Makeup Courses Melbourne: The Top 12 For Beginners & Pros

Today we’re going to help you find a makeup course in Melbourne that will help you get job opportunities in the beauty services industry. There are plenty on offer from a range of institutions and private companies, we’ve tried to make this guide as detailed as possible so you can make the best choice for your career path.

Almost every day, there is one event coming up with the celebrants wanting to look their best. Every other weekend, there is usually a wedding around the corner. Say, you secure a gig with a movie set/ photography studio/ event management firm, etc. too, running a makeup offering could fast become a source of primary or passive income for you.

But, of course, you would have to be good at your makeup skills to even be considered. Understanding the different skin tones, settings, outcomes, shades, colours and the right makeup brands don’t come overnight though. Having the That is why we have brought you the best makeup courses in the Melbourne area to bring you up to speed.

1. Melbourne Makeup Artistry Academy

The Makeup Artistry Academy is an online Makeup and Business course developed by Peta-Gai McLaughlin, CEO, Founder & Principal Makeup Artist at Iridis Cosmetics.

Peta-Gai is a highly successful celebrity hair and makeup artist with 26 years of hands-on experience, the last 12 years of which working in Melbourne, interstate and internationally.

The course covers 11 different modules to give a prospective student makeup artist all the skills required to start a successful career or side business within the makeup industry.

There are also extensive modules that cover the ‘business’ of being a makeup artist which is why we’ve placed this course as #1 on this list.

• Welcome to the world of makeup
• Skincare for makeup artists
• Beautiful bases
• Sculpting the face, highlighting & contouring
• Everything eyes
• Cheeks, brows & lips
• Sexy smokey eyes
• Bridal makeup
• Mature makeup
• The business of makeup

During our research, we found that most other courses cover the technical skills well enough but don’t typically teach students how to build a successful business around the trade.

These insider hacks to running the actual business side of makeup is what has made Peta-Gai a leader in the field of teaching makeup. Her makeup training academy will also teach you the business aspects of a successful makeup career.

Enrolments are currently open at limited time introductory price.  

Click here to check out the Makeup Artistry Academy.

2. Makeup Courses at Victoria University

Victoria University is recognised as the leading Australian institution of higher education on makeup. Thus, this choice is not far-fetched.

The school has a wide range of makeup courses to offer too. Should you want to learn the basics or go to the very advanced levels, you will always find something for yourself on campus.

We also love the fact that their courses can set you up for a variety of careers in the future. Some of the specialist makeup services that the VU makeup courses prepare you for are:

• Fashion show makeup artistry
• Film/ movie/ theatre makeup
• Bridal makeups and
• General makeup artistry.

The course goes one step further, giving instructions to those who would like to start their own line of retail cosmetics. If this sounds like you, click the link below to find out the prerequisites, tuition fees and every other thing you need to know.

Check out Makeup Courses at Victoria University here.

3. Melbourne College Short Courses in Makeup

This is the ideal course for people who:

• Have learnt something in makeup application before and would like to brush up their knowledge or
• Have no idea what makeup artistry is about at all.

The collection of short courses can be taken in part or whole. They have also been structured in such a way that they take just 7 days from start to completion. Some of the short courses offered under this series are:

• Fundamental Makeup Basics
• Bridal makeup basics
• Makeup artistry

For all short courses, participants are entitled to certificates at the end of the program.

Check out Melbourne College Short Courses in Makeup here.

4. TBA’s Beginner’s Make Up Course

Offered by Tamarau Beauty Academy, this is one of the most extensive courses for those just starting out in the trade.

The training will be spearheaded by an award-winning makeup artist, ensuring you are in good hands throughout the program. All of the other instructors have also passed the in-house makeup course to ensure they are up to speed with the current standards.

Each class is limited to 8 participants, ensuring maximum teacher-student interaction. Students will also be provided with ALL makeup kits required to create the intended look for each level. Furthermore, the students will even get up to 10% off certain products from the academy – all at competitive prices.

