...she said that she went to a gig, and the artist did not even have foundation for her and slapped some random stuff on her face from her inadequate kit - and the model shared: "I have never felt so ugly in my life..." That's serious stuff....and unfortunately it happens...in a free-for-all environment, anyone can claim to be a makeup artist!  Oh yeah - also, be wary of people with AMAZING looking portfolios and extremely low rates...unfortunately some people steal other people's work. ..and again, it is up to you the smart consumer to carefully scrutinize these things.

3. Does the artist let you bargain? If so, how much?

This relates to #2 ~ I really sat down and did the math when I started setting my rates. And when I relocated from LA to Silicone Valley, I had to do the math over.  In any case - I was taught by a wedding coordinator/vendor in LA that bargaining is very common, so be prepared for it.  Learning from this vendor, I do 'discounts' very similarly; for example: if you booked more than one service (a series of makeup application, or makeup/hair and photography), then a small discount is appropriate! But if you ever notice that the artist lets you bargain more than 10% or more...I'd personally be suspicious because perhaps fall into these categories:

a) they didn't do their math; they do not know their bottom line...this is a business, this is our profession...

b) they are bad at setting their rates in the first place...an indicator that they don't know the industry very well...they don't know what their labor is actually worth, and thus, it tells me they don't know what they are actually giving away! 

I am quoting Jessica's blog here: "have a little respect for yourself and your profession!" I would never want to insult someone's profession by asking for a discount, but that's just me....and if you think about it, when you go to your dentist, do you ask for a discount on your service?  Here's a great story...my real estate agent and friend told me that one of her clients wanted to take HER commission.  He told her that another agent promised him 50% of their commission - and my real estate agent responded oh so smartly: "At the end of the month when you get a paycheck, do you share 50% of that with your boss or coworker?"  He says: "Um...no?"  Then why do you think it's OK to take someone's paycheck!? 

I decided to just price very fairly because of personal preference, but some vendors choose to mark up their prices and allow people to bargain (I'm not judging this practice! that's fine, too~ as long as you know your bottom line) Thinking back - my husband and I only asked for a better quotation if we booked more than one service from a vendor (more like 5 services with one vendor! ^^), but for other things like - florists, makeup/hair - there was no bargaining involved!  I respected them and their profession, and I did compare prices too and thought it was a fair price for the quality of service.  Materials cost money - and it takes Time and Effort to practice all those things I mentioned in #1....If they charge too little or let you bargain, I'm wondering WHAT kinds of things the artist doesn't do to cut corners (ie: what they do to save time and money...like unsanitary practices, and perhaps under-paying their assistants..)....and if this isn't enough to convince you, please read #1 again!

4. Professionalism in correspondence & mannerisms

I feel this is really important - you can really 'read' a person from what they say to you, and of course what you say to them matters as they can 'read' you from that side as well.  I too, have experienced times where vendors don't respond to you for one reason or another (not just artists here), and I've also heard this: one of my clients told me they paid a deposit, and counted on the artist after the trial - and suddenly 1-2 months before the event or even closer to the date, the artist says s/he cannot make it and returned my client's deposit.  @o@  I guess at least they gave you some advanced notice...unless it's a family emergency or some sorts, that's just really unprofessional.  I actually don't know the names of the artists who did it or anything, but as a fellow MUA, I'd be thinking those MUAs booked another gig that paid better and decided to forget about the first client! I'm not saying that that is what happened because obviously I was not there!  But that's what I would think...and that's what clients might think too!  The trial is also an interview for artist and client alike - as artist we want to know if we will have good synergy with the clients!

Here are some other simple things to look for:

• Does the artist reply email and return phone calls in a timely manner?
• Does the artist treat you and speak to you with respect via email/phone/in person? 
• Does the artist require a deposit and contract?
• Does the artist show up on the agreed upon time, or earlier?
• Does the artist take time to answer all your questions in detail, no matter what the question is? 
• If they cannot serve you for whatever reason, can you ask them for a referral?

In conclusion...

I wanted to share some things about the make up artist industry because it occurred to me after the feedbacks from models I've worked with that unless you are in the industry or a related field, chances are you might not know some of these things - and heck, some people in the industry don't know these things either...!!!

If I'm being completely honest, I'm also motivated to write this because I'm really tired of unprofessional behaviors, and also, I want to give myself and artists I respect a pat on the back for doing all these things... actually I am very proud of myself for having my standards and practice them always...even though I've been completely in the industry for 1.5 years - and I don't conceal that fact! I don't pretend I've worked for 5-10 years~ but having high standards is really important to me - my clients deserve the best.  I have a standard as a vendor, and even when I was a client, I also had a standards to evaluate the vendors, too!   It's only fair that I share my standards with you - whoever you might be reading this post ~ and to end this LONG@$$ post, I hope that it was helpful to at least one person! And if it was at all helpful, then I am happy~ ^o^  Have a great weekend everyone!