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

First of all, at that place is no Freelance Makeup Artist or general Makeup Creative person license. If a professional license is required, depending on what y'all practise, you'll either need a cosmetology, esthetician, or hairdresser/barber license. When you lot need such a beauty license is regulated by each land. Let Jen's story be a cautionary tale. Thus, if you are unsure, the best advice nosotros can give is to contact the cosmetology board of your land and inquire most the license requirements for your specific situation. You tin find the contact information for your state here: Beauty Licenses per Country.

We know that this is very unsatisfying advice and so nosotros contacted every state lath to find out if there are whatever 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. Withal, I've heard from some Makeup Artists that they were required to take a beauty (cosmetology/esthetician) license from their state to lawfully do business every bit freelance Makeup Artists. I concord that a cosmetology license is always a good investment in terms of education, but I could not find out whether it is mandatory for freelance Makeup Artists in your state.
Could you lot help me out with this question?

We are posting this hither to be transparent about what we asked because the situation is not always very clear in every land. In general, we tin sort the answers into four categories.

1. No license needed under certain conditions

In other words, y'all by and large demand a license to apply makeup unless ane of the below-listed exceptions applies. This is the situation in most states.

Exception 1: Media and theatrical makeup work

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

Arizona State Board of Cosmetology

Exception 2: Retail

If there is a fee or exchange, then you must possess a cosmetology or esthetics license to utilise makeup.  If y'all will be providing free facials (with no strings attached: such every bit working at corrective counters in stores), or working for theater or television receiver or movies, and so you lot do non need to possess a license.

NYS Department of State, Division of Licensing Services

Exception3: Military 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. At that place are some exemptions ready forth in the constabulary under NRS 644.190 and NRS 644.460 which cover working on a motion moving picture or similar product, retailers, photographers, doctors, military and other exemptions."

Nevada State Board of Cosmetology

Exception 4: Unpaid work

"Information technology would depend, at that place are some exceptions in the law.
7319.  The following persons are exempt from this chapter:
…(d) Persons engaged in any practice within its telescopic when washed outside of a licensed establishment, without compensation…."

California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology

Here is the list of states in this category (exceptions that non require a license in parentheses):

  • Arizona (media, theatrical)
  • California (war machine/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)
  • Southward Dakota (retail)
  • Tennessee (retail)
  • Texas (medical profession, unpaid, theatrical, media, photography)

2. Y'all ever need a license for makeup awarding

These states don't specify whatsoever exemptions, consequently, yous need to take a license regardless.

To provide "make-up" services in the State of Alaska requires y'all hold an active/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*
  • Northward Dakota
  • S Carolina
  • Due west Virginia

*Unpaid work may be exempt, just not if it happens in a business setting, east.thousand. in retail.

** Hairdressing is exempt, You can utilize for a Barber Courtesy License to work on a tv set, pic, or stage production.

3. You don't need a license for makeup awarding

Yes, at that place are indeed some states that apparently don't require any license for the application of makeup:

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

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

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

 4. Unclear or no response

Unfortunately, for a couple of states information technology was impossible to get a response via email. Electronic mail was important for us to have at least some written reference. In some cases we would get an answer, which ended upwardly non existence 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 chaser to discuss legal matters pertinent to your private situation; yet, licensing requirements for cosmetologists are established in the Occupational Code, 1980 PA 299, as amended, which can exist found at www.michigan.gov/cosmetology.  Even so, you may wish to look at the section of definitions under MCL 339.1201, in particular, the definition of pare intendance services under MCL 339.1201(q)."
In other cases, I think, I am simply non smart enough to understand what that means:
Per Virginia Lawmaking § 54.ane-701.10. Exemptions., "persons whose activities are confined solely to applying make-up, including such activities that are ancillary to applying make-up" are exempt from regulation and licensing by this Board.
Does it mean this board does not regulate it, and some other board does? In some cases I got bounced around between different departments , which all claimed not to be responsible. Or practise you lot actually not need a license in Virginia if you are only applying makeup? I would ask a legal professional to
If you haven't found your state among the outset three categories  then we are sorry to disappoint you. As soon as we go additional information, we will add information technology to this post. If yous have additional information, delight permit us know in the comments.
What was expressed in the response of Michigan'southward Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is very valid for u.s.: Nosotros cannot provide legal communication nor are attempting to. Don't rely on the information presented here and ever consult professionals with regards to your state of affairs. Although the information presented in this mail is based on responses we received from the various land boards, it is quite possible that it is wrong, not complete or has inverse at the time when y'all read this post. Delight too annotation that this mail service just discusses beauty professional licenses and not other licenses required to operate your business concern.