# starting out..?



## fashionjunkiexx (Sep 18, 2009)

hi all, i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice..i really really want to get into freelancing (mainly doing bridal work etcc.). I believe i have a talent when it comes to doing makeup and im always making my friends let me practice on them to get used to different faces, but I'm pretty much self taught, is this okay? I'm always reading the threads on here to learn new techniques etc. is there any other free things that i can do to learn more? Also im saving up all the money that i can to start building up a kit, i'v not bought anything yet as i wanted to get some advice first, what basic things would you say i needed to get myself going on building my kit up, like just to start off, what should i buy first? Also any brands? i dont have loads of money to be buying all mac (even though i would LOVE to!) are there any other cheaper brands, available in the UK, that are still of a good quailty? Any other information would be so helpful, Sorry for all of the questions but makeup artistry is my absoloute passion, and im really serious about persuing it


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## laceface (Sep 18, 2009)

You definitely should research the aspiring mua threads already posted on specktra.

My advice is to check into some great, inexpensive brands like Ben Nye, RCMA & Graftobian. Whatever you do, don't be cheap when it comes to foundations. Check out camerareadycosmetics.com

It's absolutely fine to be self taught. You should also research some Pro classes because this will just fine tune your skills. Also research tutorials on YouTube, I found these extremely helpful when I first started.

Get a good portfolio going both online and offline. 

My biggest advice, don't jump out into the professional world until your ready. You only give off one first impression and you want it to be a good one.


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## fashionjunkiexx (Sep 18, 2009)

il definatly have a look at those threads, i didnt even know they existed, so thanks for telling me!
i have the complete sigma brush set, that has alot of basics, and i clean them regularly etc. but i might invest in another one do you think that would be helpful? 
i should be able to get a good portfolio together, because im a photography student, i have an digital slr and can get some high quality shots etc. im due to be doing my sisters bridal makeup for her wedding soon, so that can go towards it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



yeah im always looking at the makeup artists who do tutorials on youtube, like pixiwoo and tiffanyd, theyre part of what inspires me tbh. 

i really love the look of the ben nye concealer wheels! iv heard some good things about the la femme blush palette aswell, have you tried it? also which type of foundation would you suggest, liquids or creams? and how many different colours would i need to start off with?


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## laceface (Sep 18, 2009)

You can never have too many brushes. Especially if you do multiple people a day, you won't have time to give each brush the cleaning that it ultimately needs.

Being a photography student is absolutely a plus! You will be able to get lots of great shots. Don't be afraid to work with more established photographers though! It will give you a great variety of work in your portfolio.

Pixiwoo is my absolute favorite on YouTube 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 She is a great teacher!

I just bought a Ben Nye concealer palette. Amazing quality. I have never tried anything from La Femme actually, but you could definitely look on Makeup Alley for reviews.

I find foundation to be a very personal decision. A lot of people swear by MUFE (Make Up For Ever) HD liquid foundations. Others use Ben Nye, RCMA or Graftobian cream foundations because you can control the coverage your getting by mixing it with a mixing medium. RCMA Shinto palette is used by some amazing artists. It also depends on the finish you prefer. As you develop your kit you should always add foundations so you can provide any finish you want, but as for starting out, buy the foundations you would want on YOUR face. Personally, I looooove a high coverage, matte look. So I use MAC Studio Fix Fluid on my clients. But I plan on adding many more foundations from many different brands. 

I would try to get as many foundations as you can afford. Make sure you get foundations with different undertones. If you can't afford much starting out, that's okay!! More importantly just try to get shades that you can mix to get any shade you need. So a light & a dark are important staples.


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## Strawberrymold (Sep 18, 2009)

I found with foundations the easy thing to start out with was a cream palette. I had the Graftobian palette and it was the only foundation in my kit for quite a long while. I prefer creams simply because they are easy to use to mix custom shade at a moments notice and not as messy or bulky to tote around as liquids can be. You may not always be able to match your client before hand so being able to mix up any color in the world at the drop of a hat is invaluable. Also creams are great for being able to control coverage and finish. I had my cream palette, fix + for dewy looks and a translucent matte powder for matte looks. I really can't sing enough praises for the Graftobian palette. I got so many looks out of it. I have never tried the RCMA one but I hear that one is really good to. The Ben Nye powders are good and I love their stuff for stage and some photography but their foundations are too heavy for me for HD or close up work, I found that I just had to sheer them down too much and even then you could still see the makeup. I do like their concealer palettes though and the color wheels are a much cheeper alternitive to MUFE flash colors (which are the shizzle if you what to drop the $$ on them or MAC paint sticks... which are great but to bulky to carry around all the time.)

