Many salons, spas, and other businesses crave their makeup creative person employees to accept a cosmetology license or i of the other dazzler practitioner licenses. But what if you don't want to be employed, what if you want to be your own boss and become a Freelance Makeup Artist? As a lawyer, y'all need to be licensed to practice the police. It's the same for engineers, social workers, nurses, architects, etc. Then, where are Makeup Artists in this?

Beginning of all, there is no Freelance Makeup Artist or full general Makeup Creative person license. If a professional person license is required, depending on what you do, you'll either need a cosmetology, esthetician, or hairdresser/barber license. When you demand such a beauty license is regulated by each land. Let Jen's story be a cautionary tale. Thus, if you are unsure, the best communication we can give is to contact the cosmetology board of your state and ask about the license requirements for your specific situation. You can detect the contact information for your state here: Beauty Licenses per State.

We know that this is very unsatisfying advice and so nosotros contacted every state board to find out if there are any common rules applicable to most states.

This is what we wrote:

It is often said that a freelance Makeup Artist doesn't need a Cosmetology license. Nevertheless, I've heard from some Makeup Artists that they were required to have a dazzler (cosmetology/esthetician) license from their state to lawfully exercise business organization equally freelance Makeup Artists. I agree that a cosmetology license is ever a good investment in terms of didactics, simply I could not find out whether it is mandatory for freelance Makeup Artists in your land.
Could yous help me out with this question?

We are posting this hither to be transparent nigh what we asked because the situation is non e'er very articulate in every land. In full general, nosotros can sort the answers into iv categories.

one. No license needed under sure weather

In other words, y'all generally demand a license to apply makeup unless one of the below-listed exceptions applies. This is the situation in nigh states.

Exception i: Media and theatrical makeup piece of work

"Yes, it is required to have either a cosmetology or aesthetic license to perform makeup services in Arizona, with the exception of media or theatrical."

Arizona State Lath of Cosmetology

Exception 2: Retail

If there is a fee or commutation, so you must possess a cosmetology or esthetics license to apply makeup.  If yous will be providing gratuitous facials (with no strings attached: such equally working at cosmetic counters in stores), or working for theater or tv or movies, and then you practise not demand to possess a license.

NYS Department of State, Partitioning of Licensing Services

Exception3: Military machine or Doctors

"Nevada statute NRS 644.025 defines the practice of aesthetics in Nevada. This law includes beautifying the skin with cosmetics. Makeup services may be performed by licensed cosmetologists or aestheticians in Nevada. There are some exemptions fix forth in the law under NRS 644.190 and NRS 644.460 which comprehend working on a motion pic or like production, retailers, photographers, doctors, military and other exemptions."

Nevada Land Lath of Cosmetology

Exception four: Unpaid piece of work

"Information technology would depend, in that location are some exceptions in the law.
7319.  The following persons are exempt from this chapter:
…(d) Persons engaged in any practice inside its scope when done outside of a licensed institution, without compensation…."

California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology

Hither is the list of states in this category (exceptions that not require a license in parentheses):

  • Arizona (media, theatrical)
  • California (military/doctors, theatrical, media, retail, unpaid)
  • Florida (unpaid, retail)
  • Indiana (medical, unpaid)
  • Iowa (medical settings)
  • Kansas (retail)
  • Kentucky (retail)
  • Minnesota (theatrical, media, mortuary exercise)
  • Montana (theatrical, media, unpaid)
  • Nevada (theatrical, media, armed services/doctors, retail)
  • New England (retail)
  • New York (theatrical, media, unpaid, retail)
  • Oregon (photography, theatrical)
  • South Dakota (retail)
  • Tennessee (retail)
  • Texas (medical profession, unpaid, theatrical, media, photography)

2. You ever demand a license for makeup application

These states don't specify any exemptions, consequently, y'all demand to have a license regardless.

To provide "brand-upwardly" services in the State of Alaska requires you hold an agile/current Esthetician license issued by the Alaska Board of Barbers & Hairdressers.

Alaska Board of Barbers & Hairdressers

States in this category are:

  • Alabama*
  • Alaska**
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Missouri
  • North Carolina*
  • North Dakota
  • S Carolina
  • West Virginia

*Unpaid work may be exempt, but non if it happens in a concern setting, e.g. in retail.

** Hairdressing is exempt, You tin apply for a Hairdresser Courtesy License to work on a television set, film, or stage product.

iii. Y'all don't need a license for makeup awarding

Yep, there are indeed some states that evidently don't require any license for the application of makeup:

From Washington (Professional Licensing Support Services) we received this response:

At this time makeup artists are not regulated in Washington land and they are not required to have a cosmetology or esthetician license.

States in this category are:
  • Arkansas (unless yous are working in a licensed salon)
  • Maryland
  • Washington
  • Michigan

 iv. Unclear or no response

Unfortunately, for a couple of states it was impossible to get a response via electronic mail. Email was of import for u.s.a. to have at least some written reference. In some cases nosotros would become an reply, which concluded up not being an answer at all:

" The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, CSCL Bureau, and its employees cannot provide legal advice and you may wish to consult an attorney to discuss legal matters pertinent to your individual situation; still, licensing requirements for cosmetologists are established in the Occupational Code, 1980 PA 299, as amended, which can exist establish at www.michigan.gov/cosmetology.  However, you may wish to await at the section of definitions under MCL 339.1201, in particular, the definition of pare care services under MCL 339.1201(q)."
In other cases, I think, I am just not smart enough to understand what that means:
Per Virginia Code § 54.i-701.x. Exemptions., "persons whose activities are confined solely to applying make-upward, including such activities that are ancillary to applying brand-up" are exempt from regulation and licensing by this Board.
Does it mean this board does non regulate it, and another lath does? In some cases I got bounced around betwixt different departments , which all claimed non to be responsible. Or do you really not need a license in Virginia if you are just applying makeup? I would enquire a legal professional person to
If y'all oasis't found your state among the first iii categories  and so we are sorry to disappoint yous. Every bit soon every bit we get boosted information, we volition add together it to this mail. If you have boosted data, please let us know in the comments.
What was expressed in the response of Michigan's Section of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is very valid for us: We cannot provide legal advice nor are attempting to. Don't rely on the information presented hither and always consult professionals with regards to your situation. Although the data presented in this post is based on responses we received from the various state boards, it is quite possible that it is incorrect, not consummate or has inverse at the time when y'all read this post. Please also note that this post just discusses beauty professional licenses and not other licenses required to operate your business organization.