With fees being cut constantly and artists feeling like they have to reduce their rates it's probably time to really examine why you may feel no better off despite working your arse off!
Gone are the days when we got paid to work on editorial, weren't asked if we could reduce our rate due to 'budget issues' or worse still, could we do it for free for the exposure. I mean, why not! Father Christmas pays your bills and the honey monster puts food on your table... doesn't he?!
So let's get on with what it is actually costing you to do a make up, I mean, it's only make up right? It falls off trees and lands in that big ole make up kit of yours?! Another pressie from Father Christmas I have no doubt.
Let's start with the nitty gritty, the stuff clients like to forget about:
Public Liability Insurance & Car Insurance – let's average this to around €550 per year, just for sh@ts and giggles. This would mean your public liability Insurance and car insurance was basically costing €1.50 per day.
Car tax – lets say €300 a year, €0.82c per day.
Makeup Brushes – If you start with a very basic make up brush kit, you know, the kind you might buy when you're studying, you're probably talking 12 brushes and you'll probably pay around €95 for a decent enough set. Of course, if you are working the industry it's very likely you have multiples of each type of brush, often amount to anything from 50 to 100 brushes in your brush kit, an average of about €12-25 per brush? Pretty expensive eh? Yep, you get the picture.
Petrol – at an average of of about €1.52 a litre, so that job that's 'just down the road' (30 miles away) is going to add up pretty sharpish!
Training / workshops etc. - yep, they cost money too! And a decent one isn't cheap! You're talking anywhere from €1000 for a basic course up to €8000 for a really extensive one.
Advertising / Social Media - Don't even get me started on this! Advertising on a well known bridal site for example can cost anything up to €900 for the year. Not to mention various bridal fares and events you might showcase at. As for social media, how time consuming is that? Just getting your name out there on social media is a full time job in itsself!
Makeup – Now this is the tricky one! So I have based my pricing on brands which are inexpensive (for example Sleek Makeup) and brands which are more expensive (Mac Cosmetics) as a general guide to prices*. Then I worked out the average.
* I am of course aware that there are artists using brands which are much, much more expensive than this listed which would easily render their price per face at least double of even triple what I have listed. So remember, this is a very basic guide!
Foundation – 30ml average size
average price €10 - €19 (€14.50)
average amount of faces approx 20
Cost per face = low end - €0.50
Cost per face = Mid range - €0.95
Average Cost per face = €0.73
Concealer (face) – average price €4 - €13 (€9)
average amount of faces approx 20
Cost per face = low end - €0.20
Cost per face = mid range - €0.65
Average Cost per face = €0.45
Concealer (eyes) – average price €8 - €13 (€10)
average amount of faces approx 20
Cost per face = low end - €0.40
Cost per face = mid range - €0.65
Average Cost per face = €0.50
Powder – average price €10 - €22 (€16)
average amount of faces approx 40
Cost per face = low end - €0.25
Cost per face =mid range - €0.55
Average Cost per face = €0.40
Blush – average price €6 - €16 (€11)
average amount of faces approx 100
Cost per face = low end - €0.06
Cost per face = mid range - €0.16
Average Cost per face = €0.11
Eye shadows* - average price per shadow €4 - €11 (€8)
Average number of shadows used per eye make up approx 3
Average amount of application per eye shadow approx 100
Cost per face = low end - €0.04
Cost per face = mid range - €0.11
Average Cost per face = €0.08
*This of course does not take into account the ridiculous amount of shades, textures etc. of shadows any artist will have in their kit. Again, we are going all out basic on this.
Eye liner (Gel) – average price €7 - €11 (€9)
average amount of faces approx - 100
Cost per face = low end - €0.07
Cost per face = mid range - €0.11
Average Cost per face = €0.09
Mascara – average price €5 - €11 (€8)
average amount of faces approx - 30
Cost per face = low end - €0.16
Cost per face = mid range - €0.36
Average Cost per face = €0.26
False Lashes – average price €2 - €11 (€7)
average amount of faces approx - 1
Cost per face = low end - €2.00
Cost per face = mid range - €11.00
Average Cost per face = €7.00
Lip Pencil – average price €3 - €11 (€7)
average amount of faces approx - 50
Cost per face = low end - €0.06
Cost per face = mid range - €0.22
Average Cost per face = €0.14
Lipstick / Gloss – average price €5 - €12 (€9)
average amount of faces approx - 30
Cost per face = low end - €0.16
Cost per face = mid range - €0.40
Average Cost per face = €0.30
Low End Cost per face = €4.44
Mid Range Cost per face = €15.06
Average Cost per face = €10.06
Remember, I haven't taken into account puffs, sponges, mascara wands, loose pigments, glitters, brush and tool cleaner, skin care – cleanser, toner, moisturiser, cotton wool, cotton buds, airbrush equipment and make up, make up case/trolley and bags and the list goes on...
Recently I quoted for a job which was 'just a few hours' and was asked to reduce my rate. The 'few hours' was actually 10 hours and I had 15 faces to do, yep, 15! I got a train there and back as I had no car at the time, the train cost me €28 return. I had a big ole heavy kit to carry which meant I had to get a taxi, from my house to the train station (€8 going to the train station and €8 returning), then another taxi from the train station to the job (€6 to the job and €6 back to the station).
So I think we can safely take it that in all, that job I reduced my rate for actually cost me at least €206. Yes, you read that right! €206!
So I ask you all, next time you consider working for free, at a reduced rate or for next to nothing because 'it's a friend of a friend of a friend' please think of your cost, not to mention your bills, you career and your dignity!
