Makeup artist salary in India!

Makeup artists usually have an crucial role in the glamour and beauty industry i.e. A multi billion-dollar industry that is run by Makeup artists solely. 

Long ago, the makeup artistry was considered an awful career choice, but it is in full bloom today. At the time when you are reading this article, lakhs of people are pursuing Makeup as a full-time profession and earning very well in it.

Now, the main Question –

Do makeup artists even get a salary?

Well, this is very subjective. People usually pursue this career as freelancers or by opening their makeup studio. Hardly 20% of the people work under some other artist or institution.

And it is safe to say that working on or for your own as a makeup artist is way more liberating than working under someone. 

What Factors affect Makeup Artist’s Salary?

If at all you wish to work under someone on a salary basis, then in India your Average monthly salary for a makeup artist will depend on these aspects:

Experience

In a profession so artistic, your experience will matter the most.

With an experience of 0-2 years, you can expect a salary range of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 18,000 monthly.

With experience of more than 5 years, you can get somewhere around Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 40,000 monthly.

And with experience above 10 years, you can get anywhere from around Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 75,000 every month. 

Location

With experience, what will impact your pay scale is the location you are at.

No matter how good your knowledge, your salary may not be very high if you are not in a metro or big city. For example, in a place like Jhansi, Nagpur, or Bihar, the highest you can get paid would be roughly 2.4 – 3.2 Lakh annually.

Whereas in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and Kolkata, your salary can go as high as 10 Lakhs annually. 

Skill

This should be understood without saying that your art and skills matter the most in such an artistic field.

A skilled makeup artist with appropriate skills and certification has a chance to earn better than someone with just an hand-on of experience but lack of proper knowledge and skill.

The better your hands move, the better your payslip will be. 

Area of expertise

Makeup is a vast space, and it has many verticals. Your salary may vary depending on the area you hold expertise in.

For example, a wedding makeup artist may get paid much higher than a TV Serial makeup artist.

Similarly, a Fashion show Makeup artist will be paid way more than a party makeup artist. 

For all the above career paths, you can join Cosmup’s Platinum Makeup course where we teach you the right skills,  how to get into such jobs, and how to build your portfolio.

Salaries of a makeup artist in India!

Depending upon your expertise and the region of your practice, if we talk about the highest you can earn, it will be around Rs. 2,00,000 a month to Rs. 6,00,000 a month. This is primarily the case with celebrity makeup artists. 

Yes, Makeup artists do earn this much in India, and the figures are only growing by literally weeks. 

Indian Region-wise Annual salary

• Delhi – Rs. 2,60,000 to Rs. 12,00,000
• Bangalore – Rs. 4,00,000 to Rs. 30,00,000
• Lucknow – Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 2,40,000
• Kolkata – Rs. 5,00,000 to Rs. 12,00,000
• Mumbai – Rs. 5,00,000 to Rs. 30,00,000
• Chennai – Rs. 3,60,000 to Rs. 7,20,000
• Kerala – Rs. 1,20,000 to Rs. 3,60,000
• Chandigarh – Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 6,00,000
• Gujarat – Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 5,40,000  
• Jaipur – Rs. 2,40,000 to Rs. 4,80,000

*Note – The above list has salaries on a higher note, so do not expect to get into the field with such packages. You will have to make your way through the competitions, and then you can expect something of this sort. 

Job role-wise salary in India for a Makeup artist!

Here are some of the basic Makeup roles that anyone gets into with average salary per month:

• Theatre Makeup artist – Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 Per month
• Celebrity Makeup Artist – Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 4,60,000 Per month
• Fashion Makeup Artist – Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 Per month
• Salon Makeup Artist – Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000 Per month

Company-wise salary for a Makeup artist in India!

Listed below are some of the top companies in the Makeup industry.

These are probably the highest paying companies and are a dream for any person aspiring to become a makeup artist. 

• Lakme – Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 45,000 Per month
• VLCC – Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 34,000 Per month
• Nykaa – Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 38,000 Per month
• MAC Cosmetics – Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 45,000 Per month
• Colorbar Cosmetics – Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 25,000 Per month
• Bobbi Brown Cosmetics – Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 45,000 Per month
• Loreal – Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 40,000 Per month
• Sephora – Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 45,000 Per month
• Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty – Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 35,000 Per month
• Shoppers Stop – Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 40,000 Per month
• Urban Company – Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 Per month

These companies are perfect for gaining experience and exposure at the start of your career, and even if you want to slow down your pace and settle in your life, these companies are perfect in terms of giving you a stable job. 

Global Salaries for a makeup artist!

Makeup as a profession is 10x more popular outside India, especially in the USA or Europe.

And you can indeed get some great opportunities in this industry abroad. However, you will have to invest a good amount and time in learning the art of Makeup quite well to survive anywhere outside India in this field. 

Here is a list of the average salary in different countries:

Country	Salary (INR)
London	15 to 20 Lakh Per Annum
Western USA	50 to 70 Lakh Per Annum
Eastern USA	30 to 40 Lakh Per Annum
New Zealand	25 to 50 Lakh Per Annum
Melbourne	30 to 40 Lakh Per Annum
Canada	20 to 45 Lakh Per Annum

Headsup: These figures may look fascinating, but this is the highest that these countries/states have to offer. Also, the expense of living at these places is very high as compared to India, hence such salary figures.

What are other options for earning through Makeup as a profession?

Besides doing a Makeup job, an excellent earning source is Freelancing here.

Usually, makeup artists start their careers by working as freelance makeup artists, earning pretty well from the start. 

To give you a ballpark, an amateur makeup artist starts their career with around Rs. 2,000 per Makeup. With a time and experience of around two to three years, they can charge anywhere between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,000 for each Makeup. 

An experienced freelance makeup artist with around 5+ years of experience does charge Rs. 10,000+ per Makeup. Of course, depending upon where you are, charges will vary, but this is the standard pricing for a fast-paced city. 

Frequently Asked Questions