Make money from your appearance

Katie Royals 3rd Sep 2023 4 Comments

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Whether you like it or not, our looks take up a lot of our time and energy. Rather than see this as a drain on your finances, why not make money from your appearance instead?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to have ‘model looks’ to be able to make money from your appearance. Although, modelling of course is one of your options!

Read on to find out more, or click on one of the links below to go straight to that section…

• Become a hand model
• Make money from your appearance in TV and film
• Make money modelling
• Make money from your appearance as a life drawing model
• Become an influencer or vlogger to make money
• Try personal training online
• Become a celebrity lookalike or impersonator

 

Become a hand model

All it takes to be a hand model is blemish-free skin and nail beds.

But you will need to check with specific agencies, such as Hired Hands. Body modelling agencies can also work with bottoms and legs for advertising campaigns with jewellery, accessories or retail brands.

Your body parts need to be well maintained. A paper cut on your finger will mean you won’t get the gig!

Body part modelling also uses models as faces for makeup campaigns, so you can even model your eyes or lips alone.

 

Make money from your appearance in TV and film

There’s plenty of ways to make money from your appearance in TV and film – and who doesn’t want to see their name in lights?

Become a TV or film ‘extra’

Becoming an extra is remarkably easy. You don’t need any professional training, just a few well-lit photos of yourself, and an idea of your measurements, and you’re good to go.

It’s not always glamorous – you’re often working for long hours, with early call times, and wrapping late – but it can be great fun and a good way to make some extra cash.

Usually as an extra you’ll only be needed for a maximum of a couple of days on each production and work is booked on day-by-day requirements.

You can usually expect to make between £80 and £100 a day, but this can increase if you’re needed to work nights or have any interactions with the main cast.

For more information on becoming an extra click here.

Be a body double

Body doubles are models that act in scenes that actors don’t want to do, like nude scenes.

To be cast as a body double you must share the basic physical attributes of the actor, such as height, weight, body type and hair colour.

If you are interested in being a body double, your first step should be to join an agency who can help you find work. For UK-based roles, GBM Casting is a good starting point.

Become a stunt double

Okay, this one isn’t for everyone and won’t happen overnight. But, if you love an adrenaline rush why not try stunt doubling?

You’ll usually need to apply to the British Stunt Register’s Stunt Grading Scheme. You’ll need qualifications and skills across at least six different sporting areas in four of the following groups:

• Fighting – martial arts or boxing
• Falling – trampolining or high diving
• Riding and driving – horse riding, driving cars or riding motorcycles
• Agility and strength – gymnastics or rock climbing
• Water – swimming or sub-aqua

Make money modelling

Modelling is the obvious choice when it comes to making money from your appearance. Don’t be put off by the Victoria Secrets runways, though. You don’t have to be Cara Delevingne to make money from modelling.

For most agencies where good looks are essential, requirements are generally height (for women, the shortest height requirement is around 5’6” and for men it is usually 5’10), slim for catalogue modelling, toned and rubenesque for plus size.

‘Character modelling’ is excellent whatever your size if you have interesting or unique features from being very short to having a lot of tattoos or piercings.

Agencies will state on their website how to contact them. Usually, you fill in an online form with your measurement details and attach a photograph.

Rates vary wildly depending on your experience and the client you are working for, but you can make around £40 an hour.

Unfortunately, the industry is rife with scams, so stay alert. Fake photographers and scouts are always taking advantage of wannabe models. Never agree to pay to get a job!

Do your research and don’t be sucked into any scam agencies or studios. Think their client list is too good to be true? It probably is.

 

Make money from your appearance as a life drawing model

‘Life modelling’ is simple. You get your kit off and pose while artists paint you. You can easily make over £10 an hour doing it – if not more.

Before you jump in, however, you need to consider if it is really for you.

• You’ll have to be comfortable with people staring intensely at you whilst you’re naked! Sessions tend to go on for about three hours, with a couple of breaks, so you’ll have to be ok holding the same position for a while.

It’s not uncommon to be asked to model with someone of the opposite sex.

If you’re happy with all of this, then your first port of call should be local art colleges and education centres. Also keep an eye out for adverts in shop windows, newspapers and online.

Many are currently running sessions on Zoom, so you’ll be able to pose from your own home.

There’s also a great website – The Arts Model Register – which acts as a sort of unofficial modelling union and features jobs from all over the country.

Make money from your appearance as a social media influencer

This will take some commitment and won’t make you thousands straight away, but it can be a great way to make money from your appearance.

If you have a social media following of 1000+ you could class yourself as a ‘micro influencer’.

From here, you can start reaching out to brands to collaborate on partnerships. Not all brands will pay you, but you should at least get some free samples.

As your following grows and you become more established brands might start reaching out to you directly and offering a larger payment.

Developing a niche helps you gain a following and means brands are more likely to want to work with you. To make money from your appearance you could focus on makeup or fashion perhaps.

Try personal training online

This is the perfect option for anyone that loves to keep themselves fit. Personal training allows you to share this passion with others, while making some cash. Of course, it will be easier to get clients if you’re physically fit yourself.

You MUST be legally registered with an insurance company and be fully qualified to protect yourself from claims.

The National Register of Personal Trainers recommends certain companies that offer personal training qualifications.

It is also worth checking out the Register for Exercise Professionals, which offers qualifications and can equip you with all the tools you need to get started.

Become a celebrity lookalike or impersonator

If your friends are always telling you that you look like a certain celebrity, then this could be the job for you. If not, a bit of makeup and some props could have you looking the spitting image of a celebrity in no time.

You’ll need to get into character and take some pictures first, to make sure you resemble the celebrity and to promote your services.

If you’re serious about getting started, check out the agency Lookalikes. You can contact them and they may then take you on and help you get bookings as a lookalike.

Pay can range from £350 upwards for a day’s work. This will normally depend on your character and how popular they are, but will also be down to your location.

To make the top rates you will need to be a very close likeness to a celebrity and maybe even have some special skills, like being able to sing, too.

More ways to make money

If you’re not confident with your appearance, there are plenty of other ways to make money! One of the best approaches is to invest your spare capital in various ways – it’s a long game, but the payoff is worth it (compared to low interest rate savings accounts).

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Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.