If you’re a budding makeup artist, you’re probably thinking about the best way to propel your career forward. For many, getting published in a fashion magazine is the catalyst for success. Submitting to fashion magazines is a great way to get your work out there. It’s also a great way to collaborate with other creatives, and build professional teams for future work. After all, you never know who the next industry superstar is going to be. You want to build relationships and create something wonderful, and working on fashion editorials is a great way to start doing that. Once your work gets printed on the best publications in the industry, more people will want to hire you and work with you. But really, how can a makeup artist get published in fashion magazines?
Is hiring an agent necessary? Is attending the right makeup school important? Or, do I have to wait years before even thinking about submitting my work to a fashion magazine?
These are probably a few of the questions on your mind—and we’ll do our best to answer them here. Landing a job in the editorial or fashion makeup industry isn’t going to be easy. But of course, if there’s a will, there’s always a way to get your makeup printed on the pages of the top fashion magazines in the world.
How to get published in a fashion magazine as a Makeup Artist
Build your makeup skills to A Master’s level
Ask yourself: do you believe you’ve got what it takes to get published in a fashion magazine? If you aren’t entirely confident with your skills yet, then work hard to hone them.
Having A Master’s level skill in Makeup means you can walk into any makeup session and apply makeup flawlessly, regardless of the skin tone or skin type. Furthermore, you should be able to do beyond beauty makeup. Often times you will need to do stylized makeup. If you pay attention to trends at Fashion Weeks or in fashion magazines, you will see more and more out-of-the-box makeup looks. Give yourself more range for self-expression by experimenting with editorial makeup.
Figure out your weaknesses and work on them. Find out the latest trends, tools, and techniques in the world of makeup and fashion. Study meticulously the same magazines you want to be published in. You should also consider attending makeup school or makeup programs. There, you can hone your skill with the help of some of the top makeup gurus who work in the fashion industry.
Once you are confident in your skills, you should experiment with different styles. In these cutthroat industries, standing out is very important. Hence, don’t rely entirely on what you see on the magazine spreads or what you’ve learned from your makeup program. You ought to pursue your own techniques and style that will truly make you shine. Every project is an opportunity for growth. So, push yourself out of your comfort zone and explore everything that the beauty industry has to offer.
If an agency doesn’t represent you, you can use all your online platforms to establish a name for yourself in your industry. Setting up a professional website, as well as social media channels, will help you showcase your skills. Over time, it will help you gain the attention of photographers who shoots for fashion magazines, creative directors or producers.
Create a diverse portfolio
If you want to get published in fashion magazines, you ought to build a good portfolio. If editors, photographers, and directors can’t see your work you have no chance in being picked up for a photo shoot or even for an interview. Showcasing your skills and your range in your portfolio also enables to visualize your work in a professional setup. Investing in a good website is an excellent way to start. You don’t need to hire a professional to make a site. Check out the beautiful and free templates from Wix or Squarespace, and you can set up it yourself today. From there, you can illustrate your creativity, your expertise, as well as your range of skills.
Sharing your work on social media also helps. Platforms such as Instagram are ideal for creative professionals like makeup artists. It’s one way to gain the attention of photographers or producers. However, a professional website is the best choice if you want to be a part of the makeup teams for fashion magazines.
Hiring an agent can be beneficial to your career, especially when they have good connections with people running the fashion magazines. However, you can represent yourself if you can’t or don’t want to hire someone else.
Look for the right fashion magazines
Instead of sending a whole bunch of emails to a dozen or so publications, you can make a more targeted approach. Do not send mass emails to dozens of publications and expect success. Instead, be targeted and purposeful so that the images you shot match the publication. Mass emails not only decrease the likelihood of success but will show magazines that you are not doing your proper research and preparation.
That means you must research publications that you want to work for. This way, you can prepare for the job more efficiently and effectively. Define your makeup style and then research magazines that share this aesthetic or that match the look and feel of a particular shoot.
How do I submit to fashion magazines?
No matter how incredible your pitch sounds and looks, publications are most likely going to ignore it, especially if you didn’t bother to comply with submission guidelines. Before sending your portfolio or pitch to fashion magazines, you should go to their website. There, you will probably find a submissions page, where the publication details how you can apply for a job in their makeup team. They’re there for a reason – follow them!
Not all fashion magazines have submission guidelines. If the publication you want to work for doesn’t, you ought to start finding and reaching out to the decision makers. For instance, you can find contact details of the editor-in-chief, managing editor, or creative director. Any of these people might have the power to set you up on a job for the magazine. Once you research the influencers, however, your job is not quite done. I recommend that you try to connect with these individuals on social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or whatever network they are most active on. Find ways to comment and build a relationship with these individuals and organizations. When you do decide to send them an email with your work, now they will already be familiar with your name and more likely to take a closer look at what you have sent!
Related: How Makeup Artists Can Get Published in Fashion Magazines
Why should I submit work to fashion magazines?
Fashion magazines that take submissions
- Atlas Magazine
- LUCY’s Magazine
- Féroce Magazine
- Scorpio Jin Magazine
- SÝN Magazine
- Fashion Shift Magazine
- Volition Magazine
Build a network
As a freelance makeup artist, you have so many opportunities to work with incredible people. Don’t let that go to waste. Soak up as much information as you can, and use it to build your strengths as a professional makeup artist. Nurture relationships with other creative professionals. Your network of contacts might help you find that big break in your career. You don’t need high-level connections to connect. Reach out and connect to creatives and influencers that have just a little bit more experience than you do.
Collaborate with other artists!
If you want to get published in a specific magazine, you can seek advice from other creatives you’ve worked with before who have been featured in the publication. Building relationships with hair stylists, photographers, fashion designers, and wardrobe stylists will be beneficial to your career. They can help you build a diverse portfolio. Together, you can do paid work or test shoots. Not only that, but they might also lend you a hand with your submissions. Then, you can mention that you’ve collaborated with creatives who’ve worked for the magazine before. Such references should catch the attention of the decision-makers in the publication, and it should improve your chances of getting published.
Sometimes, all it takes to create a strong network of creative professionals is courage. Find the people you admire and want to work with; then, muster the courage to ask them to collaborate with you. It will be up to you to share your story and show them your makeup artistry work and then show them you are the ultimate professional who works hard and can produce the results they are looking for. Even if your submissions don’t get you published, working with these creative minds will help you improve your work. At the end of the day, you’ve also gained very important contacts who can shape your career as a makeup artist.
Related: How Collaborations are Shaping the Beauty and Fashion Industry
Respond to every person who reaches out
Establishing credibility in the beauty or fashion industry is vital if you want to get published in a magazine. You can do that by responding to potential clients who are reaching out to your business. Needless to say, you must also keep your commitments.
Your credibility and reputation depend on your ability to follow up and follow through on your word. This way, you can build a steady client base and a network of creatives. No matter what you want to achieve, establishing a strong foundation for your career and business will propel your career forward.
