MUD - Make-up designory Italia. Milano - Roma

What MUD - Make-up designory Italia. Milano - Roma does

MUD Italia, legally operated as Butterfly Effect Srl, is an authorized franchisee of the American Make-up Designory (MUD) brand and operates two physical training campuses in Milan (Via Soncino 1) and Rome (Viale Giotto 3). The company delivers a standardized, internationally copyright-protected curriculum organized into three progressive certification levels — Level I (Beauty Correttivo), Level II (Airbrush, Bridal, Studio, Fashion), and Level III (Hairstyle and Portfolio) — plus a standalone Special Effects course covering cinematic prosthetics and character makeup. Instruction follows a "Learning by Doing" methodology capped at 12 students per class, with courses delivered in Italian and English on full-time or weekend schedules.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) all-inclusive course tuition covering registration, training, examination, American MUD certification valid worldwide including the USA, and complete professional kits (brushes, foundations, airbrush equipment); (2) physical product sales of MUD cosmetics and tools through an online shop; and (3) an alumni-facing MUD card providing 40% ongoing product discounts. Go-to-market combines direct campus consultation-based enrollment, regularly scheduled Open Days, community-driven referrals through a private student job-sharing group, and digital channels (website, blog, social media, Trustpilot reviews).

MUD Italia has certified over 4,000 makeup artists in Italy since inception, supported by commercial placement partnerships with Sephora, Kiko, Wycon, Makeup Forever, and L'Oréal, and educational partnerships with IED, Istituto Marangoni, Louis Vuitton, and Taodue. The 106-employee operation sits within a global MUD network of 70+ schools that has trained over 60,000 artists worldwide since 1997. The company has also extended digital reach via the Live Academy online platform offering live streams and recorded tutorials.

Name

MUD - Make-up designory Italia. Milano - Roma

Legal name

Butterfly Effect Srl

Website

https://makeupdesignory.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MUD Italia (Butterfly Effect Srl) operates two campuses in Milan and Rome delivering American MUD-certified professional makeup artistry training across three progressive course levels and a Special Effects program. The school serves aspiring and professional makeup artists through hands-on in-person instruction, online workshops, and brand partnerships with Sephora, L'Oréal, and others.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Makeup Training

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Makeup Artistry (EDAOALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makeup Artistry Training Programs (HSALANAE), Makeup Lessons & Coaching (HSALAHAH)

Keywords

• Makeup artist training
• Professional certification
• Beauty education
• Special effects makeup
• Cosmetics retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: Each level (Level I, II, III, Special Effects) is sold as a separate course with all-inclusive pricing covering administrative fees, registration costs, training, final exams, American MUD certification, and MUD card (providing 40% discount on MUD products).
2. Professional Kit Sales: Complete product kits included with each level containing brushes, foundations for all skin tones, eyeshadows, pencils, lipsticks, airbrush equipment and more. Kits are personal property of students and remain with them after completing courses.
3. Online Product Shop: E-commerce platform selling MUD cosmetics and tools for eyes, face, and lips directly to students and alumni.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MUD Italia operates a makeup artistry training academy delivering a progressive certification curriculum (Level I Beauty Correttivo, Level II Airbrush/Bridal/Studio/Fashion, Level III Hairstyle and Portfolio) plus a Special Effects course under the proprietary, internationally copyrighted MUD Protocol. Courses are taught in person at two Italian campuses (Milano and Roma) and via the Live Academy online platform, with each level including a complete professional kit of brushes, foundations, palettes, airbrush equipment, and American MUD certification valid worldwide.

