Thursday, February 9, 2012

Beautiful Samantha



When the lovely and talented Sammie Mills called and said she needed her makeup done for her new head shots, I was thrilled to work with her again.

Sammie has been pursuing modeling and acting for some time, and has become very successful in her career.  When we discussed her makeup design for her shoots, she let me know she wanted to look very young, because she typically plays roles for teenage characters.  I decided to take inspiration from my actual teenage clients and give her a fresh, healthy and natural glow.

We evened out her skin tone with cream foundation and color correctors, and applied a light shade of mauve blush for that lovely spring flush.  We decided to keep her hair simple and straight.

It was wonderful working with Jim Merrill again of JMTFoto.
Thank you to Jim, Mari, and Sammie for having me be part of this fun shoot!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Published! Linger Magazine




Above is a fashion spread I was a part of, which is featured in this month's issue of Linger Magazine, available in the New York Market.


This shoot was a lot of fun, and the model, Katrina Chief, is absolutely amazing to watch.  These images, captured by Erin L Hubbs, show off some of Katrina's moves - and she definitely has moves!


Knowing we would be shooting mostly black and white images, I created Katrina's makeup to suit that medium, and worked with shadows and highlights for her beautiful skin.  Her hairpiece was customized by the amazing Larry Webb, and her beautiful flowing garments were stylized by Kendrick Allen of KK Bloom Boutique.

Thank you to everyone who made this shoot possible!!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Megan, my lovely Muse




Master Hair Stylist, and my good friend, Larry Webb of Salon Vivace Southpark, recently teamed up with photographer Michael Church, who I like to call The Master of Light.  Larry and I sought to capture some images of clean beauty work for our portfolios, and Megan Scott was the perfect model.

For her makeup, I  started with a very understated, almost "no makeup" look - most people would be suprised how much makeup it takes to get that natural look! :)  For her second look, I wanted to show a clean commercial type of makeup, so I used a bit of black liner, defined her brows, and stained her lips slightly.  For the last look, we wanted to have fun and go big - so I used Sugarpill Cosmetics's black shadow Bulletproof to create a smokey eye.

The rumor is Megan's photo will be featured soon in Modern Salon Magazine to showcase her beautiful short haircut.

Thank you to the amazing team of Michael Church, Larry Webb and Megan Scott!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

My Interview with Creative Loafing

This month I was featured in Creative Loafing's Style Profiles for their Charlotte edition.  Thank you to Lauren Blake and Jasiatic for choosing me for the segment!

Interview: Adrian D. Howe, makeup artist

She doesn't seem like the type to own a large utility tool box from Lowe's


The dainty, prim and polished Adrian D. Howe may not seem like the type to own a large utility tool box from Lowe's. But this isn't just any ordinary tool box. It's a cosmetic abyss filled with pounds of foundation, blush, eye shadows and lip colors. In the case that ruby, crimson or fire engine aren't the perfect lipstick match, she keeps more than a dozen other shades of red to suit her fancy. But priorities are priorities, and if this makeup artist was forced to take a trip with only one piece of makeup, she proudly claims she would choose "SPF ... and lip balm, as unglamourous as that is." Howe, a super fan of Dita Von Teese, is notorious for her own spin on the pinup look and admits she may have been born in the wrong decade. "I love the era when women were ladies and men were gentleman and when appearances meant something. I adore the classic ladylike look." But, no matter the look Howe can transform blah to beautiful, whether she's hired for a wedding, special event, print work or a runway show. A self-proclaimed workaholic, Howe, who sometimes books her weekends 10 months out, would "rather work than sleep."

Creative Loafing: You do makeup for a living, but what is your personal makeup regimen?
Adrian Howe: For myself, I go fairly simple on the eyes. A little black flipped out eyeliner and red lips. But I always tailor my makeup to the place I'm going and who I'm going with.

What's the reason behind using cruelty-free products?
I'm a vegetarian and a total animal lover. I have four dwarf bunnies that hop around the house and use a litter box. They're my babies and my inspiration.

What is your biggest makeup pet peeve?
Foundation that doesn't match ... you cannot fake a tan by going darker with your foundation. The floating head line ... I can't stand it!

What has been your most rewarding experience as a makeup artist?
This is going to sound really corny, but every client that sits in my chair is the most important client I have. Whoever is sitting in my chair is my VIP and who I give all of my attention to.

