Make Up For Ever Academy

I am a recent graduate from the Master Program.
Education: I loved the teachers we had and think they did a amazing job teaching their students. But because of the large amount of students we had one session I believe it was 38 of us (could be more or a little less) there was not enough divided attention that we each could have gotten. There were a lot of days «Practice Days» that no one would come over and help critique our work or give suggestions. There program I believe doesn’t go to in depth with certain areas and wish they would have spent more time teaching lessons continually than just one day especially with Beauty & Fashion. I thought the Special FX session of the program wasn’t much that just blood and wounds. If you want to work more with prosthetics or Fantasy (The TV & Cinema Makeup School is for you.
Photoshoot: You are told to bring your own models, which unless you have connections with agencies then this will be the hardest for you as many NYC Modeling Agencies do not want to work with Makeup Forever Academy Students. You pay a photoshoot fee $ 360 which covered the # of 12 photoshoots to cover photoshop fee. The only thing I can complain about this is the students are not allowed to pick the final selected image even though we are paying for it. Theres a few images in my portfolio I am not in love with which is unfortunate. And depending on the person who is photoshopping your image, you must end up with a overlydone image that is so photoshop that it looks unrealistic and unrecognizable. I know a lot of the models that were participated in my session did not end up using those images because it did not look like them at all.
Overall Cost: More affordable than over makeup school and the program is longer than most. But expect to spend at least $ 1,000– $ 2,500 out of pocket to cover expenses for school. (Baby Wipes, Alcohol, Paper Towels, Makeup Brushes, Makeup for Kits (Because you hardly get a full kit provided), Makeup Tools, Special FX Materials that they don’t provide because its Makeup Forever does not produce it, Beards and Mustaches (They expect you to be able to afford a $ 100 Human Hair Mustache because the $ 5 Halloween Shop looks fake), Printing Costs for Homework Assignments, More Brushes for BodyPainting, the list goes on and on)
Kits: I wasn’t too happy with the kits the were provided for each section. We got three for Beauty & Fashion, Special FX and Stage and Artistic for the thousands of dollars we spent we don’t even get the full size items. A lot of items you would end of purchasing out of pocket if you want it to be in your kit. A lot of students were shock and upset of how little items we got after Beauty & Fashion.
After MUFE Academy: One thing I do like is the Alumni Connections. You are told from the beginning MUFE Academy does not provide you a job after graduation which is true. In the real world of Makeup Artistry you go looking for work and if you are lucky with the right connections work will find you.

I am a recent graduate of the 6 month Master Program of the Make Up For Ever Academy. After an artful high school career and making the decision that a four year college just wasn’t for me I came to the conclusion that I needed to do what I love which had to involve my love for art and my love for makeup artistry. I found the Academy online, and the reason i fell in love was body painting (and of course their extensive line of AMAZING false lashes, if you don’t know what I’m talking about you’re missing out). I fell in love with the idea that you could do ANYTHING with makeup, pretty much. At the time the Academy was in union square, since then it has grown exponentially into its current location in Soho, which is the BEST place to attend school. A bit expensive to live, but the experience is SO worth it! I lived on the UWS 20 min away during the 6 month Master Program. The girls that work at the academy coordinating are a also a great asset to the school. They are the go to girls for your school needs and they do their jobs phenomenally.
The Master Program Itself
The program included everything i wanted to learn. During the course the intention is to learn the Make Up for Ever Technique, these techniques may be different than what you do already if you are already a makeup artist, but learning them is meant to add to your resume and your arsenal of knowledge, so soak it in because theres a lot to be learned! I had never taken a makeup course before, I had just learned from practicing on myself, friends and family. Since the academy I’ve done more than i can type, including fashion, film, editorial work and plenty of body painting! It is a long road to become a successful freelance Makeup Artist and it takes a lot of self discipline and hard work, just remember that hard work pays off!
In addition to the fabulous instructors at the academy, Floriane, Juan Carlos, Jen and Emily, you are introduced to other industry professionals that guest teach at the school. There are opportunities everywhere in the city and the Academy’s goal is not only to teach you the skills you need to become a great artist but to introduce you into the REAL WORLD of makeup artistry.
The teachers are SO extremely talented and passionate about what they do, they are forces to be reckoned with and they engage you and share their knowledge of the industry and their experiences. Of course it was a challenging course and as it progressed it became more and more involved. This school is focused on helping you become a professional in more ways than just skill. the course is separated into segments, Beauty & Fashion, Tv & Film, and Stage and Artistic.
you must apply yourself wholly and pay attention, you are graded, yes graded, on not only your technical skills throughout the course but there are also written tests. each segment is concluded with a photoshoot to showcase what you’ve learn and test you in a timed manner in an environment that mirrors a professional work setting.
Make Up For Every Academy is a fantastic school that promotes creativity, passion, and professionalism. I can’t say enough good things about the program, it is a fantastic program that provides a superior education in the field of Makeup Artistry.

