Oklahoma Makeup School and Requirements

Obsessed with makeup tutorials and going to Sephora? Enjoy helping people look their best or totally changing people's appearances with nothing but some creams and powders? Then, working as a makeup artist may be perfect for you! Scroll on to learn more about how to become a licensed makeup artist in Oklahoma.

Browse our directory of makeup artistry schools in Oklahoma, or skip ahead to learn about the state's makeup artistry licensing requirements and job outlook.

What Oklahoma Makeup Artists Can Do

Oklahoma makeup artists must be licensed cosmeticians, estheticians, or cosmetologists. Each of these licenses allows you to perform different services.

Going to cosmetician school requires 600 hours of training, 200 hours of which are in makeup application. The remaining 400 hours are divided between hair, bacteriology, business, and law. Earning a cosmetician license so you can become a makeup artist may be preferable if you want a short program that allows you to provide both makeup and hair services.

Once in the workforce, cosmeticians in Oklahoma can:

• Apply makeup
• Create hairstyles

But they can't:

• Apply eyelashes
• Perform facials or provide skin care treatments
• Remove hair
• Wash, cut, or color hair

Esthetics—which Oklahoma also calls Facial Technology—is about makeup and skincare. As with cosmetician programs, you attend an esthetics program for 600 hours. However, there isn't any focus on hair; this is exclusively about skin and makeup treatments in addition to the business, sanitation, and law courses.

You may want an esthetician license if you need a short training program, only wish to learn about skincare, or plan to move out of state, as most states have esthetician licenses, but few have cosmetician options. People who choose this license can:

• Apply eyelashes
• Apply makeup
• Provide skincare treatments
• Remove facial hair

But they may not offer hairstyling services.

READ MORE: Learn More About Esthetician School in Oklahoma

Finally, cosmetologists can offer both cosmeticans' and estheticians' services, plus manicures and pedicures. Cosmetology programs last 1,500 hours, so before choosing this route, be sure you want to offer a bit of everything—not just makeup.

READ MORE: Learn More About Cosmetology School in Oklahoma

However, you can apply makeup without a license when working in the healing arts or nursing industries, in cosmetic sales, theatre/film/television/radio industries, or for modeling and photography.

What to Expect in Oklahoma Makeup School

While you can go for your Oklahoma esthetician or cosmetology license to become a makeup artist, we dig into those more on other pages. Let's talk about the Oklahoma cosmetician license as a route to a makeup artist career.

To earn your Oklahoma cosmetician license, you must complete 600 hours of training in a makeup or cosmetology school or a 1,200-hour apprenticeship. The curriculum covers:

• Bacteriology, disinfection and sanitation: 60 hours
• Board rules, regulations, and statutes: 50 hours
• Establishment development: 90 hours
• Hair arranging: 200 hours
• Makeup application: 200 hours

So, as you can see, this is a true makeup and hair license—what most people think of when they think of beauty!

Cosmetician Exam in Oklahoma

You need to take a practical and written exam covering the topics you learned in school to earn your cosmetician license. You must receive a score of 75% to pass. To sign up, submit an exam registration application and pay the $35 testing fee.

Oklahoma Makeup Artist Licensing

To earn your cosmetician license in Oklahoma, you need to:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Completed 8^th grade or the equivalent
• Complete 600 hours of training at cosmetology or makeup school or a 1,200-hour apprenticeship
• Submit an exam registration application and pay the $35 testing fee
• Pass a practical and written exam with a score of at least 75%
• Pay a $25 licensure fee

Oklahoma Cosmetician License Renewal

Oklahoma cosmetician licenses must be renewed annually on the last day of the licensee's birth month. ou must submit a renewal application and pay the $25 renewal fee.

If your license has expired for at least five years, then you need to complete 100 review hours at a cosmetology school to renew before taking the licensure exam.

Oklahoma Makeup Artist Salary

As of February 2024, makeup artists in Oklahoma make $48,639 annually ($23 per hour), on average, according to ZipRecruiter. However, this number is only based on recent job listings, so it changes often. Freelancers and self-employed individuals aren't factored into this data.

As of May 2022, estheticians in the state average $27,950 a year ($13.44 hourly), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Cosmetologists in Oklahoma make $34,190 or $16.44 per hour. This data is limited, though, as the information is only based on reports from employers who replied and didn't include freelancers or self-employed makeup artists.

Wages largely depend on location, type of workplace, years of experience, and services offered, so it's best to talk to makeup artists in your area to learn more about pay.

Contact the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology