We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brittaney Shanae’ a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Brittaney , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’m blessed to be able to call my passion my career and I get the chance to make a living full time from it. I moved to Atlanta from Augusta, GA in 2016 with one goal in mind: to become a makeup artist for television and film and here I am 6 years later, living my dream. The road was not an easy one, but every single step that lead to my first major production shaped the trajectory of my career. I learned very early that connection and networking was key in this city. Working at the, then only free standing, MAC store in the city, allowed me to meet many professionals in the industry because it was the only location where they could use their pro discount. In meeting these individuals that were seemingly living my dream, I was able to ask vital questions and build relationships with those who would soon become my peers. When I was able to work for one of my favorite makeup artists, Danessa Myricks, in 2018, I met an individual who gave me my first on-set opportunity and I’ve literally been working ever since.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a full time Professional Makeup Artist specializing in television/film, editorial, print, and freelance work. I fell in love with makeup in college where a learned that with makeup, you can create ANY type of look that you could ever desire…even the simplest of looks. I grew up with a performance background, so I was initial not a fan of makeup because of the amount I had to wear while on stage , but my very first college roommate introduced me to natural makeup and I fell in love. My specialty in natural enhancement. I believe in showcasing the natural beauty of a client without altering their their face.

I became laser focused on creating a career for myself in makeup artistry after I graduated from college and quickly moved to Atlanta to make that dream a reality for myself. Upon arrival in Atlanta, I attended Paul Mitchell School Esani and obtained my esthetics license. I worked for MAC cosmetics where I learned so much more about artistry, met many other talented artists and industry professionals all the while working on photo shoots and collaborating with models, photographers and hairstylist.

I carved out a space for myself and have been living in it ever since. I also founded my own brand, Goddess Glow the Brand, where cosmetics are at the forefront.

Since the start of my career, I’ve assisted on movies, television shows, music videos, photo shoots, etc. I’ve worked as a full time artist on shows and even been the Key Makeup Artist on a couple movies and a television show. Some of my network credits include ABC, Nickelodeon, BET, CW and STARZ. Some of my most notable productions include, P-Valley, The Wonder Years, Tales, Tom Swift

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

After moving to Atlanta to pursue my career, my car died, so everyday for the year that I was in school, I had to take a 2 and a half hour trip on the bus and the train to make it to work. I would sometimes have gigs after school that I would also have to go to. I would sometimes have to travel using public transit with about 50 pounds worth of books and makeup supplies. It made me realized that even though the journey was hard, every single moment was worth it.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

COVID-19 was the largest pivot of my career. Just a few weeks prior to the pandemic, I left my job to pursue a full time career as a makeup artist and entrepreneur. After realizing I wouldn’t be able to do makeup, I made the switch to teaching how to do makeup virtually. I was able to sustain during the pandemic and successfully secure my livelihood.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brittaneyshanae.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/brittaneyshanae

Image Credits
Erica Sade