Makeup Artist Startup Costs: $405K, $23K, 7 Mo

Based on the researched studio-ready model, the cost to start a makeup artist business includes $405K in CAPEX before working capital, owner living costs, taxes, or debt payoff That CAPEX includes $15K for studio setup and decor, $10K for initial professional makeup kits, $5K for photography and lighting gear, $3K for a laptop and POS system, $25K for website and portfolio development, $3K for waiting-area furniture, and $2K for retail display fixtures The broader launch plan also assumes $2,320 in monthly fixed overhead and $135K in first-year payroll if the business opens with a full team These are planning assumptions, not vendor quotes, and the model shows breakeven in Month 7 with 880 Year 1 visits

Estimate Startup Costs with Calculator

Startup CAPEX Calculator

This estimates capitalized startup assets only for a makeup artist business.

CAPEX only This calculator includes only durable startup assets. It excludes consumable makeup inventory, deposits, licensing, insurance, marketing, subscriptions, payroll runway, debt service, working capital, and other operating costs.

Calculate Fuding Needs

Startup cost summary

This table breaks startup spend into CAPEX and excluded launch cash needs for a makeup artist studio.

Highlighted CAPEX$35,500Base planning example

Excluded cash needs$859,000Outside CAPEX total

Funding need$894,500CAPEX + excluded cash needs

Cost Category	Base Estimate	Main Cost Driver	CAPEX Calculator
Studio Setup & Decor	$15,000	Leasehold setup, mirrors, chairs, and decor	Yes
Initial Professional Makeup Kits	$10,000	Core starter kits, tools, and sanitary supplies	Yes
Photography & Lighting Gear	$5,000	Portfolio images, lighting, and shoot setup	Yes
Laptop & POS System	$3,000	Booking, checkout, and client records	Yes
Website & Online Portfolio Development	$2,500	Site build, portfolio pages, and booking access	Yes
Minimum Cash Buffer	$859,000	Year 1 payroll, fixed overhead, and Month 7 breakeven	No

What does the Makeup Artist startup cost screenshot show?

The Makeup Artist Financial Model Template model tab shows CAPEX costs, categories, timing, amounts, and depreciation or amortization. Review assumptions.

Key model highlights

$405K startup assets
Month 1-6 schedule
Breakeven in Month 7

Makeup Artist Financial Model capex inputs showing startup and equipment cost fields, letting users customize capital expenditures, timing and useful lives for scenario-ready, fully customizable projections

Compare 3 Startup Cost Scenarios

Startup cost scenarios

Startup cost changes fast here because kit depth, studio needs, and payroll swing the cash need. Lean stays mobile and solo; Full adds rent, staffing, and runway.

Lean, Base, and Full launch cost bands
Scenario	Lean LaunchSolo freelance	Base LaunchMobile pro	Full LaunchStudio-ready
Launch model	Solo freelance launch with low overhead and no studio lease.	Mobile bridal and event launch with no studio lease and light fixed cost.	Studio or salon-suite launch with fixed rent, payroll runway, and working capital.
Typical setup	Uses sourced kit, laptop and POS, and a simple online portfolio.	Adds better photography and lighting gear for on-location work.	Adds studio setup, client seating, and retail fixtures on top of the core kit.
Cost drivers	makeup kit laptop and POS website basic marketing no studio rent	makeup kit photography and lighting gear mobile travel website marketing	studio setup waiting-area furniture retail display fixtures fixed rent payroll runway
Planning rangeCAPEX only	$15,500 - $20,500Starter band	$20,500 - $40,500Mobile band	$40,500 - $203,340Runway heavy
Best fit	Best for a solo artist testing demand with low fixed cost.	Best for a mobile pro serving bridal and event clients.	Best for an owner building a staffed studio or salon suite.

Planning note: These scenario ranges are researched planning assumptions, not exact vendor quotes.

What does a professional makeup artist kit cost?

A professional Makeup Artist kit can start around $10K, and it’s smarter to split durable tools from consumable inventory. In the model, professional makeup supplies run at 35% of Year 1 revenue, while retail cosmetic inventory COGS runs at 45%, so replenishment matters from day one. The right depth also depends on client mix: bridal, photoshoot, performance, and special occasion work all need different shade ranges and turnover.

Kit anchor

$10K starts the kit.
Separate tools from inventory.
Track replenishment early.
Use durable items longer.

