Health and safety for makeup artists

Posted on: 11th February 2019 by Jenn Anstead

When starting up your new business as a makeup artist, the most important aspect is to be aware of the health and safety requirements concerning both you and your client. Health and safety for makeup artists and clients come first at all times.

Cross Contamination

This is the most important aspect of your work as a bridal makeup artist.  You must ask your bride to inform you of any infections such as conjunctivitis, cold sores, impetigo, boils, and stiesor shingles. This will aid you in managing any risk. Some of these conditions are contagious and could therefore contaminate your entire kit and could also mean you could infect others.

Makeup should be avoided if your bride has any of these problems. In case it is a trial, change the date to allow for the bride to recover. If on the day of the wedding your bride is suffering from any of these things, you must ask her to provide her own makeup. If you use only disposable tools, you will avoid any cross-contamination.

Another point to consider is that if you are suffering from any of these conditions yourself, great care must be taken not to use any of your tools or makeup from your kit on yourself.  Do not touch your face or the infected area while with your bride and carry and use your hand sanitizer frequently.  It is imperative to keep your hands clean and to use clean makeup brushes, disposable mascara wands, cotton pads, etc.

Clean Kit

  1. In between every client, you must clean your makeup brushes. Always carry a makeup brush cleanser or use an antibacterial soap & hot water to thoroughly cleanse the brushes.
  2. Eye shadows and blushers can be cleaned by the use of spray-on alcohol that dries quickly to sanitize them.
  3. Lipsticks, eyeliners, and lip liners can be cleaned by using a hot, wet cotton pad and wiping down the lipstick, taking off the first layer of color. You can then sterilize with an anti-bacterial spray.
  4. Pencil tools such as liners for eyes and lips can simply be sharpened (using a pencil sharpener) taking away the first layer and resulting in a clean fresh layer ready for the next client.

The lifespan of Makeup Products

Be vigilant and check the lifespan of your makeup products. Out-of-date makeup can cause skin reactions and will be very obvious to your client by its smell.

All cream-based products will expire eventually although most have a year lifespan. Check your lipsticks, glosses, cream shadows, cream liners, foundations, and concealers regularly. Mascaras however need to be changed every 2 months.  Powder-based products such as blushers, powders, and eye shadows can last much longer. They are not liquid based and therefore don’t require preservatives to keep them fresh. Keep them clean with an antibacterial spray as described above.

Other equipment

Be wary of using heated tools!

If you do hair as well as makeup, using heated tools is one of the biggest dangers.  It is extremely important to take your time in blow-drying, curling, or straightening hair. Taking it slowly and concentrating can mean avoiding accidents, as you don't want to singe the bride!

It is also important to make sure there are no trailing cables or leads for you or your bride to trip over.

 The Dress

Never touch 'the dress'.  It is highly unlikely that you would be asked to iron the wedding dress. You are not employed to do that, but it has been known!  If asked – politely decline!  If asked to do any touch-ups once the bride is dressed, make sure she and the dress are properly protected from any makeup fallout.

Sometimes you may be asked to help a bride get into her dress. If this is something you feel you would like to assist with, thoroughly wash your hands before you do so. Make sure you have no remnants of products on the back of your hand or arms.

Insurance

All makeup artists should carry insurance to protect themselves, their kit, and their clients. You can obtain this from various companies such as ABT, BABTAC, and Salon Gold (UK). Insurance plays a major role in the health and safety of makeup artists.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

5 Steps To Protect Yourself From Hackers as a Bridal Makeup Artist

As a bridal makeup artist, it's crucial to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and techniques. But in today's digital age, it's equally important to protect yourself from hackers and cyber threats. Having recently suffered from an attack ourselves and been locked out of all accounts, we can speak from experience! As a small […]

Read More
UNVEILED MAGAZINE Interview with Jennifer Jane

Can you give us a brief overview of your background/qualifications and what attracted you to the beauty industry? I started off in the industry as a commercial model and I always felt so much more confident when my makeup had been done that I often thought how nice it would be to do the same […]

Read More
Bridal makeup tips for makeup artists

1. Practice. Practice. And then practice some more. Practice makes perfect no matter which industry you are in and makeup is no exception.  If you want to hone your craft, here are some great bridal makeup tips for makeup artists. To be in high demand as a reliable and talented artist, you really can’t practice […]

Read More
Creating your first portfolio as a Bridal Makeup Artist

Your bridal makeup artist portfolio is the key to your success. Your portfolio is probably the most important part of your armory as a bridal makeup artist.  It will be the deciding factor for a bride whether she chooses to initially email you or not.  When you are first starting out this can be a […]

Read More
How do I start my bridal makeup business?

Starting up your own bridal makeup business can seem daunting but it is actually quite straightforward. Just remember being your own boss and working for yourself is fantastic. Owning your business allows you more freedom than a conventional 9-5.  You can work as hard or as little as you feel. Set your own hours and […]

Read More
Checking out the market for a bridal makeup artist

Bridal makeup artist competition research Before you set up a business as a bridal makeup artist, make sure there is a market for your services. Carefully check out the competition in your area.  This can be done by searching the internet to find other makeup artists in your region (and outside), in particular those specializing […]

Read More
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram