Journey of a Self Taught Makeup Artist..

Ira A. Evans
@ira.anthonymua

I've been a self taught, freelance makeup artist for a little over 6 years now. I've learned the basics of makeup by reading, watching others and practice. Being self-taught also means that I don't have any licenses or certifications to apply makeup. Now, I know there's a lot of controversy when it comes to being a "certified" makeup artist. I come to let you know that you DO NOT need to be licensed to be a makeup artist. If you would like to work in a salon or for a company that does brows/lashes etc, you will need to be licensed in most cases.

When starting out as a MUA, its about Practice ! Practice ! Practice !
You must study to show thyself approved. I would always use YouTube as a tool to catch up on the latest trends, new techniques and products. Makeup books are also a good tool as well. One of my favorites are FACE to FACE by Scott Barnes.

After working for myself for a few years, I decided to apply to cosmetic companies to gain more experience. It took me no time to find a job. I wasn't even qualified fully for the position, I knew that was nothing by God. I worked as a Prestige Consultant at ULTA Beauty for 2 years. This position exposed me to numerous brands and increased my confidence. I worked with many different types of women and nationalities. I also gained many business relationships with the vendors that came into the store.


After my time ended at ULTA Beauty, I was blessed the opportunity to work with the brand Lancome Cosmetics. I worked as a Freelance MUA. I loved this position because I was able to travel to different stores, meet new people and on top of that this brand was major ! Even though I loved my job, there were some things about retail that i hated. Everything was always about SALES, SALES, SALES. I cared more about the artistry.
I cared more about helping people and catering to their needs. I've also
experienced a lot of jealousy. Being the only African American male on the team,
I would always get that side eye. I would really experience it at  the celebrity artist events.
After experiencing discrimination for higher authority, I decided to leave Lancome.  




From that point on, I focused on myself and my brand. Now don't get me wrong, I was doing
my own thing outside of my other jobs. It was just time for me to be the boss ! Working for someone
else just wasn't for me anymore. I needed more flexibility.

I started taking more clients, doing more shoots and marketing myself. Social Media has been a huge outlet for my business. Make sure you post all your work. Make sure everything you post is appealing and represents your brand in a positive and innovative light.


 I asked God to bless me with more bridal clients. I had a huge increase in bridal clients within the last  2 years. Working for myself, full time has been an amazing but also challenging experience. There are times when you want to give up. You will have a season where it will be slow, and times when people will try and prostitute your gift. DON'T GIVE UP ! You don't have to be nasty or become a mean person, just pray and put your business hat on. You have to treat your business as your child, your prized possession. You have to think, what would I like my business to look like in 5+ years ?. Keep a positive mind set and keep moving forward.


I am learning new things every single day. I feel like if you're not taking time to study your craft, you're not making room for advancement.  My goal is to enhance, inspire and educate. Being a Makeup Artist isn't always about putting makeup on someone. Working with woman, beauty is very personal and its a vulnerable moment. When hired for a job, they are putting a trust in you. I've always tried to build a relationship with my client. You want to make the client feel welcome and comfortable. This will not only build a trust, this have them continuing to book you for future engagements. Referrals are also a huge part of my clientele. When a woman loves her makeup she will tell all her girlfriends. And you know what happens after that !

In conclusion, I just want all my aspiring MUA's to know that things will get better. You have to start somewhere and the only way to go is UP from here ! ENHANCE, INSPIRE  & EDUCATE.