Mālō e lelei class,

I just want to start this off by saying if you got the Harry Potter reference in the title then Yaaaas Kween!! We can be bffs (and if you got the Broad City reference I made just then, we are soul mates).

Okay so today we’re talking Freelancers (obvs) and by Freelancers I mean the Makeup Artist kind. I have been on the HUNT for a Freelance Makeup Artist lately (for my wedding) and it got me thinking about them in general. What was I looking for in a Freelance Makeup Artist? Why didn’t I go to a counter artist? Who are some of my fave Freelancers in NZ that I wish I could afford to fly down for it? And most importantly WHY is it so hard to find important information about Freelance Makeup Artists on their website? (Think, products they use, pictures of their work, price lists etc). Is there an easier way? (Spoiler alert – there is! See below)

Alright, I am a picky woman with regards to hiring a Makeup Artist because A. I own  A LOT  of makeup, B. I like to think I’m alright at doing my own makeup and C. I know my face like the back of my hand (well maybe not quite as well as the back of my hand, but you get the idea).

I had some very specific things I was looking for while hunting for the perfect artist which totally filled my picky needs. Although, to be fair, my wedding is one of the most important days of my life, and my skin is very oily and I have hooded eyelids which aren’t exactly the easiest things to work with. This is what I was looking for;

• I didn’t want someone who used only one brand of makeup (because I don’t know of a brand that has a perfect product for every makeup need, I feel like you need a good mixture of things that you love).
• I wanted a trained makeup artist – although that’s not to say that untrained artists aren’t amazing (trust me, I’ve seen some AMAZING self-trained artists) but my skin is difficult to work with and often someone untrained doesn’t always have the extensive knowledge of how to work with different skin types etc
• As I have such a large collection of makeup, I sort of wanted someone who knew about new on-trend products and brands as there are some Holy-Grail type products out there which I felt like I couldn’t live without on my big day. I actually used Makeup Geek as an example of this because I figured if an artist knew about Makeup Geek eye shadows (arguably one of the most popular shadow brands on the market) then they would be up with the current trends (bit silly, but I am a bit silly sometimes).
• I also wanted someone reasonably priced reflecting the products they use and the training they’ve had – NOW I am all about paying someone (especially in this business) what they deserve so it wasn’t about skimping on the cash, but I also couldn’t afford to go overboard and I wasn’t about to pay hundreds for an artist that used only drugstore products for example.

Now I’m 100% sure you wouldn’t be as fussy as me but these are some things to consider! What is your skin and eyes like? What exactly are you looking for? What sort of products are your holy grail? How much are you willing to spend? OR if you’re a Makeup Artist then this list may be interesting for you.

Okay, remember how I said earlier that I was going to tell you about an EASY way of getting clients as a Freelance Makeup Artist AND finding a Freelance Makeup Artist if you’re the consumer? Well, guys, bear with me on this because I am excited! And also a little bit annoyed (I wish this existed when I was looking for a Makeup Artist a month ago!!!!)If you are a Freelancer then definitely keep reading too because I have a sweet coupon code for you!

There is a new website which is live now for Makeup Artists to sign up and it launches on the 10th of June for customer bookings – which makes it ridiculously easy to find an awesome Makeup Artist especially if you’re picky like me. AND if you ARE a Makeup Artist then I know it’s not always easy to get your name out there and make flashy websites or Instagram photos so this makes it ridiculously easy for you to get clients that genuinely want what you are offering. What is this magical site you ask? Beauty Book!

Beauty Book* (aside from the super cute name) is an idea I wish I came up with. It’s a booking website which allows Freelancers to create a profile which encompasses all those important details us clients look for in a makeup artist. Pricing? What’s in your kit? Looks you’ve created? Qualifications? How many years in the industry? As well as some super cute additions like – Your best beauty tip? Your Beauty Philosophy. What you LOVE about being a Makeup Artist?

The great part too is that you can see what other artists pricing is like or the products they have in their kit and use that to help you see what is popular or what a normal price is to charge. Not to mention you will be getting clients that genuinely like what YOU do and appreciate YOUR work which I think would make your job that much easier.

Beauty Book also allows you to update your availability so you don’t have to go through the emails back and forward asking all the minor questions like that (a feature which is also attractive to me as a consumer), plus it let’s you put in your travel preferences and then includes appropriate travel costs and timing in between clients FOR YOU. It’s like your own personal PA!

IF YOU ARE A FREELANCER and you sign up NOW then you could also be in to win a flipping amazing Freelance Makeup Kit including some MAC goodies, the Morphe 350 Palette, and some brushes (see photo below). Honestly, why wouldn’t you sign up? I know I will definitely be using the site as a consumer.

I ALSO have that coupon code for you lovely Freelancers which is running at the moment. The code is just BB and it basically reduces their yearly subscription fee from $109-$80 (making their services roughly the SAME price as one makeup application! C’MON NOW).

If you are a prospective client then check out Beauty Book’s Instagram because I know they’re going to be doing some exciting giveaways for us too! And don’t forget their site will be live for us on the 10th of June.

Now while we’re doing all this talking about Freelance Makeup Artists I felt like I just HAD to mention some of my favourites in NZ (and Australia).

Fiona Clare

This woman is TALENTED. Not only does she do amazing makeup but she is also a hair stylist! Sort of a double whammy. If I could afford it I would be 1000% flying her down for my wedding makeup and hair! She is based in Auckland (so sorry if you’re in the rest of the country) but she is mobile so she can come to you! Check her out on her Facebook Page  and her super underrated YouTube channel. She is one of the sweetest people I know and definitely keeps up with the latest beauty trends (and products, eh Fiona! 😉 ) She would be an amazing, calm artist for your wedding or special event.

Victoria Nunns

I was planning on getting married in Queenstown and quickly booked Victoria for my wedding makeup but ALAS we ended up changing the venues to Dunedin so I had to cancel with her which was HEARTBREAKING because she is a fantastically talented artist. Go and look at her Facebook page because you will be in awe. Fun fact – she is also a super talented illustrator/designer!

Jahleshia Deflavelle

Jah is a bit of a big deal over on YouTube (I think so anyway) and a HUGE talent. She actually works at Inglot Cosmetics in Sydney (sorry NZ!) but she is a New Zealander. There ARE some fantastic and knowledgeable artists that work on counters around the place and she is one of them. She is also a LOVELY girl and super down to earth and easy to talk to!

Jordanne Leigh

Jordanne is a beauty blogger, YouTuber and newly trained makeup artist. She is horrendously talented and even offers a free workshop over on her blog for aspiring makeup artists! She is always sporting some gorgeous colour on her lids which I envy because I’m too scared to work with colour!

That’s my take on Freelance Makeup Artists and where to find them – and where to sign up if you ARE a Freelance Artist! Have you got a favourite Freelance Makeup Artist you want to share?

If you have ANY questions about Beauty Book then please don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best to answer them!

*This post was sponsored by Beauty Book NZ however all opinions are my own and I genuinely think the website is fantastic and I will DEFINITELY be using it myself.