Having done makeup for over a decade, and having modeled for just as long, I’ve been in the interesting position of knowing both sides of the makeup chair all too well.

This experience affords me a unique position, being able to honestly say, ‘Yes…I have been in your shoes,’ and empathize accordingly.

While it may seem like a blatantly obvious statement to say that every model who sits in the chair will be different from the next (and the last), just as no two artists to paint a model’s face will do things exactly the same, it’s a fact that is often swallowed up by the hectic environment photo shoots, movie sets and even weddings create. Communication is all but dead and buried in the chaos, and few things seem important enough to remember, let alone bring up, after the fact.

In a perfect world, there would always be enough time and direction would always be clear. Constructive criticism would flow with abundance and be taken to heart without hurt feelings or bruised egos. Life, and makeup, would be good.

We don’t live in a perfect world, though, and whether it be a small family wedding or a major European fashion show, the model and the makeup must be perfect despite the world we live in. Since it will probably be a very cold day in the Deep South before models and make up artists (MUAs) practice the art of effective communication while in or over the chair, there are a few short, simple conversations that could work wonders on the makeup artist/model relationship if they ever were to cease lingering on the lips and make it to the ears of the individual on the other side of the chair.

Model: “I could have told you I was allergic to that if you had asked me!”

MUA: “What? You expect me to carry around a list of ingredients and have you approve each one first?”

Both sides have a valid point, but it is ultimately the model’s burden to disclose any known allergies or sensitivities to the makeup artist before he or she ever touches brush to blush. 

Allergies can come on unexpectedly, change, or develop at any time, but if there’s an ingredient that the model knows for certain he or she has a reaction to, he or she needs to speak up sooner rather than later. It’s also important to mention contact lens usage, any open sores or wounds (in the exposed and relevant areas) and any product he or she may already be wearing. On the flip side, a good makeup artist should make it clear beforehand if he or she plans to use any products that are known to have a high probability of triggering an unwanted response like latex or collodion.

Model: “If you weren’t gouging my eye out, I wouldn’t be blinking!”

MUA: “If you weren’t blinking, I wouldn’t be gouging your eye out!”

While more seasoned models and makeup artists learn how to work around this, there’s always an exception to the rule.

Makeup artists have to have a steady hand – which means not too hard and not too soft. Too firm can cause the artist’s hands to shake as well as cause pain to the model, while too soft can lead to less control of the tool or implement and cause the model to, well, have an attack of the giggles since there’s not enough pressure to thwart a tickling sensation. On the other hand, while no one likes having strange things flying at their face which they have no control over, if you’re going to model, you have to learn to deal with discomfort, including learning how to relax your body in awkward situations. Relaxing the mouth or the eyelids will not only prevent “fluttering” and spasms, but will eliminate creases and folds that make a makeup artist’s job ten times as hard (and which generally forces the artist to apply more pressure to achieve straight, even lines).

In the interest of pure common sense, there are a few things both sides should take into consideration without conversation being necessary.

• If you’re going to be literally inches from someone’s face, please, do a breath check. Brush your teeth (often) and keep gum or mints handy (especially if you drink a lot of coffee or had garlic shrimp for lunch).  Hygiene in general should be impeccable which includes not overdoing it on the perfume.
• Take good care of your brushes and other reusable implements. Dull tweezers, brushes with unkempt bristles and sharpeners with dull blades (that leave pencil liners with sharp wood fragments in them) all make a model miserable. Invest in good quality implements and take care of them – you and your model will reap the rewards.
• Keep your nails well groomed. Jagged edges on nails can scratch and irritate sensitive skin on the face if they get too close, which they often do in the heat of the moment.
• Always look your best. You are a reflection of your ability and most models aren’t going to be comfortable with someone who looks like a circus clown threw up on them or they’ve never heard of a hairbrush doing their makeup. A relaxed model is an easy model to work on.
• Give your model a heads up anytime you’re about to make a sudden move, approach the face with anything they may not have seen before (at least not seen coming at their face), or if you’re about to drastically change pressure, technique, or speed.
• Models are not made of rubber. They can not stretch beyond a certain point. Don’t try it.

• It doesn’t matter what your name is – treat your makeup artist with some respect. He or she is not your gopher, your slave or your scapegoat. Remember, without them, you wouldn’t be successful. Most makeup artists truly are magicians.
• The easier you make life for your makeup artist, the easier they will make life for you. Take care of your skin and show up fresh-faced, cleansed, toned, moisturized and ready to go. While you’ll probably still get cleansed and toned by your MUA, it will be a lot faster and a lot easier without ten tons of makeup to cut through.  
• The breath check applies here, too. Models are notorious for drinking coffee like water, not to mention that hardcore dieting can often have adverse effects on the body – including the way your breath smells.
• Don’t freak out! Trust your MUA! Just because you see a color you don’t like or a product you’re not familiar with come out of the kit doesn’t mean you won’t be pleased with the end result. Makeup artists usually have a specific idea in mind and do take into consideration what’s going to work in conjunction with you, your features, your coloring, etc. MUAs' jobs depend on how good you look every bit as much as your job depends on it.
• Leave your MP3 player, your handheld game console, your PDA and your cell phone in your purse. The cords and devices themselves getting in the way notwithstanding, most people don’t realize how much they jerk, shake, twitch and fidget when they’re distracted by music and video games.

Whether you’re a couture fashion model or a blushing bride, a pro MUA or a gal who just likes to experiment on her friends, there is something to be said for stepping into someone else’s heels for a while. Even though communication may not always be possible or feasible in the mad world of models and makeup, there is always time and opportunity to consider the other person’s perspective, which is something that will always be in fashion!