Tina Brocklebank Make-up artist
I always loved Art from an early age, I often say it was the only thing I really loved at school! I used to sit drawing faces for hours. What better career to go into to combine make-up, (which I also loved from an early age – thanks to my Mum buying me a Girls World!) and Art. I have been hooked ever since. I was hugely inspired by my Mum as she always looked so glamorous. She wouldn’t leave the house without her lippie on! Sadly I lost my Mum to cancer, she was 81.
Tina’s Mum.
When I was 20 years old, after doing several jobs I hated, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a Makeup artist. I knew I had to learn about skin as a canvas, and had secured a place at North Lindsey college in Scunthorpe, studying Beauty Therapy.
I had always admired the Makep artist Barbara Daly, and repeatedly watched her video, (Barbara was Princess Diana's Makeup artist on her wedding day and was really the first Makeup artist that inspired me.)
The actual course was very in-depth and difficult, I couldn’t quite believe the fact that I was actually on a course teaching me about something I was so passionate about! I remember sitting in a make-up lesson feeling so happy. We were taught so much, including the history of make-up, science, anatomy, physiology, skin analysis... I was hungry for more, but living in a small town, such as Grimsby, there weren’t many opportunities for me and I was eager to learn more about the Art of Make-up.
I was obsessed with Vogue, The Face and Elle at the time too, (and loved all of the Supermodels of course!). I knew my passion lay in makeup, Beauty Therapy was just the ground work for me.
When I was 23 I applied for a place on a H.N.D course for make-up and hair at the London College of Fashion, I was so happy (but nervous) when I was accepted. I was very blessed to have such supportive parents. My Mum and Dad are no longer with us, without them, I would not be doing what I am doing now, that's for sure. I miss them every day.
I graduated when I was 25. I absolutely loved London and the course, I met so many interesting people and visited so many fantastic places there, (including many nightclubs of course!). I worked for The Royal Opera House in London and was taught by BAFTA winning Make-up artist, Sheelagh Wells, who I adored! I also worked on London Fashion week and countless editorial and commercial shoots, it was amazing, but after I graduated I was overwhelmed with where to start and there was no help for students or guidance, (there was no social media then!). I had extremely high expectations. Oh how I was brought down to earth when I left...with a crash!
It was extremely tough. Things are so much easier these days to make connections and seek out opportunities. It was also whilst I was studying in London that I met my now Husband, Ian and we decided to move to Nottingham together when I graduated, (as I didn't want to move back home).
World cup body painting by Tina Brocklebank
During my time in Nottingham, I worked nationally as a Freelance Make-up artist for various agencies, gaining valuable experience and building up my portfolio, working on T.V, Theatre, Editorial and Commercial jobs. The Make-up artist industry was hugely different to how it is now. It seems everyone you talk to nowadays is a “Make-up artist” or has a friend who “does make-up” I worked so hard to gain the title and it seems you don’t have to do that nowadays!...I remember driving around Manchester and other cities, with my portfolio book, knocking on countless photographers doors, it was relentless! It was just how it was back then, there was no internet, no phones, no social media...I was highly ambitious and driven, but I was exhausting all of my avenues to pursue my dream, and wasn't having a lot of luck...It’s so much easier nowadays with the global platforms and connections that the world wide web brings. I sent off hundreds of letters and C.V's to various companies, including Yorkshire TV in Leeds, where I managed to get an interview. The Makeup designer was very impressed with my portfolio and even said that she could not do the standard of work that I showed her as it was amazing!..I was excited when I left and felt optimistic. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, so it was back to the drawing board. I applied for a job at Granada TV in Manchester and got invited back for a second interview. Finally, it was within my grasp, (or so I thought), Sadly, I did not get the job. I was absolutely mortified. Apparently I had only been pipped at the post by someone else as I had to do a hairstyle on the interview, (hairstyling was not my thing), and it wasn't up to scratch. I was so depressed when I received the letter.
Tina Brocklebank Makeup artist. STALF shoot.
After this, I picked myself up finally, and I gained representation from several well renowned model agencies, who had Make-up artists on their books – Models Plus in London, M.O.T. in Hertfordshire, Number One Model Management in Nottingham and Boss in Manchester. I loved working on commercial and editorial make-up jobs and travelling all over the country. I worked on London fashion week, The Royal Opera house in Covent Garden in London, Vision Express, Loaded magazine, Boots, Marks and Spencer and on lots of other great magazine shoots. I loved meeting the models, photographers and creative teams. It also gave me the opportunity to show off my body painting skills which I love.
Body painting by Tina Brocklebank Makeup artist for Stroke U.K
Freelance work was tough, (certainly not glamorous), the work was great, (when you got it), but you had to wait such a long time to get paid and then the agencies would take a good percentage from what you had earned.
