Mitya Gribko about working as a makeup artist with brands: where to start?

During a joint live broadcast by Mitya Gribko and our resource Pro Hair&Makeup, we discussed all the most interesting questions that you might have about a makeup artist’s work with brands. How to get into a large company? Which makeup artists can work on the brand’s team? What skills and experience are required? We'll tell you in the article if you suddenly missed the broadcast.

Mitya, tell us in more detail, what are the responsibilities of an official makeup artist? What are you doing now?

The official makeup artist, so to speak, is the official voice and hands of the brand in the country. Appearances in the press, online media and social networks, working with celebrities as part of cooperation with the brand, participating in photo and video shootings - all this is done by an official makeup artist. And of course, if anyone has questions about working with the brand’s products, you can also contact the official makeup artist with them. And the main task is to love and promote this brand.

Let's figure out which makeup artists can work in the team of a cosmetic brand. Is an official makeup artist essentially the tip of the iceberg?

Each company has its own internal structure, so it’s difficult to say for sure. Very large international brands have regional makeup artists, and makeup artists from specific countries, and European and global ones. Therefore, in large companies, a makeup artist always has room to move. If you are interested and motivated, then career growth will definitely come.

What skills are important for a makeup artist to have before turning to cosmetic brands?

First of all, you need to understand that working with brands is a sales area. If you think that you will create and flutter around, sprinkle yourself with glitter from morning to night and paint a million models one after another on the backstage - then no. This is an absolute myth, and I suggest you forget about it right away. When collaborating with brands, you will primarily be communicating with people, so you need to have excellent communication skills. For example, say not “hello”, but at least “good afternoon”. It is important to be able to identify needs, ask the right questions, be able to listen to people and process the information received in order to work with real requests from clients.

Secondly, it is important to know the portfolio of the brand you are trying to get into. You need to study all the hero products of the brand, its bestsellers and form your personal impression. This will allow you to work with requests from clients in the future.

And, of course, you need to have makeup skills, focusing on the requirements of the brand. For example, if you go to a company that deals with special effects, the ability to draw two types of arrows is unlikely to help you in any way, because in this case you need to work with comprehension and volumetric elements. What kind of makeup the brand conveys, what audience it is aimed at - that’s what you should be able to do.

What else is important? Years of experience, portfolio, useful connections? Or is what you said above enough to start storming brands?

Experience will not come to you if you just sit and wait. Knock on every door and offer yourself as a specialist - they are always required in the market. You may not end up with the brand you want today, but most brands are part of large conglomerates, so perhaps you will be offered a job at a sister brand.

You can watch the continuation of the interview with Mitya Gribko here: