From Tomboy to Makeup Guru: Meet Marie Bruce

Marie Bruce didn’t grow up thinking she would become a makeup artist. As a child, in fact, she wasn’t all that into fashion. “Growing up I used to flip between being an actress, then a lawyer, and by the time I left school I wanted to be a session drummer and take after my dad,” she recalled in an interview with Lecture in Progress. “I never liked fashion though, I was a total tomboy, always in sports clothes and I hated make-up.” 

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Finn 🤡 Outtake @reeditionmag

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It was only when she started working at a piercing studio that she became interested in make-up. After an uninspiring data analyst role, she finally decided to pursue her makeup interest and enrolled at the London College of Fashion at the age of 23. “During my second year I stopped attending so I could concentrate on networking and shooting to build up a portfolio,” she says. A decision that turned out for the best.

Now, she’s a sought after make-up artist traveling the world with clients that include Kenzo, House of Holland, Browns Fashion and Opening Ceremony. Her work is predominantly within fashion, but there’s also a crossover into celebrity and music. “Each day is genuinely different,” she says.

“The industry is really fast-paced and the pool of talent is huge, so you have to keep up,” she stresses. “It’s important to develop a style – a brand even – but at the same time you need to be versatile and ensure you’re not alienating certain audiences.”

Take a look at some of her versatile makeup looks:

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BTS @refinery29uk

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Deqaaaaa @deqa___ by @maximecardol and me.

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🍉

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