Having an ongoing, successful relationship with clients is something that goes beyond being good at what you do. Networking efficiently and leaving a positive impact on your client can go a long way.

Having a positive and professional presence is something that all makeup artists should aim to have. Your job as a makeup artist is not just to do a great makeup for your client, but creating a positive experience overall. The art of transforming and enhancing someone’s beauty- the way that you make them feel throughout and afterward is a rewarding experience.

Being professional, personable and attentive are just a few qualities that should shine through. When you have a client, your priority should be to build a lasting and meaningful relationship with them. This will help you in your career always.

Here are 5 ways to make a lasting impression!

Create a Safe Space Zone

Many times, clients can come in with an energy that builds up from their everyday life: stress, time, family, etc. They can be in a space mentally and emotionally that can take over the session.

No matter what the client is going through, make sure that you provide a safe space zone for them. Being in tune with the client in a relaxed atmosphere is very important. As an artist, you want your creative space and energy to be protected. Your technique and process is your time to create. You want to make sure that your client feels taken care of and relaxed during their makeup session.

Creating a safe space zone could be as simple as taking the client’s belongings and helping them get settled in and having them sit in a comfortable chair. Having polite conversation upon contact is important and shows that you are personable. This allows the client to become comfortable with you and increases the likelihood that they will be open with you during the session.

Sometimes playing slow music or having a clean and comfortable space for them to enjoy their session can make a big difference! Every artist is different-but you should always aim to make your client feel relaxed and comfortable. When you treat customers like people and not numbers, you will leave a memorable impression. This is how clients come back to you, build trust in you and therefore foster professional relationships.

Ask the Client About Their History with Makeup

Knowing a little bit about the client’s history with makeup can be very helpful when starting off your session. A good way to approach this would be to say “What does your daily makeup routine consist of?”.

Taking some time at the beginning of the session to get to know the person’s personal beauty routine instead of just immediately applying makeup is important. It breaks the ice for conversation if the client is nervous and starts a personable interaction. In addition, it also allows you to make some sort of judgment on how to go about the makeup look depending on the client’s comfort level and preference.

For example, if the client only wears mascara and lip balm and they want a pretty, natural look you may want to tweak the full coverage foundation or dramatic eye and vise versa. On the other hand, if your client wears full makeup everyday you can be more confident going in with a little bit of the more dramatic techniques and enhanced skin. It is all about finding a medium between your expertise and style as an artist and the client’s comfort level and experience. Sometimes encouraging the client to come out of their comfort zone is necessary as well.

Ask the client what they envision

Knowing what your client wants is vital when trying to deliver a makeup look. Many times they can bring in photos or examples of the makeup that they want to be done. Asking questions regarding their skin type, typical makeup routine and what kind of look they want gives you a good idea of what to aim for during the session.

Another great way of putting together what the personal style of the client is would be to have a casual “What are you wearing?” conversation on their outfit. Much like makeup artistry, fashion and detailing can entail details about one’s style.

Sometimes something as small as studs on a jacket or maybe a high slit can give the impression the person likes more of a dramatic, statement look. You can incorporate this into a conversation and use it as a way of learning more about them. Using small talk to uncover details of the client’s personal style is a great way to build a relationship and help yourself at the same time.

Be flexible

One thing we know about makeup artistry as a career is that schedules can be completely scattered. Unlike other careers with standard hours and days, the times a makeup artist will be needed can be unpredictable. In addition, being flexible with clients about their needs is a great skill to have. Don’t get me wrong- be sturdy in your policies regarding your schedule and what days you do/don’t work. However, being understanding with clients and being flexible will go a long way.

In addition, being flexible when it comes to the actual makeup session and look is important. Sometimes a client may voice a concern and as a makeup artist, you should be able to find a quick solution. This solution should be one that makes the client happy and still reflects your artistry.

Knowing these common grounds are extremely important because as an artist, you need to think quick and have the skills to be efficient. Each client is different and adhering to them is very important for the success in your relationships.

Be professional

Besides how you treat the client and the quality of your work, be sure to always maintain professionalism. Arriving on time, having a neat setup for your products and being prepared are all ways to be professional. You can do a great job on a client and be friendly, but no matter how good you are, being unprofessional is always off-putting.

Always following sanitation guidelines and having etiquette is vital as well. If your clients know that you are serious and only do the best work then they will keep coming back to you. If you are unprofessional, it will not make them want to book you again and it will definitely prevent them from referring you to others.

Being neat, professional, organized and prepared can only help you in your career.

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These are just a few tips on making sure that each interaction with your client is as memorable as possible. Leaving a lasting impression improves your credibility as a makeup artist. You want to make your clients feel taken care of, relaxed and listened to while maintaining professionalism.

All of our makeup programs start from the very beginning of makeup artistry: this includes how to clean your tools properly, sanitation techniques, understanding the needs of the client and how to communicate with them. This helps our students right off the bat to know what is necessary to have a successful interaction with clients! We pride ourselves in providing the very best for our students.