My First Makeup Artist Feature- Finding Work as a New Artist

Aug 30

In the very beginning, Beauty Asylum started with owner Jessica Lyness. One of our first published editorials was this Thanksgiving-inspired styled shoot featured in Occasions Magazine in Atlanta, Georgia.

Beauty Asylum Hair & Makeup teamed up with the husband-and-wife duo behind Rustic White Photography, along with Corrie Kirk of Signature Weddings and Events, to bring the seasonal editorial to life.

Looking back, this feature captures a little piece of where Beauty Asylum began—one artist, an opportunity to collaborate, and one of our earliest published editorials.

man and woman dress business attire in celebration of thanksgiving holiday

When you're starting out in the hair and makeup industry as a new stylist—whether it's fashion, editorial, commercial, or bridal—it's good to remember that we've all started at the beginning. It takes work to build a foundation, and in the beginning, that may require volunteering your time.
10+ years ago, I connected with other creatives through free platforms within our industry. At the time, it was Model Mayhem, StyleSeat, and Thumbtack. My goal was to find people who were in the same position as me—just starting out—and these were some of the best avenues available.
I reached out to a multitude of people, and not everyone replied. Eventually, I landed opportunities that were basically time for print: I volunteered my time and, in exchange, received professional images I could use to begin building my portfolio.
I knew I needed professional photos to display my work, but I didn't have a body of work yet to get me hired. So, in those early days, the work wasn't necessarily about getting paid. It was about creating something I could use to get the next opportunity.
Maybe 10–15 years ago you needed a professional portfolio to really get started, but today there are so many more opportunities to launch your career—Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok.
While professional photos will inevitably help you attract your target market, you can absolutely start booking clients with good iPhone photos. The key is knowing how to capture your work. Stand near a window with natural light—not hot, direct sunlight—and have your client face the window so the photo gives a true representation of your work. Clean off that camera lens to remove any smudges, and voilà. You have the start of a portfolio and your personal story.
On the other side of this, I receive a multitude of resumes from artists interested in working with Beauty Asylum—some without a website or even a social media platform.
When I'm looking to hire for Beauty Asylum, it's critical that I have somewhere to view your work. For me, I look for clear images in natural light, a range of examples, consistency throughout your portfolio, and then your ability will determine the rest.
You don't need an expensive editorial shoot to prove you can do beautiful work. You do need to show me what you can do.
For one, if you take a job offering your time and skill, make sure there's a benefit for you. Maybe you're working with someone who can review your business online, or you're receiving professional images in return. The key is making sure it's truly an opportunity—then let the social piece land. Do great work, build the relationship, and most often, that will open the door for them to reach out again.
My first job in Greenville, SC started with a photographer who was in immediate need of a makeup artist—like same-day, same-hour type of situation—and I made it happen.
They loved my work and continued to call on me for their clients, which turned into paid work. At the time, I was thrilled to work with such a talented photographer and honestly accepted whatever they were willing to pay me. I started at $75 per face and $35 an hour for touch-ups.
Looking back, that one opportunity became one of the pieces that launched my professional portfolio. It gave me professional images, experience working on set, a relationship with an established photographer, and ultimately, more paid work.
You can check out some of those early photo sessions here.
This circles back to the opportunities you create with like-minded individuals in your network. Join local groups with photographers, venues, makeup artists, hairstylists, and other creatives. Nowadays, there's almost always a styled shoot in the works, and getting involved in one can become the first goal on your list. Again, this may be time for print, but in the beginning, it's key.
My first published feature in print stemmed from a collaboration of vendors who were all in a similar position. We had Jamie McPherson, who had just opened Vinewood Plantation (now Vinewood Stables), Shauna Veasey Photography, along with floral, cake, beauty, and other vendors who all needed professional images of their work.
It started with building our portfolios, but eventually evolved into something bigger. Together, we began curating the looks, styles, and overall aesthetic of the shoots with publication in mind. We weren't just creating pretty images anymore—we were creating something we could pitch to bridal magazines.
I was surrounded by incredibly talented creatives, and once we started putting the work out there, magazines, blogs, and online publications ate it up. One opportunity led to another, and those early collaborations became some of my first published features.
Absolutely! Styled shoots are a great way to build your portfolio, create industry relationships, and establish credibility when you're just getting started.
For me, those early styled shoots became professional images, industry connections, published features, and eventually paid work. To this day, I love looking back at where it all started—and maybe one day you will too.
A few of my firsts:
Vinewood Plantation —1st print feature
Vinewood Plantation —1st online feature
Vinewood Plantation —1st blog recognition