makeup artist

noun

variants or make-up artist or less commonly make up artist

plural makeup artists or make-up artists also make up artists

: a cosmetologist who specializes in the application of cosmetics (such as foundation, lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, etc.) : a professional who puts makeup on people

We had good luck at the Chanel counter because … a young makeup artist who has his own private clientele happened to be there.

—Dodie Kazanjian

Five makeup artists, lined up opposite, dab on foundation and paint lips and fingernails an inky shade of purple.

—Holly Brubach

… has been a make-up artist and hairdresser for more than 20 years …

—Tatiana Bonilla

often, specifically : one whose job is to use makeup and other materials to modify an actor's appearance for the role they are playing

The makeup artist is usually the first person whom actors see in the morning during the crucial prep time before they have to go onstage …

—Cassie Carpenter

The Oscar winner's makeup, which included a prosthetic nose, took five hours to complete, according to the film's makeup artist …

—Emily Cooper

Examples of makeup artist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a battle between sense and sensibility, makeup artist Jo Baker is choosing the latter. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Paige was also a social media influencer with more than 35,000 Instagram followers, as well as a makeup artist. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026

The Grammy winner's makeup, by makeup artist Dee, was a fun, colorful mix of hues, including cerulean blue, daffodil yellow, and orchid pink, with a brighter pink applied high up on her cheekbones and buffed out to her temples. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Oct. 2026

As celebrity makeup artist and Tatcha global director of artistry and education Daniel Martin explains, your skin undertone is the color underneath the surface of your skin tone. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above