Cert IV in Beauty Therapy

How to Become a Makeup Artist

Once you have completed a Certificate III in Makeup (which is the minimum required qualification level for makeup artists in Australia), you may wish to further extend your skills as a MUA by completing a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy. A Cert IV is best suited for people who have a strong grasp of the fundamentals of being a makeup artist and are ready to learn more about the industry and challenge their skills. A Cert IV in Beauty therapy will give students more of an understanding of skincare, skin conditions and treatments and aesthetic and cosmetic procedures. Students will also learn about:

  • Lash treatments
  • Brow treatments
  • Nail services
  • Massage
  • Waxing
  • Communicating with clients
  • Recommending the right treatments
  • Retail/sales of makeup and cosmetic services and cosmetic products

All of the above skills are complementary to the fundamentals of makeup artistry. If you run your own business as a freelance MUA or self-employed MUA, a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy will allow you to expand your reach and better grow your business. Building on the skills you learn in a Certificate III in Makeup It will also assist you to work in a retail environment as a makeup artist, work in fashion as a runway specialist, work in photography (for instance, covering bridal and fashion), work in the film & TV industry, be a freelance makeup artist and work at cosmetic counters.

Course Info:

The duration of a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy to further qualify you as a cosmetologist and Makeup Artist (MUA) will depend on the individual institute, however you can expect an average duration of 1-2 days studying per week for 30-40 weeks.

Course Code: SHB40115
Accreditation: Naturally recognised qualification at Cert IV level
Cost: Starts at around $5,000 and can go up to $10,000 depending on where you study
Financial Aid: Tafe does offer a concession fee, however a Cert IV in Beauty Therapy does not qualify for Austudy

Further study opportunities include:

Click here to read more about Certificate II in Retail Cosmetics (SHB20116)
Click here to read more about  Certificate III in Makeup (SHB30125)
Click here to read more about Diploma of Beauty Therapy (SHB50115)
Click here to also view additional specialist courses that you may be interested in to complement a Certificate II in Makeup and further hone your skills.

Click here to also view additional specialist courses that you may be interested in to complement a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy and continue to develop your skillsets as a qualified, professional Makeup Artist

Training and qualification requirements for courses and Cert IV’s can vary from state to state as a Makeup Artist and/or cosmetologist, so please select your state to get specialist info on requirements in your state

Australian Capital Territory – (02) 6205 8555
New South Wales – 13 28 11
Northern Territory – (08) 8901 1357
Queensland – 1800 210 210
South Australia – 1800 673 097
Tasmania – 1800 655 846
Victoria – (03) 9651 9999
Western Australia – 13 19 54

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Diploma of Beauty Therapy

How to Become a Makeup Artist

If you have completed a Certificate III in Makeup (which is the minimum required qualification level for makeup artists in Australia) and a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy, you are eligible to complete a Diploma of Beauty Therapy if you wish to cement your status as a professional, qualified Makeup Artist (MUA).

A Diploma is best suited for people who have done the groundwork and fundamentals of study as a professional makeup artist or cosmetologist and wish to have a higher qualification to enable them to teach others makeup artistry, work at higher profile fashion/runway events or simply to reinforce their own professional status. A Diploma will require students to have a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of Makeup Artistry, and students will need to demonstrate competence and versatility across a range of makeup artist niches, including but not limited to:

  • Formal makeup
  • Stage and theatrical makep
  • Bridal makeup
  • Clean/day makeup
  • Fashion, runway and catwalk makeup
  • Editorial makeup

Students will also need to demonstrate professionalism in working with other industry professionals and clients. Following on from the fundamentals of being a Makeup Artist, a Diploma of Beauty Therapy is a creative and exciting course grounded in basics of running a business, to give students a thorough understanding of how to be successful as a professional Makeup Artist in Australia.

You will also build more on your knowledge of:

  • Facial treatments
  • A range of beauty therapy treatments such as body massage and hair removal
  • Lash and brow treatments
  • Nail and makeup services
  • Client communication
  • Giving proper beauty advice
  • Recommending treatments

All of the above skills are complementary to the fundamentals of makeup artistry that you will learn in a Certificate III in Makeup and Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy.

Course Info:

The duration of a Diploma of Beauty Therapy to enhance your qualifications as a cosmetologist and Makeup Artist (MUA) will depend on the individual institute that you choose to study with, however you can expect an average duration of 1-2 days studying per week for 30-40 weeks.

