SKILLED TRADES AND VOCATIONAL (NSQF)

Makeup Artist

Do bridal, fashion, film and event makeup for clients, studios and production teams.

Any stream. Class 10 pass is enough for most courses. After Class 12 Self-employed

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Seeing a client feel confident on a big day
Working with colour, texture and fine detail
Variety of work: weddings, shoots, stage and film sets

It may not suit you if you dislike

Early starts, long hours and busy weekend and festival seasons
Irregular income, especially in the first few years
Standing for hours and carrying heavy kits; skin reactions to products can happen

Class 11–12 subjects: No particular subject is needed. The Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council's Professional Makeup Artist qualification asks for a Class 10 pass as the base entry, with other routes (ITI or experience) also listed. Some institutes take Class 8 or Class 12 students.
First degree: No university degree. Most routes are a government trade course or a skill-council certificate or diploma. The Sector Skill Council lists the Professional Makeup Artist qualification at 600 notional hours (2025 handbook). An older model curriculum set a minimum of 440 hours, including on-the-job training.
Entrance exams: No national entrance exam. Assessment is done by the course or awarding body, based on practical work and a portfolio of looks.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamAny stream. Class 10 pass is enough for most courses..Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Bridal, party, fashion, editorial, film and TV, and event makeup. Client consultation, skin preparation, hygiene and sterilisation, and building a portfolio of looks. Often work for studios, salons, production houses or as a freelancer.

A day in the work
A typical day starts with checking the day's bookings, the client's skin type and the event details. You prepare the skin, do a trial or the main look, and keep to a tight schedule. Between clients you clean brushes, restock your kit and answer messages. Late in the day you may photograph your work for the portfolio and plan tomorrow's travel.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 8–10Build the basics at home: keep your skin care simple, practise neat hand work, and train your eye for colour. Keep a photo file of looks you like and note why. Finish Class 10, since most courses ask for it.
Step 2 · After Class 10 or 12Choose a training route. A one-year cosmetology trade at a government ITI or NSTI is one option. A skill-council Professional Makeup Artist course is another, usually shorter and more makeup-focused. Read the course outline and the college's fee page before you join.
Step 3 · Course, about 6 to 12 monthsLearn day, evening, bridal, HD and corrective makeup, along with hygiene, sterilisation, client handling and practical work on real faces. Ask how much of the course is hands-on. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · During training and afterBuild a portfolio. Practise on friends, family and models, photograph every look in good light, and ask for honest feedback. Assist an experienced artist on weddings, shoots or sets to learn speed and teamwork.
Step 5 · First 1–3 yearsTake your own bookings for bridal, party, shoot and event work, through a studio, a salon, a production house or on your own. Keep records of clients, prices and kit costs, and keep learning new techniques.

Ways in

Government ITI or NSTI cosmetologya one-year trade under the Craftsmen Training Scheme, which covers makeup along with hair, skin and nail work.
Skill-council Professional Makeup Artist courseNSQF Level 4, focused on makeup, usually with more hands-on hours and a portfolio.
Assistant worklearning on the job as an assistant to an established artist, with a short course or none.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Step 2 · Govt ITI or NSTI cosmetology (one-year trade)	1 year	Check the college's fee page. No official ITI/NSTI fee found.	—	Check the college's fee page. Government ITI fees are set by each institute.
Step 2 · Skill-council Professional Makeup Artist course (government state programme, Kerala ASAP)	About 6–12 months (reported)	Kerala ASAP: ₹70,800 incl. GST, 120 hours, offline (course start 1 Nov 2026)	—	Check the notice for any subsidy. No scholarship or fee waiver listed.
Step 2 · Skill-council Professional Makeup Artist course (private academy)	1 month full-day course	—	BHI Makeup & Hair Academy, Mumbai: from ₹1,20,000 incl. GST (next batch 8 Sep 2026)	—
Step 5 · Building bookings after training (own work or assisting)	1–3 years	—	—	No stipend or paid training listed. Assisting an artist is unpaid per the page.

Total timeAbout 1 year after Class 12 to finish training, then 1–3 years to build bookings

Total costCourse fees found range from ₹70,800 (Kerala ASAP) to ₹1,20,000 or more at a private academy; government ITI fees are not listed.

Good to knowPrivate listings show ranges from tens of thousands to several lakh rupees (reported), and the page gives no paid government training or stipend.

Fees from: DGT Craftsmen Training Scheme: Cosmetology curriculum (PDF) · Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council: Handbooks list · Kerala ASAP - Certificate in Professional Makeup Artist (2026) · BHI Makeup & Hair Academy - course pricing (2026). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Starting income is modest and uneven, and it rises with a strong portfolio, repeat clients, bridal-season bookings and work on films or big brands. Earnings also vary a lot by city and by whether you work freelance or for a studio.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~You need the name of a famous academy to get work.~~

Fact: Clients and studios mostly hire on portfolio, reliability and referrals. A recognised course helps with the basics, but work on real faces counts most.

Try it now

Class 7–9Keep a photo diary of faces and looks you like in daylight. Note the colours and shapes that work and why.
Class 10–12Browse the free beauty and cosmetology courses on Skill India Digital Hub to see what the trade covers, including hygiene and skin safety.Open link ↗
College or afterRead the Professional Makeup Artist qualification pack to see exactly what you will be assessed on, then offer to help your school or college drama or annual-day makeup team.Open link ↗

Good to know

As far as I could find, no law licenses makeup artists in India. If you open a studio, check your local rules on premises and hygiene.
The government ITI trade is at NSQF Level 3.5 (revised 2023). Skill-council makeup courses are at NSQF Level 4. The level tells you how advanced the course is.
Skin reactions to products are a real risk. Good courses teach patch tests and sterilisation. Practise these habits from day one.
Film and TV makeup usually needs experience and referrals. Many artists start with weddings, fashion shoots and events.

Sources: Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council: Professional Makeup Artist qualification pack (PDF) · Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council: Handbooks list (2025 approvals) · NQR model curriculum: Professional Makeup Artist (PDF) · DGT Craftsmen Training Scheme: Cosmetology curriculum (PDF, Ministry of Skill Development) · NSDC: Make-up artist national occupational standard