Shot on the roof of the Grand Daddy Hotel, this is one of my favorite of the fashion series Nena and Sean and I created one unsuspecting Spring Sunday.  I love seeing Cape Town city behind her, that tiny patch of blue in the corner, and how everything except for Nena is slightly out of focus.

Make-Up: MAC: Skin: Studio Fix Fluid, studio finish concealer, Prep ‘n Prime transparent finishing powder. Cheeks: “Buff” - matte blush for under the cheekbone and “Pretty Indulgent” - silvery shimmer for a cheek highlight. Eyes: “Blackground” Paint Pot, topped with “Cinderfella” Mineralize eye-shadow (limited edition – similar to “black tied” eye-shadow) and “carbon” (matt) eye-shadow. Lashes were coated with “Zoomblack” mascara and then MAC’s #47 lash for an extreme effect. Finally I lined her water-line with “Fascinating” eye-kohl. Lips were coated with “Explicit” lipgass.

Hair: Hair was sprayed with water, combed back and the Loreal’s “Crystal Wax” was applied to the roots and again combed back.

Photographer: Sean Laurenz

Photographer’s Assistant: Nick Raper

Model: Nena Hugo from Trigger

Stylist: Nena Hugo

Hair and Make-Up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot in Cape Town, at the Grand Daddy Hotel in 2009

This shoot is one I smile upon the memory of. The photographic industry is an industry laden with weight upon one’s reputation, yet so often I find the reputations, especially the big ones misleading. Sean Laurenz is as talented as he is genuine, taking photographs that are masterpieces from their first sight as large postage stamps on the back of his canon, to their reception after his careful and genius processing – which unlike some he does entirely himself. Nena Hugo surpassed all of my expectations, fluidly migrating from fashion icon to bohemian beach babe with endless energy and exceptional attention to detail, as well as standing as a phenomenal stylist in her own right. Nick held palm leaves, reflectors and smiles on our faces with equal aplomb. This whole experience was a treat for me

Make-Up and Hair: I kept her skin as translucent as possible with MAC’s Face and Body Foundation, contoured the cheeckbones with MAC’s D Powder in “golden” and then applied “Sunbasque” blush to her cheeks. Eyes were kept simple using MAC eyeshadow in “cork”, “vanilla”, “brule” and “good as gold”, eyes were lined and smudged with MAC’s “Costa Riche” Eye Pencil. Brows were groomed with clear brow gel and MAC’s “Lingering” Eyebrow Pencil. Lips were lined with MAC “Subculture” lip pencil and then filled with MAC’s “Pink Clash” (limited) gloss. Her hair was damp and simply did its own beautiful thing.

Photographer: Sean Laurenz

Photographer’s Assistant: Nick Raper

Model: Nena Hugo from Trigger

Stylist: Nena Hugo

Hair and Make-Up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot in Cape Town, 2009

“A Moment in Time” is the brainchild of Boss Models and Artist Management along with Bell-Roberts Gallery. It is an exhibition of photographic works by some of South Africa’s most talented fashion photographers, stylists and hair and make-up artists, all of which are 1/1 and signed by the artist. The exhibition opened on the 22nd of October, and patrons are invited to bid for the works online up until the 30th of October 2009.  All proceeds go to “Missing Children SA Charity.”

I worked with Bevan Davis for some of the images in his part of the exhibition. Bevan asked for make-up that was simple and clean, but still sexy rather than nude. Bevan is not only a fantastic photographer, but also a master of post production, all of which he does himself. For me, Bevan’s series is timeless, and I gaze upon the images the way I do a painting, rather than a fashion photograph.