Course Code: SHB50115
Accreditation: Naturally recognised qualification at Diploma level
Cost: Starts at around $10,000 and can go up to $15,000 depending on where you study
Financial Aid: Tafe does offer a concession fee, however a Diploma in Beauty Therapy does not qualify for Austudy

Further study opportunities include:

Click here to read more about Certificate II in Retail Cosmetics (SHB20116)
Click here to read more about  Certificate III in Makeup (SHB30125)
Click here to read more about  Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy (SHB40115)

Training and qualification requirements for courses and diplomas can vary from state to state, so please select your state to get specialist info on requirements in your state. It’s imperative to do your research!

Australian Capital Territory – (02) 6205 8555
New South Wales – 13 28 11
Northern Territory – (08) 8901 1357
Queensland – 1800 210 210
South Australia – 1800 673 097
Tasmania – 1800 655 846
Victoria – (03) 9651 9999
Western Australia – 13 19 54

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Writing a Resume

How to Become a Makeup Artist

If you’re looking for a job as a makeup artist, you really need to sell your skills! Makeup artistry is an incredibly competitive industry and especially if you’re wanting to be a makeup artist for MAC or other similar cosmetics company, you’ll need to stand out from the crowd.

Along with a certification (a Certificate III is usually the minimum needed), you’ll also need to show your skills, special interests/niches in the industry and what you can bring to the job. Your makeup portfolio and resume are absolutely vital to getting the job! And of course, you’ll also want to include a great cover letter.

Here are our top tips for a great makeup artist resume:

1.Introduce yourself.
You’ll need to provide your basic contact info including name, contact number, address, email address and your ABN (if you have one).

2.Detail your education.
Start by listing your most recent course, then work backwards. If you’re still studying or in the process of completing your Certificate III, then make sure to list it alongside the name of the institution. Also include the start and finish dates of all courses – and repeat this all the way back until secondary school. This is the farthest back that you’ll need to list.

3.Add your employment details.
This is similar to detailing your education… start with your most recent role and work your way back. Be sure to include details such as the length of your employment and your responsibilities for each role.

Tip: Be creative, and make sure not to sell yourself short when you list your experience! Even if you haven’t yet gained paid employment as a makeup artist, you can still list any informal or volunteer work that can show your skills. This will show that you are proactive and part of the community. Any experience shows that you can be reliable and responsible, which is crucial to any job.

4.List your achievements.
Have you won any sort of awards? Have you been accoladed in your studies? This is great, and employers love to see any achievements that you may have! Whether your achievements are academic, in the arts or personal, listing these show that you have dedication to growth, improvement and excellence at whatever you do.

5.Run through any additional skills you may have.
Perhaps you can speak another language? Or maybe you’re great with social media? Any assets you can bring to the job are always attractive to employers.

6. Tell them about yourself.
If you have any hobbies or interests, you can also list these to round out your resume (especially if you don’t have a lot of paid positions to list). Listing your hobbies and interests gives employers an insight into what you’re like as a person and whether you’ll be a good culture fit for their team. Think carefully about what interests you can list to show you in the best possible light.

7. Provide referees.
Two referees is usually the preferred amount. A referee is someone who knows you in a formal or professional capacity – prospective employers may ring your referees to confirm that they know you and can vouch for you as a person. A referee can be a boss, a family friend, a teacher or tutor or a former colleague.

8.Consider the design.
After you’ve collected all your information, you’ll then need to put some thought into the presentation of your resume and cover letter. There are lots of online tools you can use to give your resume and cover letter a professional design such as PicMonkey, which gives you pre-built professional layouts that you can input your info into. If you’re a whiz with design, you may wish to have a little more control over the layout and use Photoshop or Illustrator to create your resume design.

9.Proof read once, twice, three times!
Never overlook proofreading… spelling and grammatical errors can make you look unprofessional. If possible, have a trusted friend or family member read over your resume and cover letter too. A fresh set of eyes will pick up mistakes that you may miss!

Final tips:

  • Be as clear and concise as possible. Try to make sure your resume is no longer than one A4 page
  • When listing your email address, make sure you use something that sounds professional. If you have your own website domain, use an email address tied to that (e.g. [email protected]) or if using something like Gmail, use a simple combination of your name (e.g. [email protected]). Steer away from using any fun and quirky email addresses that you may use for your social media accounts!
  • If you’ve had any clients as a makeup artist yet, use testimonials and reviews where possible!
  • Be sure to attach a portfolio to show your work – consider including before and after shots, face charts (to show you understand how to work on different clients), professional photos taken of your clients, snapshots of your process… anything you think relevant to the position that you’re applying for. Where possible, a digital portfolio is always a good idea.
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How to Become a Makeup Artist in Australia?

