How to avoid over-investing as a starting artist

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"Starting a career in the pigmentation industry often comes with the temptation to make large investments. New artists spend heavily on high-end PMU machines, an extensive selection of pigments, top-tier photography equipment, long-term salon rents, and professional branding or digital media services. This article provides practical alternatives to these common areas of over-investment, drawing on advice from seasoned artists in the field. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions that pave the way for a successful and financially sustainable career in pigmentation."

1. Background

This article is informed by insights from 45 interviews with Permanent Makeup (PMU) artists between 2020 and 2022. These artists, who primarily specialize in powder brows and hairstrokes rank in the top 18.7% of earners in their regions. The group's diversity is notable, with 29 artists from various European Union countries, nine from the UK, and seven from the US.

A significant observation about these artists is their diverse professional backgrounds. Over 80% transitioned into the powder brows, hairstrokes and pigmentation industry from unrelated careers. This shift required them to build their client base and reputation from scratch, making their insights particularly practical and grounded in real experience. They've successfully overcome the initial hurdles of establishing a powder brows and hairstrokes career without substantial external support or advice. Their experiences offer valuable lessons and strategies for aspiring professionals in this evolving industry.

The Goal of the Article

The primary aim of this article is to guide new artists entering the powder brows and hairstrokes industry, focusing on two key areas.

Identifying Unnecessary Investments. The first part of the article examines common initial investments made by beginners that are often non-essential. Despite their substantial cost, these investments tend to offer limited career advancement. This section aims to help new artists avoid these pitfalls, enabling them to allocate their resources more effectively.
Highlighting Productive and Effective Investments. The second part of the article identifies investments that have consistently proven valuable. These expenditures have been instrumental in the success of established artists in the powder brows and hairstrokes business. This section advises new artists on where to focus their resources for optimal career growth and impact.

The article offers a balanced perspective on managing initial investments in the powder brows and hairstrokes field through this dual approach.

2. Why Over-Investing Happens

Understanding the psychological reasons behind over-investing is key for new powder brows and hairstrokes artists. This can be broadly categorized into internal insecurities and the desire for external recognition.

Internal Insecurities

New artists often feel unsure about their skills and ability to deliver high-quality services to clients consistently. This insecurity can lead them to over-invest in tools and supplies, hoping that superior equipment will compensate for perceived gaps in their abilities. However, while quality tools are helpful, they can only enhance the procedure to a limited degree. Over-reliance on such investments often fails to improve outcomes significantly and may further increase the artist's insecurity, contrary to their initial hopes.

Desire for External Significance

The second motivator for unnecessary investments is the belief that such expenditures will set the artist apart from competitors and attract clients. However, this is often a misconception. Rarely do such investments have the intended effect of drawing in new clients or significantly boosting sales and revenue.

The Guiding Principle

Experienced artists often share a principle based on their early mistakes: a starting artist should critically evaluate whether an investment addresses their need for security, confidence, or recognition or genuinely contributes to increased earnings. Many investments made by beginners tend to fulfill the former. Therefore, discerning an investment's true value and return is crucial for long-term success and financial stability in the industry. Next, we will look at specific examples of potential over-investing.

3. High-End PMU Machines

The Misconception of Expensive Equipment

New artists in the PMU (Permanent Makeup) industry often believe that a high-priced, top-tier PMU machine is key to enhancing their work and attracting business. This belief, however, is generally misguided and reflects a common naivety among newcomers.

The Financial Burden

High-end PMU machines can be excessively costly, sometimes reaching thousands of dollars. In some cases, new artists are advised to purchase two such machines, each with different stroke heights, which can exacerbate financial strain. Moreover, these machines often require specific, branded cartridges that are substantially more expensive than similar-quality alternatives from reputable manufacturers.

The Pitfall of Overemphasis on Tools

Overemphasis on high-end PMU machines, especially on social media, can be counterproductive. This approach may lead to potential clients doubting the artist's genuine skill, suspecting an over-reliance on tools rather than expertise.

Practical Advice from Seasoned Artists

Seasoned artists, who have invested heavily in initial equipment, advise caution against hasty purchases of expensive machines. The consensus is to align machine investments with actual business needs. Even with a thriving business, waiting, saving, and considering a high-end machine is prudent.

