7 Things To Never Say To Your Makeup Artist

Getting your makeup done can be an awesome experience: Much like going to the hair salon, it can be an instant confidence booster to see yourself in a different light once you leave that chair. As a professional makeup artist, I personally love seeing the look on people's faces when they experience that readiness to take on the world with a new look. Appointments like these can be so rewarding; but then there are other times when I hear certain things you should never say to your makeup artist.

It’s perfectly fine to know exactly what you want, but some requests tend to go above and beyond what mere mortals can actually do. Even if you only had one trial run with your makeup beforehand, it’s important to have trust in your MUA, and recognize that they know what they’re doing. After all, you came to us so we could help you get the look you’re going for!

There are definitely times when you have to speak up if something’s not going right, but when sitting in a makeup chair, some things are just better left unsaid. Before hitting up an MUA to help you prep for a big day, avoid crossing the line and check out some of the top things you should never say to them about their work.

1. “Can you just do my makeup for free?”

Look, as much as we would love to do your makeup for free if we click and get along, sometimes it’s just out of our hands. Many makeup artists work freelance alongside another company and have to follow their rules. So if that means that there’s a fee associated with the service, you have to pay up.

2. “Why are you being so slow? I have things to do.”

Most makeup artists have mastered a certain amount of time in which they can complete a full makeover. Whether it’s 45 minutes to an hour, the time limit is usually discussed beforehand so we can get you in and out as fast as possible. We know you want to get on with your day.

But trust that we’re keeping an eye on the clock, so rushing us is not helping anyone. Also, avoid checking your phone constantly during a makeover, even if you’re busy. It’s super difficult to apply eyeliner or eyeshadow on someone who is constantly checking their iMessages.

3. “I had my makeup done so much better at (insert other place here).”

This one is just flat out rude. If you’re not happy with the way the makeover is going, please speak up and say something during the makeover. We want our clients to be happy with the results and if there is something we can work on, let us know!

But if you’re just going to negatively compare our work to another person’s, it can be incredibly troublesome and make us feel like we spent all of our time, and your time, on nothingness.

4. “How can you be qualified to do this if you didn’t go to cosmetology school?”

I know so many people who are super talented and never went to a single day of makeup school in their lives. It just comes naturally to some humans, and with YouTube just a click away, learning new techniques without sitting in a classroom has never been easier.

Just because someone went to cosmetology school doesn’t mean they’re an expert — and vice versa. People learn in different ways and one way isn’t necessarily better than the other.

5. “Can you do my makeup just like (insert random celebrity)? I want to look just like them.”

This one isn’t the absolute worst thing to say, but it’s not the best either. It’s totally OK to draw inspiration from somewhere like Instagram or from your favorite celebrity like Kim Kardashian. But you're never going to look exactly the same as a totally different person looks in a photo.

Pictures are great because they give us an idea of what you want and can help us map out the look, but you can’t expect to look identical to that person for a number of reasons. Like skin type, bone structure, etc. We will try to get you to look as close as we can to the picture, but it should be used as inspiration more than anything.

6. “I don’t need any skincare, just apply the makeup.”

No matter what your skin type is, skincare is extremely important and makes makeup application so much easier. If we’re trying to prep your skin with something like moisturizer, it’s for a good reason and will work to your benefit. It’s not meant to be offensive when we reach for the skincare before getting on with the actual makeup.

7. “I only use (insert makeup brand here), and nothing else.”

Part of the fun of a makeover is trying new things that you would never have thought to experiment with before. While you should have an idea in mind of what you want to do, if we suggest a different lipstick or eyeshadow it’s usually for a good reason. Maybe we found something that would look amazing against your complexion or with what you’re wearing. Don’t have tunnel vision: Be open minded to what we suggest and at least give things a try.

Images: Fotolia; Giphy