How to Become a Makeup Artist

First of all, congratulations on taking the first step to your new career as a Makeup Artist! You’re in the right place to find all the info you need to start an exciting career as a MUA.

In Australia, and indeed globally, makeup artists are in consistent high demand so you’re making a smart decision entering the makeup industry. However, you must also know that there is loads of competition – but, if you’re hard working and determined and creative enough, you can easily overcome this challenge and earn a great living whilst doing what you’re passionate about. You can literally be living the dream!

What does a makeup artist do?

When many people think of a makeup artist, they think of a backstage artist applying makeup to models. This is one niche of makeup artistry, however there are also plenty more ways in which makeup artists work (for instance, applying cosmetics to clients freelance (such as bridal parties, pre-party makeup and school ball makeup), giving makeovers, makeup for models/actors, working in the television industry, runway/fashion makeup, theatre makeup and special effects makeup).

And this is by no means an exhaustive list… for more on the specifics of makeup artists and the various niches, be sure to look around our site. Click here for a glossary of specialist makeup artists.

Working as a professional makeup artist can be very rewarding, exciting and most of all, fun! It also involves hard work, long hours and plenty of patience though – so you’ll need to be dedicated to your craft and passionate about makeup to ensure that you stay motivated throughout your training and career as a makeup artist.

Being a makeup artist is truly a profession where you absolutely must LOVE what you do. Unlike some other jobs where you can mentally switch off and be on autopilot, being a makeup artist requires you to be constantly on your feet, being creative and transforming the looks of your clients. If you love being creative and get bored easily, this is the perfect job for you as there’s never a dull moment! Every client is different which means that no two jobs will ever be the same.

Some makeup artists will get to travel the world whilst they work on exciting projects and meet new people and, if you’re in high demand, many clients may even travel the world to see you! Many makeup artists go on to become makeup teachers and educators and even write their own books… this means that as your career advances, new doors will continually be opening up for you to pass on your skills to others if you ever decide to stop applying your makeup skills to clients. So although makeup artists are in a very competitive industry, the consistent opportunities mean that becoming a MUA can be a very smart career move if you’re passionate and dedicated.

As makeup artists gain experience and training, they will also build up a body of work that then allows them to charge higher rates for their artistry and gets them closer to high-profile work in the lucrative fashion and entertainment industries.

What training do I need to become a Makeup Artist?

If you want to become a Makeup Artist in Australia, you’ll need to complete a Certificate III in Makeup. When completing a Cert III in Makeup, you’ll be required to complete a number of supervised training hours (similar to an apprenticeship) to help you build up your skills. The entry requirements can vary, however you will usually need to have completed year 10 of high school. Your training as a makeup artist will occur in a range of locations including on-campus, in purpose built educational makeup studios and on-location, to prepare you for a range of different environments that you might work in as your career grows.

You may choose to stop at a Certificate III in makeup, however many students then go on to pursue more specialist training for specific niches such as:

  • Theatre Makeup
  • Special Effects (SFX) Makeup
  • Bridal Makeup
  • Retail Makeup
  • Fashion, Runway & Catwalk Makeup
  • Editorial Makeup
  • Television & Screen Makeup

If you are a freelance makeup artist, you may also wish to consider taking a short business course to help you learn the basics of marketing yourself and operating as a registered business. As makeup falls under the health and beauty category, you’ll need to be aware of the insurance that you’re required to have to protect you and your clients if something goes wrong (for instance, if someone has an allergic reaction to a product).

If you are employed by a company as a makeup artist, your insurance and marketing will be taken care of by the company, however it is always looked upon favourably by employers if a makeup artist chooses to continually update themselves with new training, as well as staying up to date with the latest techniques and makeup trends.

Click here to read more about completing your certificate III in makeup.

The second option for those is wish to become a fully qualified makeup artist quickly or within a year is through full time study through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) such as a public institution like tafe, or through a private establishment. Your personal requirements, how you’d prefer to study and your financial commitments will dictate the sort of course that’ll be best suited to you, so ensure to do your research!

On completion of any full time study through a RTO, you’ll be recognised with a national trade qualification for makeup.

Click here to read more about completing your certificate III by studying makeup full time or part time.

Ready to be a makeup artist?

Now that you know that you want to be a makeup artist, once you establish yourself and get qualified, then it’s time to get yourself out there, put the hard work in and get yourself some clients!

If you’re seeking employment with a company such as MAC or with a department store/chain such as Myer, Sephora, Mecca Cosmetica/Mecca Maxima, take it one step at a time. Get your resume together and prepare an application (read more about that here), start networking and above all… practice your skills! Practice on family and friends, put a call out in Makeup Artist Facebook group for volunteer models… you’ll be surprised how many people are willing to let you practice your skills on them. You get a portfolio piece, and they get to feel great for a night out.

