Today we’d like to introduce you to Favrielle Brooks.
Hi Favrielle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I became a professional makeup artist in 2014. For a long time, I focused on wedding makeup, graduation makeup, etc. Since then, I have branched out, also focusing on special FX, cosplay, painting, and owning my own beauty company.
Growing up so close to Disney, and at one point working there, I have always been interested in anything fantasy, whimsical, and fairytale-like. I love learning about other cultures’ myths & legends which also really influences my work.
These days my biggest focus is my company Inner Outer Beauty, also known as io beauty, where I primarily sell cosmetics and emphasize the importance of having an inner glow thru self-love and self-care.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve definitely had to deal with several challenges. First, the makeup industry is saturated with artists and enthusiasts, trying to stand out among the group is quite the challenge. Also, you don’t want to lose yourself or your identity in the trends. They are always changing and I’ve had several days filled with anxiety just trying to keep up.
Running io beauty has always been a challenge as I am a one-woman show. I am very grateful to have a husband that has supported the process from the beginning but even then, I feel the weight of responsibility. Marketing, creating the products, customer service, shipping, etc. everything rests on my shoulders and it can be quite the burden. Essentially my schedule is filled 24/7.
Lastly, and probably the hardest was the pandemic. I started out strong, being able to consistently post and create but after a few months I lost all motivation. All weddings and special events were put on hold so I had no income coming from that direction. I also have a YouTube channel thru which I make an income and posting there also became a challenge. I temporarily closed io and essentially put my entire career on hold for about a year.
Coming out of that was very hard, I was dealing with anxiety and depression as I’m sure so many others were as well. I was very fortunate to have the support of my family and step by slow step I have been able to do what I enjoy again, including branching out into other fields I deeply care about such as art.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have always loved whimsical makeup. This isn’t something that you could wear to the grocery store but you will have some fabulous photos and memories of it. Right now, I have an ongoing project where I create dramatic makeup looks based on the universe. I have done the moon cycle, Jupiter, and Black holes and I have an upcoming one for the planet, Venus.
Right now, my inspiration is cottagecore, Dark Academia, and fairycore. These aesthetics have been very therapeutic for myself and others as it offers a form of escapism. My paintings have been very influenced by this style and I hope to have prints and merch for sale soon.
I’ve also been working on a series of tiny paintings that are about 2″ x 2″. I paint them in watercolor and they’ve turned out to be quite popular.
Since we’ve been able to somewhat carry on with our daily lives special events have also started up again and I’ve been able to return to doing makeovers and will be returning to YouTube in the near future.
What do you think about happiness?
So many things right now bring me joy…
My faith offers me hope and comfort, something I believe we all desperately need in this world.
My family and friends give me love, support, and inspiration. They encourage me to be unique and I love the support system we have built.
We have five cats and one dog and I could not imagine my life without them! They each have such strong personalities and they make me smile constantly! All of our cats were strays and I always work hard to save animals as much as I can. We have found several cats’ homes and have helped to foster. I truly love animals with all my heart and will sacrifice so much if it means I can help them more.
My hobbies. Art and makeup give me creative outlets to fully express myself. My husband and I play video games on an almost daily basis which I love! It works our brains and sometimes just gives us something cozy to relax with.
I also love to travel having spent time in Paris, England, Spain, Canada, The Caribbean, Central, and South America, and different parts of the United States. We also go on as many local adventures as we can. Florida has so much to offer and usually so close to home. We try to be out in nature as often as we can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iobeauty.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/favrielle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Favrielle
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FavrielleB
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FavrielleBrooks
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@io_beauty
