Tag Archives: bright lips

Styled Shoot at the Springfield Marriott Featured in Smitten Magazine

By Liz Washer | Published June 14, 2013

I am so proud of this team effort, now published for the second time! Last August, I teamed up with a fantastic group of wedding pros and two professional models (nope, they’re not a couple, but they fake it pretty well, amirite?) to create a wedding vision inspired by a specific tradition: the tasting of the four elements (bitter, sour, hot, and sweet), symbolizing the aspects of marriage – and life – that any couple will endure. Plus we had access to the gorgeous Marriott rooftop (on an exceptionally windy day, which made prop positioning difficult!) We finished the shoot at sunset on the Memorial Bridge.

I was on board to do makeup for both the “bride” and “groom” – here’s an iPhone before & after to show the dramatic change made by airbrush makeup, smoky earthtone metallic eyes, false lash clusters, and berry lips:

Our team was honored when Smitten Magazine agreed to publish the shoot – click here to see their photo selection. Here are my personal favorite portraits from the day:

Photography: Michelle Girard Photography

Models: Clairemise & Gibran, Maggie Inc.

Event Planner: Bowties and Butterflies Event Planning

Wardrobe: Bancroft Bridals

Floral Designer: Forget Me Not Florist

Reception Venue: Springfield Marriot

Hairstyling: Cyndi Drenthe

Cake Designer: Whip City Cakes

Lighting: CJC Event Lighting

Linens and Coverings: Cloth Connection, Inc.

Posted in Airbrush, Before & After, Photoshoots, Published, Recommended Vendors | Also tagged afro-am, airbrush, bancroft bridals, before and after, bowties & butterflies event planning, bridal beauty, brides of color, cjc event lighting, editorial, false lashes, forget me not florist, grooming, makeup for men, male grooming, metallic, michelle girard photography, smitten magazine, smoky eyes, springfield ma, springfield marriott, whip city cakes Leave a comment

Kajal’s Sangeet at Coco Keys in Waterbury CT

By Liz Washer | Published June 2, 2013

This was a quick and last-minute job sent to me by the amazingly talented makeup artist, Shreni Patel (who I have teamed up with before) – she had a busy weekend and her bride Kajal decided to get makeup done for her Sangeet the night before the wedding ceremony. Shreni wasn’t available, so she sent me in her place. After enduring outrageous traffic to Waterbury (that made everyone else, including half of the wedding party and the groom, quite late), I did makeup for bride Kajal, her mom, and her sister. It was fun to incorporate some brighter colors into the looks!

Posted in Airbrush, Before & After, Special Events | Also tagged airbrush, before and after, bridal beauty, brides of color, coco keys, colorful, indian bridal makeup, waterbury ct Leave a comment

Backyard Picnic Engagement Session, Published on Fab You Bliss

By Liz Washer | Published April 22, 2013

This styled e-session was shot on the same day as Eco-Chic, and was just screamingly adorable – who wouldn’t want a picnic at dusk lit by candles hung from a tree in the backyard? Keeping things local (and budget-friendly) doesn’t mean unromantic. Also featured is photographer Michelle’s highly photogenic goldendoodle puppy, Bailey (who is already twice the size shown here!)

Fab You Bliss published this little love-fest here, and my favorite images appear below:

Photographer: Michelle Girard Photography

Hair Stylist: Jennifer McClendon

Event Planners & Styling: Eutopia Events

Dress Designer: Celia Grace

Posted in Fashion, Photoshoots, Published, Recommended Vendors | Also tagged celia grace, editorial, engagement photos, eutopia events, fab you bliss, michelle girard photography Leave a comment

Styled Eco-Chic Bridal Shoot Featured on Fab You Bliss

By Liz Washer | Published April 21, 2013

I had the distinct pleasure of taking part in several styled shoots with the incredibly talented Michelle Girard in 2012, and I’m so pleased to announce the publication of another one of our group efforts! This shoot was built around a pair of gorgeous, fair trade Celia Grace gowns and the detailed styling touches of Eutopia Events. Once again, I did makeup for both the bride & groom, but to shake things up a bit (and to add my own “shop local” element), I opted to use all mineral makeup by local business Fortunate Face Minerals. To fit the shoot’s rustic theme, I created a very soft look with sparkling eyes for the gorgeous Marcie (owner of Celia Grace), plus a bright Spring-y pop of color on her lips created by mixing two mineral colors together with a cream base.

