"Makeup is what allows people to see the beauty that is already within them"
-Brandie Carlos
If you ask anyone that was around me when I was a child they will tell you I was always busy drawing, creating dresses for my Barbie, or making castles from fabrics and pillows. I was always drawn to all things creative and as I have grown my focus has turned into makeup.
I have been playing with color since age 16 when I first saw Kevyn Aucoin's Making Faces. I would stay up nights reading and re-reading the book, absorbing his techniques, and of course drooling over the pictures. I practiced on myself and eventually on my loving little sister, who was always willing to endure my never ending imagination. Finally, around my junior year of high school, I started making the faces of girlfriends and classmates. There was no one on this planet who could deny what was happening, I was having a love affair with makeup! I chose the freelance route, and skipped makeup school altogether. The challenges and all the excitement that came along with them were all enough to keep my dreams on fire. Trial and error became my best friend, constantly inspiring me to better my skills as a makeup artist. My artistry grew with every new client, photo-shoot and project while realizing I could really make a career out of this. In February 2010 I enrolled into Los Angeles Trade Tech for Skin Therapy, and this was the decision that changed my life. This class is taught by Mrs. Ley Jackson and she was the woman who made me realize it was all possible for me and to fully take on my makeup dreams. I began taking workshops with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, MAC, Smashbox, Napoleon Perdis, CA Botana and many more, this was when things really started taking off for me and I've never looke back since.
With the support of my family and friends I have been able to constantly stay busy doing what I love, work on celebrities such as Tyrese, Brandon T. Jackson, Monique Calhoun from Americas Next Top Model and many more. I look forward to where my career takes me as I know it can only go up from here.