The class was so much fun and it was really great meeting make up artists around the world and also the teachers. The tips shared with us and the material was great. I only wish that the student discount was extended for another week because going after school with only an hour left was kind of stressful!

The Make Up For Ever Academy is the only MUFE program in the United States. I searched long and hard for a makeup program with the caliber of artistic excellence and creativity which MUFA provides on every level. The program is designed to fully develop you as a complete artist, not only a make up artist. There are business classes that help set you on the right path for getting gigs after graduation, artistic development classes where you hone in on your drawing skills and perception, and special guest speakers who are in the industry that give you valuable advice on how to navigate the world of makeup effectively. The full program offers Beauty/​Fashion (runway/​extreme runway), TV/​Film (special effects SFX) and finally the most grueling and satisfying part, Stage/​Artistic (body painting/​stage makeup). The instructors each have something different to offer you in the way of their training and backgrounds. Floriane David offers you a truly French perspective of the MUFE style because of her work with Dany Sanz, the woman who started Make Up For Ever (MUFE). She is honest and gets straight to the point and i adored her for that. She never sugar coated her feed back but was always respectful about your craft and style. Jen Evans is the spunky and incredibly diverse instructor who offer a real pop-​culture drive behind her work. Her optimism and joy for our craft is contagious and you can always count on her to pull out some random tap dancing moves on breaks! Her work is always beautiful, precise and true to the MUFE style. She spoke some of the most influential and powerful words into my life when my husband had to be in the hospital with a burst appendix and I thought I would have to drop out of the program. Through the help of family caring for my husband while I was away at school during the day, I was able to stay in the program and finish strong. The academy was so supportive the whole time and really cared about my well being through out that trying season.
If you want the best all around makeup education, you have found it. MUFA will make you the best artist you can be, if you have the courage, humility and drive to accept their help.
If you want to see work produced from my time there:
Best,
Lacey

About me: Recent graduate of the full 5 month program, so yes the following review is a reflection of my ACTUAL experience there. If you are reading this post, you are probably seriously contemplating going into makeup school and let me tell you that the quality of education Make Up For Ever Academy NY has to offer is as good as it gets.
PROs:
1. I honestly feel that they give you a well-​rounded education especially since they taught us body painting which not a lot of artists do here in the states.
2.Tuition was surprisingly a lot cheaper than most schools in NY. (I’ve attended other schools)
3. Teachers and guest lecturers are veterans and are still actively working (this should be on top of your criteria when looking for schools). You want people that are still practicing, know the trends and the ins and outs of the makeup industry. Like when you type their name on google… a bunch of recent credits SHOULD show up.
4. Location is central, near subway. So there should be no problems with food and lodging for out-​of-​towners.
5. They do an extensive screening of the applicants so not just anyone can attend. Maintaining exclusivity making sure the right people with the right mentality are there learning with you.
6. Basic kit is included in the tuition.
7. You will come out of school with more than enough skill set to break through in the industry.
8. The Make Up For Ever Academy name is a good look on your resume.
9. Small class size, we started with 17 students and ended up with 11. More so because people just take sections of the course.
10. Floriane David, Jen Evans, Emily Edgar and Juan Carlos Salazar are awesome teachers/​advisors.
CONs:
1. You will incur additional expenses buying materials for projects, so save a bit more than for tuition, food and lodging.
2. Scheduling in class can be a bit hectic. Its ok though, you are in school after all for an education and not to lounge around.
3. You will end up buying additional makeup supplies for your personal projects, but this makeup can be used in your professional kit down the road.
Be prepared to work hard and learn a lot in a short time. You will be pushed to a new level of artistry. But I mean that’s what Make Up For Ever is all about, you’ve seen the artistry, you know how the products are. Don’t be scared to submit your portfolio. By the way, it can be in any artistic medium you have explored. Paintings, doodles, makeup application, face painting, selfies, all are considered! Good luck and I hope you will have the same wonderful experience as I did.