What to Look For in a Makeup Artist and the Questions Worth Asking

One of the most common things I hear from new clients is some version of a bad experience they have had before. An artist who cancelled last minute. A look that looked nothing like them. A morning that felt chaotic and stressful when it should have felt the opposite.

I am not going to tell you that every artist except me is the problem. But I do think there are some genuine things worth looking for when you are choosing someone to trust with your face on an important day. Here is what I actually pay attention to, and what I think is worth asking.

Start with the work, but look at the right things

Obviously you want to look at the portfolio. But look at it properly. Not just the best shots. Look at the overall consistency. Does the work look similar across different clients? Does it reflect a range of skin tones, ages and occasions? Does it look like it suits the person wearing it, or does it all look like the same face on different people?

Also look at the skin. Skin preparation is everything in makeup. If the skin in the photos looks cakey, flat or heavily filtered, that tells you something. Good makeup starts underneath the product, not on top of it.

And be honest with yourself about whether this artist's style actually matches what you want, not just what looks impressive on a screen.

The way they communicate before you book tells you everything

I genuinely believe this. The way an artist handles enquiries and communication before a booking is a direct preview of how they will handle the morning itself.

Do they respond promptly? Is the information they send you clear and complete? Do they have a structured process, or does it feel like you are chasing them for basic details?

The most common frustration clients bring to me from bad past experiences is not the makeup itself. It is the communication. Artists who are slow to respond, vague about pricing, unclear about what is included and disorganised in their booking process. That is often a sign of how the morning will go too.

Pricing should be visible and clear

You should be able to find a starting price before you even pick up the phone. When you do enquire, you should receive a clear quote that covers the service, any travel and applicable fees without you having to ask three follow-up questions to get the full picture.

I also think visible pricing filters the right clients in and the wrong ones out. If you have to enquire just to get a ballpark, it creates unnecessary friction and sometimes signals that pricing is inconsistent depending on who is asking.

A professional has a structured booking process

A deposit required to secure your date. Written confirmation once it is paid. Clear cancellation terms. A timeline for how the morning will run.

If an artist will hold your date without a deposit, or if the booking is managed entirely through DMs with no formal paperwork, those are signs that the business is not run professionally. And that informality tends to create problems later.

Ask directly about reliability

I know this feels awkward but ask it anyway: have you ever had to cancel on a client? What happens if something comes up and you cannot make the booking?

Cancellation is the single most common frustration people have with makeup artists. It happens more than it should. A professional has a clear answer to this question and takes it seriously. If the answer feels vague or dismissive, pay attention to that.

For what it is worth, I do not cancel on clients. That is not something I advertise as a special feature. It is just the baseline of what professional means.

Check that they are insured

Public liability insurance is a professional standard. If something goes wrong during a booking, you want your artist to be covered. Ask about it. A professional will confirm it without hesitation.

Questions worth asking before you book

• Can I see a broader range of your work, not just the portfolio highlights?
• What does your booking process look like from enquiry to the morning itself?
• Is the trial included or is it priced separately?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you carry public liability insurance?
• How many faces can you realistically do in one morning?
• What do you need from me before the day to make sure it runs well?

Things that are worth paying attention to

• No pricing visible anywhere, even a starting point
• Bookings handled entirely through DMs
• No deposit required to hold a date
• Slow or unclear communication before you have even booked
• A portfolio that only shows one type of client or one very specific style
• Vague or evasive answers to direct questions

The bottom line

You are not just choosing someone who can do good makeup. You are choosing someone to trust with how you feel on a day that matters. The skill matters. But so does how they communicate, whether they show up, and whether the morning feels calm and considered or rushed and stressful.

Those things are worth asking about. Any artist worth booking will be happy to answer.