Make-up artistry, in general, is not a well paying occupation, relative to other entertainment industry placements. However, a MUA can secure a well-paying position in the modeling and photography world, when one has garnered a sufficient reputation and skill set. Proficiency, as with any art form is subjective, however the standard MUA is judged on the ability to display a face to its full potential (as desired by the director or photographer) as well as establish a working relationship with the actor, photographer or person being worked on. Make-up artists can receive their training in several different ways; they can intern at a theater, they can assist a working make-up artist, or they can attend a school dedicated to make-up artistry. Make-up artists are primarily self-employed (freelancers), but they may also be represented by an agency, or employed by a production company. In the United States as well as the UK, several provinces or states may require a license. In many instances,in order to work on film, tv or theater productions you must be part of an applicable union.

However, it must be mentioned that Make-up Artists in general upon starting out spend several years working for limited pay, TFCD/TF or "testing" to build a network of contacts that will assist in securing future work.

Areas of expertise

• Fashion Make-up: Fashion make-up is used in magazine photography as well as on the fashion runway. This branch of make-up design is often highly stylized and is usually focused on making the model or actor look as attractive as possible.
• Theatrical Make-up: Stage make-up is used as a method in conjunction with stage lighting to highlight the actors' faces in order make expressions visible to the audience from moderate distances. This often includes defining the eyes and lips as well as the highlights and lowlights of the facial bones.
• High Definition: This strategy for filming offers a new challenge to make-up artists; the extremely sharp resolution of the filming technique requires a new level of coverage needed on a person's face in order to minimize flaws.
• Special Effects Make-up (FX Makeup): The use of special effects make-up can be found in all possible areas of make-up and includes all blood and gore make-up techniques as well as fantasy make-up and the use of prosthetics. This area often becomes a much more complicated process as plaster casting and other crafts are needed to complete the make-up.
• Airbrushing: The use of an airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including alcohol and water-based makeup by a process of nebulization. Though the earliest record of this type of cosmetic application dates back to the 1925 film version of Ben-Hur, it has recently been re-popularized by the advent of Hi-Definition Television and Digital Photography, wherein the camera sees more detail than ever before. Liquid Foundations that are high in coverage but thin in texture are applied with the airbrush for full coverage without a heavy build-up of product. Because of the spray dot pattern the airbrush puts down, this products also reads as more even to the camera, which records the image in similar tiny pixels. It is also a highly popular technique for Special F/X Makeup.