# Possible to make a living working as a MUA?



## doll.face (Feb 23, 2009)

Is it possible to make a living work as a MUA? Freelance? Union? I'm curious. I feel like I haven't see any sucess stories just artists who are already older and succesful! It makes me think negatively sometimes.


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## aeni (Feb 24, 2009)

Right now, it's tough.  It's not a good time to enter if you're trying to make some extra money.  It takes years of practice, testing, and building contacts to get to a point where people think you're amazing and want you.  The success stories of older makeup artists are because they started young and have built up decades of work to get to the higher tiers of our little world.  We don't get rich doing this but rather we love doing it and for many right now (amazing or getting there) are having to look for 9-5 jobs for regular pay...

Weddings are showing a growing trend of brides doing their own makeup or having their bridesmaids pay to have their own makeup done instead of a package deal.  More brides also want you to do it for free for a large party!

Indie films right now are few due to investors unwilling to unload a few million for a picture that might not make it.  We also have the impending SAG strike to worry about.  Different states are changing their incentives programs that won't take effect until 2010 as well.  The industry is rapidly changing.


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