Makeup and cosmetics is big business these days.

Many men and women now make their living on YouTube and Instagram by sharing their makeup tips and tricks.

It’s easy to understand why. Makeup is an exciting world of creativity, innovation, and beauty. It can make us feel confident and powerful. It can transform us into a new character.

Getting ready can sometimes be the best part of a social occasion because it is time to pamper ourselves!

If you want to get better at applying makeup, there are more resources than ever before. We may have aspirations to become a makeup artist ourselves or simply want to improve our skills. Whatever your motivations, there are a few ways to instantly become more skilled.

Try out different brands

Makeup can be expensive. But there are few substitutes for actually trying a product ourselves. Formulations, textures and ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand. Some may be preferable from others because of your skin type.

Others can cause allergic reactions or breakouts. If you have never used a product before or have heard mixed reviews and are nervous, try a patch test. Apply the product to your neck or to a small, less visible area of your face. Wait for 24 hours before checking if there is a reaction.

If you have an allergic reaction then you may want to investigate further to see what your body might be allergic to.  You can buy home allergy kits online at https://uk.klarify.me/products/home-allergy-test to perform your own allergy tests and send it off to get the results.

Learn which brands are favoured by the stars and try to understand why. Do they photograph particularly well, for example? Are they better for more dry or oily skin tones?

A good place to start can be learning about established brands and testing some of their most famous products.

Take a class

Many makeup artists have had professional training. Whether they are regularly doing the makeup of A list clients and celebrities, or simply providing makeup services from family and friends.

Professional training can make all the difference. If we want to become a makeup artist we should aim to train and practise as much as possible. We should also aim to become accredited and certified where possible. But even if you just want to become better at makeup at home, there are classes and courses to suit you. You will have the opportunity to learn from experts and make extra connections.

What you learn in a few hours of an intensive class can sometimes be more than you would learn in a lifetime of doing makeup at home!

Research your options and investigate if there is a class that would be suitable for your budget and ability.

Failing that, get on YouTube, Instagram and other social media and absorb as many tutorials as you can.

Document your work

If you are putting in a lot of effort to improve your makeup skills, you will want to be able to see how far you’ve come. Be sure to photograph some of your favourite looks in both natural and artificial lighting.

Try with flash and without flash, then you will get a great idea of what works well for photography. Pretty soon, you may have your own portfolio of work!