For a very long time, people have been using products and substances to alter or enhance their appearance, fragrance and body texture; these items are referred to as cosmetics and when used specifically to alter the appearance of the face they are known as makeup (Aleksandra Łopaciuk, 2013). Different types of cosmetics are used as makeup, they include moisturizers, foundation, concealers, mascara, lipsticks, and eyeshadow palettes among others (ABBAS, 2017). The beauty industry has grown over the years to become a billion-dollar industry. It has created employment opportunities for a lot of people. The process of applying makeup can be referred to as an art. There are people who apply their own makeup, while there are trained professionals known as makeup artists who apply the products on people.
Makeup artists were not very common in the past, people used to apply their own makeup. Artists were mainly used for professional purposes such as in the television and film industry. However, over the years with the rise in the use of cosmetics, people have embraced the application of make-up, more so they are now employing professional makeup artists to apply make up on them (Aleksandra Łopaciuk, 2013). In this paper, an analysis of the jobs available in the make-up industry will be carried out. Various marketing strategies will be highlighted together with the unions that are available for makeup artists.
Job Roles Within the Makeup Industry
Makeup Product Developer
This role involves coming up with the product formulation based on the item that you want to produce. Scientists analyze every idea and create several prototypes for comparison. Chemical reactions, concentration, costs, and allergens are evaluated to ensure product safety and match the requirements (Frith, 2014). Once the formula has been identified, the team selects the required raw materials and supplies for packaging. All the requirements are listed and are sent to several suppliers for comparison purposes. Immediately the materials are approved the formula is completed and the prototype is created.
What follows next is the designing of the products outer cover. Since packaging is the first thing that consumers see, everything is meticulously selected based on the outer cover. Before they launch the product, they first need to ensure that it adheres to all regulations. The manufacturers, therefore, pass the products through quality testing such as stability tests, toxicology, and microbiological to prove that the product is safe. After all steps of product manufacture are met and approved, the final product is reviewed to ensure that it conforms to the initial idea. If the prototype passes all the tests, production begins. The product is commercialized and released to the market. The market product developer is therefore responsible for carrying out all these roles.
Makeup artist
A makeup artist is an individual that is responsible for applying makeup to aesthetically enhance the looks of a person (Deloitte, 2017). The artists are usually employed by the media and entertainment industry and by other people as well who require their services. Makeup artists can work with a team or choose to be independent. They can also style hair if they have received hair training. They normally apply makeup to clients using a color palette and various tools such as sponges, mascara, applicators, brushes, eyebrow shapers and lip liners among others. Make artists also work with clients to come up with different types of looks. They can be employed in movie sets, television concerts, backstage at concerts and photography shoots among other places. Their services can also be used at big events such as weddings, holiday outings, and funerals.
When faced with a brief, makeup artists are required to tailor their art based on the story, characterization, and setting they may have as a stimulus. They are also required to have a technical understanding of photography and lighting to gauge how they can affect or be affected by their choice of makeup. At the same time, they are required to present their own individual style for them to generate interest and gain a proper reputation. Makeup artists are paid at daily or hourly rates with the minimum rates being set by the workers guild or various media industry bodies. The amount depends on the setting and visual minimum where the services are required. Working hours tend to be erratic and irregular since makeup artists are required to work throughout the week and during holidays.
Beauty Blogger
The advancements in technology have led to the creation of a lot of employment opportunities. Among the various types of employment created is a blogging. In the past, people would share their opinions on a journal where they expressed how they truly felt about something (Deloitte, 2017). The internet has however made it easy for blogs to be created where people share their ideas, interest’s expertise and thoughts through an online journal. The owner of the blog is referred to as a blogger. Bloggers are individuals who write about their thoughts and ideas online. As they continue to write, they increase traffic on their websites which attracts a lot of users. An increase in the number of users makes brands to want to partner with the blogger for advertising their products.
The makeup industry employs bloggers, since they can write about various types of topics ranging from travel, leisure, and sports. There are those who have specialized in blogging about beauty products. They buy a product, use it and write about their experiences with the products. They also review cosmetics and offer their opinions whether they will use the products again. Beauty bloggers also offer various tutorials about makeup or any other beauty related topic. With time, they build a very loyal following. Beauty companies’ partner with them to sell, review or market their products. Based on the bloggers following, an honest review can increase the sales of an item. Some of the most famous and highly successful beauty bloggers currently include Lisa Eldridge, Tanya Burr’s beauty blog and Nikkie tutorials among others (Gashi, 2017). They end up making a lot of money by partnering with these brands.
Youtubers
Bloggers are not the only individuals that have benefitted from technological advancements, YouTubers are also reaping a lot from the changes. YouTube is a video sharing website that allows people to create their own content and share it online (Deloitte, 2017). Users of the platform view the videos and can share, comment, like or dislike the content. People who create vlogs on the platform are referred to as youtubers. Like blogging, there are different types of YouTubers who share videos based on various types of topics. When they create content, they share it on the platform attracting various users. With time, the vlogger creates a large following that is observed through the number of times the video is viewed and the engagement rate of the content (Gashi, 2017). Brands associated with the YouTube content, partner with the vloggers to creating content which will market their items. The vlogger is paid for sharing the content on their platforms.
YouTube is filled with a lot of beauty vloggers who offer advice on the various types of products one should use. In terms of make-up, a lot of makeup artists are creating content to showcase their skills in applying make-up. These YouTubers attract a large following which makes brands notice them. Various makeup manufacturers partner with them to market their products, through carrying out a review that shows the youtubers using the items. As a result, the companies pay the youtubers. Well established YouTubers are receiving a lot of money through these partnerships, examples of some of the most successful makeup youtubers include Bethany Mota, Rachel Levin, Nikkie De Jager and Jeffree star among others (Gashi, 2017).
