Earlier this summer, Elizabeth Wolfrey of Pinnfield Photography reached out to me about a styled shoot she was putting together in Spotsylvania. This was my first time meeting and working with Elizabeth, and not only was she the sweetest, but such a talented photographer with fantastic taste! Everything from the stunning venue choice to the flowers and the small details were absolutely gorgeous, and perfect for a summertime wedding. I hope you love these photos as much as I do! Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the full list of amazing vendors who made this shoot breathtaking!

Vendors:

Photographer: Pinnfield photography
Venue: Forest green Shooting Preserve
Rentals: paisley & jade
Cake: sweet memories cakery
Makeup: krcosmeticartistry (Kaelie Renae)
Dresses: peacaloo boutique
Florals: fredericksburg flowers
Wooden table decor: the scenic route
China: Nancy Goodman
Planner: Elizabeth Wolfrey
Models: Billy Sutter, Rory Loftus, Ashley Arrington, Lizzie Roscoe

Hello and thanks for stopping by! It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, mostly because I’m never sure what to write about! I’ve wanted to blog about makeup tips for a long time but have never gotten around to it, and didn’t know where to start. I posted a poll on Instagram to find out what everyone struggles with most, and I got so many great replies! Some of which were liquid eyeliner, spot coverage, and false lashes. I feel your struggles. And I plan on doing more posts, so I will be touching on all of these great topics! However, this poll leaned toward blending, so that’s what we’ll be talking about today!

I’m really excited to talk about this because I LOVE blending and the techniques you use make a big difference on the final look. In fact, before we dive in I feel compelled to share a story. One morning, my sister was getting ready for work and she was grumpy. I asked what was wrong and she said she didn’t like her eyeshadow. So without adding anything else, I just blended it all in a little more and her mood completely changed. It was so funny! #BlendingMatters

Let’s get to it!

Blending can have a number of meanings, but we’re going to be specific and focus on eyeshadow. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. When you apply your foundation, apply in over your eye area as well. Some people prefer not to do this, but I think it makes a great base for a smooth ending result
2. Make sure you are using a good eyeshadow primer following your foundation. My favorite is Urban Decay Primer Potion- which now comes in different colors and finishes! To apply, swipe over your eye area and use your ring finger to spread it evenly by gently patting
3. This is just preference, but once it’s time to apply shadow, I always start with the crease. For best result, choose any color darker than your skin tone (browns will never let you down and are flattering for almost everyone!) I take a medium sized, fluffy eyeshadow brush and do windshield wiper back and forth motions directly in the crease. Once I have taken the brush back and forth several times, I continue the same motion but bring it up a little higher, but not too high. Just about right between your crease and your brow bone. This technique blends the product upward to create a soft finish instead of a harsh contrast in the crease, while still keeping most of the shadow and color directly in the crease.
4. Next, for the lid, choose a color lighter than the one on your crease, and use a flat eyeshadow brush to pat it on. Having a lighter color on your lid will create the illusion of your eyes being larger, making them pop, while the darker color in your crease adds depth and definition.
5. This step will seem like just a finishing touch, but it really brings it all together! Take a large, fluffy eyeshadow brush and choose a matte, skin-toned shade and apply to the brow bone (right below your eyebrow). Do the same back-and-forth motions as before, however this time we’re going to start at the very top and work our way slightly downward, just enough to touch the bit of crease color that you brought upward in step 1. Basically, this is where they meet in the middle and blend everything seamlessly.

Remember that everything takes practice and the brushes you use matter! Very cheap brushes may be easier to get but you will struggle with them while trying to blend, and you might even see bristles fall out of the brush often. Look for quality brushes with very soft, dense bristles. Investing in decent brushes will save you a lot of blending time, and honestly, do a lot of the work for you!

If you’re looking for a great palette, I cannot recommend Anastasia Beverly Hills enough. Their shadows blend like a DREAM and are wonderfully pigmented! I started with the Modern Renaissance palette, and I now have the Soft Glam palette, which is my new favorite and is PERFECT for everyday natural looks. Also, the brush that comes inside is dual ended. The black side is perfect for blending the crease, and the tan side is great for the lid. Here is the link if you’re interested: http://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/soft-glam-palette/ABH01-18174.html

I hope you enjoyed! If any of these tips help you, let me know! It will make my day 🙂

Where do I even begin?!?! I think these pictures really speak for themselves, and I’m sure you can see why I’m so speechless, but I’ll give you a background story anyway. 🙂

On Tuesday, Christina of Bella Giornata Events contacted me in kind of an emergency situation. She needed a makeup artist and one more model for her shoot on that Thursday. There were going to be 6 photographers shooting, my friend and office-mate Jamie Butcher of Blushing Blooms Event Florist, and other amazing vendors at the coolest location- the Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower. It is a beautiful clock tower in Baltimore, built in 1911, and pictured below. Kind of like Big Ben on a smaller scale!

Christina told me that I would be both modeling and doing makeup on the other model in the shoot, Kellyn. That’s a huge win-win! We both were going to be wearing dresses from Ava Laurenne Bride, which as you may have noticed by now, I love doing. It’s so fun!

