How This Makeup Artist Manages To Make Nearly $100,000 In a Cluttered Industry

While the world of beauty may look glamorous from the outside, the truth is that this creative space is populated by skilled professionals who are extremely particular about their jobs. Whether it's helping actors step into their characters or crafting flawless looks for editorials and weddings, their dedication to the art can be financially rewarding in current times. Mira Parmer, an international makeup artist based in London, revealed the prospects in an interview with HuffPost. She talks about how she has managed to make a living doing what she does best. 

Parmer says that in addition to her work, she also creates content for her 23.5K followers on Instagram. Currently, Parmer says she makes around $95,600. She does most of the work herself and doesn't have an agent. This means she is in charge of all the negotiation and her finances, charging close to $440 for an average makeup session.

According to Parmer, she doesn't make a lot by working with models. "Sometimes editorial rates are lower or for free, which I think should be banned!” she said. “I like that some agencies are saying their artists will not be working for free from now on," she says.

On the other hand, Parmer says that the rates she can charge for red carpets are never fixed. In the case of weddings, Parmer's rates depend on the number of people. For example, if it's only the bride she needs to attend to then she only charges $820. However, in case she also needs to help the bridesmaids with their makeup, she charges another $380 extra on top of her usual rate. When she takes up a wedding project, she is usually accompanied by an assistant who has to be paid separately by the client. Moreover, Parmer also earns quite a lot from teaching makeup.

She currently works with a makeup school in London and often goes there to teach a small batch of students. According to HuffPost, she currently makes $370 To $500 by working as a teacher. Parmer also earns a good amount of money through brand campaigns and advertising. She charges close to $1,070 for brand campaigns that include lookbooks. She also works on advertising models and charges $1,200+ for TV ads. 

In terms of content creation, her rates vary depending on the type and size of the brand. She says that her rates for reels start from $1,070 while her rates for stories start from $315. "During and post-COVID-19, brands started using influencers to sell their products rather than booking makeup artists for campaigns as it was better for them in terms of budgets, overheads, studio costs, lunches, studio equipment," Parmar said.

Parmer urges aspiring MUAs to take advantage of the changing landscape of the beauty industry and stand up against exploitation. "Makeup artists are being asked to work for free when this job is a skill and should be paid. We all have to stick together in the industry, but sadly there will always be someone who will do the job for free or for a low rate," she said.