Make-up:  Salome is naturally beautiful, and I wanted to keep her look clean and timeless, accentuating her features rather than the make-up. I used MAC make-up, starting with Face and Body Foundation (for hydration and glow) thinly spread over her entire face. I used MAC’s mineralise skinshimmer “Lightful” (unfortunately a limited ed product from their “Corps De Ballet” range)  to accentuate her collar bones, cheek bones, shoulders etc. Witha #187 brush I then buffed in some Studio Fix Fluid, lightly over her nose, cheeks and forehead where needed. This allowed me to matte certain parts of her skin, and further even out her skin tone. Using the #224 brush I buffed  Select Moisturecover into the skin under and around the eyes. Select Moisturecover is ideal for around the eyes as it is moisturizing, blend-able and satin/glossy finished (in other words not matt) which allows it to “bounce” light up from under and around the eye. I used a NC (yellow toned) select moisturecover in a shade lighter than her natural skin tone on the inner corners of her eyes to make them “pop”. Finally I dusted her skin with Mineralize Skinfinsh Natural.

On her eyes I used “whistle” (limited edition pale pink shadow from “Barbie Loves Mac” range), highlighting the lash/lid border and eye-brow arch with “Vanilla” and “Shroom” shadow. In the crease I blended “cork” eyeshadow using the #217 shader brush. I finished her eyes off with prolonglash mascara which is great for individual lash definition. To define her brows I used clear brow gel (to hold the hairs in the desired position) and then further shaped the brows with “Lingering” eye-brow pencil.

For her lips I used “subculture” lip pencil and a mix of “honeylove” and “kinda sexy” lipstick over lips well moisturized with MAC’s lip conditioner.

Photographer: Bevan Davis

Model: Salome from Boss Models

Make-up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot in Studio in 2009

If you would like to see the rest of the exhibition click here

“A Moment in Time” is the brainchild of Boss Models and Artist Management along with Bell-Roberts Gallery. It is an exhibition of photographic works by some of South Africa’s most talented fashion photographers, stylists and hair and make-up artists, all of which are 1/1 and signed by the artist. The exhibition opened on the 22nd of October, and patrons are invited to bid for the works online up until the 30th of October 2009.  All proceeds go to “Missing Children SA Charity.”

I worked with Bevan Davis for some of the images in his part of the exhibition. Bevan asked for make-up that was simple and clean, but still sexy rather than nude. Bevan is not only a fantastic photographer, but also a master of post production, all of which he does himself. For me, Bevan’s series is timeless, and I gaze upon the images the way I do a painting, rather than a fashion photograph.

Make-up:  Kudzani has amazing bone structure and in order accentuate said bone structure I focused the majority of my time with this make-up look on her skin. I started with Face and Body Foundation (for hydration and glow) thinly spread over her entire face. Mixing it with some “Golden Bronze” loose powder, I used this paste to further accentuate her collar bones, cheek bones, shoulders etc. Witha #187 brush I then buffed in some Studio Fix Fluid, lightly over her nose, cheeks and forehead where needed. This allowed me to matte certain parts of her skin, and further even out her skin tone. Using the #224 brush I buffed studio finish concealer into the few remaining discolorations on her skin, with the exception of the skin around her eyes. Around her eyes I used Studio Moisture-Cover in a NW shade. The NW shade neutralizes the purple undertone often found around the eye area on medium dark – dark skin, whilst the texture of moisture-cover is lightweight, glossy and moisturising, allowing it to care for and moisturise the eye area (rather than drying into a matte line accentuating paste) and it is glossy enough to bounce light out of the shadow created around the eye socket, much like the theory behind the touche eclat and other such eye-brightening creams. Finally I dusted her skin with Mineralize Skinfinsh Natural, and further accentuated portions of her face and her body with Mineralise Skinshimmer. For her lips I used “Part-Nude” gel-liner lip pencil (limited ed.) followed by clear Lip Conditioner. I lined her eyes with “Fascinating” Kohl Liner and coated her lashes with Prolash Mascara.

Photographer: Bevan Davis

Model: Kudzani from Boss Models

Make-up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot in Studio in 2009

If you would like to bid or see the rest of the exhibition click here

Photographer: Justin Polkey

Model: Megan Wright (center),  Stephanie Stander (Trigger)

Hair and Make-up: Samantha Kaye

Art Director/Stylist: Hayley Baxter

Location: Noordhoek

I love this photograph.  Rob presented me with a picture of a girl with red raccoon eyes and sparkles one day. The make-up was flawed in areas and we both agreed that we thought we could adapt it and evolve it into something better. Rob brought in Cally Palmer, who brought the *perfect* black sequined shirt – which added elegance and depth to the black background we needed to “calm” the red as well as a red apple – which for me applies an organic parallel to the otherwise very harsh and foreign red placement in the photograph.

