Meet Amanda Thorne | Creative Stylist (Makeup & Hair)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Thorne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson that my business/career has taught me is to be willing to ride the waves of change, and keep trying new ways of doing things. AI has opened up new possibilities for business support, but I also realize that what makes me good at what I do is the personal connection, so I’m also cognizant that I need to balance the two. You’re still getting the genuine connection with me, but it is nice to have someone/something generate ideas for marketing on days when I have too many tabs open in my brain.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is focused on bringing out the best in people and highlighting their greatest qualities in a way that still feels like them. When I create a style, I’m always thinking about what I want to enhance, as opposed to just doing the same cut-and-paste that I’ve seen others do. It’s not serving people if you can’t creatively tap into what they love, how they want to feel, and what their goals are. If you’re just doing the same thing on everyone and not listening during the process, that isn’t really art, and it’s definitely not capturing someone’s essence. The time I take with my clients to understand them, and what they are looking for, as well as a customized approach to each person and their unique qualities, is what sets me apart. I’m most proud of my ability to go deeper than just a hair and makeup appointment. Once someone puts their trust in me, I’m completely invested in them, and their story.

I hesitate to say starting my business was easy, but I will say that it fell into place effortlessly if that makes sense. I definitely felt like I was on the right track, and where I was supposed to be. Building a business from scratch wasn’t easy, but it was a challenge that I really enjoyed for the most part (minus the bookkeeping, taxes, etc.). I overcame the challenges by gathering as much information, and knowledge as I could, and seeing how I could apply that to what I wanted to accomplish, and what felt authentic to me. I didn’t have a roadmap so it was a huge lesson about trusting myself.

What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that it’s about so much more than hair and makeup-it’s about creating a feeling. I help people see the best, most elevated version of themselves in a way that feels effortless & authentic. My journey hasn’t been a straight line-I’ve lived all over the country, spent a year living in Australia, worked in radio, and backpacked through Europe-but every experience helped shape the calm, intuitive approach I bring to my work today, and my understanding of a wide range of people and personalities. I’m not just showing up with brushes & products-I’m showing up with intention, empathy, and an eye for what makes each person unique. My brand is for the laid-back bride who still wants luxury, who values energy and connection as much as they value looking stunning in their photos. I’ve even been known to do an astrological chart or two for my clients; I’ve always been intuitive, and fascinated by people and what makes them tick.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When someone visits it’s so hard to fit everything in. Some of the high points would be a little taste of everything San Diego has to offer. A day in the city, hitting up Morning Glory in Little Italy for brunch, and then staying for the epic Farmers Market. Strolling the harbor, and checking out the ships, and cute shops.

Day two would be hitting some of the best beach towns, and taco shops. Maybe a detour to Old Town to check out my favorite crystal shop, and the haunted Waley House. They also have really cute shops that sell homemade soaps, and there are some iconic surf shops that have all of the SoCal staples.

Hiking around Mission Trails, or Torrey Pines, hitting up a beach yoga session, or stand-up paddle boarding and checking out North and South Park, and my favorite thrifting at Bad Madge. Coffee and plants at Communal Coffee in North Park, or Holy Matcha. Sushi at Poki and 1/2 and hitting up Pigment. A concert downtown or on the Harbor, or a Padres game to take in the city at night.

Checking out Artlexia for some of the best Mexican gift ideas and Shop Good for all of my favorite natural makeup and skincare recommendations. I know I’m missing so much, but just a taste of our amazing city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The biggest supporter at the time when I decided to change careers was my husband, Jeremy. We were both radio DJs at the time, and he saw that I was getting burned out and frustrated about the corporate politics that go along with that world. We also discussed how I missed being creative in a hands-on way, and not just talking at people. When I decided to get out of radio completely, he never doubted my ability to make something completely new work and owning a business for the first time in my life. I’m pretty sure he believed in me more than I believed in myself at the time. I remember being extremely scared of not having a safety net, and realizing that I had to make it work, because we didn’t have a cushion for any kind of failure. It definitely felt like a baptism by fire. We were newly married at the time, and didn’t have any kind of nest egg to fall back on. I only had one option, and that was to succeed. Thank goodness, the stars were aligned and it all worked out.

Website: https://www.thorneartistry.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thorneartistry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thorneartistry/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/thorne-artistry-la-jolla

Image Credits
Hearts Haven, Shay Studio, Whisker’s and Willow, Melissa McClure, She Wanders, KC Alfred, Moments By Moriel, Los Ebano,