Mortuary Beautician

When a loved one passes on, family and friends naturally want to keep as many good memories as possible. As a Mortuary Beautician, you make sure the deceased looks as radiant in their passing as they did while alive. You do this as a Mortuary Beautician— by applying makeup, styling their hair, and dressing them. This leaves the family with a peaceful, lasting memory.

On the job as a Mortuary Beautician, you start by preparing the body. It may need cleaning or dressing before you move on to the hair and makeup. The Embalmer has already preserved the body on the inside. You simply focus on the outside appearance.

Once the body is dressed, you view photographs of the person, or read instructions written by the family on what they should look like. The goal is to make them look as though they’re merely asleep.

You wash their hair and style it, then apply makeup to put color back in their cheeks and erase the pale tint on their lips. Once you’re finished, they’re back to their usual lovely state. And when the body is ready, you arrange it in the casket for the funeral.

Your work is similar to that of a traditional Beautician who works at a salon or makeup shop, but your job is tailored to serve a different purpose. Family and friends all wish to see the deceased one more time before moving on. So you paint a picture of their loved one to ensure that last image is one of beauty and peace.