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Close detail of a brush refining eyeliner beside a woman’s eye
PRIVATE MAKEUP EDUCATION

You don’t need
more makeup.
You need to know
what works.

Private makeup education for your face,
your products and your actual life.

Find your service
A professional eye.
A personal approach.
Discover the Routine EditSMUA STUDIO
PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
START WITH WHAT’S NOT WORKING

Sound familiar?

03 / AT HOME“I’d rather learn
in my own space.”

Explore a visit to you

THE RESET, WITH ROOM TO GO FURTHER

Your makeup drawer is full.
Your routine still feels unfinished.

A wide view of an open makeup drawer crowded with compacts, brushes and pencils beneath a stone counter

The Routine Edit

2 hours of private instruction$400

Your skin has changed. Your makeup hasn’t caught up. Or your bag is full, but you’re still not sure what works.

Especially for women 35 to 60 whose makeup no longer feels quite right. We’ll work with what you own, teach for the face in front of us and build a routine you can repeat. All ages are welcome.

01

Keep. Retire. Replace.

We audit your products and brushes, keep what works and identify the real gaps. A smaller, smarter shopping list helps you avoid unnecessary spending.

02

Your placement

Work with your face, eye and lip shapes, skin texture and proportions. Learn placement that feels polished and modern, with skin that still looks like skin.

03

Practice that sticks

Try each step yourself. After your lesson, submit one look within 14 days for a personal Routine Check with three adjustments to practice.

Makeup brushes, an open black pouch and a red lip swatch in afternoon lightTECHNIQUE / PLACEMENT / PRACTICE
THE WAY WE TEACH

Watch it.
Try it.
Make it yours.

We demonstrate on one side of your face. You recreate it on the other, with guidance as you go. You learn the technique by doing it yourself.

Your features lead.

We adapt the technique to your features and texture, especially when the makeup you used to love no longer feels right. Natural definition, thoughtful coverage and a result that still feels like you.

Your pace, always.

Your comfort and experience guide the session. You leave with clear steps you can use in front of your own mirror.

LESS GUESSWORK. A BETTER SYSTEM.

From a full bag
to a clear routine.

  1. 01

    The edit

    Keep what earns its place. Retire what doesn’t. Find the actual gaps.

  2. 02

    Your face

    Texture, features and proportions guide the placement. Your life sets the pace.

  3. 03

    The reset

    Build one everyday look you feel comfortable wearing and making your own.

  4. 04

    Learn it

    We demonstrate one side. You recreate the other, with guidance as you go.

  5. 05

    Your plan

    Clear steps, exact shades and a shopping list with room to wait.

  6. 06

    Replenish

    Replace the basics when you need them. Find tools and refills in The Essentials.

Close detail of crimson cosmetic pigment and its tactile edges on paper
THE LESSON COMES HOME WITH YOU

A clear routine.
All yours.

Your personal notes put your everyday routine in order: exact products and shades, where to apply them and how to repeat each step.

The Routine Edit also includes a prioritized product list: buy now, keep using and what can wait. Where suitable, we include budget and premium alternatives. The sample here shows the format; your notes are personal.

smua studioSAMPLE ROUTINE
Close detail of natural skin texture and softly placed blush
01 / 03

A little, where it counts.

  1. Prepare skin and allow your moisturizer to settle.
  2. Apply a light layer of foundation where you want coverage.
  3. Use concealer precisely, then soften the edges.
PERSONAL PRODUCTS. CLEAR PLACEMENT. REPEATABLE STEPS.
MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Choose your lesson.

Private instruction, with room to ask,
practice and discover what works.

A private makeup lesson with brush guidance, a personal makeup bag, mixing palette and practice notebook
01

The Makeup Edit

45 minutes

For a crowded bag and a few specific questions. Sort what to keep, retire or replace, check shades and focus on quick corrections. Includes a prioritized shopping list rather than a full look lesson.

$150
02

The Makeup Reset

90 minutes

A focused bag review, techniques for your features and one everyday look. Practice it yourself, then take home routine notes and product recommendations.

$300
03
THE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

The Routine Edit

2 hours plus one remote Routine Check

More time to make it yours: a full bag audit, guided practice, an everyday look and a simple evening variation. Includes exact shade notes, a prioritized shopping list and one remote Routine Check.

$400
04

The Bridal Lesson

2.5 hours of private instruction

Learn to do your own wedding makeup, with time to practice your look, plan for longevity and understand touch ups. Includes your personal steps and product list.

$450
05

The Private Gathering

2 hours / up to 4 guests

A shared lesson for birthdays, bridal celebrations or an afternoon together. Choose one shared focus, with demonstration and guided practice. Travel and additional guests are quoted separately.

