Why Bridal Makeup is Expensive - Misykona

Hiya Beautiful People,

I am a bit upset and I will tell you why in a bit.

Ok, Ah ha! , yes I am upset, never mind I am indeed upset. Alright, here is the reason for my annoyance – I have virtually lost count when it comes to number of phone calls I get from intending brides, I humbly tell them my rates and here’s the usual responses/ questions — “Haba just for makeup ?” or ” why are you so expensive?” I bet if you are a professional in the beauty industry you can easily relate to these responses.



Why is it that the general public have no problem paying a top musician 2 million or more for a few hours of entertainment as against paying measly thousand to makeup professionals that are in no wise less important that the musician ? – Infact I am now very angry.
Even in my anger I see that the blame is not entirely on the clients, I mean how does one explain a makeup artist posting a deal for bridal makeup for N2699 on one of these popular deals sites .I was livid, that is not a deal that is selling your birthright like Esau did , like what exactly are they paying for ?? – The eyebrows alone? Does he/she live next door to all the intended clients?? Does anyone have the right answers??
As the saying goes “Good work ain’t cheap and cheap work ain’t good.” We all love deals right? so do I but then I put the fear of God when I bargain people down as well , the situation is going all the way down no thanks to the saturation of the industry. Soon and very soon I am positive that industry killers will understand that there are still some professionals in the industry that actually see it as a business and not a means to an end or is it an end to a means now ??

This is my business and it’s supposed to pay my bill therefore I treat it as such and not as a charity or hobby. I hope to do a follow up post on the business of bridal, I have also taken the liberty to compare what makeup artists charge in Europe and the rest of the world, expect that soon too.

Now the big question is why do some of us charge the rates that we do? It’s actually pretty simple as I will try outline some of the factor that determine the cost.

1. LOCATION: Before you can get a rate off me, I have to know where you intend to dress from. This is important so factor in the timing, cost of getting there etc. If it is out of state, I need to be sure you will be willing to provide accommodation and other logistics- all of these costs come from whatever I charge the client.

2. PRODUCTS: When you need a makeup artist to work on your face, of course you don’t expect he/she to come and start asking if you have foundation, matifier or powder .As a professional, we arrive at venue with a fully stocked kit to cater to all your needs .The rest of the work is to pamper and make you feel like a princess for your special day.
You also have authority to decide which choice you want – traditional makeup application or airbrush; some are even specific with the brand of makeup they want. There you have it, imagine having to buy different brands just to satisfy a client trust me when I say it costs a fortune, for instance I bought some MAC cosmetics foundation for N10000 and Kat Von D foundation for N17000 and I had to buy in different skin shades. These products don’t particularly last a lifetime before you say Jack Robinson you are ordering for another batch , so I hope you are getting a clear idea of what it takes to be a professional and I have not even included makeup tools like makeup brushes , brush cleaner, makeup wipes etc. Lately, the exchange rate has gone up and product prices have doubled , this affects my pricing as well.

3. EXPERTISE: You most definitely are paying for my expertise just like with every other skilled professional .Product knowledge, standard products, techniques & makeup that will last all day .P.S I always review my prices regularly to reflect my current level of experience and skill; I have clients calling to consult about skin issues and what they need to do and not do before the event. An unquantifiable factor that falls under expertise is my time; sometimes I have to be up 3am to arrive at client’s venue at 4am.

4. PROFESSIONALISM: I show up at the clients take off point even if it has been reported in the news that Lagos is under water .I don’t just show up, I show up on time, I am at your mercy once we have an agreement – that professionalism is also unquantifiable yet we try to have the client pay a bit for this.

I have one advise for intending brides though, when an artist charges you peanuts, be afraid, be very afraid. I can tell you for free that he/she might deliver a shoddy service or will not give you the undivided attention you need on your big day; it’s your choice really

So for all you intending brides, choose well and choose wisely and then for you makeup artists making this less of a profession – God is watching you in 3D.

BLOGGRS COMMENT

I can relate with her though, makeup game is really exorbitant.