Complaint - People Misunderstanding Makeup

[color_lover456]

I really dislike how our society doesn't value how much makeup is worth...I just started doing makeup on my friends and have had to start charging $1 to cover the cost of product, and I have had a lot of my friends try to not pay. I had one friend who just wanted me to use the things in her collection, which consisted solely of a clinique GWP eyeshadow. I tried explaining to her that the eyeshadow wouldn't apply without the base, but she just didn't get it...

While I realize that I have a lot of broke college friends, what i don't understand is that they will shell out $15 for a meal at oh say the olive garden for a mediocre dish that is probably worth only $3 and forget about the meal 2 hours later, but won't pay $1 to look good the entire night and in pictures that will go and stay on facebook for a lot longer time to come.

I really think this is a real problem - there are so many women who are uncomfortable with the way they look but don't know the wonders of makeup: they either don't know how to apply it or they apply it wrong or see people apply it in a way that they don't like and write makeup off from the first impression.

I really want this to change, that is I want women to understand how to use makeup better, value it as a way of self-improvement, much like education and working out, and be more comfortable with the way they look....

What are you guys' thoughts on this?

[Paramnesia]

They won't pay $1... that's pretty bad. If they were to buy the products themselves and take the time to learn techniques it would cost HEAPS more.

[♥MiCHiE♥]

Wait! You are literally charging $1 (100 pennies)?!?! First of all, bless your heart. Second, a real friend would be more than willing to pull out that and more to have a girlfriend up their makeup ante. I personally say don't offer or oblige to do it or let them know "no MAC romance without finance". I do hair and nails. My best friend sometimes gets no callbacks about services because my schooling days are over. I'm a grown woman and I have to make a living. I can't afford to waste $3.50/gal. gas and my time on people who are not digging in their Levi's to pay me.

[MACATTAK]

MICHIE said it best. Don't offer anymore of your services. If they want to look great, they can either learn themselves or go to a Mac counter and shell out $45.00-$50.00 bucks on a makeover

[GreekChick]

They sound really cheap! If I were you, I would up the price (Coke doesn't even cost 1$) and bring my business elsewhere, where it can be appreciated.

I become furious when I hear about people like this. The funny thing is these type of women are the ones who end up wrinkly and tired looking once they grow older. They have a tendency of not caring about the way they look, which results in them not putting any effort into their looks as well as their skin. They are usually the ones who are lazy to wash their face before bedtime.
I've been there. Don't waste your time explaining anything to them, they will never uderstand. They wouldn't walk into a hair salon and get a free haircut, so why should be any different where makeup is concerned?

[Brittni]

Girl, I'll pay you to do my makeup anytime! It sounds like you know what you are talking about and your friends should be grateful.

P.S. I used to live in Madison..so..when can I stop by?? LOL!

[redambition]

$1.00 is cheap!

There is no way i'd expect someone to do my makeup and not have to pay - unless they offered to do it for free (for portfolio reasons etc).

don't give into them. maybe offer that you'll do it free if they will allow you to do a portfolio worthy face and let you take photos of it. then make the portfolio makeup really crazy artistic and unwearable on the street. yep, i'm evil.

[FullWroth]

I don't think it's a makeup thing so much as an everything thing. Our society as a whole has gotten pretty "gimme FREE STUFF!!111"-centered.

But if your friends won't even shell out a dollar, that's kinda ridiculous. That's less than a drink from the vending machine costs nowadays.

[SoutherNtellect]

one dollar is cheap

but i wouldn't put as much emphasis on the "importance" of makeup as you seem to. i'd rather people be comfortable without the additives.

[MissChievous]

If I was doing a friend's makeup and I actually wanted to do it, I would not charge them for it.

But if people were coming to me all the time requesting me to do their whole face and use all of my products and brushes, I'd charge them something for a make-over! And you can bet it would be much more than $1.

I would just stop doing makeup for your friends if you feel like you're being taken advantage of.

[glam8babe]

i think you should charge abit more.. and if they dont pay then no makeup for them
and i agree with you, im sick of seeing girls wearing the same neutral e/s with abit of lipgloss.. it bores me

[MissChievous]

Most girls here wear thick black eye kohl, mascara, and lipgloss. But hey, they can all look like clones if they want to, hehe. Some people just aren't into makeup as much as us makeup nerds.

[GlossyAbby]

you're only charging $1.00 that is a steal! Especially for use of your products and your time! I don't mind doing people's make up once in awhile but I do not like people who think they can just get into my makeup and say ooh I want to wear this and take it. DONT TOUCH

[athena123]

colorlover, this isn't about the fact that "society doesn't value makeup" - makeup isn't a social issue. It IS about the fact that your friends don't value the services you can provide. As others have stated, you're charging way too little. Maybe if your friends knew the price of a makeup artist in the real world they'd be more appreciative of you.

And for those who don't care to wear makeup at all, again that's hardly a social issue; it's more of a preference, that's all. Their choice not to wear makeup or NOT take care of their skin is their business and doesn't cause me any harm.

Cheers,

Athena

[xangela]

A dollar!? And they still won't pay? Next time they want you to do their makeup, I'd suggest you steer them toward a professional.. where they have to pay 45$ and (depending on demand/scheduling) wait for availability. Perhaps then they will more greatly appreciate your $1 makeup.

[susannef]

Some of my friends like me to make them up when we are going out. The thought of charging money for that has never occured to me.

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥

"no MAC romance without finance"

michie, you just made my LIFE with that.

i agree with what some of the other girls are saying. michie made a real good point, you need to make your living. a dollar is nothing for makeup application...shit, you have to pay like forty at the mac counter and half the time they just slap something on that doesn't even look that good.

