Written by Johnnie Whitt
We were able to catch up with Rising Celebrity Make-Up Artist, Briana Jones … she was practically born to do makeup and excel in the beauty industry. Confident in her talent…yet humble, we are sure to see more of her in the near future.
- Please introduce your self with our readers, what career field are you and what is the name of your company?
My name is Briana Jones, most call me Bri, and I am in the beauty industry. I am primarily a full time makeup artist but I also specialize in eyebrows and eyelash extensions. The name of my company is Bobbie Riot LLC.
- How old were you when you became obsessed with make up?
I was in the 9th grade when makeup interest me but when I turned 21 I was totally obsessed with it. Makeup gave me the confidence I needed. It expressed the alter ego in me that I couldn’t portray verbally. I have such a sweet persona but I am edgy in a sense.
For the Men in Our Lives: $20 Men Grooming Kit ($60 Value)
- When did you decide “okay, this is it, I’m going to be a professional make up artist?”
I decided that I wanted to be a professional makeup artist when I was 22 but I was still working the graveyard shifts at other jobs because I was doing some soul searching and making sure I had everything I needed and the practice before I took that leap, that I would have never guessed in a million years I would do. Having a 9 to 5 was so comfortable but I knew if I wanted to be serious about this I had to jump. Also, working for people that’s not uplifting and just coming to work to get a check was not the best environment for me. Leaving that life has been the best decision of my life.
- What were the early days of your career like? Did you have to test a lot in the beginning to build your book?
Starting off in my career was fun. I was introduced into editorial first and that really took my skills and creativity to another level. The cool part the beginning of your career is the “just doing” phase. You are literally trying all types of things to find out what you like and do not like. It’s like finding yourself in something you already love because there is so many avenues to venture off too.
As far as the early days, I had to practice and post. People are very visual nowadays and they love to see what you are doing. Social media has helped my business grow.
For the Men in Our Lives: $20 Men Grooming Kit ($60 Value)
- How do you communicate with the photographer or movie director you’re working with on a shoot/movie set to achieve his or her goals?
Working on set, is vital to communicate and understand the vision of the director or whoever is in charge. From my experience, we usually communicate through vision boards and ask questions here and there to get the feel of the project. Makeup artistry is not only an art but also an emotion. How you made up the character or the model should move you and tingle your senses. It should reflect the scene or the vision to tell a story.
- Tell us what a dream make up job is for you?
A dream makeup job for me would be to work on some talk shows, particularly The Ellen Show. She is so inspiring and loving that I know it would be a breath of fresh air every time I would come to work. What makes a job worth it, is when you can touch people lives in a great way. Being surrounded by positive people, people who are living their dreams, people who works well as a team to create the unimaginable makes that job more fun than an actual working.
For the Men in Our Lives: $20 Men Grooming Kit ($60 Value)
- What are the three tools in your make up kit that you can never, ever be without?
The main 3 tools I cant live without in my kit are: my Beauty Blenders, highlighters, and my Glamcor light.
- Advice for young make up artists who are just starting out and want to be where you are, at the top of the industry?
Advice that I can give young MUA’s, is to practice and find your style of artistry. Invest in yourself. Take classes to improve your artistry and knowledge of the field. A great attitude, being positive, and checking your ego will get you further than your skills. Just do it! Lastly, never give up nor listen to negative people, you are the driver of your life and the wrong people will get you off track.
- How can our readers contact you?
The best way anyone can contact me is via my website at www.bobbieriot.com. There you can check out my social media handles, pricing, classes that I might have, and scheduling an appointment.
Bobbie Riot is hosting a “Summer Time Fine” Make Up Class in Atlanta GA on June 24. Click Here for more details