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[00:00:00] Hey, it's Angie, and today's episode is for every single artist listening who's been waiting for their work to be absolutely perfect before they post about it. If you've ever thought, I am not ready yet, or my work isn't good enough to share, this episode is gonna be helpful for you because I am here to tell you you're not doing yourself.
Any favors by hiding your content and your work. Visibility matters way more than perfection when you're trying to build a real career in makeup artistry. Let's talk about why. If you've ever stared at a photo or video, you were about to post and thought, this isn't good enough.
You are definitely not the only person. We've all been there. Even now for myself, sometimes I'm like, oh, I don't know if this is good enough to post The pressure to have absolutely perfect work on your feed is constant, especially when you're on social a lot and you're looking at artists with years of experience, better cameras, better lighting, maybe they're working with really great models. And when you compare yourself to that, [00:01:00] it's easy to feel like there's no point in posting your own work. So you hesitate, you overthink, and then you end up posting nothing or whatever real or post you created just sits in your drafts.
That is actually doing more harm than you think, because when you don't post, no one sees you. And if no one sees you, no one can book you.
I see a lot of newer artists holding back from sharing their work because they're afraid of being judged, which I understand, and I know a lot of us constantly compare ourselves to more experienced artists or artists who are just working in different situations. And a lot of newer artists think their work just isn't polished enough.
And honestly, I think what it is, is a lot of us, when we first start. We actually don't know how to capture our work in a way that looks like what we see on Instagram. So this is why I think all of us at the beginning end up posting nothing. And that's a problem because how are people supposed to know what you do or who you are or even where you're based if you never post? Here's the thing. Everybody has to have [00:02:00] that first post, that first real TikTok, whatever it is. It's just like your first job.
It's uncomfortable. It feels very vulnerable but the only way to get over it is to do it. And if you need to start small, post something to your stories, it disappears in 24 hours. That can be a great first step before putting anything on your feed. And to be clear, the looks you post do not have to be dramatic or complex. You don't have to have crazy makeup looks. The looks just need to be clean, well blended captured in decent lighting. Natural light is free and usually better than what you can get from a ring light anyways.
And if the photo is clear and the makeup is decently applied, it's something that is post. And remember, your feed isn't permanent either. You should be reviewing it regularly in archiving posts that no longer reflect your best work. That is something completely normal to do. You're allowed to evolve, but visibility is what is gonna build your career.
So if you're not posting anything, [00:03:00] ask yourself what's actually holding you back. Is it fear of judgment?
Is it perfectionism? Is it overthinking what people might say? Because here's what happens. When you share consistently, even when the work isn't perfect, people start to recognize your aesthetic and you become familiar. You will get inquiries and you start to build your own version of a portfolio that lives right on your Instagram or social media.
That's how most people find artists. Now, your account is basically your elevator pitch. It should reflect what you do, what your taste level is like, and what people can expect when they book you. Clients don't really need the work to be Photoshop level flawless. I think what they care is that it feels real. When they're scrolling your feed, they're probably asking, would I feel comfortable with this person? Would I trust this artist to get me camera ready? Or, would I trust this artist to be on set with me?
Is the vibe what I'm looking for? Your [00:04:00] feed doesn't have to be full of professional retouch photos or a ton of editorial work. I think sometimes that sets people up for disappointment. For myself, I post natural makeup, looks very simple, achievable, looks on my feed.
Sometimes the lighting isn't great. Sometimes my client or model is fidgeting in the chair or we're chatting and I can't execute every single detail the way I'd like to.
But that is real, and that's the work, and that is what has helped me book jobs, get PR opportunities, and connect with clients. Who want exactly the kind of makeup that I do in the Artist to Artist membership, I share full makeup applications from real jobs that I have with real clients. Sometimes the model is moving too much. Sometimes the lighting is not great. Sometimes the skin isn't ideal. But I show it all because that's what this job looks like and that's what your job will look like.
And I want artists in those early stages to understand that not everything needs to be completely 100% perfect for social media.
[00:05:00] Let's talk about what you should be posting, even if your work is not quote unquote perfect. Post your before and afters if your client is comfortable with it, especially if you are working in personal services like bridal and events.
Clients love a transformation post behind the scenes clips post you setting up your station. Post content that shows that you are working. It doesn't matter if it's paid or unpaid, that alone creates credibility. People don't know what you do unless you tell them and show them on repeat, and that's what your responsibility is with your social media.
Don't assume people understand where your skill level is at, or what type of clients you work with, or what your aesthetic is.
You are gonna have to say it or show it a million times over and over again. A picture of you working on set, even if it's just a quick clip from your phone, does more for your brand than an overly polished makeup. Photo or reel with a million transitions and like four filters on it we'll ever do.
[00:06:00] And if you're thinking, Angie, I don't even know how I film myself, that brings me to your tip of the week or tip of the episode, and it's really simple.