Product overview

MUD Studio Italia is a makeup artist training academy offering a multi-level certification program. The curriculum consists of three progressive certification levels: Level I (Beauty Correttivo) for foundational corrective makeup skills, Level II (Airbrush, Bridal, Studio, Fashion) for advanced techniques across four modules, and Level III (Hairstyle e Portfolio) for hairstyling and professional portfolio development. A standalone Special Effects course covers cinematic makeup techniques including prosthetic application and character creation. The academy operates two physical campuses in Milan and Rome, supplemented by the Live Academy online platform providing tutorials and workshop recordings. Each level includes professional kits, textbooks, final exams, and internationally recognized MUD certification valid for work in Italy and internationally including the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Level I - Beauty Correttivo Entry-level makeup certification course providing foundational corrective makeup techniques; completion enables immediate entry into the professional makeup workforce and includes a professional kit, exams, and American MUD certification.
• Level II - Airbrush, Bridal, Studio, Fashion Advanced makeup certification course covering four modules — airbrush techniques, bridal makeup, studio work, and fashion styling — that completes comprehensive professional training for makeup artists.
• Level III - Hairstyle e Portfolio Advanced certification course combining hairstyling skills and professional portfolio development, including fashion shooting experience to build a portfolio.
• Special Effects Course Cinematic makeup course covering prosthetic application, wound creation (scratches, scars, cuts, lacerations, burns), temporary realistic tattoos, and character creation using foam, gelatin prosthetics, silicone GFA, latex foam, and adhesive prosthetics.
• Live Academy Online platform offering live streams, tutorials, and workshop recordings including smokey eyes technique, eye makeup technical sessions, Halloween looks, and virtual Open Day recordings.
• MUD Studio Milano Campus Physical training campus at Via Soncino 1, 20123 Milano, near the Duomo, featuring two training classrooms, a lounge area, on-site shop, and secretariat; hours Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00.
• MUD Studio Roma Campus Physical training campus at Viale Giotto 3, 00153 Roma, near Piramide metro station, featuring two training classrooms, a lounge area, on-site shop, and secretariat.
• MUD Online Product Shop E-commerce storefront selling MUD cosmetics and tools for eyes, face, and lips directly to students, alumni, and external consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ certified professionals in Italy alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Louis VuittonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury fashion brand partner. Students may have opportunities to work on fashion events and shows.
• IED (Istituto Europeo di Design)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian design institute providing fashion education. Partnership allows cross-collaboration between makeup and fashion design programs.
• L'OréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor beauty brand collaborating with MUD. Partnership provides students with industry connections and potential employment opportunities.
• TaodueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian television production company. Partnership may provide opportunities for students to work on TV productions.
• Istituto MarangonicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious Italian fashion and design school. Partnership facilitates collaboration between makeup artistry and fashion education.
• KikocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor cosmetics retailer actively recruiting MUD certified professionals for their teams. Key commercial partner for job placement.
• WyconcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCosmetics brand recruiting MUD graduates. One of the commercial partners providing employment opportunities to certified students.
• Makeup ForevercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional makeup brand partnered with MUD for recruiting trained professionals. Provides ongoing discounts to MUD card holders.
• SephoracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal cosmetics retailer actively seeking MUD certified makeup artists for their teams. Key recruitment partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Accademia del Lusso: Italian school specializing in luxury fashion, including makeup and styling programs. Operates primarily in Italy/Milan and overlaps with MUD's target student of fashion-conscious makeup professionals.
• Body Lab Italy: Italy-based beauty training academy offering makeup, esthetics, and nail courses. Direct regional competitor to MUD in the Italian beauty training market with comparable curriculum structure.

Emerging players

• Make-Up For Ever Academy: In-house professional training arm of the Make-Up For Ever cosmetics brand, offering branded certification programs for retail artists. Already a MUD commercial partner, illustrating overlap and partnership between cosmetics brands and training providers.
• QC Makeup Academy: Online-first makeup artistry certification provider offering self-paced master courses with kits shipped globally. Represents a digital-native threat to MUD's in-person model but illustrates the addressable online certification market.

Direct peers

• Blanche Macdonald Centre: Canadian makeup artistry school with global brand recognition and industry placements. Comparable as a multi-level certification academy serving both aspiring and working makeup professionals across bridal, fashion, and film.
• London College of Make-Up (LCM): London-based makeup school founded by well-known industry professionals, offering intensive professional courses with fashion, bridal, SFX and editorial tracks. Directly comparable in curriculum scope and international student appeal to MUD Italia.
• LCC Makeup Academy: UK-based makeup artistry training school offering multi-level certification programs comparable in structure to MUD's Level I/II/III approach. Operates across multiple international campuses, directly competing for aspiring professional makeup artists seeking global-valid certifications.
• Cidecco International Makeup Academy: Australian-born professional makeup school with international locations offering multi-level certification in beauty, fashion, bridal and SFX makeup. Comparable in curriculum depth, instructor-led format, and global-certification positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Istituto Europeo di Design (IED): Italy's largest private design school, covering fashion, design, communication, and visual arts with branches in Milan and Rome. A MUD Italia strategic partner for cross-program collaboration, but also a broader incumbent that competes for the same student pool in Italian fashion/beauty education.
• Istituto Marangoni: Prestigious Italian fashion and design school offering programs that touch makeup, styling, and beauty. A MUD core partner in Italy but also an adjacent educator competing for the same aspirational creative student demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MUDstudioItalia
• Instagraminstagram.com/mudstudioitalia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mudstudioitalia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MUD - Make-up designory Italia. Milano - Roma