Oregon offers some exciting opportunities for makeup artists. Portland’s Pearl District, Uptown, and Nob Hill are the locations of some of the best-known neighborhood salons in the Pacific Northwest.
Makeup artists who are interested in working with film or media production can find opportunities throughout the state, where more than a dozen big-name movies have been shot in recent memory.
If you are interested in working with the performing arts and theatre you will also find opportunities in Oregon – in fact Portland was named the tenth-best city for big arts by American Style magazine.
To work professionally as a makeup artist in Oregon you must have an esthetician license, which is issued by the Health Licensing Office in association with the Oregon Board of Cosmetology.
Meeting the Requirements to Become a Makeup Artist in Oregon
To earn your esthetician license so as to work as a makeup artist you will need to meet requirements set by Oregon’s Board of Cosmetology and the Health Licensing Office:
- Completed 250 hours of esthetician courses – including those in makeup artistry – from one of over 30 cosmetology schools located throughout Oregon
- Completed 150 hours of education in safety and infection control
- Completed 100 hours of career development education
- Passed esthetician written and practical examinations which are conducted by the Board of Cosmetology
- Passed the Oregon laws and rules exam, also conducted by the Board
Your makeup artist school will help you prepare to complete these steps. Once you near the completion of your education it will be time to start thinking about submitting the following forms to the Health Licensing Office and the Oregon Board of Cosmetology:
When you are considering where to obtain your education, you can choose among any of the approved cosmetology schools that offer a curriculum in esthetics. There are several dozen schools located throughout Oregon, including:
- 10 in Portland
- 3 in Salem
- 2 in Eugene
- 2 in Happy Valley
- 2 in Medford
In addition to makeup artistry, with an esthetician license you will also be able to perform the following services – these are also reflected in your esthetician classes and school curriculum:
- Cleansing, manipulating, stimulating, and exfoliating services
- Application of lotions and creams
- Eyelash services
- Facial and body wrapping and waxing
Authorizations and Permits for Makeup Artists in Oregon
As a makeup artist you may be interested in any of several extra credentials that you can add to your esthetician license. These can be useful in different fields of makeup artistry, and are granted through the Oregon Health Licensing Agency:
- Demonstration Permit – this will allow you to work as a cosmetics demonstrator during a special event or occasion, or at a temporary facility
- Freelance Authorization Permit – this will allow you to work as a makeup artist outside of a licensed beauty or makeup facility
- Independent Contractor – this will allow you to work as an independent business owner within an established salon or makeup facility
Oregon’s Exciting Career Opportunities for Makeup Artists
Once you have your license you can pursue your dream job with film production companies, beauty salons, in the performing arts, or through any other creative outlet you choose.
Oregon’s Film Scene
As the largest industry that employs makeup artists, film production has a long history in Oregon and especially Portland. Once you have established a reputation for yourself and cemented your skills you may be working on the set of the next blockbuster. Recent films shot in the state include:
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- Kindergarten Cop
- My Own Private Idaho
- Gone
- Extraordinary Measures
- Body of Evidence
- What the Bleep Do We Know!?
- The Hunted
- Twilight
- Paranoid Park
- Blue Like Jazz
- Wendy and Lucy
- Feast of Love
- Untraceable
- Drugstore Cowboy
Besides the out-of-state Hollywood studios, Oregon is home to several locally-based film production companies:
- Laika in Hillsboro
- Oregon Media Production Association – OMPA
- @Large Films in Portland
- Southern Oregon Film and Media in Ashland
- Three Dog Films in Portland
Beauty and Fashion in Oregon
You may also be interested in makeup artist jobs at beauty salons. This field is one of the largest employers of makeup artists, and includes establishments such as:
- Pulse Salon in Portland
- Blush Premier Makeup in Portland
- Gervais Salon and Spa in Eugene
- Face Body Beauty in Salem
- Epic Day Spa in Corvallis
- GiGi Salon and Spa in Portland
- Urbaca in Oregon
Oregon’s coast is highly popular for weddings and dotted with wineries. Beach towns along Highway 101 also offer hot spots for makeup artist jobs.
In addition to established makeup salons, you can also find gigs at events and festivals as a makeup artist:
- World Beat Festival in Salem
- The Salem Art Fair and Festival
- The Portland Fashion Show
Performing Arts in Oregon
Portland offers one of the best performing arts venues on the West Coast, supporting numerous artists and theaters. Oregon is also regarded as a good state for the performing arts. If you are interested in becoming a makeup artist in this field you can look into employment with troupes such as:
- Oregon Ballet Theatre
- Portland Opera
- Oregon Contemporary Theatre in Eugene
- Eugene Ballet
- Broadway Rose Theatre Company in Tigard