If you’ve ever scrolled past a makeup artist’s income reveal and thought, ‘must be nice’, this one’s for you. Delhi-based ‘soft glam specialist’ Momina, who has spent five years in the luxury bridal space, shared a candid Instagram video on September 9 breaking down exactly how she earned ₹4.5 lakh in a single week’. Also read | Indian mother of the bride steals hearts with ‘mind-blowing’ glow up: Watch ‘magical’ before and after transformation
And while the number is impressive, her caption is what really hit: “People see the numbers, but they don’t see the years of hustle behind it. A fully booked calendar doesn’t just magically happen.”
Here’s what her ‘ ₹4.5 lakh week’ actually looked like
⦿ Monday: the international client
Momina started with Pooja Jain, a client from Singapore. Charge for three looks: ₹63,000. Think jet-lag-friendly glam that has to last through functions and photos.
⦿ Mid-week: the loyal bride
Next up was Surbhi Grover, a returning client. Momina had done Surbhi’s engagement glam last year; now it was the wedding. Charge: ₹73,000.
⦿ Then: a hill station dash
From Delhi to Kasauli: because brides don’t always get married where they live. For wedding makeup in the hills, Momina charged ₹55,000.
⦿ The big one: the family booking
Back to Delhi for Saloni Nahar and her family: this is where luxury MUA math gets real. Three looks for the bride, plus three party makeups for her sister and mom. Total charge: ₹2.2 lakh. It’s not just one face; it’s managing different skin types, outfits, and timelines.
⦿ Weekend: one more bride
Momina closed the week with a final bridal booking for ₹37,500. Total: ₹4.5 lakh. Seven days. Five clients. Countless touch-ups, cab rides, and ring lights.
Years of work it took to get there
In her caption, Momina reminded everyone that this wasn’t an overnight success story. Before the premium brides and the Kasauli views, there were years of free collaborations just to build a portfolio. “Every single booking I have today is the result of not giving up, constantly learning, and giving my 100 percent to every single face I touch,” she wrote. Also read | Sonam Kapoor’s makeup artist on fight against a 59-year-old union that banned women from doing makeup on Bollywood sets
It is a reality check for anyone dreaming of entering the beauty industry. The Instagram version shows soft glam and perfect lehengas. The backend is last-minute cancellations, and proving your worth for free until someone finally pays.
For aspiring MUAs (makeup artists), Momina’s transparency shows that luxury pricing isn’t just about makeup – it’s about the years you invested when no one was watching, the skill to deliver under pressure, and the stamina to do it for days in a row in different cities. Yes, she earned ₹4.5 lakh in a week – but she earned the right to charge that over five years.
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