I got in touch with Kellyn and we met early Thursday morning for makeup then got in my car for our long drive to Baltimore. Walking toward the tower was SO exciting knowing we were going to the very top. Although, what I did not know was that I was going to stand up in one of the faces of the clock- even better! I could tell as soon as we climbed up into the four walls of the clock that this was a brilliant spot for a styled shoot and would make for incredible pictures.

It was such a fun experience having 6 photographers shooting all at once. One of them I’ve known for a long time- Michelle Harris- while the rest were knew faces who were a pleasure to meet and connect with. To be honest, I feel like I now know how celebrities feel with all those cameras on them! It was then a proud moment watching my new friend Kellyn killing it up there once it was her turn, and I was popping my head around the corner and taking behind the scenes sneaky pics on my phone (I couldn’t resist).

I have to give a huge virtual round of applause the the impressive vendors- I mean JUST LOOK at those photos! I love seeing how creativity from different business owners come together to make something amazing. This was definitely unforgettable! I hope you love it as much as we do! (These are the photos I have received from a few of the photographers. I hope to add more to this post as they come in!)

*Scroll to the bottom for vendor list

 

–Amanda Adams Photography:

 

–Jill Hord Photography:

 

–Alicia Wiley Photography:

 

Isn’t Kellyn gorgeous?! I love how she has kind of an old fashioned look about her

 

 

Vendors

Venue || Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower
Planner/Coordinator || Christina, Bella Giornata Events
Bridal Gown || Ava Laurenne Bridal
Cake Artist || Soul Cakes
Bride’s Shoes || Badgley Mischka Jewel collection
Florals || Blushing Blooms Event Florist
Invitation Suite || Minted
Laser Cut || Ever Laser
Rentals || Memorable Moments
Makeup Artist || Kaelie Renae Cosmetic Artistry
Models || Kellyn McRory and Kaelie Haynie

 

 

                     Guys… this excites me so much. I’ve wanting to write a post on this subject for a long time and I now feel like I have enough experience to know what really works! If you have your own business, your client is your first priority, and sometimes we get our dream clients. To be clear, this is NOT to say that there is ever a client that we dislike-EVER! But you do have a target market, and sometimes our client is the epitome of who we are most eager to work with, or on, in a makeup artist’s case. Plus, it is always refreshing to have a friendly, outgoing client who has a great conversation with you. However, some ladies are quiet and nervous about getting their makeup done, and there is NOTHING wrong with that! We’re here to make them feel their most comfortable. We obviously love everybody, but every single person is unique and doesn’t have the same vision in mind or style as you, and it can be hard to fit what they want, especially if they are shy or not very vocal about their opinion. So, what do we do in situations like this? I’ve noticed that shy ladies who never wear makeup are the ones who feel uncomfortable when they look in the mirror. But of course, as a makeup artist it is your duty to do at least a bare minimum of techniques to make the application worth their money. However, your idea of “as natural as it gets” is still too much for some women. Here’s what you can do:

• Consultation– This is something that should be done with every client before starting the process. Start asking them questions about what their goal is for their look. These questions are important because people have varying ideas of natural, heavy, and so on.
• The important questions- As a guideline, the first thing I ask is “how do you normally do your makeup?” I learned this when I was getting my certification. This lets you know how far you can go and vary from their everyday look. For example, if they normally only wear mascara, you’ll probably want to keep their eyes very neutral tones but do your normal skin, contour, and highlight routine. On the other hand, if they like a full face, you have more freedom. I’ve noticed that the clients who know a lot about makeup are comfortable with more drama.
• “What look are you going for today?“- This is going to help you find out the difference between what they do daily vs. their goal for this special occasion.
• The result- Unfortunately, sometimes they aren’t completely comfortable with the result. The issue is almost always that it is too heavy and out of their comfort zone. There are several things you can do to make them more comfortable.

Give them some helpful facts, but don’t refuse to change the look.

I always let them know that there are certain components that make a little extra glam necessary. In the case of weddings, (in the case that this application is a bridal trial) I make sure to mention

-Professional photography washes out some of the makeup

-Many people will see them from afar

-The makeup has to last you all day and night

-And, it’s your WEDDING day! You want to outshine everyone else and be a little extra!

HOWEVER, even though I mention these facts, I still make sure to listen to them and offer to change anything they do not like. I also make suggestions for changes when they can’t quite put their finger on what it is that’s too much. Usually just blending the eye shadow in more does the trick. I always tell them that I’ll start by just making subtle changes so that it’s not all of a sudden too bare, and when I have them take a look I ask them to please not hesitate to let me know if it needs even more blending. One last thing to mention to them is that wearing it throughout the day gets you over that initial shock, plus if they had their hair trial as well, it looks more put together. Before they leave, I take down some notes of what they want changed, and tell them that I will keep those on me for the real wedding day- that way they have time to get used to the makeup, and if they still think it is too much, I know exactly what adjustments need to be made for their wedding. I even suggest that they try their wedding dress on with it if they can. Sometimes they even find that they want more makeup on the actual day!

Consultation, listening to their needs, stating the facts to consider, and reiterating your willingness to to whatever it takes to make them feel beautiful will always be the key to make them comfortable and confident!