Modeling
After companies have created their products, models are used in various marketing campaigns. Models are individuals who have the roles of promoting, displaying and advertising commercial products (Deloitte, 2017). Models pose for photography or serve as visual aids for individuals creating the works of art. There are a lot of opportunities for models in the make up the industry, they can be used during promotional campaigns, appearing in pictures and videos that are meant to popularize the products. A model can also be used as a canvas, where a demonstration of how makeup should be applied takes place. By partnering with makeup companies, models are usually paid for their services.
There is a different type of modeling that is being witnessed today. Individuals with the highest social media followers are being used to promote beauty products (Gashi, 2017). Modeling popularizes an individual and in the current age of social media, the popularity is transferred to their social media numbers. Companies, therefore, gain by working with such individuals since they use them as models while at the same time hire them as social media influencers. Some of the most famous models that are known to work with beauty brands include Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Chrissy Teigen, and Gisele Bundchen among many others.
Retail Jobs
Makeup needs to be sold or it to reach the final user; this created various retail jobs in which people are employed to sell the beauty products. Retailers stock on the various types of cosmetics and sell it to customers. They stock different brands of makeup to increase their sales and make sure that they meet the demand of every customer. Some companies such as Mac cosmetics have founded their own retail stores to sell their products. Others sell their make up through online retail websites where the items are delivered directly to the customer. Retailers have however been in existence for a long period of time and are known to sell various type of products. There are some of them who have directly specialized in the sale of beauty products while others stock a different variety of things. All in all, since the beauty industry is very lucrative, it creates a lot of job opportunities for retailers to sell the products.
Marketing Strategies
There are various ways in which people working in the makeup industry can make their skills to be known. One of the most popular ways is using social media (Aleksandra Łopaciuk, 2013). Makeup artists are using different forms of social media to advertise their work. They normally share, photos and videos of themselves using the various makeup products. They use themselves as models or work with different people. They normally share the end results or the final product on their platforms. Social media has been among the best ways in which people in the makeup industry can market themselves.
Some artists have created a makeup portfolio in which they feature photos on their skills (Frith, 2014). Some of them end up volunteering their time by offering free makeover giveaways. Some artists have also created their own websites on which they highlight what they do and their works so far. People in need of their services can look at their websites to gain further information. Even though handing out business cards has been in use for a very long time, the technique is still applicable to people in the make-up industry. artists give out their cards to prospective clients directing them to their contacts for them to see what they do. Artists also publicize their expertise in websites such as craigslist for people in need of their services to contact them.
Networking is another marketing strategy that makeup artists use. Artists make valuable connections by investing their time in expanding their networks. They have made connections with designers, photographers makeup school teachers, YouTubers and YouTube bloggers among others. They have realized that networking with these individuals opens job prospects.
Unions
There are various unions which make up artists can enter. In the UK, the international makeup association awards artists for the work. The body provides an industry benchmark for artists. They are awarded certificates to showcase their skills. The national association of screen makeup is also union available to make up artists. The body is the association of hairdressers and professional makeup artists working in the film, theatre, television, photography, and fashion. Artists can also join the BECTU media and entertainment industry (ABBAS, 2017).
Makeup artists that join trade unions benefit in the flowing ways they enjoy higher wages in comparison to people who have not entered the union. They also benefit from consistent pay rises on a regular basis. Unions offer support to the makeup artists especially in instances where they have issues with their employers. Unions give a voice to their members, ensuring that there is fairness and equality and offer job security. There are however several drawbacks of joining a union. In today's times, labor unions are greatly abused. Hard workers are devalued since fare wages means that employees at the same level are paid the same amount of money. As a member of a union, one loses their freedom since they cannot negotiate pay or benefits for themselves
Ways of Breaking into the industry
There are various ways in which can break into the makeup industry. The first would be to go to school which offers training on the application of makeup or other beauty techniques (ABBAS, 2017). Training opens opportunities through which one can be employed. The second way would be through social media marketing. Artists can utilize the various social media networks to publicize what they do; this will market them to various players in the industry. makeup artists can also begin by offering their skills for free; this will popularize them and pave a way for them to break out into the industry.
Places in which make up artists can find current vacancies include the internet through the various websites that advertise employment opportunities. Artists can also be on the lookout for opportunities that are advertised on the internet. By networking with other stakeholders in the industry, referrals can be made directing a client to an artist.
Funding Options
Within our industry, there are various funding options. One can decide to sponsor themselves through personal savings that they might have saved. An artist can also gain funding from friends and family members who believe in what they are doing. The other option will be to obtain funds through hire purchase. One can buy the required tools and products on a higher purchase basis and pay them back with time. Acquiring a loan from a friend, family or financial institution is also another option. Partnering with an investor can also ensure that a makeup artist is funded.
Conclusion
The beauty industry is one of the most lucrative sectors amassing a lot of money. There are different types of job roles within this industry such as makeup artists, social media influencers and photographers among others. These individuals employ different marketing techniques to popularize their brands. There are also various unions that makeup artists can join. For a person who wants to join the industry, they should ensure that they have worked out their finances.
References
ABBAS, A., 2017. THE BEAUTY AND PERSONAL CARE MARKET: GLOBAL AND REGIONAL OVERVIEW. Euromonitor International.
Aleksandra Łopaciuk, M. Ł., 2013. GLOBAL BEAUTY INDUSTRY TRENDS IN THE 21st CENTURY. pp. 1-9.
Deloitte, 2017. Shades for success Influence in the beauty market. pp. 1-20.
Frith, K., 2014. Globalizing Beauty: A Cultural History of the Beauty Industry. International Communication Association, At Seattle.
Gashi, L., 2017. Social media influencers – why we cannot ignore them. International Business and Marketing.
