What It’s Really Like Being a Makeup Artist (The Honest Truth)

There’s this idea that being a makeup artist is all soft glam, good lighting, and “just doing what you love.”

And don’t get me wrong - sometimes it is.

But most of the time? It’s a lot less polished… and a lot more human.

I didn’t start out as the “freelance bridal makeup artist” you see today.
I started as a working artist | a beauty therapist | figuring it out as I went.

First on cruise ships, where days blurred into nights and your clients could be anyone from anywhere in the world. Then at MAC Cosmetics, where I really began to understand the craft - faces, skin, technique, transformation.

At the time, I actually loved it.

There was something comforting about knowing your salary was coming in every month. The artistry felt like a bonus …a perk of the job.

But slowly, something shifted.

The job became less about the artistry… and more about the numbers.
Sales targets. KPIs. Pressure.

And I felt myself disconnecting from the very thing that drew me in - creating.

So I left.

Not with a perfectly mapped-out plan, but with a feeling that there had to be more.

I decided to freelance full-time… with a safety net.
Waitressing on the side - something I’d actually picked up from another artist who made it work.

And for about seven months, that was my life:
Brushes by day (or weekend), trays by night.

Until one day, almost quietly, things started to shift.

The freelance work became consistent.
The bookings became steady.
And without even realising it, I was doing makeup full-time.

And then - the pandemic hit.

Everything stopped.

Weddings paused. Events disappeared. The industry went quiet.

And just like that, I found myself back in survival mode - makeup becoming the “side hustle” again.

The truth is… makeup has never really felt like a job to me.

It’s always been something softer. Something fluid. Something I’ve moved in and out of, depending on what life demanded.

And because I’ve always had the security of other work, I never had to rely on it fully.

Which, if I’m being honest, made it easier not to.

But somewhere along the way, something changed.

Maybe it’s the clients who stayed - the ones who have trusted me with their faces, their moments, their milestones over the years.

Maybe it’s the referrals. The quiet growth. The fact that I’ve never really had to chase - it’s always found me.

Or maybe it’s just that feeling you can’t ignore anymore.

That it’s time.

Because now, for the first time, I don’t just do makeup.

I want to build something with it.

I want to know what it feels like to be a full-time makeup artist - no safety net, no side hustle, no halfway.

Just me, my artistry, and the people who sit in my chair.

And that’s what led me to bridal.

Because bridal makeup isn’t just about makeup.

It’s artistry, yes - but it’s also emotion.
It’s connection.
It’s being part of something deeply personal, fleeting, and unforgettable.

It’s early mornings, destination locations, wind and heat and timelines that don’t always go to plan.

It’s calming nerves. Fixing lashes. Adjusting veils. Capturing content in between.

It’s people. It’s energy. It’s trust.

And somehow, it brings together everything I love:
Artistry. Travel. Connection. Storytelling.

So what is it really like being a makeup artist?

It’s uncertain.
It’s evolving.
It’s not always glamorous.

But it’s also one of the most beautiful, human experiences I’ve ever chosen.

And I think… I’m finally ready to choose it fully.

This is The Artist Journal.
And this is just the beginning.