Happily, this shoot is everywhere! Click here to view the gallery on Fab You Bliss, here to view the photographer’s selections, and here to view Eutopia’s tips on eco-friendly wedding planning. My favorite images from the day appear below:

Photographer: Michelle Girard Photography

Hair Stylist: Jennifer McClendon

Event Planners & Styling: Eutopia Events

Floral Designer: LaSalle Florists

Dress Designer: Celia Grace

Candles: Prosperity Candle

Posted in Photoshoots, Published, Recommended Vendors, Trends | Also tagged bridal beauty, celia grace, editorial, eutopia events, fab you bliss, fortunate face minerals, lasalle florists, michelle girard photography, mineral makeup, natural looks, prosperity candles, wedding makeup Leave a comment

Styled Shoot at the Springfield Marriott Featured on Paper Moon Weddings

By Liz Washer | Published April 9, 2013

I am so proud of this team effort! Last August, I teamed up with a fantastic group of wedding pros and two professional models (nope, they’re not a couple, but they fake it pretty well, amirite?) to create a wedding vision inspired by a specific tradition: the tasting of the four elements (bitter, sour, hot, and sweet), symbolizing the aspects of marriage – and life – that any couple will endure. Plus we had access to the gorgeous Marriott rooftop (on an exceptionally windy day, which made prop positioning difficult!) We finished the shoot at sunset on the Memorial Bridge.

Our team was honored when Paper Moon Weddings agreed to publish the shoot – click here to see their photo selection. Here are my personal favorite portraits from the day:

Photography: Michelle Girard Photography

Models: Clairemise & Gibran, Maggie Inc.

Event Planner: Bowties and Butterflies Event Planning

Wardrobe: Bancroft Bridals

Floral Designer: Forget Me Not Florist

Reception Venue: Springfield Marriot

Hairstyling: Cyndi Drenthe

Cake Designer: Whip City Cakes

Lighting: CJC Event Lighting

Linens and Coverings: Cloth Connection, Inc.

Posted in Airbrush, Before & After, Photoshoots, Published, Recommended Vendors | Also tagged afro-am, airbrush, bancroft bridals, before and after, bowties & butterflies event planning, bridal beauty, brides of color, cjc event lighting, editorial, false lashes, forget me not florist, grooming, makeup for men, male grooming, metallic, michelle girard photography, paper moon weddings, smoky eyes, springfield ma, springfield marriott, whip city cakes Leave a comment

Priscilla’s Hip Farm Wedding in Wardsboro, VT

By Liz Washer | Published February 21, 2013

I got to meet Priscilla and Dan last winter when I was in NYC for Fashion Week – she contacted me asking if we could meet for a drink, so of course I said yes! I got to learn more about this self-described pair of “Brooklyn hipsters” and their plans for a chic, laid-back wedding on a friend’s farm in Vermont.

When the day finally arrived, hairstylist Jen and I crossed the border into a beautiful rural setting. There, I did makeup for Priscilla and her sister. Priscilla opted for a very natural makeup look (mostly bare eyes and softly defined skin) – with the exception of a vivid pop of red on the lips! (To achieve long-lasting, kiss-proof red lips, I used Sephora’s cream lip stain in Always Red, which lasted beautifully throughout the day.)

Priscilla’s sister helps her don the dress

Note the perfectly matched lips & tips!

Jimmy Choos with heel caps (so she can stride confidently across the grass)

The first look…

“This guy! I love this guy!”

Love the feather fascinator!

Time for their first game of married badminton!

Check out the awesomely cute cake topper!!!

Photography: Rebecca Hansen, First Mate Photography
Hair: Jenursa
Catering: Sharon Myers
Music: Goodtime String Band

Posted in Airbrush, Clients, Recommended Vendors, Weddings | Also tagged airbrush, asian, bridal beauty, brides of color, destination weddings, first mate photography, goodtime string band, jenursa, personal style, red lips, sharon myers catering, wardsboro vt, wedding makeup, wedding photos Leave a comment

Featured in Caribbean Posh Magazine

By Liz Washer | Published January 16, 2013

Bright orange lipstick flatters Latina skin

Photo: Sean Peragine

Pleasantly surprised to see the results of an email media query that actually took place nearly a year ago! Two photos of my work are shown as well. Here’s the paragraph I am quoted in:

Skip the Usual Tubes: Don’t like the feel of heavy lipstick or goopy gloss? Go for a soft stain, which will wash your lips with a hint of color without excess shine. “Tangerine is one of my favorite color trends in recent years,” says Liz Washer, whose makeup expertise has appeared in Essence. “It just looks so juicy and fresh, and there’s a shade for every skin tone. But if you’re not quite up for a bright orange or tangerine, try poppy or coral. You can also soften a bright lip look by patting lipstick on your lips with your ring finger, achieving a softer stain effect, or use a semi sheer gloss in the same color family.”