An ideal first machine should have a medium stroke height (3.0-3.5mm), be wireless, lightweight, compatible with various cartridge types, and offer sufficient real-life power. A reasonable price range for such a machine is between USD 100-200. This approach balances financial responsibility with the need for effective, quality equipment.

4. Huge Selection of Pigments

Falling for Marketing Strategies

Starting artists in the PMU industry often prey on pigment producers' marketing strategies. These producers advertise an extensive range of pigments, claiming to be specifically tailored for every skin type, age, and ethnicity. While aggressive marketing is a common business practice, artists should critically evaluate these claims.

The Basic Composition of Pigments

A fundamental understanding of pigment composition is crucial. All pigments are made from basic colorants: black, yellow, and red. Occasionally, orange is included, but this is usually a mix of red and yellow. The diversity in pigment options mainly arises from the different proportions of these colors.

The Pitfalls of Over-Purchasing and Mixing

New artists often purchase too many pigments and may start mixing them into "secret formulas," as promoted by some sponsored artists. These complex mixtures can result in unwanted grayish or inconsistent brownish tones that are hard to replicate.

Common Practices and Wastage

Even without extensive mixing, many new artists use only a few colors from their large pigment collections, leading to wastage as unused pigments expire.

Advice from Experienced Artists

Experienced artists generally advise that all necessary colors can be created using primary pigments with dominant black, yellow, and red hues. Warmer pigments are often preferred in regions like the US, EU, and UK, so including an orange enhancer or modifier can be useful. Starting with hybrid pigments that have an inorganic base is usually the safest choice.

Before expanding one's selection, gaining hands-on experience with how pigments behave on the skin and how they heal is essential. Demonstrating the ability to mix appropriate shades from base colors is seen as more professional than relying on a vast array of pre-mixed pigments with enticing names.

5. Expensive Photo Equipment

The Misguided Investment in High-End Photography Gear

Many new artists in the PMU industry are convinced that high-quality photography equipment is essential for enhancing their portfolios. However, the journey into professional photography often becomes an expensive endeavor with diminishing returns. While tempting, the allure of high-end gear rarely matches the practical reality.

The Reality Behind the Camera

Research and practical experience consistently show that such investments do not deliver the expected advantages. The challenge isn't only the minimal technical difference these high-end cameras make for the intended audience or beginners' underutilization of their capabilities. The fundamental issue often lies in the artist's naivety and lack of business insight.

Insights from Experienced Artists

Experienced artists highlight that a compelling portfolio is the product of more than just high-quality photos. It involves creating impactful transformations on aesthetically pleasing models and enhancing the images to showcase the best results, such as removing skin imperfections or correcting pixel errors. Here, the technical equipment plays only a supporting role.

The Role of Professional Retouching

When the model and the transformation look outstanding, many artists choose professional retouching services or use apps for image enhancement. Professional retouching, which can deliver magazine-quality results, is often more affordable than expected, typically ranging from USD 5 to 10 per image.

The Reality of Retouching

While some artists assert that they only retouch facial features and not the actual procedure results, such claims should be cautiously approached. The competitive nature of the industry and the artists' exclusive access to the original images often result in modifications beyond the facial features, including the brows.

The Formula for a Perfect Portfolio Photo

According to seasoned artists, the ideal portfolio transformation consists of the following.

30% Actual Quality of Work
30% Aesthetic Beauty of the Client (Model)
30% Professional Retouching Quality
10% All Else, Including Photography Equipment

This breakdown advises against premature investment in expensive photography equipment. It underscores that the essence of an excellent portfolio lies more in the quality of work, the model's aesthetic appeal, and professional retouching rather than exclusively on the photography gear.

6. Fixed Costs and Salon Rent

The Misguided Approach to Expensive Rentals

New artists in the PMU industry often rush into leasing expensive salon spaces, particularly in prestigious urban areas. Fueled by the assumption that a high-profile location will naturally attract more clients, this decision results in a fixed expense that can become a financial strain. This choice reflects a common misinterpretation of how to grow a brow business effectively.

The High Risks of Fixed Costs

Opting for a high-rent salon space is an attractive but risky move. Impulsive decisions to secure such locations can lead to ongoing financial pressures that outweigh the benefits, particularly for artists still building their client base.

Seasoned Artists' Strategy: Flexibility and Partnerships

Many experienced artists recommend a more flexible approach, advocating partnerships with multiple salons. This strategy involves creating a mutually beneficial arrangement with salon owners, such as sharing a portion of the fee for each client referred to promote the artist's services.

