Confessions of a Makeup Artist

Don't be scurred & confused the next time you want to buy makeup...

While I do a lot of on-location work (that's where I make a pretty penny), I've also worked in freestanding makeup and department stores. I'm sure you wonder how we get paid depending on the store you go to. Some women tell me that they dreaded even coming to the counter because they were afraid I worked off commission.

There are two ways a makeup artist gets paid- hourly only or hourly plus commissions usually 3% of the gross sale. So for every $100 I sell in this particular case, I can give myself a $3/hr raise for that hour. It's true that there's a lot of money in the cosmetics slinging business (for the corporate cosmetic line, not me). So whether I'm an artist at a freestanding MAC or a department store, the bottom line is we all have to make numbers.


Please tell me you see the MAC store in the back of the Avengers trailer!


Anyway...
The bosses and higher ups always try to outdo their last year in sales and we get reprimanded if we're not hitting our sales goals. I could even lose my job. Sometimes the schedules are performance based, too. Most stores also measure your UPT's (units per transaction) and is usually goaled at 3 per transaction- so, if you find your artist almost always recommending something at the end or selling you a cute lil' something "conveniently" located at the register, you're absolutely NOT crazy AND it happens.

Some department stores will also push new collections and limited editions. This is called a "pre-sell" so I will try to talk to you about it before it even comes out and will line you up for purchase the day it comes out. This practice helps the bosses know how much additional product they must sell on the day it comes out AND it also creates limited quantities the day of sale. It also ensures the store that they will move all the inventory.

Now, should someone find that MAC is pre-selling Limited Edition Avenger makeup, LET ME KNOW! Line me up and sell me ASAP. Lol.

Luv,
~J.~

P.S.- I am for hire to take makeup shopping with ya', so no need to call 1-800-ASK-GARY...