HOW TO HIRE · BEAUTY & GROOMING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a makeup artist in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A makeup artist in Ireland costs €50–€180 per booking, typically around €90. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a makeup artist in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers makeup artist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — on-Location Services — many makeup artists offer on-location services, allowing clients to receive makeup applications at their home or venue.
- How does artist's experience change the price?Specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the makeup look change the price?Unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does location of the service change the price?A provider already working nearby can quote more keenly. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Makeup Lessons — some makeup artists provide personalized makeup lessons to help clients learn techniques that suit their features and preferences — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a makeup artist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO HAIRDRESSERS, BARBERS, BEAUTICIANS OR NAIL TECHNICIANS. Anyone may trade. The line that does exist is medicines: anything involving a PRESCRIPTION-ONLY MEDICINE — botulinum toxin above all — may only be prescribed by a registered prescriber, and that is a medical matter rather than a beauty one. A clinic offering injectables with no named prescriber is the single clearest warning sign in this family.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
For injectables, WHO PRESCRIBES — a named, registered prescriber who has seen you, not a prescription arranged remotely for someone they have never met; For any treatment that breaks the skin, what is single-use and what is sterilised; A patch test before colour or lash work, and enough time before an event; The training and the insurer for the specific treatment, not the salon generally; What the aftercare is and who you call out of hours if something goes wrong; Photographs of their own work on hair or skin like yours.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect treatment-specific professional indemnity — a policy for facials may exclude needles entirely. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers makeup artist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — on-Location Services — many makeup artists offer on-location services, allowing clients to receive makeup applications at their home or venue.
A good answer: Specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A provider already working nearby can quote more keenly. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Makeup Lessons — some makeup artists provide personalized makeup lessons to help clients learn techniques that suit their features and preferences — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a makeup artist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect treatment-specific professional indemnity — a policy for facials may exclude needles entirely — special Occasion Makeup — makeup artists offer services for various special occasions such as proms, parties, and corporate events.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the makeup artist starts, and an itemised invoice after — bridal Makeup Services — bridal makeup services typically include a consultation to discuss the desired look, application of makeup on the wedding day, and often a trial session beforehand.
Getting the quote right
- Artist's experience — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe.
- Complexity of the makeup look — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit.
- Location of the service — a provider already working nearby can quote more keenly.
- Special products — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: artist's experience — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the makeup look — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit
- They will not talk about it: location of the service — a provider already working nearby can quote more keenly
- A price for the makeup artist before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the makeup artist has begun
What a makeup artist costs: €50–€180 per booking
The figures are for the job, per booking, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Bridal makeup and Event makeup each carry their own band. Makeup Artist price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Makeup artists near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstArtist's experience — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe — that is what the makeup artist is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the makeup look — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLocation of the service — a provider already working nearby can quote more keenly — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherSpecial products — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the makeup artist is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, or equipment required for specific styles — cheaper parts fail sooner and cost more over time.
- Bridal Makeup Services
- Bridal makeup services typically include a consultation to discuss the desired look, application of makeup on the wedding day, and often a trial session beforehand.
- Special Occasion Makeup
- Makeup artists offer services for various special occasions such as proms, parties, and corporate events.
- Makeup Lessons
- Some makeup artists provide personalized makeup lessons to help clients learn techniques that suit their features and preferences.
- On-Location Services
- Many makeup artists offer on-location services, allowing clients to receive makeup applications at their home or venue.
- Event Makeup
- Makeup application for various events such as parties, galas, or corporate functions, designed to suit the occasion's theme and the client's style.
- Special Effects Makeup
- Application of makeup techniques that create dramatic effects, often used for theatrical performances, Halloween, or themed parties.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a makeup artist: questions people ask
The cost of makeup artist services can vary based on the artist's experience, the complexity of the makeup look, and the location of the service. Additional factors may include travel fees and the need for special products or tools.
A typical makeup application can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the desired look and the complexity of the makeup. Bridal makeup, for instance, often requires more time for both application and any necessary adjustments.
Many makeup artists do offer same-day or emergency services, but availability can be limited. It's best to contact artists directly to inquire about their last-minute booking policies and any potential additional fees.
Yes, many makeup artists offer packages that include multiple services, such as hair styling alongside makeup application. Booking several related services can often result in a discounted rate.
Makeup artists generally do not provide skincare services, such as facials or dermatological treatments. Additionally, they typically do not perform any permanent makeup procedures, which require specialised training and certification.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO HAIRDRESSERS, BARBERS, BEAUTICIANS OR NAIL TECHNICIANS. Anyone may trade. The line that does exist is medicines: anything involving a PRESCRIPTION-ONLY MEDICINE — botulinum toxin above all — may only be prescribed by a registered prescriber, and that is a medical matter rather than a beauty one. A clinic offering injectables with no named prescriber is the single clearest warning sign in this family.
MORE GUIDES