With a professional photoshoot in place for participants to start building their profiles too, this offers the rookie just the kind of start they need.

Check out TBA’s Beginner’s Makeup Course here.

5. Makeup at Elite Hair and Make-up Academy

Elite Hair and Makeup Academy were rated the Education Business of the year for 2018. Besides that, they are known to be the Number 1 school for work, work experience and job placement. They also have graduates who are working at the Melbourne Spring Racing Festival, various runway shows, photography studios and so much more.

You can become the next one too. All you have to do is commit to the various makeup education courses available and follow through. At the end of the program, you might even qualify for a paid or unpaid internship at the company – helping you gain experience and make quality connections at the same time.

Check out Makeup at Elite Hair and Make-up Academy here.

6. Makeup Courses at AACM

For those looking to go into the movies and cinema scene with their skills, the Australian Academy of Cinematographic Makeup has put together one of the most impressive makeup courses for Melbourne residents.

Their makeup tutorials cover everything from doing every day, photographic makeup and retro-style touch-ups to advanced prosthetics, Avant-garde makeup and special effects touch. To make the course well-rounded, they still step out of the movie scene to offer the likes of bridal makeups.

With the opportunity to pursue new careers in hairdressing and retail cosmetics, this is one for those looking to dive into the movies as soon as they are done.

Check out Makeup Courses at AACM here.

7. Joanna Blair Academy of Professional Makeup and Hairstyling

Before you skip this one, give us a moment to show you why it might be the best thing for you yet.

Joanna Blair was personally taught the art of makeup by an Oscar award-winning makeup artist. She then went on to make a name for herself by working on the same set with a 4x fashion photographer of the year award winner.

Besides, her works are being showcased in different museums across Hong Kong, Dubai and other parts of Europe.

Heavily booked 12 months in advance for different weddings and events, you are inevitably going to be in the best hands. Yes, that’s right – she handles all of her students personally, and in a small class too.

Check out Joanna Blair Academy of Professional Makeup and Hairstyling here.

8. The Gordon Make-up Courses

Over at The Gordon, there are a couple of makeup courses that can be taken by the residents of Melbourne and Victoria.

These courses are unique in the way they not only give instructions but also make it possible for the students to express their creativity in any way possible. To better the offer, each training session is handled by an experienced team of industry experts with real-life industry experience.

Besides the two flagship courses, they also offer some short courses for those who don’t have all the time – or just want something to brush up their skills.

As part of the training, students will also be exposed to movie sets to see how things are being done. Such a practical, hands-on approach promises to give the student the best offering in the long run.

Check out The Gordon Make-up Courses here.

9. Institute of Makeup Artistry

We have considered a lot of professional courses before choosing this one as there is rarely any other course out there that can take a candle to what is provided in here.

The makeup school is located online and taught with the aid of 24+ hours, HD videos, making it ideal for international students too. Students can get support from the course creators 24/7 in the case of any glitches/ need for questions.

To better the offering, the course creators have provided:

• Discounted makeup materials to students
• Opportunity to join an exclusive Facebook support group
• A free website portfolio that allows you to display your works and
• Flexible payment options

To reinforce your commitment, there is a 7-day money-back guarantee in place. The course creators are also dedicated to donating a part of every enrolment fee to UNICEF’s cause in Syria. Learning and doing charity work, all for the price of one package.

Check out The Professional Makeup Artistry Course here.

10. ACMUSE’s Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts Course

ACMUSE is known as a force to reckon with in the movie industry – especially when it comes to visual effects, which is an area that makeup falls into. This course is an ideal fit for those who would like to apply their knowledge of makeup to the movies, film and theatre niches.

The fully accredited course starts out like any other, teaching participants the basics of makeup. It then goes on to include advanced concepts that would separate you from the average makeup artist.

To put that better, the course aims to rigorously train participants in a series of advanced makeup concepts. These are, but not limited to, moulding, sculpting, character creation, casualty simulation and so much more.

If you need a push to pick this instruction, it might be worthy of note to let you know that the students from ACMUSE worked with characters on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road. Yes – we’re not kidding!