On the note of portfolios, start collecting a bank of images of your work (the higher quality images the better, although when you first start out then good quality iPhone photos will also do the job) and find a creative way to display them. Many Makeup Artists have personal websites to display their portfolios so you may wish to do the same (and you can read more about setting up an online portfolio here).

Even if you’re looking to be self-employed or freelance, don’t be afraid to get searching for jobs too – many makeup artist jobs are part-time and can help you build your portfolio. There are plenty of jobs online so make sure to check sites such as Seek, Indeed or even Facebook Groups and Gumtree!

Be proactive and at the start of your career, don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities at local beauty salons… if you don’t ask, you’ll never receive!

The sky truly is the limit when it comes to what you can do with your career as a makeup artist – so whether you want to work in fashion, theatre, bridal; whether you choose to be freelance or employed by a company… use your imagination and get creative! After all, makeup artistry is fuelled by creativity!

Let’s summarise:

First Step: Make sure that you’ve fully researched the industry and are 100% aware of all factors (including the highs and lows, how much you’ll earn as a makeup artist and what you can expect day to day) before committing to a career as a makeup artist. While studying to be a professional makeup artist, make sure you look into how much Australian Makeup Artists can earn.  You may also be entitled to financial aid while studying.

Second Step: Make sure you complete a Certificate III in Makeup as a starting point – this is what you’ll need to qualify as a professional Makeup Artist in Australia.

Third Step: There are also lots of supplementary courses or full-time study courses to help you advance your skills so be sure to research the best fit for your needs.

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Cert III in Make-Up

How to Become a Makeup Artist

A Certificate III in Makeup is the minimum qualification level required for makeup artists in Australia. It’s best suited for people who like on-the-job learning as it combines practical and theoretical training, perfect to give you a solid foundation as you start your career as a makeup artist.

Once you have completed this course you can pursue a career in makeup artistry or start your own business as a makeup artist. You will also be able to work in a retail environment as a makeup artist, work in fashion as a runway specialist, work in photography (for instance, covering bridal and fashion), work in the film & TV industry, be a freelance makeup artist and work at cosmetic counters.

A Certificate III in Makeup is a fun and creative course so although you’ll be learning and working hard each day to develop your skills, if you’re truly passionate about makeup and have a strong desire to be a professional makeup artist, the course will be an exciting and life changing experience for you!

Individuals who complete a Certificate III in Makeup will leave the course possessing a range of well-developed, honed skills such as:

  • Working cooperatively as part of a makeup team
  • Working with industry professionals including photographers, stylists and models
  • Listening to clients
  • Understanding skincare
  • Changing the look of the face and features using makeup
  • Special application techniques

And, depending on the institute that you choose, the following may also be covered (make sure you do your research to see exactly what extras are on offer at each institute):

  • Bridal & wedding makeup
  • Day makeup
  • Evening makeup
  • Formal makeup
  • Camouflage makeup
  • Fashion, catwalk & runway makeup
  • Make-up through the ages
  • Airbrushing makeup
  • Photographic makeup
  • Fantasy makeup
  • Theatre and stage makeup
  • Special effects (SFX) makeup
  • Brow grooming
  • Spray tanning
  • Hairstyling techniques to complement makeup

Course Info:

The duration of a Certificate III in Makeup to qualify you as a makeup artist (MUA) will depend on the individual institute, however you can expect an average duration of 1-2 days studying per week for 30-40 weeks.

Course Code: SHB30125
Accreditation: Naturally recognised qualification at Cert III level
Cost: Starts at around $3,000 and can go up to $5,000 depending on where you study
Financial Aid: Tafe does offer a concession fee, however a Cert III in Makeup does not qualify for Austudy

Further study opportunities include:

Click here to read more about Certificate II in Retail Cosmetics (SHB20116)
Click here to read more about  Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy (SHB40115)
Click here to read more about Diploma of Beauty Therapy (SHB50115)
Click here to also view additional specialist courses that you may be interested in to complement a Certificate III in Makeup and further hone your skills.

Training and qualification requirements for courses and Cert III’s can vary from state to state as a Makeup Artist, so please select your state to get specialist info on requirements in your state. It’s imperative to do your research!

Australian Capital Territory – (02) 6205 8555
New South Wales – 13 28 11
Northern Territory – (08) 8901 1357
Queensland – 1800 210 210
South Australia – 1800 673 097
Tasmania – 1800 655 846
Victoria – (03) 9651 9999
Western Australia – 13 19 54

Continue Reading