Eventually, I decided to go and work for Bobbi Brown in Nottingham part-time, (for a more reliable income I guess, but I still worked freelance). This was in 1997 and Bobbi’s make-up line and brand was new on the scene and I found it very exciting. I also loved the brands’ philosophy that less is more with makeup and I got to work on so many different skin tones and people and I absolutely loved that, (and still do). I was so happy when I got a job and was trained by them in London. It was hard work but I learned such a lot. This is where I fell in love with the brand.
Bobbi Brown is still one of my idols, however, sadly she is no longer with the brand and to me, the brand has veered off the rails a bit with Bobbi’s philosophy. It does not reflect her at all these days. Bobbi now owns her new brand, Jones Road Beauty, and I am still a huge fan, (I use a lot of Jones Road in my studio and pro kit.)
I also love Lisa Eldridge, (who I met last year at Liberty in London), as mentioned previously, Barbara Daly, Mary Greenwell, Val Garland, Rae Morris, Samantha Andrews Chapman, Nicola Chapman Haste, (both from Pixiwoo fame), Maggie Hunt, (who is Sam and Nic's Aunt and I have admired since my Vogue days, I am very honoured to be in touch with her), Polly Osmond, (who I went to college with), Caroline Barnes, Terry Barber and Alex Box, (like me from Grimsby!)
In 1999 we relocated back to Lincolnshire, as I fell ill. I married Ian and in 2000 I gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Alisha. I wanted to devote all of my time to her, (but I still missed my career and had nothing to go on back in Grimsby.)
In 2003, Alisha had started going to nursery school and I was still thinking about make-up. I didn’t want to work whilst she was a baby, I adored spending time with her. We used to spend hours getting messy with paints and anything creative. I remember one day I walked into the room to find Alisha had painted her whole body and face, it did make me laugh.
She is now 26, an amazing artist and has graduated with a degree in Fine art and photography from Camberwell Uni in London. I am so proud of her. She recently worked in New York on an internship with celeb photographer, Ryan McGinley, who works with Beyonce, Harry Styles, etc! She now works for a London based, online company as a Creative strategist and regularly works in New York.
In 2003 I began offering Make-up lessons and Special occasion make-up, (Alisha was about 3). I found that people in this area absolutely loved what I was offering and I loved doing it.
Makeup here was extremely limited and my clients loved the fact that I was a Professional make-up artist with lots of experience and using professional, exclusive products that they hadn't been able to experience. I wanted to give ladies in Lincolnshire the same opportunities as city ladies, so they could experience the high end makeup brands and products and provided a luxury experience. I had found a niche and no-one else was doing this at the time in this area.
Since then I have built up an excellent reputation not only locally, but nationally too. I feel honoured to be able to help people of all ages, ethnicities and genders to not only look amazing, but feel amazing.
I now have my own countryside Make-up studio in *Brigsley, Lincolnshire, where I offer make-up lessons, special occasion make-up and occasionally, Bridal/wedding make-up, (which is by special arrangement). I am kept very busy and love my work. (*Brigsley is a little village, just on the outskirts of Grimsby, North east Lincolnshire.)
In 2020 I was given the opportunity to have my own vegan and cruelty-free brush collection. This includes a Luxury Pro size set and also a Travel set. Maggie Hunt, (Celebrity Makeup artist and who was one of Princess Diana's Make-up artists), helped me obtain and produce them and I am very grateful to her for her guidance and invaluable support over the years. I met her recently at her home in London and it was a pinch me moment, as I always used to see her name on the credits in all of the glossy magazines when I was younger.
I am so dedicated and passionate about my work and I know how important great makeup brushes are in creating the highest standard of makeup, with ease and precision. My clients love being taught how to use my brushes with the best makeup, to achieve an easy, natural and long lasting makeup look.
Each brush is used and selected exclusively by me. The brushes are high quality, hand made in the U.K using traditional methods; with the handles being made from birch or beech wood from managed forests and the brush heads from the highest quality, synthetic, vegan hair.
I have also recently launched my new TLC (Tina Loving Care) Organic Super Nutrient Facial Elixir oil, which I make from scratch myself with the help of a Cosmetics scientist. It is designed to nourish, restore and elevate your skin prior to using makeup. I blend it myself, with high quality, organic, natural ingredients, (also available to purchase via my Online store https://tinabrocklebank.co.uk/online-store/and In-studio)
My work has taken me all over the U.K and I have worked with hundreds of people over my 3 decades of being in the industry. However, I am a country girl at heart! I love being at home and walking my dogs in the beautiful Lincolnshire wolds. I love a quiet and simple life and I have just started painting again in my Art studio...(when I am not buying new makeup!!)
