Tax Return for Makeup Artists

Though the job of a professional makeup artist seems simple – somebody who is paid to apply makeup – it can actually be an incredibly varied role, from making a bride look beautiful for her wedding to giving a model the right look for a catwalk. As a freelance makeup artist, you could choose to work in a beauty salon or spa, or you could work in the entertainment industry on photo shoots, theatre, TV, or film.

Training to be a makeup artist

A formal qualification isn’t necessary to become a freelance makeup artist but since it’s such a competitive industry, studying the craft might give you the edge over rivals. You could study a degree or diploma, or work as an assistant to gain on-the-job training. Doing both is the best option, since the mixture of the qualification and the experience will give you the best chance of being a successful makeup artist.

What does a makeup artist do?

Gaining experience and a qualification should give you the opportunity to learn the tasks a freelance makeup artist will be required to do, including:

  • Deciding what sort of makeup you need to apply based on the skin colour of the client, whether they have any allergies, and the makeup styling.
  • Applying the makeup.
  • Making face and body moulds to make prosthetics for film and TV.
  • Buying materials from suppliers
  • Coming up with ideas of makeup designs based on the needs of the client.

What skills and qualities does a freelance makeup artist need?

To be able to perform all the tasks required of a freelance makeup artist, you’ll need a certain skillset:

  • Communication skills: You need to work out what your clients expect of you so you can do the best job possible.
  • The ability to work under pressure: This is especially important when working in the fast-paced entertainment industry.
  • lexibility: This is especially important when working in the entertainment industry. You’ll be asked to work long hours, even at weekends, so you need to be flexible when you can work.
  • Creative: You’ll be told what the makeup is for, but you’ll need to use your imagination to make your work match up to the vision of the client. This is especially important when working in the entertainment industry.
  • Time management: You’ll have to work out how long a job will take to work out prices, and so that you don’t disrupt your clients’ schedules.

How to find work as a freelance makeup artist

Once you start to do more and more jobs as a freelance makeup artist, much of your clients will hear about you via word of mouth. But in the early days of your career, you’ll have to put a lot of time and effort into marketing your services to find new clients.

Here are a few ways to market your freelance makeup artist business:

  • Set up a website: Having a professional website will make you look more credible. It’s also a great place to showcase your portfolio of makeup work, as well as your prices and contact details.
  • Portfolio: Having a portfolio to show your work is essential to attracting new clients since they’ll only pay you to do makeup for them if they know you have experience. Your website is a good place to display your portfolio.
  • Social media: Social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are great places to talk about what you do and to make new contacts.
  • Business cards: Give them to friends and family so they can give them to anybody who might need your services.

Accounting as a freelance makeup artist

There are various benefits to freelancing as a makeup artist, from the freedom and flexibility to work with a variety of businesses and individuals to more take-home pay. But there is one downside – accounting. As a full-time employee, your tax is usually taken care of on your behalf in the form of PAYE. As a freelancer you’ll have to keep a range of financial records and then prepare and pay a Self-Assessment tax return at the end of each business year. Accountancy can be very confusing and can distract your makeup work,
which often requires long hours of work.

Getting tax and accountancy advice

With most accountants, you’ll pay them to do your year-end accounts, and then they’ll forget about you until the next year. But for your business to be run smoothly and successfully, you’ll need advice on tax and accountancy throughout the year, especially in the early days. Citi Accounts is different Citi Accounts provides an affordable and specialist accountancy service designed just for freelancers. Throughout the year we’ll be on hand to give you any tax and accountancy advice you might need, including things like:

  • Take-home pay
  • Which VAT scheme to register for
  • Expenses
  • Tax allowances
  • Choosing between sole trader and limited company
  • Running your business in a tax-efficient way

We charge for our accountancy services in a clear and simple way, which means you’ll never receive an unexpected bill, and you can get in touch for advice whenever you want without the worry of being charged a fortune like you would with many other accountants.