What the kit needs

Complexion range, concealers, powders.
Palettes, lip products, lashes, adhesives.
Skincare prep, setting sprays, disposables.
Sanitation, brush sets, airbrush supplies.

What hidden costs surprise new makeup artist businesses?

For a Makeup Artist, the surprise isn’t just gear; it’s the monthly run rate and the cash you need before bookings start covering it. Booking software at $60, business insurance at $80, website hosting and maintenance at $30, fixed marketing and branding at $200, accounting and legal at $150, and studio supplies at $50 add up fast, and travel costs can run at 25% of Year 1 revenue; for owner-income context, see How Much Does The Owner Of Makeup Artist Business Make?

Also, the $25 per-visit travel fee still has to cover parking, mileage, client trials, test shoots, cancellations, sanitation disposables, product replenishment, and card processing setup. So working capital belongs in total funding need, not equipment spend, especially when breakeven arrives in Month 7.

Monthly fixed costs

Software: $60/month
Insurance: $80/month
Hosting: $30/month
Marketing, legal, supplies: $400/month

Cash-flow surprises

Travel costs: 25% of Year 1 revenue
$25 fee still has hidden trip costs
Trials, test shoots, and cancellations cost money
Working capital is not equipment cost

How much money do I need to start a makeup artist business?

You need about $38K for a lean Makeup Artist launch, or $43K if mobile bridal/event work needs lighting and photo gear; a full studio launch uses the modeled $405K capital plan. Tie the budget to client type, local competition, tools you already own, and a Year 1 target of 4 visits/day across 220 operating days; track the right signals here: What Is The Most Important Measure Of Success For Your Makeup Artist Business?

Lean or Mobile

$10K initial professional makeup kit
$3K laptop and payment setup
$25K website or portfolio build
Add $5K for lighting and photo gear

Studio Readiness

Use full $405K capital plan
Add $2,320 monthly fixed overhead
Plan $135K Year 1 payroll
Model 880 visits in Year 1

Key Takeaways

Start with $10K makeup kit plus opening stock.
Keep reusable tools separate from replenishable cosmetics.
Budget durable setup as CAPEX, not consumables.
Plan $80 insurance, $150 fees, $200 marketing monthly.

Makeup Artist Core Five Startup Costs

Professional Makeup Kit and Product Inventory Startup Expense

Kit Budget

Use $10,000 as the base startup kit for professional makeup supplies. Split it between reusable tools and replenishable cosmetics, since brushes and cases are CAPEX while foundation, lashes, and disposables are opening stock. Set Year 1 COGS at 35% for pro supplies and 45% for retail inventory.

What It Covers

This budget covers foundation shade range, concealers, powders, palettes, lip products, lashes, adhesives, skincare prep, setting sprays, disposables, sanitation products, and retail cosmetics. Estimate it from units × unit price, plus months of coverage for opening stock. One line: shade depth drives cash more than glamour does.

Separate tools from consumables
Price by unit and shade
Plan opening stock coverage

Trim It Down

Keep reusable tools out of replenishment math, and only buy what matches your client mix. Ask about bridal party volume, shade diversity, retail sales plan, airbrush use, and whether the founder already owns pro-grade tools. Monthly replenishment should follow the 35% and 45% COGS split, not gut feel.

Do not double-count tools
Use client mix to size inventory
Reorder from real monthly usage

Sizing Questions

Refine the opening buy by asking how many looks per month need full shade coverage, how often airbrush is used, and how much retail product will move versus service-only makeup. If bridal jobs dominate, stock more long-wear base, lashes, and setting spray; if retail is light, keep that side lean and protect cash.

Durable Equipment and Mobile Setup Startup Expense

Mobile Gear

Treat reusable tools as CAPEX, not supply spend. For a mobile makeup artist, that includes the chair, mirror, portable table, cases, reusable brush sets, airbrush compressor, sanitation station, cleaning setup, transport bins, and portfolio gear. The anchored spend starts at $8K: $5K for photography and lighting gear plus $3K for a laptop and POS system.

Setup Check

Build the budget by gear type, then ask the logistics questions that change the loadout: stairs, parking, venue lighting, travel radius, and how much gear one artist can move without an assistant. Keep mobile equipment separate from recurring makeup replenishment and sanitation disposables so the startup budget stays clean.

Count reusable items once
Separate tech from tools
Test solo carry limits

Cost Blocks

Split the setup into mobile equipment, technology, lighting, and transport organization. That makes quotes easier to compare and shows what can be delayed. If the setup is heavy, stairs and parking can slow turns between clients, so the real cost is not just the gear price.

