KEY TAKEAWAYS: Becoming a freelance makeup artist is a phenomenal way to choose your destiny and create the beauty career you dream of. If you want to become a successful freelancer beauty professional, you’ll want to check out the following tips.
UPDATED: July 5, 2025
Whether you’re a new makeup artist wanting to write your own story or a seasoned pro who’s looking to make a change, freelance makeup artistry is a great career path.
Freelancing is all the rage lately, and makeup artists are uniquely equipped and positioned to dive into it headfirst.
Along the way, you can enjoy some serious benefits, including choosing to do jobs you want, developing your niche, and setting your own schedule.
Becoming a freelance makeup artist comes with so many exciting advantages and opportunities that it’s hard not to be intrigued by the idea. Keep in mind, though, that it can be a tough niche of the beauty industry to pursue.
Freelancing requires self-motivation, passion, communication skills, and a lot of drive. With the right attitude, determination, and guidance, you can kick off your freelance makeup career and set yourself up for success.
Getting Started as a Freelance Makeup Artist
Freelance Makeup Artist Certification
To have a legitimate, valid, and trustworthy freelance career as a makeup artist, you need to make sure your certifications and licenses are on full display.
At a salon, shop, or with an established company, you sort of get to coast under the wing of their credibility, but as your own boss and business, you need to make sure your licenses and certifications are loud and proud.
List your license on all your platforms, apps, and in any shop you’re renting a booth in or from. Feel free to flaunt your certifications without being overly aggressive or coming across wrong. You want to assure your customers of your qualifications, not brag about them!
"Freelancing requires self-motivation, passion, communication skills, and a lot of drive. With the right attitude, determination, and guidance, you can kick off your freelance makeup career and set yourself up for success."
Learn to Market Your Beauty Biz
One of the benefits of working with a larger or more traditional beauty business is that it will typically take care of the marketing side of things. All you have to do is provide your clients with exceptional results.
As a freelancer, you are responsible for identifying, targeting, and attracting your own clients. In other words, you need to know the basics of marketing if you want your freelance makeup business to flourish.
Consider taking some courses on self-marketing, learn about digital advertising, and work consistently to establish your digital brand and social media presence.
Whether you take online courses, read helpful articles, attend in-person marketing classes, or learn from experienced professionals through other avenues, putting in the effort and finding what works for you is essential.
With the right approach and a bit of trial and error, you will reach your ideal audience and begin building a vibrant clientele.
Tools You’ll Need as a Makeup Artist On-the-Go
Every makeup artist's bag is going to look a little bit different. Some artists swear by certain brands; others have a hodgepodge of brands and tools that they’ve accumulated over time.
The reality is that no matter what brand you prefer, there are some basics that you need to invest in to ensure that your freelance makeup kit is ready to go.
Remember, you will rely on these tools every day. They need to be durable and able to withstand the challenges of constant use.
Invest in quality, long-lasting tools. If you go cheap, you’ll find yourself replacing your tools all the time, and not only is that not financially prudent, but it can leave you totally unprepared when something breaks.
The upfront cost of top-tier beauty pro tools can be significant, so feel free to pace yourself and upgrade when you are financially able. Even if you have to begin your freelance makeup artist journey with inexpensive tools, you can replace them with better alternatives as your career grows.
Consider things like:
- An amazing set of brushes. You’ll need a variety of brushes, so consider looking for an all-inclusive set. This can get pricey, but if you’ve built a successful career as a freelance makeup artist, they will pay for themselves quickly.
- Primers, foundations, concealers, and contour! People are paying you to make them look amazing, and this starts with their skin. Never underestimate the power of having every quality foundation, concealer, and contour tool under the sun. It’s better to be overprepared than under!
- All the eyebrow tools. If you don’t have every tool you need to create stunning brows, then you’re going to be out of luck when it comes to a large portion of your potential clientele. Ensure that you’re set with brushes, creams, pomades, pencils, and more so that you can offer a full range of brow services.
- Lashes, lashes, lashes. We’re talking about eyelash curlers, eyelash glue, fake lashes, eyelash kits, and more. Lashes can be that final touch that makes an entire aesthetic pop, so don’t overlook them.
- Palettes on palettes. Make sure that you’re getting a broad range of palettes for skin, lips, and eyes. People aren’t going to want to work with you if you can only offer a few looks, so make sure you’re hooked up with a ton of colors and palettes so you can give everyone what they want!
- Blending sponges. Using high-quality makeup with low-quality blending sponges is a recipe for disaster. Your sponges are key to flawless blending and the perfect outcome, so don’t try to skate by with the minimum.
- Setting sprays. Creating the look of your client’s dreams is only half the battle. The right setting spray keeps it in place, making your investment in a quality setting spray product absolutely essential.
- Cleaning products. Sanitization is one of the most important aspects of running a successful makeup artist business. It protects your clients from harm, keeps your tools in good shape, and ensures that the customer experience is positive. We suggest spending just as much time looking into your cleaning tools as you do your actual makeup products. Your clients will certainly appreciate this extra step and your tools will likely last much longer!
Get Familiar with App Services
For freelance beauty pros, finding ways to connect with clients, finding the right rental spot, and more can be difficult. Thankfully, there’s a solution that can help simplify these essential processes and alleviate the stress you might feel: apps.
Apps like GlamSquad, Vensette, Priv, Bella on Demand, The Glam App, and more can unlock your full potential as a freelance makeup artist. From booking clients to hooking you up with the ideal scenario to put down roots and grow your career, using the tools available to you is a key way to find success.
Tons of clients use these apps to book freelance makeup artists for events, parties, weddings, and lots of other celebrations. Most of the apps are only available in bigger cities, so make sure you’re doing your research to see which apps will make the most sense for your freelance business.
There is a downside to relying on apps: many of them will take a cut of the pay because they act as the middleman. In most cases, the trade-off is worth it. However, if you already have steady business and are seeing growth, you might not want to sacrifice part of your income for the benefits of the apps.
Invest in Professional Freelance Makeup Artist Insurance
As you continue to grow in your freelance makeup artist career, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself and your business. Even if you are incredibly cautious and do everything by the book, accidents and mistakes can happen.
Whether it’s a client having an allergic reason, a slip-and-fall accident, or a mistake on your part, an unfortunate and unforeseen event can spell disaster for your reputation, beauty biz, and livelihood.
Investing in insurance ensures that you’re covered in such situations. A comprehensive policy like those offered by Elite Beauty Society has your back, protects your interests, and gives you the confidence to pursue your dreams with abandon.
While you’re checking out the makeup artist insurance options from Elite Beauty Society, we recommend subscribing for the latest trends, insights, and tips. With a huge collection of resources at your fingertips, your freelance makeup career is sure to thrive.