[color_lover456]

thanks for all your concerns - i don't think this is my friends problem... i do have friend who will pay, it's just that after i started charging a dollar about half of them stopped... I have about 3 regular customers now lol, and they usually enlist my services every weekend, which is getting to be a handful for a busy college student...

also, i am fine with what i charge. keep in mind that i am not mac certified or anything, i am practicing on people, and sometimes i don't know what to do... I am pretty good with people who are close to my skintone, but last weekend I did a very pale redhead and I was so nervous and went superslowly in building up the color.

all in all, i really think that it is society's fault...i was reading some threads about charging for wedding makeup and i guess a couple of brides were trying to get their wedding day makeup done for free... people just don't understand how much makeup is worth...

it's frustrating to me that i go to a school that costs $45k a year and there are so many type A personalities that spend $200+ a month on a gym membership, but won't do anything about covering up their horrible acne. Like i said above, I think of makeup as a way of improving yourself, much like higher education and working out, except i see people skimming out on makeup and that really surprises me (working out takes me 1-1.5 hrs every day, makeup takes me like 15 mins)

While makeup can't do wonders, i feel like if you do the right things it can make you more presentable. And not to be too superficial, but making yourself presentable does get you somewhere in our society. So it just baffles me when I see people not do these basic valuable things...

[color_lover456]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissChievous

If I was doing a friend's makeup and I actually wanted to do it, I would not charge them for it.

But if people were coming to me all the time requesting me to do their whole face and use all of my products and brushes, I'd charge them something for a make-over! And you can bet it would be much more than $1.

I would just stop doing makeup for your friends if you feel like you're being taken advantage of.

And this is part of the reason why I charge what I do...these are my friends, and sometimes I feel bad for charging them period. Yes it turns into them requesting me to bring over my "kit" before they go out on the weekends, and i find myself running out of brush cleanser REALLY fast...

while i can see where the argument that if they were real friends, they would be more than willing to pay $1 is coming from, couldn't you also reverse the argument, saying if i were a real friend, i would do it for free? I am, after all, just learning how to apply makeup on people...

[silverbelle282]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redambition

$1.00 is cheap!

There is no way i'd expect someone to do my makeup and not have to pay - unless they offered to do it for free (for portfolio reasons etc).

don't give into them. maybe offer that you'll do it free if they will allow you to do a portfolio worthy face and let you take photos of it. then make the portfolio makeup really crazy artistic and unwearable on the street. yep, i'm evil.

i love that idea. hilarious! i have people at work compliment me on my makeup all the time and then ask me what i use. they always call me the beauty expert, it's kind of funny. there is this ONE lady though who uses an eyeshadow duo from clinique called pink tweed, and she never uses a base. i asked her about it and she says she has one but only uses it on special occassions. wtf????!!?!?!?!?! what is wrong with people? i just can't....on this specific question, i just would not do their makeup if they are going to be rude about it. i don't take things from people without giving back, and i understand that my time and my other resources are of value, as are yours. your friends should realize it as well!

[♥MiCHiE♥]

silverbelle, your day sounds like mine!

Doing manicures and pedicures all day, I constantly get complimented on my makeup, sometimes with people inquiring about me doing theirs. I sometimes ramble off products and people look at me like .

[Trista]

You know what gets to me too? When friends will actually rant on about how much money I blow on makeup but then they compliment how I wear it and even ask me to do their makeup when we go out at night! It's like weren't they just criticizing me for what they felt was wasting money? Oh and then they wanna use my makeup when I make them over because I have the "good stuff".
I told a friend recently that I'm no longer doing it. Especially since none of them have offerred to buy any of the makeup for me.
I just had to vent.

[redambition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by color_lover456

And this is part of the reason why I charge what I do...these are my friends, and sometimes I feel bad for charging them period. Yes it turns into them requesting me to bring over my "kit" before they go out on the weekends, and i find myself running out of brush cleanser REALLY fast...

while i can see where the argument that if they were real friends, they would be more than willing to pay $1 is coming from, couldn't you also reverse the argument, saying if i were a real friend, i would do it for free? I am, after all, just learning how to apply makeup on people...

the crux of the issue is you're not doing it once every so often as a bit of fun or practice, it sounds like they are trying to get you to be their personal makeup artist when they need you.

even though you are just learning you still need to keep your kit stocked up and that costs money. asking for a small fee (that i am guessing only helps to cover the costs, but still leaves money coming out of your own pocket) is more than fair if you are being asked to give up your time to do their makeup every time they go out.

the attitude of "you should do it for free because you're my friend" doesn't wash with me. if you are offering to do a bit of a makeover as a bit of fun (and a one off) - then fine, make it free. if they are asking you to come over with your kit and do their face because they are going out (and they do this regularly) - that's a booking and it comes with a charge.

[MACATTAK]

Some people are just really cheap. Where I've worked/and work people think coffee, creamer, sugar etc is FREE!! Someone who kept buying it asked everyone to pitch in $1.00 a MONTH...many couldn't and wouldn't do it, yet these same people went out for lunch everyday. People are all about free things. Ask them to pitch in, or to buy something every now and again? Nah that's asking too much!

[Kuuipo]

In my early years of being a nurse, some of my friends and I had a band that travelled around and played the college music scene. Some kids spend a lot of money on liquor but when you see them in a grocery store will not spend money on fresh veggies because "they are too expensive". Everyone has different priorities and some people just don't invest in themselves because they only want immediate rewards.