Make-up main ingredients: MAC cream colour base in Reel Red (limited edition), Mac Kohl Pencil in Fascinating, Zoomblack Mascara and swarovski crystals.

Model: Kristi

Photographer: Robert Miller

Stylist: Cally Palmer

Make-Up: Sam Kaye

Hair: Sam Kaye

Location: Snap Studios, Woodstock, Cape Town

Year: 2009

This image is taken from a series of images shot for Pasella – where I was given exactly 20 minutes for hair and make-up (including liquid liner and false lashes.) I like this image because it’s clearly a portrait, yet one cannot make eye-contact with the model – which makes this image (compared to the others from this shoot) more powerful in my eyes. Lyndall had just received her title as FHM’s sexiest SA Woman for 2009 and I felt very privileged to have worked with her.

Main Make-Up ingredients: MAC #7 lash, “pro lash” mascara, MAC eyeshadow in “black tied”, “beauty sleep (disc.)“, “garcon grey” and “brule”. Kohl Pencil in “smolder”.

Main Hair ingredients: Hair Spray

Photographer: Evert Theron

Model: Lyndall Jarvis

Make-up: Samantha Kaye

Hair: Samantha Kaye

Location: The Westin Grand, Cape Town

2009

“Looking though the window at life. You look amazing to me” is the title given to this photograph by the model, Kira Wilkinson. Kira and I shared a chalet whilst touring Jo-Burg with Madame Zingara and when she finally returned back from the UK I felt privileged to finally work with her on a test. I really love the ambiance of this photograph, the lighting, the reflections in the glass and the neutral colour palette. I hope to work with this team again soon!

Main Make-up ingredients: MAC: Face and Body in C6, brow-gel in clear,  eyeshadows in “brule”, “embark”, “cork” and “shroom”, technakohl liner in “graphblack”.

Pro Tip: When you’re applying your make-up with a clean, natural or matt look in mind use a non-reflective eye-shadow like MAC’s “brule” and then apply a colour like “shroom” (which is basically the same colour in a more reflective texture) in small doses under the arch of the brow or in-between the eyes on top of the bridge of the nose. Doing this helps to contour the face, draw attention to specific areas and sculpt the face – and the application of a non-shiny version of the colour first allows the eyeshadow to “dilute” making blending and subtelty easier.

Main Hair ingredients: OSIS “upload”, rollers and hairspray.

Photographer: Anton De Beer

Model: Kira Wilkinson

Make-Up: Samantha Kaye

Hair: Samantha Kaye

Stylist: Kira Wilkinson/ Nicky-Anne De Beer

Location: Houtkapperspoort, Constantia Nek

2009

A clean cut beautiful girl dressed in White and Silver.

Pictures to follow for those of you wearing ivory – or red!

Main Make-Up ingre­dients: MAC: strobe cream (radiance), face and body foun­da­tion (pow­der only where neces­sary), mine­ra­lize skin­fi­nish (one shade dar­ker than her com­ple­xion for a gentle con­tour — alt pro­duct, bron­zer in “gol­den”) eyesha­dow: “cork” , “brule”, “vani­lla”, cre­me­blush in “uncom­mon” lip pen­cil: “spice” lips­tick: “honey­love” mixed with “kinda sexy” top­ped with clear lipglass.

Beaded Wedding Dress by Gavin Rajah.

Photographer:Robert Miller

Model: Chelsea L from Infinity models

Stylist: Cally Palmer

Make-up and Hair Artist: Samantha Laura Kaye

Location: Snap Studios, Cape Town.

2009

Hair: Spritz the hair with GHD “thermal protector” spray, section the hair and roll into hot rollers, seal with hairspray and finish with a shine enhancing spray such as Loreal’s “Play Ball – Silky Sunrise”

Pho­to­grapher: Sally Mellish

Model: Clare Kuiper

Bou­quet: The Flower Market

Hair and Make-up artist: Samantha Kaye

Cape Town

2009