Self-expression is central to Brigitte Lacoste’s journey. For the only child of a punk musician father and a ballet jazz dancer mother, creativity was a way of life. Living the artist’s life and with an artist’s budget, her mother dove in DIYs—including stage costumes for her dad and Brigitte was along for the ride. As she reflects, “My desire to do something with my hands came from her.”
From her earliest memories, Brigitte attended dance performances alongside her mother. Having both taken artistic paths, her parents understood there are other options than a conventional career and encouraged Brigitte to explore.
Brigitte considered dance herself as a pursuit until she noticed a divide between her aspirations for excellence and the skills of peers who started dancing at a young age. She then chose to study Fashion Design, where an unexpected friendship steered her toward a new career path.
In an elective German class, Brigitte became friends with Make Up & Hair Artist Laurie Deraps, who suggested she try a part-time job at M.A.C. Cosmetics. Laurie’s encouragement didn’t stop there; she also invited Brigitte to assist her on a photoshoot to learn the basics.
Brigitte was immediately thrown into the deep end:
“I was supposed to be seated next to Laurie so she could field my questions, but instead, they placed us far apart! The model I was doing makeup for said, ‘Oh, I feel so good knowing I’m not the first male model you’ve ever done makeup on.’ But he was,” she laughs. “There was no room for error.”
From there it was five years of watching countless Youtube tutorials (Pixiwoo was a personal favorite) while continuously assisting and throwing herself into equally uncomfortable situations to build-up her technical skills and gain knowledge.
Initially, Brigitte was plagued with imposter syndrome—juggling her full-time job’s late evening shifts and getting minimal sleep before heading out to photoshoots. “I was scared to leave my job. I wasn’t where I wanted to be within my beauty career. And then it clicked. I realized it was only holding me back. Quitting was the much-needed push to fully embrace my freelance career.
Brigitte dove into building her portfolio in the direction she wanted to go, reaching out to fellow creatives to explore concepts and experiment with her craft. In the last half of her decade-long career she’s found her stride. She finds it challenging to put into words her specific aesthetic.
“I like to explore the artsy side of things. Natural with a quirk or a twist. Something unexpected. Not too feminine. I like to seek continuity with the vibe of the shoot or the clothes—to make it feel more whole as a concept.”
Working across editorial, commercial and advertising, Brigitte is known for her attention to detail and precision, notably fine line work, and a strong ability to interpret a vision and bring it to life—no doubt supported by her years in fashion school.
Brigitte’s is in high-demand with artists. She possesses a sharp instinct to immediately understand their POV, and work alongside them to hone an aesthetic that reflects their personal brand. Over the past 7 years, she’s built a long-lasting relationship with Canadian Singer-Songwriter Basia Bulat leading them to collaborate on captions featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
For Brigitte, working in beauty has provided her with the tools to communicate on a level she never had before.
“I can immerse myself for hours in something that allows me to express what words can’t. Makeup lets me convey what’s in my mind, giving me a sense of euphoria, akin to a natural high.”
Words by Naeme El-Zein