Makeup Artist Schools in Maine

Believe it or not, it's actually kind of difficult to find a school that *only* teaches makeup. In most cities and towns, there are no makeup schools. Only the biggest cities--New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston--seem to have schools that are specifically geared towards makeup techniques and makeup application.

So if you want to become a makeup artist, where do you go to develop your skill set? Here are your options, when it comes to education:

Cosmetology Schools. While there aren't many schools that focus on makeup, there are plenty of schools that offer a broader beauty education. Cosmetology schools (aka "beauty schools") teach students how to color, texture, and style hair, how to beautify the skin and make it look healthy, and how to administer manicures. These schools are usually reasonably priced, and when students are finished, they can take Maine's certification test and get a cosmetology license (we'll talk more about licensing in a minute).

How-To Intensives and Workshops. Makeup artists realize that there is a market for short-term makeup programs, and will occasionally rent space in an urban area for a two- or three-day makeup workshop. The subject of the classes may be broad (like how to do certain makeup techniques) or more specific (like how to run a makeup business). Intensives are usually a low-cost option, and they're a great way to meet like-minded people. You can look on sites like Yelp and Event Brite for workshops in Portland, Bangor, and Augusta (or any other cities near you).

Makeup-Only Schools. We mentioned these earlier. If you're willing to travel a little bit, these are a great option! There are a few makeup artist schools in Boston (the Bobbi Brown Program in Makeup Artistry is one; Anemone Makeup is another) that offer a fantastic in-depth makeup education. There are a few good ones in New York, and many, many others in California. The only negative to these types of makeup schools is they're expensive (it's not uncommon for a program to be more than ten thousand dollars) and you won't be able to get a cosmetology license if you attend. Nonetheless, if you want to become a freelance makeup artist, they can be a perfect fit.

Private/One-on-one Lessons with a Professional Makeup Artist. Even though Maine isn't a densely populated state, there are some first-rate makeup artists living here. And, as many of them are keen businesspeople, they'll pursue all opportunities to increase their income. In other words, if you offer them a fair rate for a lesson, they'll most happily oblige! The best part about private sessions is that you can learn exactly the lessons you want to learn. Who needs a makeup school when you can get one-on-one instruction?

There's one other way to learn--online! There are literally thousands of sites that have tutorials, how-tos, and instructional videos. You will, of course, need to develop your skills by practicing on people IRL, but online tutorials are a great way to learn of new techniques and ideas.

And, of course, you can knock around our site... there's some pretty fantastic material on here 🙂

Ways To Make A Living​

Most makeup artists are pretty versatile, and take on a wide array of jobs to make money. Here are some of the jobs they take:

We go into much greater detail about jobs on our homepage, so skip over there if you'd like to learn more about each career.

​An important note about working as a makeup artist in Maine: As of the time that we wrote this post, if you work as a makeup artist in a salon or day spa, you'll need to get a license (a cosmetology license if you want to do hair, or an esthetician license if you want to provide skin care). There is no technical "makeup artist" license, and many of the artists who do freelance work do not have a beauty license. The state of Maine probably thinks they should have a license, and may sooner or later become a little more strict about licensing and makeup artists. We'll let you know if we see that happening. In the meantime, contact the Maine Board of Cosmetology and Barbering if you have any specific questions. State rules change all the time, and you'll want to know if you'll eventually need a license.

Cosmetology vs. Makeup: Pros and Cons

So, what's your best option for training? Honestly, our favorite option is cosmetology school. It's not as "glamorous" as a makeup school, but most makeup artists get their start in a cosmetology school.

Not only that--after attending a beauty school, you'll be able to get a cosmetology license, and that means you'll be able to work in salons and spas, and do makeup wherever you want. A beauty school won't focus solely on makeup, but you'll develop a broad skill set there--and that will benefit you as a makeup artist.

Whatever you do, we wish you all the luck in the world! Follow your passion, give it your all, and never quit!​

Maine Makeup Training

There are no makeup schools in Maine, but there are some amazing cosmetology programs where you can get your start as a makeup artist. They include: