14 minute read
A look into the world of JABBAS MAKEUP
By Louise May
Meet Brooke Clarke, the multi-award-winning makeup artist known as ‘Jabbas Makeup.’ With a decade of experience and a distinctive flair for fantasy and Avant-Garde styles. Brooke’s journey started in freelance and at the Napoleon Perdis counter, evolving into a role with KVD Beauty’s artistry events team in London.
Her travels across the UK and Europe for makeup masterclasses opened doors to a thriving social media career, collaborating with major brands. Returning to Brisbane, Brooke established her own makeup studio, focusing on private training and freelance work for various projects.
Join us as we delve into the artistic journey and insights of Brooke Clarke, a standout in the global beauty scene.
Where did you grow up and how did you get started in the industry?
I grew up in Brisbane, with my mother as a hairdresser. I was basically raised in the salon, so from a young age I knew I wanted to be in beauty. I dropped out of school to start hairdressing and worked in that industry for about 6 years before deciding that hair wasn’t 100% for me.
I had never even considered that makeup artistry was a job or a career. I was googling beauty industry courses, thinking maybe I would do nails or something complimentary to hairdressing when I came across an advert for a makeup school in Brisbane.
This advert had the most insane, crazy special effects, and fantasy makeup creation that I had ever seen. It was like a lightbulb moment for me, I knew instantly that’s what I HAD to do. So, I saved up, did that exact course, and never looked back!
How did your early experiences shape your approach to makeup artistry?
My favourite thing to tell my clients is that I’m not a ‘one trick pony’ ha-ha. I love so many different elements in this industry and love that I can cater to all of them. When I did my Diploma of Makeup Artistry, I had it in my head that all I wanted to do was SFX, blood and gore.
I was incredibly surprised by how much I loved beauty and editorial makeup. Early in my career, I mainly worked as a freelance artist and for makeup counters as a retail artist. I would highly recommend this path for any new makeup artist, as the experience you gain is invaluable.
Working in retail artistry really shows you how to work with a diverse range of people, who aren’t necessarily there for you, or your skills, but rather they like the brand you’re working for. So, it completely widens your skillset almost immediately.
Freelancing is a great way to earn money straight away, and also a great experience for learning how to work in uncomfortable scenarios and make it work. Whether that be setting up your kit in a bathroom, no natural light, no air conditioning, the list goes on.
I think having all of these different experiences has helped me not only to be able to work under almost any condition but also to build up my tools and equipment needed to ensure I can do my best work in any scenario. Sometimes you don’t know until you know.
Where does the name Jabbas Makeup come from?
Jabbas Makeup comes from a nickname from when I was a kid Ha ha! It comes from the Star Wars character Jabba the Hutt. It’s what my brother used to call me as a kid, and I used to have a personal Instagram account with that as my handle. I had a decent following on that account, so when I decided to get serious about doing makeup, I named my account Jabbas Makeup so people would know it was me.
It then stuck and is my registered business name now!! It's great though, almost like an alias. If someone approaches me in person and calls me Jabba instead of Brooke, I know I haven’t met them in person before. It’s a good way of keeping track of people when you work with so many different faces and teams all the time!
Can you share some memorable moments or experiences from your time overseas and how it influenced your artistic style?
Moving to London was the absolute best thing I have done for my skills! I’m a very competitive person when it comes to my career, and I was used to being the most creative person in the room in Australia. When I worked in London, I was humbled very quickly.
The makeup artists over there are just on another level. Working with these amazing artists inspired me to really up my game, so whenever I had days off, I would just practise techniques and looks on myself that I couldn’t get the hang of.
At some point, I started posting those looks of myself on my social media and one day it just all blew up, gaining literally thousands of followers overnight. Having a huge confidence boost like that just propelled me to further expand my skills.
I’m so attracted to the biggest, most insane makeup creations, so learning how to execute these sorts of makeups just from practice and learning makes my heart sing. I still do this to this day (although I rarely post the test makeups, I do on myself, anymore) but I think it’s so incredibly important to practise and learn and put in the time. Being surrounded by people that inspire me is what I’m all about!
How did exposure to different cultures and beauty preferences impact your own creativity and the way you approach makeup application?
It was such an incredible job and opportunity! I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without these experiences. I was definitely pushed in ways that I hadn’t ever been pushed before, but those experiences are normally where I thrive the most. These sorts of experiences pushed me to practise, to play with makeup on days off, and to develop my own personal style in makeup artistry.
I’m obsessed with learning and being a well-rounded artist. Moving overseas and working with different people is a very good way to get yourself out of your comfort zone.
Transitioning into the role of a social media makeup artist brought brand collaborations with major names like Colourpop, Sugarpill, Nyx Cosmetics, and Makeup Revolution. How do you balance maintaining a strong online presence with staying true to your artistic vision?
Honestly, it’s not always been an easy road, especially when brands have a different vision from your own. I’ve had to create looks that weren’t always my own style due to a brand not vibing with my initial concept.
There was no rule book on social media brand deals back in the day, so you kind of have to figure it all out as you go. I have learnt along the way to only sign contracts with brands when I have full creative discretion, or there is a clear brief that I’m into.
Social media is a love-hate relationship for me. It has given so much to me, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the politics of it all. I now have different social media pages to target my different audiences because my work is so varied, and that seems to be working well so far!
After your international ventures, you returned to Brisbane and established your own makeup studio. What inspired you to open your studio?
I wanted to create a space that was my own, that was good enough for me to spend every day in. I knew I wanted to take clients and get back to my roots of creating that salon-like environment. But I really didn’t want to freelance again, so it just made perfect sense at the time.
I love my little studio and all my clients are literally a dream. When you put out work that you love, you attract people who love your work, so all of my clients are like my friends. It’s a really special thing to be a part of your client’s most special memories, and I have always loved making people feel and look good.
I am also a very easily distracted person and cannot get any work done at home, so it’s also the perfect place to come and do all of my admin!
Your studio serves as a space for private training and client services. Could you share some insights into the types of training you offer?
I offer a few different types of training, but in my studio, I offer hands-on learning for makeup artists, including glam or fantasy. So, the artist gets to pick the look they’d like to learn, and I do one side of the face, and they do the other. It’s all step by step so we end up doing the makeup together and I can guide them into using my own techniques.
I also do personal lessons for people wanting to learn how to do their own makeup. It’s so much fun! I have a background in education and have taught at a few makeup schools over the years, I love giving back to my industry. I truly believe that you never stop learning, especially in an industry where trends change so drastically.
I always used to say to my students that the minute you stop learning, or think you’re the best you're ever gonna get, then that’s when it’s time to quit. Learning and further education is so important to create a well-rounded artist. I’m actually super excited to announce that I will be going on tour around Australia with a brand-new masterclass very soon! Watch this space ha-ha. I’ll give you a hint, my upcoming masterclass is called Fantasy Makeup Unlocked.
Building a team of talented hair and makeup artists at your studio is no small feat. What qualities do you look for when selecting artists to join your team?
I’m super picky when it comes to who I allow into my space, especially my studio. I am all about good vibes only. My business is my baby, and my clients mean the world to me. My team are some of my best friends!
I’m never too fussed about years and years of experience, I just love motivated people who are willing to learn. I put in as much time to my team as they do to me - meaning we regularly do training days, they will assist me on shoots and jobs, and I will assist them on jobs. We all work very closely together so it’s so important to me that they have my back as much as I have theirs, and that there’s no tension or animosity as it’s such a small environment.
As a makeup artist working across various mediums, including fashion shoots, music videos, and runways, how do you adapt your skills to suit different contexts and artistic requirements?
I guess my biggest thing is organisation. Because I work in so many different aspects of my industry, I have to figure out exactly what it is that my client wants from me. Anyone who hires me knows I love to be prepared. Half of my job is coming up with concepts, mood boarding, facecharting. I always like my clients to know my makeup plan prior to the day of the job. Often, I will organise 1-2 meetings with my clients in person before the actual job date.
The first meeting is for me to gain as much information as possible on their concept, which might include their idea of makeup, styling, hair, lighting, etc. I’ll then do my thing and the second meeting is showcasing my ideas and getting approval from the client. This allows me to work with the most efficiency and ease on the day of the job, and I’m not stressing that maybe I’ve done something that the client didn’t expect.
Open communication between myself and the client is so important to me, I’m all about bringing my A-game to each job. Doing this and offering my clients a few different concepts for the job always helps me to gauge my client’s expectations.
Your signature style in fantasy and avant-garde makeup has garnered attention worldwide. How did you discover and develop this unique artistic expression, and what draws you to these particular styles?
Honestly, it just happened naturally! I’ve always been the girl that wears the most amount of makeup, and I have always been attracted to the brightest, loudest, in-your-face looks.
It was what got me started in this industry in the first place, and once I had figured out how to execute these sorts of looks, it was very empowering. For a long time, the only makeup I would do was literally the biggest most out there fantasy looks.
I’ve been working super hard in the last couple of years to bring a slightly more fashion, paired back (for me lol) element into my work - which has probably been my biggest struggle. I’m so in love with giving people a shock, and something they’ve never seen before, especially in person.
That’s why I’m so excited to be running my newest masterclass this year, as fantasy makeup isn’t something you see walking down the street. Its straight-up art, and I have always loved that so much.
Can you tell us about your cosmetics line?
Jabbas Cosmetics is my little Covid-born baby. It’s a small range at this stage, we only have multi-use liquid lipsticks and some epic neon pigments. I had always wanted to create my own brand and share with the world products that I love to use, so when I finally had the time during our COVID lockdowns I started working on Jabbas Cosmetics.
It took approximately a year to get off the ground, from idea to product in hand. It’s not an easy process to navigate but you definitely learn along the way. When we launched, we actually did a big fantasy makeup-style runway in Brisbane City and had roughly 300 people come to watch the looks. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever pulled off, and I can’t wait to push the boundaries even further.
I truly love getting to showcase my industry and my world to people who aren’t from it, and Jabbas Cosmetics has really allowed me to do so. I’m hoping to expand the line this year and bring some more amazing products to life that I am able to share with the world! Every time someone messages me personally to tell me how much they love my products; it makes my heart sing. And of course, I use them pretty much every day!
What are your future aspirations and goals?
I have soooo many different goals! Working in so many different avenues of my career, they sometimes get jumbled up, so it’s important for me to write them down in order to stay focused. A definite goal of mine is to work way more within the hair industry. I’m obsessed with doing hair shoots and working with other creatives in that field.
Hairdressers are my favourite people, and I’m always in complete awe of the incredible hair that I’ve been lucky enough to witness in person. I find these shoots to be the most inspiring, and one of my favourite work environments. I would love to travel more with work, so I’m going to be doing regular trips throughout Australia this year so I can expand my clientele and work with lots of new people. For my studio, I am always aiming to create a safe space for my clients and will continue to do so.
I have a ‘no bad energy in my shop’ policy, I just want my clients to have the best time. I really respect that my business is not a necessity for most people, it's frivolous and exciting for my clients to be getting pampered. I’m literally in the business of treating yo’ self, so I always keep that in mind and strive to always be high energy and create a super fun space for my clients!
I have probably gotten off topic, but ultimately my goals for this next year are to do more photoshoots, more runways, travel, learn, and give back to my industry.
Imagery team credits:
Photographers: Caitlin Bolard KTB, Theresa Hall, Autonomiss, Macami, Eliza Mullins, Amber Toms, Jayzoo
Models: Ruth Hewson, Zai, Ava Von DaviVivians Model Management, Emma Hutton, Roxanne Murekatete, Serena Brookes, Maya Rune - Chic Brisbane, Anna Haycock - Vivians model management, Mabyro James, Charlie Hall - Hunter model management
