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      M·A·C Cosmetics

      Part of Estée Lauder Companies

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      Related searches: M·A·C Cosmetics reviews | M·A·C Cosmetics jobs | M·A·C Cosmetics salaries | M·A·C Cosmetics benefits
      M·A·C Cosmetics interviewsM·A·C Cosmetics Retail Makeup Artist interviewsM·A·C Cosmetics interview


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      Retail Makeup Artist Interview

      7 Jul 2015
      Anonymous employee
      Killeen, TX
      Accepted offer
      Positive experience
      Average interview

      Application

      I applied through other source. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at M·A·C Cosmetics (Killeen, TX) in Jul 2015

      Interview

      It was pretty straight forward. The interview was held at a hotel because the store wasn't finished yet. At least 40 girls were there when I arrived (an hour early). This was a career call type interview, so it was open to whoever showed up. They had a sign in sheet and paper applications for you to bring in along with your resume and portfolio if you had one (I had mine loaded on my phone but was so nervous that I forgot to even show her). There were three people conducting interviews and they would come out and call people on the list. It was a little annoying because you are in one room with three other people who are all talking at the same time, and the more nervous girls were VERY loud, I had a hard time hearing myself think. I was interviewed by the recruiter for the area and she was super sweet. She asked me a few questions like why MAC, what experience do I have, and how I would handle a situation where someone was unhappy with the makeup I did. Also, I don't know if the other interviewers asked, but I wasn't asked anything about the company more than "why MAC" and when I said the culture she asked me what the culture was. So I didn't get grilled on the owners or the history at all. Afterward she asked if I had any questions for her and then invited me to the second portion, the makeup demo. The makeup demo was fun and terrifying. There were 11 people doing makeup on 11 clients at the same time. Of course they had you bring a model and of course they switched them so you were working on a stranger. They brought all of the artists in first and taught us basic sanitizing techniques and what they are looking for (more how you interact with your client rather than skill, but they do want to see beautiful faces). While they did that one of the three who did the interviews slipped out and told all of the models that they were to ask for a neutral eye, full coverage foundation, brows, and a bright lip. This is like, my go to so I was so stoked when my 'client' asked for that. I am very experienced in working with makeup and selling at both Sephora and Ulta so the talking to the client bit came really naturally to me. Just keep asking them questions, chatting when you aren't concentrating so hard you go silent (I did that a few times) and having them take peeks. Be sure to hand them that mirror! And always get their permission before you touch their face with your hands. They prefer that you don't at MAC but I like getting that verbal if there is something that just won't blend and needs a little help. They had a selection of products in the tiny room for you to use and you were expected to bring your own clean brushes. Now, I just moved here and EVERYTHING was in storage and I panicked. I literally only had about 6 brushes that I use every day and was stressed that they were looking for a 'professional' set or something, definitely don't worry about that. They had us select the products we needed, putting creams and liquids in a little petri dish. I sanitized everything straight away just to make sure it was done and to save time but I ended up re-sanitizing everything during the demo to make sure they saw me doing it (in case someone didn't see me in the beginning). We had 30 minutes and I felt that that was a good amount of time. My model was sweet and reminded me that I forgot mascara (I had finished with a minute to spare and was freaking out). After they took pictures of us with our models and said they would be giving us a call by Tuesday if we made it (this was on a Thursday). If we didn't receive a call we were to try again. There was a second round of people for the demos waiting when we left. I got a call from the recruiter who interviewed me on Monday and she offered me a part time retail artist position (not full time but a step above freelance!). I go in to do paper work on Wednesday and then basic training in August :D

      Interview questions [2]

      Question 1

      How would you handle a client who was unhappy with their makeup and the only clues you had were their body language? How would you avoid that situation entirely?
      2 Answers

      Question 2

      Why MAC?
      1 Answer
      8

      Other Retail Makeup Artist interview reviews for M·A·C Cosmetics

      Retail Makeup Artist Interview

      20 Jul 2025
      Anonymous employee
      San Diego, CA
      Accepted offer
      Positive experience
      Average interview

      Application

      I interviewed at M·A·C Cosmetics (San Diego, CA)

      Interview

      The interview process I found to be smooth and enjoyable. It was a while ago but do remember needing to come back to complete a makeup look on a model (brought a friend) prior to hire as well.

      Retail Makeup Artist Interview

      4 Oct 2024
      Anonymous employee
      Bristol, England
      Accepted offer
      Neutral experience
      Average interview

      Application

      I applied in-person. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at M·A·C Cosmetics (Bristol, England) in Aug 2023

      Interview

      3 stages of interview First - a chat with a manager. Questions about the history of the brand, why you want to work there, discussing the time availability. Second - makeup application, 30 min given Third - approval with a store manager

      Interview questions [1]

      Question 1

      Lot's of questions about the history and values of the brand
      Answer question

      Retail Makeup Artist Interview

      3 Jul 2024
      Anonymous employee
      Johannesburg
      Accepted offer
      Positive experience
      Average interview

      Application

      I applied online. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at M·A·C Cosmetics (Johannesburg) in Feb 2023

      Interview

      It began with the submission of an application, which includes a resume or CV and a cover letter, as one of the selected candidates I was invited for video interview. This preliminary interview was conducted by a recruiter or HR representative and aims to assess my communication skills, cultural fit, and basic qualifications. This provided me with an opportunity to ask questions about the company and the role, ensuring mutual interest before moving forward. The next phase was one on one virtual interviews with hiring managers and team members. These interviews were behavioral, situational, and technical. The behavioral interview focused on my past experiences and how I handled various situations, while situational interviews presented a hypothetical scenario to gauge problem-solving abilities. Technical interview assessed specific skills required for the job, which was through practical tests and problem-solving exercises. Finally, the process concluded with a final interview with higher-level executives and stakeholders to ensure alignment with the company’s vision and values.

      Interview questions [1]

      Question 1

      What do you enjoy the most about being a Makeup Artist
      1 Answer