It’s really important for actors and models to be able to properly communicate with the makeup artist who is responsible for preparing them for their performance, according to Backstage.

Often, the artist will ask for the talent to come in for a consultation before working with them for the first time.  During this initial visit, the artist may ask some more personal questions such as whether there are any flaws the talent wants to focus on covering up and if there are any colors to avoid.  He or she will likely also ask about the part that they’re styling the person for so they can get a clear sense of what will be expected in the palette.

The consultation may include photos so the makeup artist can study these and create the perfect color pairing for the performance.  The actor or model will likely be asked if there are any previous experiences in which they did not like the way they were made to look.

The makeup chosen must properly match the person and the part.  This means it needs to appropriately match both the character and the talent’s actual personality.  This way the actor or model feels comfortable and confident during the gig.  Of course, there could be several different looks portrayed by each character during a production or photo shoot – day and evening, glam or natural.  So, there will likely be several different palettes suggested.

It’s important for the talent and the artist both to understand what works well with the camera, or on stage if the artist is supplying makeup for a theater performance.  Each medium could mean drastically different approaches are used.

A big pet peeve of most makeup artists is showing up with your makeup already done and asking simply for touch-ups.  Often, your everyday palette is going to be much different than what needs to be worn for the camera.  Just because something looks great for your normal day-to-day doesn’t mean it’s going to look all that good in the final piece.  It’s best to let the makeup artist do their job and trust their professional judgment.

Of course, a good makeup artist will always be open to suggestions, which is the primary reason for the initial consultation.  The artist will be looking to get to know you both behind the scenes and in character.  This creates a win-win for the talent to give it their all!

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