Also one thing I would recommend is getting some empty jars and palettes and transfering product such as lipstick and cream blush into these. It they are very good for conserving space, and especially if you are doing bridal work, you may not always have a lot of space to work with.

Other things I would recomend picking up...

A few glass or steel palettes to work off of
Lots of spatulas
Disposables
Q-tips pre soaked in makeup remover
An industral strength makeup sealant (to minimize touch ups... keeps clients very happy) I like the Ben Nye stuff cause it's cheep and it works like no ones business
A super hydrating moisturizer and lot's of it! Brides love to tan before their weddings and sometimes I have found that their skin is so dry blending any kind of foundation can be a nightmare!

and most important a really good contract! Brides can be very tricky... I have had many wonderful experiances but just make sure you booty is protected if she decides for some reason things don't turn out the way she planned. Also it will ensure you get paid correctly and elimnates wiggle room for terms on how and when.

My first bride I ever did I had no contract and I ended up doing three bridesmates too that wasn't in the original agreement... I was new at it and scared she wouldn't pay me if I didn't make her happy.

I hope that helps!
Sorry it was so long


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## fashionjunkiexx (Sep 19, 2009)

hah, dont worry about the long post, its all helpful!

yeah i do like the look of the graftobian and i spose that way you can mix and match shades. where would you suggest getting my eyeshadows and lipsticks from, i think i want to start out with mostly natural shades at firstt, then build up to brighter ones, do you know of any good but not too expensive brands? 

thanks so much for all the info btw!


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## Strawberrymold (Sep 19, 2009)

NXY makes some great cheep lippies, I scoop them out and put them into palettes. Smashbox makes a great lip palette too but the size of each lippie is kinda small for the price. This may sound crazy but I really like the MUFE flash color palette for lips (with some kind of gloss mixed in of course). Again I like in because for one single investment you can create any color in the rainbow for eyes lips and cheeks. As for shadows... these I never skimp on. The eyes frame the face and are usually the wow factor for a MUA so I always invest in my shadows. Nixie is the least expensive brand I have found so far that I am happy with the quality of. Still they are not that much cheeper than MAC and I simply can not sing loud enough my love for MAC palettes. They are just so small but hold so much.

My best advice for being cost effective on shadows is do your homework. Don't buy something because it is pretty, buy it because you will use it. Do color swatches when you go in the store (and again this sounds weird but if there are mua's there that are different skin tones than you, ask them if they would mind swatching it on themselves so you can see how versitile the color truly are). Know you color theory as well. Get some basic shades that you can mix with other to create something new. Stay away from things that look to similar. Before you buy anything, ask yourself is this something you will want to replace later? If so, maybe you should hold off until you are ready for what you really want.

Kits are expensive. They get more expensive when you end up replacing a ton of it because it doesn't work for what you are using it for. Get what you really need now and build up the rest.

Again Ben Nye makes some great stuff too but the palettes are cardboard (why! Why! WHY!!!) and get ratty really quick. 

NYX for lips, MAC, or Nixie for eyes are my sugestions


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## fashionjunkiexx (Sep 19, 2009)

Which basic mac shadows did you buy when you first started out? i figure i'm going to buy the ready depotted ones as they're at least a couple of £ cheaper.
See everyone says to use MUFE but its really difficult to get hold of over here, and even if i do its more expensive, as most things are! 
i was thinking about the nyx lipsticks, iv found a website that do them for under $2 and the shipping prices arent so bad either.. whatre the nyx eyeshadows/pigments like? do they have good colour payoff or no?

Sorry for all the questions and thankyou for answering btw, i just dont want to waste my money!


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## Strawberrymold (Sep 19, 2009)

Shadows are going to vary for colors needed. There are some great threads here for what colors to get first but I really do recommend seeing them in person. MUFE shadows are awesome and I love them but the best shades are the wild ones, the neutrals are totally dupable and I wouldn't recommend starting off with them since they are so expensive. 

For me, NYX shadows just don't do it. They are powdery and while they can be very pigmented I find it is hit or miss. Also they break easy which is not good for a kit. In my opinion you get what you pay for with them. Also they are not as long lasting on the lids as other brands and they tend to crease more.

I don't do a lot of bridal anymore but I would stay with neutral colors and some pinks and warm greys. This tends to be what brides tend to want, but every one is different. It depends on what skin tone you are working on and how intense she wants her makeup. I might take a peek at the traincase forum too as the pics are better than swatches online.


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