Hey, What’s up, Hello and welcome to Beauty Brigade! Since this is our very first blog post, I decided to start with an introduction of myself and the company! Let’s start with me, Mandi, because without my past, there would be no Beauty Brigade. 

I would say that my passion for makeup and hair started in high school. I constantly tried new haircuts and colors (with and without professional help…EEK!).

**PSA: for all of you out there doing “home hair”, just don’t do it, okay?! You’ll spend more time AND money at a salon fixing what you tried to do yourself. I am a licensed professional and I still pay someone to cut and color my hair!**

I also spent the majority of my lunch money on makeup products from MAC Cosmetics! (Sorry, Mom!) I would find looks in magazines and online that I wanted to recreate and I would just go for it! This was before Pinterest and YOUTube so I didn’t have much direction on how things should be done, but I had a general idea. Once I gained a little more confidence in my skills, I began practicing updos and makeup applications on any of my friends who were willing to allow it! After graduating high school, and a few years of indecisiveness later, I decided my passion was going to become my career. So I went to cosmetology school and obtained my license in the state of Florida. 

In 2008, I moved from Ormond Beach to Orlando to begin work in a hair salon. I was so excited, and ready to cut, color, and style my way to the top! However, THAT didn’t happen! Many salons would not hire without experience, so I had to change my plan of action. In 2009, I obtained a job as a freelance makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics, and while I absolutely loved the company and brand, I didn’t love the “selling” aspect. I am an artist, who loves to CREATE, and did not want my “success” to be measured by how much lipstick I sold in a month. 

So let’s fast forward to 2010, when I began working for another onsite hair and makeup company in Central Florida. I learned so MUCH and am forever grateful for the opportunity that was provided to me! By 2012, I began to branch out on my own, and started advertising on The Knot. I was a one man show, operating as Makeup by Manz (a nickname of mine). However, during this time, I wasn’t solely focused on actually growing a business. I was also a student (again) who was studying event management at UCF and a full time employee at a 9-5. With so many other activities happening, let’s just say makeup and hair came more as a hobby, than a career at this point. 

After I finished school in late 2017, I began the job hunt in the event world, and that didn’t go as planned. (That’s a difficult industry to tap into, ya’ll!) It was then that I decided it was time to make moves, utilize my skills that I had been perfecting for over 10 years, and create an actual business.  By the beginning of 2019, I did what I set out to do-I created a business and a brand that I am unbelievably proud of. Although 2020 is only our second year in business, and Coronavirus has decided to thwart my plans of quitting my 9-5 by December, I am still fully committed to making Beauty Brigade a known brand in the local beauty industry and have so many goals to reach in the near and distant future! 

And that’s the tea on how Beauty Brigade became to be, Sis! Now that you know a little background about me I’m sure you’d like to know a little more about the actual company, right? 

Beauty Brigade is founded on the philosophy of helping ALL people feel comfortable and beautiful in their own skin! We firmly believe in simply enhancing your natural beauty, as opposed to covering it. But don’t worry, to my girls(and guys), who like a FULL GLAM beat, we got you! Our team of professional & licensed artists, each bring a set of unique skills to the BB squad, which ensures a customized look specifically curated for each and every client! If you would like to learn more about our team, visit our About Us page! A portion of the Beauty Brigade experience relies on our professionals and their knowledge, the other part relies heavily on our clients’ needs and their overall experience! Not only will we provide you with a styled look made solely for you, but we also bring an exceptional service experience as well! 

Beauty Brigade is fully committed to ensuring quality artistry and service is provided to all of our clients and co-workers within the wedding industry. We are so excited to continue learning and growing as a business and within the Orlando/Central Florida community and beyond! We promise, we’ll keep you updated along the way. Thanks for taking the time to read our first blog post! Have an amazing day, beauties! 

Kisses-

Mandi & The Beauty Brigade Team