Full article: Brightening up Winter with Tangerine Lips

Posted in Announcements, How to, Interviews, Trends | Also tagged articles, do's and don'ts, how to, makeup tips, orange, personal style, tangerine Leave a comment

2013 Bridal Makeup Trends – Mass Appeal TV spot

By Liz Washer | Published September 29, 2012

It was a pleasure to be asked once again to appear as a local makeup expert on WWLP’s Mass Appeal – here is my segment from Friday, 9/28/12:

Segment notes:

The “No Makeup” Look
As Calvin Klein famously said, “The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural.” This look is very hot on the runways right now and the key is perfect, glowing skin, with some subtle contouring to bring out the features, but keeping the look very bare and very natural. This is perfect for brides who don’t like to wear a lot of makeup but still want to look great in their pictures.

Accentuating One Feature
For example, a beautiful bold lip! Keep the rest of the look soft – very natural eyes, soft blush in the same color family – a monochromatic lip & cheek is very modern.

The Smoky Eye
The smoky eye has been reinvented, and it’s not all about black & grey anymore. Earthtones kicked up with a metallic like bronze or copper look amazing, or you can even bring in some purples, or sage greens – as long as you blend the colors well and use shades that complement your skintone, you can absolutely wear color in a tasteful and timeless way.

Posted in Airbrush, How to, Interviews, Trends | Also tagged airbrush, bridal beauty, do's and don'ts, how to, makeup tips, mass appeal, natural looks, seth stutman, smoky eyes, television, trends, wedding makeup, wwlp Leave a comment

Sneak peek: Bridal Editorial at the Springfield Marriott!

By Liz Washer | Published August 29, 2012

Just a quick teaser from a recent bridal editorial project – lots more to come!

And check out the difference airbrush makeup made for our beautiful model’s skin (these shots are unretouched & straight out of my iPhone):

Posted in Airbrush, Before & After, Fashion, Photoshoots, Recommended Vendors | Also tagged afro-am, airbrush, bancroft bridals, before and after, bowties & butterflies event planning, bridal beauty, brides of color, cjc event lighting, color-correcting, concealer, editorial, eyeliner, false lashes, forget me not florist, michelle girard photography, smoky eyes, springfield ma, springfield marriott, trends, wedding makeup, whip city cakes Leave a comment

Dream Away Lodge editorial shoot with Love + Perry Photography

By Liz Washer | Published August 6, 2012

***UPDATE: this shoot is now featured on Equally Wed!***

This shoot took my breath away. The location, the models, the photography, the details – everything was just so “me” that I couldn’t help but bounce up and down as I watched it unfold. I am delighted to share a few of my favorite photos that show off the glamorous makeup looks I created for our model brides, but for the full scoop (and all the lovely details), you’ll definitely want to visit the photographers’ blog post here.

I was so excited when Freya & Amber agreed to work with us – I’ve worked with them both many times before, both together and separately, and I knew they had great on-camera chemistry and a solid friendship which would make the shoot a lot of fun. (Freya is also about to leave for graduate study abroad, so it seemed fitting to have her “marry” her long-term shoot colleague & friend as a last hurrah!)

But would you believe that our first venue balked once we cast our models? Apparently the original venue owners felt that a shoot featuring two brides would be too niche (in Western MA?), so we were asked to replace one of them with a groom. We (politely) declined, and went to the Dream Away Lodge instead, which provided the perfect backdrop with loads of interesting details (seriously, the place is like a museum of quirk!) and a fabulously relaxed atmosphere. Bonus: they were wonderfully welcoming – they even cooked us a delicious lunch!

I personally think that inspiration can come from many different places and people, but all too often, minority or “non-traditional” couples have to guess whether or not they will be welcomed and understood if they don’t see themselves anywhere in a business’s promotional materials. Let this be a lesson in tolerance AND marketing savvy – steer too clear of the “niche” and run the risk of looking generic!

But never mind my soapbox… this shoot was anything but generic, and I’m so proud to have been a part of it.