“It takes more than a train case and a good set of brushes to become a successful makeup artist.” This statement is all the more true when it comes to the most important day of a person’s life – their wedding. The demand for a top and experienced bridal makeup artist is rising by the day; brides want makeup to be the jewellery that adorns their face in a manner that reflects their true self. And, malleable and mercurial as it is, bridal makeup is all about working with manifold faces, each unique in colour, texture, shape, and more.

Besides learning the secrets of bridal makeup application via a professional course, aspirants must be aware of the different career options available even in such a niche area.

1. Freelance Bridal Makeup Artist

For those who want the independence of working on their own terms and time schedule, the ideal career after a bridal makeup course is that of a freelance bridal makeup artist. However, one must also take a realistic approach, remaining mindful of the fact that to become a successful freelance makeup artist, it is absolutely essential to have a stellar portfolio that displays diverse makeup styles, solid work experience in the form of internships, and strong marketing and business skills as they’re on their own when it comes to attracting clients and maintaining credibility in the market.

2. Spa and Salon Bridal Makeup Artist

Being chosen by a reputed beauty salon or spa to become a member of their team as a professional makeup artist is nothing short of exciting. Working alongside talented and experienced cosmetologists and aestheticians is the perfect boost needed for a successful career as a professional bridal makeup artist. After all, there are specific tips and tricks kept exclusively for the inner circle, which can only be learnt by everyday observation.

In such a setup, makeup artists will see first-hand how pre-bridal sessions are conducted for overall pampering of the bride, which methods work best in enhancing the skin tone and texture without causing any harm, and the myriads of ways makeup can be applied depending upon the preference of the bride in question.

3. Bridal Makeup Sales Rep

For those with strong sales and marketing skills in addition to a professional degree in bridal makeup lies open the career path of a makeup company’s sales representative. Such individuals are responsible for conducting live makeup demonstration sessions, holding special events for rolling out seasonal and limited edition products, and employing other selling strategies to ensure that the company’s cosmetic products reach their sales goals. Not only is this career option a great way to showcase one’s unique work to diverse kinds of people but during the course of the practice, one may acquire a good understanding of the different application methods and products that work well on different faces based on the skin tone, type, etc.

4. Beauty Blogger or Vlogger

Besides being a talented bridal makeup artist, being a gifted writer is the perfect combination to establish a career in the world of beauty writing – one may choose to become a beauty blogger or vlogger. Beauty bloggers have a vast scope, even bridal beauty bloggers; they can choose to make written or video content either on a wide variety of topics that spans from “5 Things No One Tells You about Your Wedding Makeup” to “Incredible Ways to Use Vaseline on Your Big Day!” or they can stick to a singular department. For instance, talking exclusively about bridal hairstyles or managing and styling frizzy and curly hair. However, the topics need not rigidly stick to makeup; one may even offer tips on other aspects of a wedding if they feel confident in doing so, like, ‘5 Useful Things You Absolutely Need in Your Bridal Clutch!”

5. Beauty Educator

One can even choose to become a teacher of the trade, holding either premium online or in-person classes and workshops on the application of different kinds of bridal makeup – from the ‘dewy look’ and nude lips to the ‘full-glam look’ with shimmery eyes and well-highlighted cheeks. However, this career option is open to those with some former experience as a bridal makeup artist; once a firm footing has been established, others can be trained in making a successful career in the field.

Finally, for those wishing to pursue a career in the bridal makeup field, esteemed institutions such as the Pearl Academy offer bridal makeup and hair courses in collaboration with the London College of Fashion. Students will be trained according to changing international beauty trends to establish a successful career in the bridal makeup world.