Today we’d like to introduce you to Tripoli B.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Makeup was always a passion for me. I was always the girl in high school with green or blue eye shadow and false eyelashes. I didn’t think that you could create a career for makeup, so it remained a hobby for me. I moved to Houston to study communications at Texas Southern University. College life was not working for me. Looking back, I realize mentally I was not ready.
After facing many trials and tribulations surrounding college, I decided to step away. I vowed to return, but at this point in my life, I realize that was not my destiny. I was going through the motions of trying to figure out who Tripoli was and what she was made to do. I moved around a lot. Nothing was leading me to that place of fulfillment.
One day, I took a look at my life because I had been through so much. I wanted to find a constant. Makeup was the one thing that I had consistently stuck with. Even though I only did it on myself, I was able to recognize the love I had for it. I was willing to do it for free. It’s like the universe was waiting for me to get to this moment, just like that women started to approach me about doing makeup applications on them.
I agreed, but I took very little money for it because I did not feel qualified. I decided that I needed to further my education because this was what I wanted to. I wanted to be taken seriously. That is what moved me to Los Angeles to attend makeup school. Since then life has been amazing, and my career definitely took off.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The path to discovering my destiny was not smooth. You’re not given a manual on how to find your destiny. You’re not even at a wise age to be able to make the best decisions. You just do a lot of trial and error. That was the most frustrating thing to me. I did not where to go or where I was going I just knew I had to keep going.
I was never one of those people who accepted what was given. I had to be able to get it myself. I’m glad I kept going and did not give up. Once I got to LA the change was very dramatic for me. I went from living alone since I was 17 to sharing a one bedroom apartment. Rent for our one bedroom was $2000.
Probably not the best financial decision I had made, but I did what I needed to do for the time being. School was not easy as I was the only black student at the time. I did not feel like I related to many of my classmates, a lot of who were international, so that was pretty hard.
In class, we would have to practice makeup on each other, and many of the students were not happy to have to work on me. They didn’t understand my pigmented skin and would use their ignorance as an excuse to avoid working with me.
One day, I had a girl ask me what color was I because she did not carry my color in her makeup kit. That time was really hard for me. It really helped me feel just a little bit of the racial injustices my ancestors faced. Although my ordeals were not nearly at the level of what they faced, I was humbled by the experience.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about SmashedByTripoli – what should we know?
I am currently a freelance makeup artist. This means I don’t work for a big company or any company. I work for myself and the client at the time. This is not an easy route to take, but the pay off is greater. I get to create my own destiny and not rely on anyone to determine my future.
I just recently decided to remove the security blanket and step away from Mac cosmetics as a makeup artist. I felt it was taking too much of the time that I needed to focus on my own company. It was causing me to get complacent with receiving a paycheck. Smashed By Tripoli is my tag line that eventually ended up being my business name. Right now, I am focusing solely on providing makeup application services.
Eventually, I would love to expand and work on creating my own cosmetics, supplies, books, etc. Right now, I’m solely focused on my reputation and resume expansion. I specialize in beauty, Avante Garde, special effects, and prosthetic makeup. I am mainly known for my beauty makeup. She is my first love and the type of makeup that excites me the most.
What I’m most proud of with Smashed By Tripoli is how far we have come in a short amount of time. The level of clientele I have serviced, and the companies I have worked with are definitely a blessing. There is so much competition in LA so just being able to support my self full time with freelance work is simply a blessing. I prayed for days like this.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve been fortunate to come across many people who have helped and encouraged me throughout my career. I am thankful for everyone including this magazine for reminding me that what I’m doing is important and that I have people looking up to me to succeed.
My number one cheerleader has always been God first and then myself. I am very spiritual, and this journey has increased my spiritually. Somethings I have been through and overcame were only because of the angels that God blessed me with that have protected me. I have never been close to my biological father, but I never felt like I needed him because I always identified God as my dad who was living far away but kept a close eye on me.
Lastly, I have to thank ME! The days when I couldn’t eat, I starved, just me. When my heart was broken, I was the one who wiped my tears. I was the one who was self-motivating. I have to grind to make sure a roof is always over my head. I have to keep my head focused which requires lots of discipline. It’s not easy living in LA. I owe myself that thank you because I was my own motivation to continue moving forward when no one was with me.
Contact Info:
- Email: Tripolibb@yahoo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/SmashedByTripoli
- Facebook: SmashedByTripoli
Image Credit:
Wendy Ann Raquel, Rapper Dreezy, photography by faze one, Imats competition
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