With the entertainment and fashion industries growing by 20-plus percent per annum, professional make-up artistes are in greater demand than ever before

With the entertainment and fashion industry experiencing persistent boom conditions despite the worldwide recession, cosmetic make-up artistry has emerged as a hot new career option for the country’s growing youth population. Professional make-up artistes are in greater demand than ever before and with the entertainment and fashion industries growing by 20-plus percent per annum, demand for make-up professionals will keep rising for years to come.

The make-up professional’s repertoire ranges from creating contemporary to period looks and styles to transforming an actor’s face and body using prosthetics. Make-up and hair-styling are key elements in styling the cast in films and television productions to conform to the demands of the script.

The chief make-up artiste is responsible for the overall design and execution of actors’ make-up in feature films and big budget commercials. He works closely with costume designers and hairdressers to ensure that actors’ outward manifestations complement the script. He is usually assisted by make-up assistants and special effects experts, and has to work in close cooperation with directors and producers. Above all, he must be affable, diplomatic and prepared to work long hours to grow and thrive in this profession. Traditionally, this vocation has been a male stronghold.

Most make-up professionals begin their careers as assistants on movie and television sets. But with the entertainment and fashion industries becoming highly professional, formal training has become necessary. Although there’s a conspicuous dearth of world-class professional training institutes, the Make-up Studio Training Centre (MSTC), New Delhi, the training arm of Make-up Studio, a world-renowned brand of professional make-up products and accessories, offers an international diploma in comprehensive make-up artistry (CMA). Abroad, however, there are several top-notch institutes such as the Miami School of Design, Miami, and in New York and Los Angeles there are numerous schools offering professional training in CMA.

For formally trained cosmetic make-up professionals, the demand from the film, television, advertising, fashion and beauty industries is high and sustained. Rewarding career opportunities are also available with beauty products and cosmetics manufacturing/marketing companies, and in bridal studios. Freelance make-up artistes routinely earn Rs.10,000-20,000 per day in film and television studios, with sky-high remuneration for trained and experienced professionals.

“This is a happening career. The film and fashion industries have become more professional, the number of fashion shows held countrywide is on the upswing, and bridal make-up is a new vocation in its own right. Today, make-up professionals are highly respected as creative artistes and treated like celebrities,” gushes Ojas Rajani, who quit a drab cost accountant’s job and is making waves in Bollywood and the fashion industry as a make-up artiste par excellence.

A commerce graduate of Mumbai’s Sydenham College and a fully qualified ICWA (Institute of Cost and Works Accountants) professional, after working as a book-keeper for a year, Rajani realised that number-crunching was not for him. “Bollywood, make-up, dresses, shoes, weddings and glamour had always fascinated me. I followed my heart,” he recalls.

To acquire experience of the glamour and fashion world, Rajani apprenticed with fashion designer Anna Singh from whom he learnt the rudiments of dress design and make-up. In 1991, he signed up with the Miami School of Design, USA for an intensive 12-month course in hair-styling and professional make-up and served there as faculty for five years. “It’s the hippest and most professional cosmetic make-up institute in the world,” says Rajani.

Having honed his skills and craft, there’s been no looking back for this accomplished make-up professional. After his first break 20 years ago when he brought out the full ethereal beauty of Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar in Kambakht Ishq, assignments kept rolling in fast and furious from stars, top fashion models and would-be brides from high society. “I’ve worked with Malaika Arora on MTVs Loveline and celebrity television anchors like Sophiya Haque, Manjeet Brar, Ruby Bhatia, and Rahul Khanna among others. I’ve also been styling top Bollywood stars including Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Madhuri Dixit, and Sushmita Sen, and India’s former cricket captain and celebrated products endorser Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” says Rajani.

Nor is the demand for Rajani’s cosmetic make-up artistry restricted to Bollywood. He’s styled Baywatch star Brandy Rodricks for the film Out of Control and Britney Spears and Mariah Carey for the MTV Music Asia Awards in Singapore.

From book-keeping to the beauty business, this enterprising professional who followed his heart has come a long way.

(Excerpted from 101 Great Careers for the 21st Century by Indra Gidwani, 2016)

Also read: Cosmetology: An exciting career option