If you could give one piece of advice for all women about applying makeup, what would it be?
Be classic. Keep up with the trends but don't necessarily apply them; pick your style and be faithful to it.

How would you suggest that others interested in the trade get started?
The best way is to contact other artists and ask to assist them. Also, look for a retail job working at any counter you can. You've got to want it. It's not easy, but it is so rewarding. It's a profession where you never get bored. Every face you look at is different. That is something I love about this profession.

Visit www.adriandhowe.com for more information.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The many faces of Courtney










As you can see, Ms. Courtney Petersen has a lot of different looks.  I was fortunate enough to meet her at a photo shoot for SouthPark Magazine, in which she was the cover.  We kept in touch and decided to do a photo shoot with some of my favorite people, Larry Webb and Erin L Hubbs.

Not only is Courtney sharp as a tack (she's finishing up her Doctorate as we speak!), as we were working together, I realized that Courtney is a true chameleon, and can really change looks with different makeup designs.  We had a lot of fun bringing out several different styles with hair, makeup, and wardrobe changes, and Courtney wore them all fantastically.   Larry Webb really knocked it out of the park with all his hair designs for the shoot, and Erin caught her in all the right angles.

Thank to to Courtney, Erin, Larry and Berrie!

Photos: Erin L Hubbs
Model: Courtney Petersen, Directions USA
Hair: Larry Webb
Makeup: Adrian D Howe

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Published: Anna in Charlotte Style




Ms. Anna Wolf is just beautiful.  I've had the pleasure of working with Anna several times now, and I always enjoy it - perfect skin, gorgeous full brows, and the cutest cupid's bow you've ever seen!

These images were taken by Michael Church and used in the Fall issue of Charlotte Style Magazine.  The clothes were styled by Nicole Sinclair and Bridgette West, and feature fashions from top designers, including Calvin Klein.

For her makeup, Anna has full beautiful brows and lashes, so I didn't feel the need to do too much to her eyes - simple shadow in earth tones and slate gray liner with lots of mascara was all she needed.  I gave her a flushed mauve pink cheek and changed her lip color in various shades of pink and bronze to suit her hairstyle and fashion changes.

Thank you to Michael Church, Anna, Deb, Nicole, Bridgette, and Larry for all your hard work on this shoot - it was definitely a success!

Photo: Michael Church Photography
Model: Anna Wolf, Evolution Management
Hair: Larry D Webb
Makeup: Adrian D Howe
For Charlotte Style Magazine

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Charlotte Style: There's Something About Niki



There is definitely something about Niki Kapoor...
I was fortunate enough to get to know Niki during this photo shoot for Charlotte Style.  Niki is the owner and designer of Nika Formals, and her gowns are absolutely stunning.  She is an interntional designer and she has dressed some of the top and most glamourous celebrities around.

But that's not the only thing about her.  Niki is one of the most humble and good natured people you will ever come to know.  She has an air about her that puts you at ease, and lets you know she is trustworthy.  She is an animal rights activist (definitely something we have in common) and a human rights activist.

Niki is not content owning her own wildly successful business and making the most gorgeous gowns you've ever seen.  She understands the impact of giving back.  Inspired by her own humble beginnings, she's started an orphanage for girls in India which will allow them education, shelter, food, and clothing - and opportunities they would never have had otherwise.  Her story and cause definitely will tug on your heart strings, and I encourage everyone to research it to learn more.

At this photo shoot, I also got to know Niki's mother.  She has just as good a heart as her daughter, and I loved seeing the special look in her eyes when she looked at her daughter - very heartwarming.  For their makeup designs, I kept their skin fresh and natural using a cream foundation lightly buffed into the skin, and shades of gold and brown on their eyes. I accentuated Niki's beautiful exotic almond eyes with individual lashes.  Both ladies' hair was styled by Larry Webb for Salon Vivace Southpark.

Thank you to Niki, Erin, and Larry for allowing me to take place in this photo shoot, and be part of a very worthy cause.

To learn more about Niki's opportunity for girls abroad, visit:
 
Photo: Erin L Hubbs
Stylist: Niki Kapoor
Hair: Larry D Webb, Salon Vivace Southpark
Makeup: Adrian D Howe