What should a makeup artist cost?

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What should a makeup artist cost? I love this question. There truly isn't one right answer but there is a right direction. No one artist will ever cost the same and there are many things to factor in so let's discuss it.

• First, what are you requesting makeup services for?

• How many people or how long will the artist be needed for?

• Is hairstyling (full or light) going to be needed?

• For some artists, they'll want to know if lashes are needed because they charge extra.

• This same question can be asked for some artists who charge extra for airbrush.

• Are you going to them or are they coming to you?

• Lastly, what does the travel and arrival time look like?
  

The look isn't what cost the price for most artist. It's the time and experience that you are paying for. For instance, I do not do weddings. But, when I did, I included airbrush and lashes as a complementary add on if I felt like it worked best for the look. The reason I could do that was my price point already reflected what I wanted to get paid.

Now, because I focus on production and commercial work, my pricing is based on time. Is this a half day or a full day? How many models and do I need to pay for an assistant? What does my travel time look like? These are all the things I use to decide cost.

My best advice, if you are looking for one-on-one makeup service, is to price out a few artists based on the work you like. This could range from $95-$250 (or more). The right artist for you and your budget will be there.