Pack Smart

Buy for the service mix, not for show. A founder who books mostly on-location work should favor compact lighting, hard cases, and a simple POS setup before oversized props. One clean rule: if an item is used every week and travels well, it earns a spot in CAPEX; if it is replaced often, it belongs in supplies.

Launch Marketing and Client Acquisition Startup Expense

Launch budget

Start with the model’s fixed marketing base of $200/month, then layer launch costs for social ads, vendor listings, styled shoots, local networking, business cards, referral cards, and trial offers. Here’s the quick math: monthly baseline plus quoted launch assets. Do not tie spend to promised bookings; tie it to reach, reviews, and portfolio depth.

Channel spend

Bridal work usually needs vendor relationships and reviews, while occasion and photo work need strong images and proof. Use the 50% bridal, 35% occasion, 10% add-ons, and 5% retail mix to decide where spend should go. If bridal leads, budget more for listings and referrals; if shoots lead, budget more for styled collaborations and portfolio builds.

Prioritize bridal vendor listings first
Use styled shoots for photo proof
Track inquiries by source monthly

Referral assets

Referral cards, business cards, and a simple trial offer are low-cost assets that support word-of-mouth and vendor follow-up. What this estimate hides is conversion: a card only matters if it drives a booked consult or trial. Keep the design clean, print only what you can hand out, and refresh them when pricing, photos, or service names change.

Print for real events only
Match cards to your best service
Replace old photos fast

Booking assumptions

Set expected bookings from channel counts, not hope: inquiries, trials, vendor referrals, and collaboration leads. With a $200/month baseline, the real question is how many bookings each channel can support at the Year 1 mix of 50% bridal, 35% occasion, 10% add-ons, and 5% retail. If one channel stays weak, shift spend, don’t stretch the budget.

Brand, Portfolio, Website, and Booking Startup Expense

Launch-ready setup

Use this as launch-readiness spending, not core gear. Budget for logo, domain, website, portfolio photography, booking forms, payment setup, CRM, inquiry workflows, client galleries, and automated confirmations. If the website build is clearly capitalized, the sourced anchor is $25K; add $60/month booking software and $30/month hosting and maintenance.

What it covers

This spend covers the pages and tools that help a bride book fast. Here’s the quick math: if you hire a designer, price the build by quote; if you DIY, price your time plus software. Ask how many looks need photographing, how many inquiry steps you want, and whether retail sales need POS setup.

Count looks to photograph
Map the booking steps
Check retail POS needs

How to keep it lean

Don’t overspend on custom work before demand is proven. Start with a simple site, a clean gallery, and automated confirmations, then add CRM depth only if inquiries get messy. Bridal clients often compare portfolios before trials, so spend on strong images first. If workflow is simple, keep booking software basic and avoid paid extras.

Use one booking path
Start with few portfolio sets
Add tools after inquiries rise

Client conversion

For bridal work, the website is a sales tool, not decoration. Put your best client galleries, social proof, and booking buttons upfront, because brides compare proof before they book trials. If the inquiry workflow takes too many steps, conversion drops. Keep the path short: view portfolio, check availability, book, and pay.

Compliance, Insurance, and Legal Setup Startup Expense

One-Time Setup

Your one-time setup is quote-driven: business registration, local permits, state rule checks, sales tax setup, client contracts, liability waivers, and photo privacy terms. Price each item separately, then add any filing fees and document prep time. Keep these costs apart from recurring fees so your launch budget shows what you pay once and what repeats.

Recurring Fees

Plan on $80/month for business insurance and $150/month for accounting and legal fees, or $230/month total. That is $2,760/year before any one-time filings. Use this as the fixed monthly burden in your startup budget, then layer in quotes for setup work.

Insurance: $80/month
Accounting and legal: $150/month
Annual recurring base: $2,760

Rule Checks

Ask the city, county, state licensing board, event venues, and salon-suite manager what applies to makeup-only work, skincare add-ons, retail cosmetics, and in-studio services. Rules can change by location and service type, so confirm permits, sales tax, and insurance needs before you book clients. One clear answer here can save a costly rework.

Keep It Lean

Keep costs tight by using one contract set for all client jobs, then add venue or bridal terms only when needed. Bundle insurance review with your accountant, and renew documents before peak season starts. Avoid paying for salon-premises or skincare coverage you do not need if you only apply makeup.