Just add a lightweight tripod to your kit and honestly. I'll tell you this before I talk more about the tripod situation. I have filmed so much of myself on the front facing camera, just leaning my phone on a water bottle on a stool just off to the side. When I've been working on set I, and I haven't even used a tripod, but.
It does help to add a tripod to your kit. I will link the one that I use in the show notes. It's compact. It's very easy to set up. You can just pop your phone on it while you're doing makeup. Hit record and forget about it. You can film a couple minutes or seconds while you're applying Foundation, a couple seconds when you're just maybe filling in someone's brows, adding, finishing touches, powder, whatever it is.
You don't need to speak to the camera if you don't want to. You don't need to be entertaining. Your [00:07:00] social media following. You're just capturing proof that you work, and that alone goes a really long way. And don't feel weird about using a tripod. People are filming everything these days. This is part of your job now.
It's part of our job. Think of it as collecting assets for marketing that you can pull from later on. I do this all the time. I will just turn my phone on. Record me touching up, me setting up my station, tearing down my station, chatting with clients.
And I use this for content, for reels, for just about everything. And I have a folder on my phone called B roll and that's how I organize it.
If you've been putting off posting because you feel like you're trying to wait until some moment when your work is perfect, let me remind you that no one's work is perfect, not mine, not anyone's. What matters is consistency, visibility, repetition. That's what builds trust. That's what builds your reputation, and that's what books clients.
Here's what I want you to do. After this episode. Pick [00:08:00] some content you might already have on your phone or film a little bit. It could be anything that shows that you're working. It doesn't have to be a finished look. It doesn't even have to be on a client. Just post something to your stories that proves you're doing the job, that you say you're doing, that you are working, that you are active on social media.
Post this to your stories, and if you're still stuck, just commit to filming one thing next week. Take your phone, lean it up against a water bottle. Grab some content, post it to your stories. That's the first step. It's the easiest thing to do, goes away in 24 hours and the week after that, post two stories the week after that, three stories just until you get into the habit of doing this.
And this is a great way to just start building an online presence. Now before we wrap, I did wanna answer a really great makeup artist question that came through Instagram. This artist wrote,
I work in the industry and I'm turning 60 this year. I will probably be retiring soon, but [00:09:00] to maintain some income and do something I truly enjoy, I've been thinking about offering personal makeup workshops, either one-on-one or for small groups, especially for mature individuals who want to make better use of the products that they already have.
Doing makeup on, others feels too physically demanding at this stage, but I'd still love to stay connected to this passion and earn a bit of money. What do you think? First of all, I love this question because yes, there absolutely is a market for this kind of work. Personal makeup lessons, small group workshops, even personal shopping services for makeup products.
These are all amazing options for artists who don't wanna take on full client loads, but still wanna work in the industry and make money doing something that they love.
And if you yourself are a little bit older, you're in the perfect position to serve that niche. You understand your clients, you know what they're struggling with. You can speak their language and guide them through what really works for their skin type, for their lifestyle, for how they wanna [00:10:00] look.
I have offered personal makeup lessons myself. I've done group things and I've seen other artists do it very successfully, way better than I have ever done. And when it works, I think it works because the experience for those clients is very value packed. The sessions are thoughtful, they are clearly marketed.
Your clients know exactly what to expect, and I think the artists who do this well are very intentional about capturing before and afters, really focusing on that transformation, getting feedback from their clients and building that strong word of mouth.
Now, you don't have to be a marketing expert for this, but I think it is helpful when you can collect those testimonials. Stay in touch with your clients in terms of what they want help with, and really be invested in refining your process as you go. So your clients get the most out of this type of lesson.
And while it's true that this kind of work is physically less demanding, since you're not doing makeup on a bunch of people in one day, it does come [00:11:00] though with a different type of effort and the energy that you expend on this type of thing, it's gonna go into planning, communication, and making sure that that experience for your clients.
Feels very personal and more importantly, useful for the person or group of people sitting in front of you.
So, yes, I fully support this direction for makeup artists who maybe are not looking for a full-time career as a makeup artist in the traditional sense, or want something that's kind of lower impact. But I think it's important to know that the type of work that you're doing just shifts a little bit.
You'll need. A good booking process. You will need, I think, a really good intake form to understand what your client's goals are and a way to collect feedback so you can improve after every lesson. It's a really great option, and if you lean into it and show up with good intentions and really committed to providing a great experience for your clients experie, it can be incredibly fulfilling and definitely profitable as well.[00:12:00]
So thank you so much for that question. Keep them coming. You can always send your questions to me on the artist to artist Instagram or in the comment section of the podcast on YouTube. I love getting these questions because I think if you are thinking it, there is always somebody else or a lot of people also thinking about that question as well.
That's it for this week. I will talk to you next Tuesday. Thank you so much for tuning in, and I'll talk to you soon. Bye.
