Meet Brittany Darnell | Professional Makeup Artist

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

Hi Brittany, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I decided to pursue a career as an artist to satisfy my inner child. Being in this industry gives me a sense of purpose and I finally feel like I am where I am supposed to be in life. This path has brought more happiness than I could ever imagine. As a child, I always wanted to be a makeup or hair artist, but my parents encouraged me to attend a 4-year college and get a degree instead. I followed their advice and ended up at a corporate job selling software. However, I found myself unhappy and unfulfilled in the corporate rat wheel. Although, the golden handcuffs are nice – I wasn’t genuinely happy. It wasn’t until my mid-late 20’s that I realized it’s never too late to be happy and pursue my passion. I was able to start my own business on the side and to my surprise it took off way faster than I anticipated! Six months later, I was able to quit my corporate job, and I have never looked back. Being in this industry has fulfilled my love for creating art, and nothing makes me happier than making someone look and feel their very best. That said, I am incredibly grateful for the journey I took to get to where I am today and I wouldn’t change a thing. If there is any advice I can give to you reading this, it’s never too late to start over and follow your passion.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I first started as a makeup artist, I didn’t know which direction I wanted to take, so I accepted any job that came my way. I booked bridal makeup, on-set work, Halloween looks, editorial makeup, and much more. I wanted to be the go-to person for any kind of occasion. Over time, I noticed that I was getting more and more requests for bridal makeup. Now, I would consider myself primarily a bridal artist. However, I still take on various makeup projects, but the majority of my work is bridal makeup. I am a perfectionist by nature, which really benefits me when doing bridal makeup. Sometimes, I spend 1.5 to 2 hours on a bride to ensure her look is perfect. My style of bridal makeup can be described as chic, glowy, and neutral. I’ve noticed a trend in brides wanting to book me for the same style, so I’m embracing it. The most important lesson I’ve learned in this industry is to communicate clearly about expectations for the wedding day, the desired look, payment, and contracts. I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way, but it has taught me a great deal and helped me grow as a business owner and artist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Newport Beach, the shopping and restaurants with a view are the way to go. Fashion Island in Newport is a beautiful outdoor mall with all the trendy new stores. Most importantly, it’s dog-friendly. Another main attraction is the Lido Marina area. That is a fabulous area to enjoy a meal and check out all the fancy yachts and catch the sunset. Southern California has some of the most healthy and active people, so a hike around the Back Bay or in Laguna Beach is a must-do. I also am a regular at HIIT classes or Pilates, and it feels like theres a fun new workout studio on every corner. I am beyond blessed to live in one of the most beautiful cities, and showing my friends around when they come visit is always a good time!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have received an incredible amount of support from my friends and family, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. As a single dog mom, having a reliable dog sitter is important and I thankfully have a few to take care of my girl while I travel. One friend in particular, Diana, deserves a special shoutout. Diana is the one who encouraged me to pursue makeup as a side gig, which eventually became my career. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I also want to give a shoutout to Devon Duff, a successful artist in the industry of 25 years, who took me under her wing when I was first starting out. She taught me so much and I am forever grateful for our friendship. Being a makeup artist can be isolating, so it’s important to find people you enjoy working with and collaborate on projects together. I’m thankful to have met another talented artist named Heather Balaam. Heather and I work together on almost every wedding and we have even traveled around the world together for wedding glam. She has become one of my closest friends and a big sister to me. I have met so many amazing artists in this industry who have become close friends and I feel blessed to be a part of this supportive community.

Website: https://socalmakeupartist.com

Instagram: brittany_socalmua

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/socal-makeup-artist-newport-beach?utm_source=ishare

Image Credits
Professional photos taken by my long time friend Haley Douglas. IG haleydouglasphotography