University teaches us to look at different aspects of life from a new perspective and is a time of growth for many of us. It’s a time in our lives where we find out what our beliefs and values really are. Some learn what they choose to study is not they thought it was going to be and start contemplating whether or not they need to make a change. Brooke Belliveau found herself in this exact situation while she was a freshman at Western University. Throughout high school, Brooke knew she wanted to study psychology, but once she started taking psychology classes she quickly realized this isn’t what she wanted to do with her life. Moving from Nova Scotia to attend school in London, Ontario and finding out she wasn’t loving what she thought she was going too left her in a state of confusion. Here, the 22-year-old shares her journey from being a university dropout to moving to Toronto to pursue a career as a makeup artist. She gives tips for those who want to become a makeup artist and discusses her favourite products with us.
“It was good but it wasn’t what I expected and I kind of fell out of love with psychology and then I was kind of lost for a bit,” she says. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I went back to thinking what I am good at, what am I passionate about? Makeup.”
What did you do once you realized you no longer wanted to pursue psychology?
“I went home for the summer after the first year and then I went back to London to live with my friends. I went back just to work and figure out if that’s actually wanted to do. Take some time and not rush into it. My mom gave me that advice it definitely was really needed. I moved here to Toronto two years ago, that’s when school started.”
What made you decide to become a makeup artist?
“I always did a lot of makeup in high school, I did a lot of art in high school. I always would say as a joke that makeup would be my backup plan but I was actually kind of being serious. But, I went to a private school and it was the nature of my school that you had to go to university, trades aren’t really a thing. I just took the plunge and did it.”
What made you decide to attend CMU College of Makeup Art & Design?
“The programs at George Brown and Seneca are two years, that’s way too long. It doesn’t take you two years to learn makeup, and I wanted to go to a specialized school. At CMU it was all day every day for almost nine months, so it was like do it, work hard and get it over with kind of thing. CMU teaches everything from fashion, film and television, prosthetics, special effects. It’s great if you know you want to do makeup, but you’re not sure what area of makeup you want to go into. You can decide after learning everything the area you want to specialize in. The type of makeup you do for film is completely different from doing clientele work, you use different products. They’re not the same you really have to choose one or the other.”
What are some struggles you faced becoming a makeup artist?
“It’s a struggle getting paid work it’s hard because everyone wants to get paid but no one wants to pay you, especially when no one’s making money. So if it’s not like an agency shoot, or a product, or a company, or for a commercial or a serious client they don’t pay you because no one’s making money off it. You kind of have to know which paid and non-paid opportunities will be good for your portfolio. Or whether it will be good for networking but it’s a struggle. Once you get paid stuff it’s good money. You just have to keep working.”
What’s your favourite thing about being a makeup artist?
“I like seeing someone’s face after you’re done applying their makeup. They feel good about themselves. You make someone feel good about themselves especially if they don’t wear makeup often. A few people have said, “I don’t like my eyebrows they’re sparse like can you give me eyebrows?” And then they see their eyebrows and they’re like can you do my eyebrows every day.”
What’s your ultimate career goal?
To get signed to an agency and work full time in the fashion industry. I would love to be able to move to New York or the UK. I want to either live there or be working there often enough. Lots of times clients will fly you out. Possibly get signed to multiple agencies, get published in magazines like Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.”
Tips On How to Become a Makeup Artist
Do you think going to school is necessary to become a makeup artist?
“If you want to work in the fashion industry you have to or else you’re not taken as seriously. If you don’t have some kind of training especially in NY or the UK the big hubs for fashion, you’re not really taken seriously.”
How long should an up and coming makeup artist work on their portfolio?
“We were told to walk into an agency you need two to three years of just portfolio building experience and have built a network of contacts. For some people it takes less time for others it might take more time. It kind of depends on what type of shoots you do and how you showcase your skills. It’s a lot about getting people to like you as well because if you’re not the best makeup artist but if people like working with you, you’ll still get more jobs.”
What’s your number one tip for those who want to become a makeup artist?
“It’s all about practise whether it’s on yourself or on family. It’s about practising different looks, getting confident in your abilities. You want to be confident and that takes time and practise.”
Makeup Tips and Some of Brooke’s Favourite Products
What’s your number one makeup tip you can give our readers?
“Everyone’s so concerned about their complexion and hiding their imperfections. Less is more, if you have acne let it show a little bit. It’s going to make it way worse if you have all these creams and powder on top of it. Let your skin breathe, skincare is a must, the money you’re spending on makeup you should also spend on skincare products.
Makeup looks better on healthier skin. I have dry sensitive skin so I use a lot of products that contain honey and rose because those are natural moisturizers. I use tea tree oil for my acne.”
Must have products in your collection?
“Make Up For Ever Flash Palette is a must-have. It’s this little palette with cream colours it has all the colours of the rainbow, you can mix and make whatever colour, you need for anything. It can make a lipstick, it can make a blush. It’s a must-have because you don’t have to buy shades of lipstick that are crazy colours you’re never going to use, having this palette you can make whatever you need at any time.”
What’s one product every woman should have in their collection?
“Ruby Woo, classic red, you can never go wrong. Every woman should have a red that suits their skin tone in their life. You can go to daytime to nighttime so easily with it and it’s so feminine or Russian Red.”
Favourite skincare product?
“Under-eye creams are must, Kiehl’s avocado is my favourite. It makes your eyes feel so soft all day, you can still feel 6 hours later.”
Since finishing school, Brooke’s been published in several magazines like Femmemodern, Elements, Horizon, and more. You can follow her journey on her Instagram. I’ve worked with Brooke for numerous shoots for my blog so don’t forget to check those out as well.
Feature Image: Lizzie O’Donnell