Makeup artists in New Jersey have a bevy of exciting career opportunities awaiting them. Besides the many trendy and upscale salons and spas found all across the state, New Jersey’s film and television production industry is booming.
As the state considers signing the “Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act” into law to provide tax incentives to the movie and media industry, the number of jobs for professionals like makeup artists is expected to boom.
Cable business news network giant CNBC broadcasts from Englewood Cliffs and MyNetworkTV has its headquarters n Secaucus, both of which employ skilled makeup artists to keep their hosts and actors looking their best on screen.
Becoming a makeup artist in New Jersey is a good move in planning for your future. According to the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, job opportunities for skincare specialists working as makeup artists in New Jersey are expected to grow by an amazing 33.2 percent from 2012 through 2022. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the New York/White Plains/Wayne NJ metropolitan area as the top non-metro area in terms of highest level of employment for skincare specialists as of May 2013.
Meeting the Requirements to Become a Makeup Artist in New Jersey
The New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling has set rules and regulations that you must meet if you wish to become a makeup artist in New Jersey. You must be at least 17 years old, have graduated high school, and meet the state’s education and examination requirements as spelled out below.
Makeup Artist Schools in New Jersey
Becoming a makeup artist in New Jersey starts with becoming licensed as an esthetician. This requires you to complete a minimum of 600 hours of classes at a Board-approved school.
There are many Board-approved schools providing these types of programs, found in cities such as (but not limited to):
- Morris Plains
- Newark
- Palisades Park
- Northfield
- Hackensack
- Paramus
- Voorhees
- Union City
- Bordentown
- Edison
Your New Jersey makeup artist preparation classes will include topics and subjects such as:
- Business practices and job skills
- Makeup techniques
- Facial and body procedures
- Electricity/machines
- Chemistry (skin care)
- Superfluous hair removal
- Structure/functions of skin
- Anatomy, nutrition and physiology
- Bacteriology, sterilization and sanitation
- Professionalism, health and safety
- State laws, regulations and rules
Classes will teach you both the theory and practical aspects of becoming a makeup artist in New Jersey.
Licensing of Makeup Artists in New Jersey
After you have completed at least 480 hours of your makeup artist classes in preparation for your New Jersey skincare specialist/ esthetician license (under the early testing option), your next step is to pass two necessary examinations: one written and one practical.
These examinations are administered through Prometric testing centers, and are given within these New Jersey cities:
- Clark
- Laurel Spring
- Hamilton
- Fairlawn
You may apply and register online though Prometric’s website to schedule your examinations. Your written (theory) exam will test your knowledge of:
- General concepts:
- EPA/OSHA requirements
- Salon management
- Salon ethics
- Client protection
- Infection control/bacteriology
- Applied anatomy and physiology:
- Nutrition
- Skeletal, circulatory, nervous and muscular systems
- Conditions, diseases and disorders
- Growth and regeneration
- Structure and function
- Skin treatments:
- Facials
- Hair removal:
- Depilatories
- Tweezing
- Waxing
- Makeup:
- Safety
- Procedures
- Preparation
- Implements/supplies
- Purpose/results
- New Jersey Regulations and Laws
Once you pass the written exam, you will be permitted to take the practical exam. Information on the time and place for this skills-based examination will be conveyed to you through the Board. When that examination is passed, the Board will mail your New Jersey esthetician license to you.
Your skincare specialist license in New Jersey is valid for two years. You need not complete any continuing education in order to maintain it.
Now that you have your license as a makeup artist in New Jersey, you might want to open your own shop or salon. More information on procedures to do so can be found at the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling website.
Job Opportunities for Makeup Artists in New Jersey
Great job! You now have a license and can legally work as a makeup artist in the Garden State!
While you might start out working in a spa or salon, the opportunities for makeup artists in New Jersey extend far beyond the personal care industry. The travel and resort industry, especially at the Jersey Shore, provides many job opportunities for licensed estheticians, not only within trendy upscale salons but also with the many performances and shows held within these resorts.
Other industries in which makeup artists in New Jersey work include the cosmetics manufacturing and sales industry and the film and television industry.
A few examples of some of the top employers of makeup artists within each of these industries in New Jersey are listed below.
Spas and Salons
- Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa- Bedminster
- The Wax Den- Bloomfield
- Seva Beauty- Woodbridge, Piscataway and Edison
- European Wax Center- Hoboken
- Esthetica Salon & Spa – Northfield
Travel and Resorts
- Crystal Springs Resorts- Hamburg
- Marriott International, Inc. – Princeton
- Red Door Seaview Resort Spa- Galloway
- Avanti Day Resort- Manalapan
- Bluemercury Spa at Tropicana Resort- Atlantic City
Cosmetic Manufacturing and Sales
- MAC Cosmetics- Wayne
- Bobbi Brown Cosmetics – Short Hills
- Mario Badescu Skin Care- Morristown
- ConvaTec- Bridgewater
- Johnson & Johnson- Skillman
- L’oreal- Clark
Film and Television
- Iron Bound Film Studios – Newark
- 18 Label Studios- Montclair
- CNBC TV Studios- Englewood Cliffs
- WNET TV Studios- Newark
- Butter Tree Studios- East Hanover