From $600
Learn together or join online

The Two Person Reset / $450 / 2.5 hours. Bring a friend or family member. Shared instruction with individual placement guidance, one everyday look each and personal notes.

Virtual Makeup Reset / $150 / 60 minutes. A live video lesson for one routine or focused concern, using your own makeup. Includes personal steps and product guidance.

Book an artist through SMUA
THE SMUA ARTIST NETWORK

For the days you need an artist.

Looking for makeup for an event or an extra pair of hands on a project? Send us your brief. We’ll review the fit and availability within our student and alumni network.

Enquire about an artist

Every enquiry is reviewed personally. Artist, scope, price and booking terms are confirmed before you commit. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a booking.

FOR SMUA STUDENTS & ALUMNI

Your next step could be a real brief.

Interested in paid makeup work or assisting opportunities? Share your work and availability. Participation is considered individually, with experience, kit readiness and professional standards reviewed before a match. Work is subject to client demand and is not guaranteed.

Register your interest as an artist
Advanced private education

The Two Day Intensive starts at $2,000. Dedicated training for advanced goals, with teaching hours and curriculum agreed before booking.

Wedding day artistry

For wedding day makeup application, pricing is tailored to the bride, party size, location and timeline. Bridal previews and travel are scoped separately.

A LITTLE GUIDANCE BEFORE WE MEET

What needs
a reset?

Tell us what you want to work on. We’ll suggest a starting point, with a clear reason for the match.

Choose everything that feels relevant.

YOUR PLACE OR A PRIVATE APPOINTMENT

Where feels
right for you?

Same personal teaching.
A setting that suits your day.

Where would you like to meet?

PROPOSED TRAVEL ZONES

Preview based on the center of ZIP 60660. The departure address and policy still need confirming.

  • Up to 10 milesIncluded
  • Over 10 to 20 miles+$35
  • Over 20 to 30 miles+$65
  • Over 30 to 40 miles+$95
  • Over 40 milesAsk about availability

ZIP centers give a rough planning estimate, not driving mileage or a confirmed quote. Your full address, travel time, parking and tolls may change the final total. Appointments are subject to availability.

FEEDBACK FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE

Keep practicing.
Keep progressing.

A woman checking her everyday makeup with a phone in soft daylight

Explore personal feedback on your everyday routine or a technical critique of your student work. One look, three priorities and a clear next step.

Explore remote reviews

Remote reviews are open. Pay through Square, then send your look by email.

ABOUT SMUA

Expertise,
with a human touch.

SMUA Studio brings a professional makeup artist’s eye to your everyday routine. Personal teaching, practical decisions and time to get comfortable with your own technique.

Your questions set the direction. Your features guide the technique. Your comfort sets the pace.

ChicagoPrivate instructionAll experience levels
GOOD TO KNOW

Before your lesson.

A personal makeup pouch with clean brushes, a compact and lip pencil prepared for a lesson
Do I need to know anything about makeup?

No. Your lesson starts with your experience level, whether you’re learning the basics or refining a familiar routine.

Can I bring my own makeup?

Yes. Bring your products and brushes, including anything you’re unsure about. We’ll work through them together.

What will I take home?

Personal routine notes with application steps. The Routine Edit also includes exact products and shades, a prioritized shopping list and one remote Routine Check when you submit your look within 14 days of your lesson. New products are not included in the lesson price. For tools and refills, explore The Essentials.

Where do lessons take place?

Choose a private Chicago appointment or explore a visit to your home. The travel calculator gives a planning estimate; the location, final travel fee and availability are confirmed before booking.

Can I reserve an appointment here?

You can explore the lessons and prepare your preferences. Online scheduling and payments are not open yet. No appointment or charge is created on this site.

A REFILL, NOT A REINVENTION

The little things
you actually use up.

Sponges, swabs, brush care and artist supplies. A considered place to replace the basics, with exact Amazon product links coming soon.

Explore The Essentials
Makeup sponges, cotton rounds, swabs, disposable wands and brush-care supplies on a stone surface
PREPBRUSH CAREDISPOSABLESTOOLSLASH
An edited makeup kit, burgundy pouch, brushes, handheld mirror and lesson notes on a sunlit stone table
A LITTLE TIME. A LASTING SKILL.

Less “is this right?”
More “that’s me.”

YOUR SMUA EXPERIENCE

Make it personal.

Choose a date on Square

Choose your lesson and an available time on Square. Review the booking and payment terms there before confirming. For a visit to your location, request a final travel quote below first.

Send your preferences to the studio. We’ll confirm availability, your final price and payment instructions before an appointment is reserved.