The Benefits of Short-Term Rentals and Social Media

Adopting this model helps avoid the heavy burden of fixed costs and can lead to increased business turnover. The rise of social media as a tool for client acquisition reduces the necessity of a permanent salon location. When needed, artists can negotiate short-term workstation rentals, often in private spaces within established salons, aligning with client bookings.

Embracing Financial Flexibility

Although short-term rental costs may occasionally be higher than long-term leases, their financial flexibility is invaluable for artists at the beginning of their careers. This approach allows artists to choose optimal locations and adapt to fluctuating business demands. Crucially, it ensures that each procedure financially benefits the artist, a stability that is not guaranteed with high monthly fixed rental costs.

7. Buying Services from Agencies

Understanding the Importance of Branding

While new artists understand the significance of branding for their success, how they achieve this branding is crucial. The decision to engage professional agencies for branding and related services can be a defining moment in their careers.

The High Cost of Professional Branding Agencies

Opting for services from branding, web development, or digital PR agencies can be costly. Let's focus on branding agencies as an example.

Agency Pricing Structure. Branding agencies often use a one-size-fits-all approach for large corporations or individual brow artists. This results in high costs due to extensive background research, competition analysis, trademark navigation, and image building, regardless of the client's scale.
Lack of Industry-Specific Knowledge. Many agencies lack in-depth knowledge of the brow business, particularly nuances like powder brows, and hairstrokes. This can lead to branding efforts that don't fully resonate with the specific needs of the brow industry.

Alternative Strategies Suggested by Experienced Artists

Seasoned artists recommend prudence in early-stage branding expenditures. They suggest leveraging online branding resources and educational platforms tailored to the brow industry. For example, brandsnap.ai and articles on powderbrows.com can provide valuable initial branding insights.

The Approach to Branding as a "One Girl Army”

A self-reliant approach, utilizing professional tools and resources, is often advocated. This method allows artists to gauge their business's viability without significant financial risks. As the business expands, artists can gradually seek specific professionals for collaboration, often more cost-effective than engaging an agency with higher fees and commissions. This strategy balances financial prudence with the need for effective branding and differentiation.

8. Conclusions

When starting in PMU in general and powder brows and hairstrokes specifically, it's easy to incur unnecessary costs, hindering success. These expenses are often fueled by internal insecurities or a desire to impress clients, which can lead to irrational investment decisions. Common areas of over-investing include high-end PMU machines, a wide range of pigments, expensive photography equipment, fixed salon costs, and services from professional agencies.

High-End PMU Machines

Investing in expensive PMU machines is not essential for success. This misconception can lead to financial burdens, with some machines requiring costly specific cartridges. Overemphasizing these tools can create doubts about an artist's skills. Instead, start with a moderately priced machine that has essential features. This practical approach saves costs and focuses on skill development.

Wide Range of Pigments

Avoid the temptation to purchase an excessive range of pigments. All pigments are based on primary colors; complex mixing can lead to inconsistent results. Experienced artists recommend mastering the art of mixing basic colors and starting with hybrid pigments. This method is cost-effective and enhances the artist's skill.

Expensive Photo Equipment

Investing heavily in photography equipment usually offers minimal benefit. A beautiful portfolio involves more than high-end cameras; it's about creating impressive transformations and utilizing affordable professional retouching services. Focus on the quality of work, the model's aesthetic, and effective retouching rather than solely on the camera.

Fixed Costs and Salon Rent

Renting expensive salon spaces in prestigious locations can be a financial strain without guaranteeing more clients. Experienced artists advise a flexible approach, such as effectively partnering with multiple salons and using social media. This strategy allows for financial flexibility and ensures profitability for each procedure.

Buying Services from Agencies

New artists should be cautious about investing in branding or digital media agency services. These agencies often lack specific knowledge of the brow business and charge high fees. In the initial stages, a self-reliant approach using online branding resources and educational platforms is advisable. Collaboration with specific professionals should be considered only when the business generates stable income, avoiding high costs associated with agencies.

In summary, new artists should carefully assess each potential investment, focusing on skill development and financial prudence. Avoiding the common pitfalls of over-investing can lead to long-term success and stability in the PMU - powder brows, hairstrokes and microblading industry.