Check out ACMUSE’s Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts Course here.

11. Makeup Training Courses at HolmesGlen

One of the things we love about the program being run at HolmesGlen is how abundant they are. You can just go there and learn everything you want to know about beauty and makeup in one go.

We also love the way they have split the courses into different sections. That helps to tackle each and every concept more efficiently than having to lump them up in the same place.

Besides the two levels available for those seeking makeup classes, there are additional classes to complement your trade. Some of those classes teach:

• Lash lifts
• Eyebrow sculpting and threading
• Beauty therapy (may include corrective techniques)
• Applying eyelash extensions, and so much more.

Taken together, all these will make you a well-rounded beauty professional rather than just another makeup artist.

Check out Makeup Training Courses at HolmesGlen here.

12 Makeup Training by Make Up Masters

Makeup Masters is a part of the highly-celebrated Head Masters Academy. Having worked at a lot of fashion shows, special occasions and behind the scenes on movie/ TV sets themselves, they hold a solid experience base in the beauty industry. This, they hope to pass on to their students.

The course offers students the opportunity to learn from leading beauty educators in Australia and gain real-world insight into how makeup is being applied in the real world.

By ‘applied,’ we don’t mean to the face only. We intend to the different industries such as those that Makeup Masters caters to. With such a unique experience in the bag, students will be able to make connections and gain full-time working experience before they even graduate from the institute at all.

To get the full scope of what you should expect, you can inquire from the course co-ordinators via the link below.

Check out Makeup Training by Make Up Masters here.

13. The Makeup Institute

Operated online, The Makeup Institute (TMI) has curated just the ideal course for beginners and intermediate learners in the world of makeup. They can also serve as an excellent refresher for professionals who would like to update their skills to stay in the loop.

These courses are separated into two broad classes:

• 4-week course introduction: This stage is mainly for those who are just starting out in the makeup scene. In those four weeks, students would be taught all they need to know about makeup, the basics and all the techniques they need to achieve a beautiful result.
• 8-week masterclass: This is the stage for both intermediate and professional makeup artists. The class can also be taken by those who have successfully completed the 4-week training above.

Here, TMI focuses more on the fundamentals of make-up design and applications. They take it a notch further by identifying and building on the ability of each and every student taking the class.

After the completion of the course, the student is not only entitled to a certificate but a free M.A.C Pro Brush kit. This will be a welcome development for newbies, helping them get started right away after the training is completed.

Check out TMI’s Short Courses and Workshops here.

Frequently Askes Questions (FAQs)

What qualifications do you need to be a makeup artist in Australia?

To get started as a makeup artist in Australia you will need to complete a makeup artistry course or diploma that covers the basics and industry standards. Building a killer portfolio and gaining hands on experience through internships or assisting other artists will really help you stand out in this industry.

Are makeup artists in demand in Australia?

Yes, makeup artists are in high demand all over Australia especially in the cities like Sydney and Melbourne where the fashion, film and events industries are booming. Whether it’s for weddings, photoshoots or theatre productions, talented makeup artists are always in demand to bring visions to life.

How long are make-up courses?

Makeup courses in Australia can be anywhere from a few weeks for short courses to a year for diplomas that go in depth into the art and business of makeup. It all depends on how much you want to learn and what level of expertise you want to achieve in your makeup career.

Conclusion

Even if we were hard pressed to pick one course on this list to be the best, we wouldn’t be able to. That is not for lack of quality across any of the options. It is, preferably, for the fact that each is a powerhouse in its own.

We have also ensured that the picks here are as diverse and flexible as possible. Beginners, intermediates and professionals looking to update their skills will find a place with at least, one of the courses in here. That also goes for people who want to learn makeup for different reasons.

Let us know in the comments if you would be going for any of these courses. Should you have tried one or more of them in the past too, your student stories and experiences are more than welcome here.

Oh! and don’t forget to let us know if we missed out on a vital makeup course. You never know – you just might see it on an updated version of this list.