Member Monday: Brooke Smith

This week we interviewed our bad a$$, NY based MUA - Brooke Smith

Tell me about yourself

My name is Brooke Smith and I am a self taught makeup artist from Louisiana. I moved to New York around a year and a half ago with my husband for no other reason than, just because we wanted to. Alec loves men's fashion and I love makeup, so New York just seemed like a great fit for us. Makeup is a major part of my life, and a passion i have had since I was a little girl. Growing up I had no idea that I could truly make a career centered around it, but it is something I am working towards all of the time. I love using another person as a canvas to be able to showcase what natural beauty they already have.

Model: Brooke Smith

What made you want to start makeup?

There wasn't any one thing that made me want to start makeup. It is something that I grew up loving. I would steal my older sisters makeup when I was little and always try to get my parents to let me leave the house in it when I was way too young to be wearing makeup (they never let lol). It wasn't until college however, that I started to really do makeup on people other than my friends and family. It started with a job at Bare Minerals that then turned into a job at other cosmetic companies, that led to eventual freelance jobs.

Model: Kat Prybyla

Photographer: Taylor Cooley

How did you find out about TGS?

Another addiction in my life is fitness. I love to sweat. Moving to New York has fed this addiction by introducing me to SoulCycle. One thing I love about Soul is the amazing community that comes with it. I have met some amazingly supportive people through Soul. One day as I was talking about wanting to build my portfolio with more editorial looks, my coworker Jodi mentioned that she had a friend from college who modeled in the city. This is how I was introduced to Christy Soeder, who theI joined TGS because I loved makeup, and I love being surrounded by people who are like minded to me. I am a creative person at heart, in every sense of the word. TGS is full of amazing people who just want to create awesome content that can be enything from just a pretty shot- to a story being told through photos.n introduced me to TGS (Thanks Christy!!!).

Why did you join TGS?

I joined TGS because I loved makeup, and I love being surrounded by people who are like minded to me. I am a creative person at heart, in every sense of the word. TGS is full of amazing people who just want to create awesome content that can be enything from just a pretty shot- to a story being told through photos.

Where do you get your inspo?

Call me basic, but I love me some instagram (and pinterest). Social media is definitely one of the more obvious places that I get inspiration. Type in any keyword and you have inspo coming out of your ears in seconds. However, I also get inspired just walking the streets of NYC. You never know what you are going to see or what is going to strike your creativity with an idea.

Model: Brooke Smith

Fave aesthetic, look or theme when creating?

I love anything that allowed me to do more than the average smokey eye. Don;t get me wrong, I love those too, but I love to be able to just create. I like a good editorial shoot, or avant garde look. Retro is also super fun!

Model: Christy Soeder

Photographer: Kevin Sirkoski

Do you have other creative friends you like to meetup with and brainstorm?

I am definitely still building my connections here in the city, but I have met so many wonderful people through TGS. Christy Soeder has been amazing in helping me connect with other creatives like Sydney Swing or Kevin Sirkoski. Everyone has been so wonderful!

Model: Alex Morehouse

Photographer: Kevin Sirkoski

Random stuff about you

Makeup is obviously a huge passion of mine. One of my favorite things to do is sit at my makeup table and do some crazy theatrical look on myself. It is therapeutic to me, and it really gets my creative juices flowing. Aside from makeup I also love fitness. You can find me taking a SoulCycle class on any given day of the week typically. I also take my practice in yoga very seriously. Really, anything that gets the blood flowing and makes me break into a good sweat, I am there for. I have been married for a little less than a year and counting so far, and I am also a crazy cat lady (in the best way). I have two cats who I consider my babies and I could never live without them! I am addicted to traveling, and am planning for my next big trip to be hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.