Make up artistry is a luxury service therefore it should feel luxury from beginning to end. So, how you book, location, products used all of that matters, especially when determining how much you want to charge a client so if you want to charge luxury prices, you definitely wanna have top-tier products.

I believe that you are paying for the service and experience. Many low end products work just as or better than high end. Most of the MUAs I’ve knows have a mixture of both in their kits.

I’m in Ohio as well and I use mostly industry brands over consumer brands. I think products are the preferences of artist based on who their clientele is. I’m at the point where most of my clients could care less what products are used because my work and professionalism have stood the test of time. I definitely use both!! I’m in love with infallible concealers at the moment! My pricing is based on my experience, region and skill. Not necessarily on the products used.

I think it depends on how the artists are marketing themselves and what their target audience is looking for. If the bio says “luxury” then every aspect of the client experience should match that claim, but if there isn’t such ambition traced throughout the marketing materials, then both - drugstore is totally ok as a lot of products do work really well there

I try to mind my own MUA business but 85-90% of my kit is high end😭. I think Juvias place (lip liners, eyeshadow, & bronzers), morphe brushes & RT brushes are my only "lower end" items.

Yes it affects

I use what works and no one really has an issue with it. Especially when I explain a lot of drugstore products have the same formula and from the same brand

I use a lot of pro brands which come with a good price tag. Issue being it’s not usually for personal consumption so you need to explain about RCMA, Senna, Graftobian, Kryolan, Viseart etc…