Elke... A Day in the Life of a Makeup Artist

Quick Tip

You might already recognize the name Elke Von Freudenberg. She has appeared as a guest writer for Beauty.about.com in the past, but I decided that it was time to take a closer look at her world. You will soon agree that the life of a makeup artist is an exciting one.

Before we get into particulars, tell us who sparked your interest in makeup?

I've been a makeup artist for over 20 years, but my mother will say I started when I was 6. I've always had a fascination with faces, and ripping apart her vogue and bazaar magazines when I was six probably didn't help either! Just the idea of creating beauty.... has always fascinated me.

Did you always want to be a makeup artist?

Yes, absolutely. There's never been another career choice for me. I've also trained other makeup artists as well, which I love. And I've worked in salons as a makeup artist/facialist. But my first love has and always be being a photographic makeup artist.

What is your present position?

Celebrity and beauty makeup artist for photography.

Can you tell us a little of what goes on behind the scenes? Give us a peek into your world.

Sometimes call times of 3:00 am to have models ready before sunrise. Shoot a full 10-12 hour day. Or sometimes it's an easy 10 am call, shoot for a few hours and you're done. Also, if I'm doing a celebrity for a TV show appearance or a movie premiere, then I go to their house and apply their makeup, and wave goodbye as they drive away in their limos! I also talk to beauty editors on the phone, giving new beauty tips or products that I like. Or meeting with fashion designers to design a makeup look to coordinate with their latest collection for a runway show. It's different every day and my schedule's been known to change about 10x per day. But I love it!

What is the most difficult part of your job?

Sometimes sadly it's the people you have to work with. If someone's rude or obnoxious. You just get through the day and can't wait to get home. That's usually just it. Or maybe a difficult call time if it's early and you're exhausted and you have to rush to catch a red eye... It can be over whelming sometimes.

What piece of advice would you give someone who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Practice, practice, practice. It may be an industry where it is all about who you know, but that only gets you in the door once. It doesn't keep you there. Talent is what gets you the client or photographer or the magazine to hire you over and over. It's always talent that gives you the work. There are a lot of bad makeup artists out there, more good ones, but very very few amazing ones. The goal is to be one of the amazing ones. Those are the ones that work every single day. Practice on your technique, know it inside and out and really understand what it is you need to do to fix a mistake and make your application time be only 30-40 minutes. Be fast, be professional, be amazing.

What are your plans for the future?

A lot! I've just started a makeup artist training company that trains makeup artists and/or beauty school students that really want to focus on their technique. It's not about how to build a book, or promote yourself. It's all about your technique and becoming amazing in your skill and style. We're getting set to launch it very very soon. I'm really excited about it because I love teaching and helping other makeup artists since no one really helped me when I was starting out.