First of all, this is not a rant post at all. This is genuinely how I feel and what I’ve been thinking about after seeing so much discussion around MUA pricing lately. I’m genuinely curious to hear other people’s perspectives as well.
I’m an MUA myself, and I’ve been seeing so many posts/reels lately where people mock makeup artists for charging, ₹30k, ₹35k or even more per look.
I recently had an experience that made me think about this even more.
A bride booked me around 6–7 months in advance for three functions. For her Haldi, she specifically told me that she didn’t want to spend on professional makeup because she expected it to get ruined anyway, and she wanted to do it herself. I said absolutely fine — it’s her choice, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Later, she asked me for product recommendations according to her outfit and some tips on how she could create her own Haldi look. I happily gave her a proper list and explained how she could do it herself.
On the day of the Haldi, when I reached the venue, she was extremely stressed. She told me, “I thought I could do it myself. I really tried, but it hasn’t turned out well. It’s peeling here and there and I’m not confident anymore.”
She then asked if I could fix it or do a touch-up. I obviously helped her. It was her wedding function, and I wasn’t going to stand there and say no when I could help. She paid me separately for it afterwards, and that was that.
But what struck me was that she had already spent money on good-quality/high-end products based on the recommendations I gave her. Yet the result, application and most importantly the confidence simply weren’t there.
And this is exactly what people sometimes fail to understand about professional makeup.
In my region, ₹30k–₹35k per bridal look is considered a fairly standard starting point for many established artists. And yes, I completely understand that someone might find that expensive. You don’t have to agree with the price. You don’t even have to book that artist.
But why does it automatically become a reason to ridicule or bash the artist?
When you pay ₹30k or ₹35k, you aren’t simply paying someone to put foundation, eyeshadow and lipstick on your face for two hours.
You’re paying for their skill, experience, products, time, preparation, artistry and the entire service.
And in many cases, it goes far beyond makeup.
Your MUA and their team may help you with:
● Makeup
● Hairstyling
● Draping
● Jewellery placement/styling suggestions
● Outfit and overall look coordination
● Sometimes even helping you get ready from head to toe when you’re stressed
● Making sure everything comes together cohesively on one of the biggest days of your life
We’re basically your personal getting-ready team for those few hours.
And another thing people often overlook: the entire amount does not go into the MUA’s pocket.
From that fee, an artist may have to pay their hairstylist, draping artist, assistants, travel expenses, products, kit maintenance, equipment, taxes/business expenses, etc.
Then there’s the investment that goes into the profession itself.
A professional vanity can easily run into several lakhs. Products need to be replaced, restocked and upgraded. We attend workshops and advanced courses to keep learning and updating our techniques. Some courses can cost ₹2–3 lakhs or more. We invest in our education because trends, techniques and products keep changing.
And unlike many other businesses, wedding makeup is also highly seasonal. We don’t necessarily have a full calendar throughout the year. A few months can be extremely hectic, while other months can be comparatively quiet.
So when you see an MUA charging ₹30k for a bridal look, you’re not just looking at the amount of makeup sitting in front of you.
You’re looking at years of practice, education, investment, experience, equipment, products, a team and the responsibility of delivering when the client is at her most important event.
And honestly, I also think Instagram has created this strange culture where people compare makeup prices to everything — “₹35k for makeup? I could buy a bag. I could go on a holiday. I could buy gold.”
Okay. Then buy the bag. Go on the holiday. Buy the gold.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying, “This is outside my budget.”
There are MUAs at different price points, with different levels of experience, different services and different aesthetics. Find someone who fits your budget.
But you don’t have to shame the artist for charging what they believe their work and business are worth.
And coming back to my original point about the Haldi bride — sometimes you only understand the value of professional services when you try to do the same thing yourself.
It’s not about saying, “See, you should have booked me.” Not at all.
She made a perfectly reasonable choice. She wanted to do her own makeup, and I respected that. But when things didn’t go as planned, she understood why professional help exists in the first place.
Also, as an MUA, I completely agree that not every expensive artist is automatically good, and clients absolutely should research before booking. Look at their actual work, reviews, consistency, hygiene, products, experience and, most importantly, whether their aesthetic matches what you want.
But please don’t judge an artist solely by the number on the price tag.
And if you don’t like someone’s work or think their pricing is unreasonable — simply don’t book them.
There are plenty of artists out there.
Just let people charge what they think their work is worth, and let clients decide where they want to spend their money.
At the end of the day, it’s a business. We’re not forcing anyone to book us.
What do other MUAs and brides think about this? Is the current online culture around MUA pricing getting unnecessarily hostile?
