Cape Town’s “Southern Ink Xposure” tattoo convention brought an assortment of alternative inked models to the mother city, and we all know that there’s nothing quite so inspiring to photographers as a uniquely beautiful girl. Southern Ink Xposure was painfully timed to compete with the birthday weekend of yours truly, so alas there was not much model grabbing and photo taking on my behalf, but luckily one or two of the beauties stayed behind, and I was given the opportunity to work with a suicide girl and official suicide girl photographer. Lumo Suicide (the name of this particular Suicide Girl) asked me to curl her hair and make her look a mix of classically beautiful and interesting. The pink heart is obviously not present on the purchased set.

Photographer: TaLamia Photography

Model: Lumo Suicide

Hair and Make-up Artist: Samantha Laura Kaye

Pro Tip: To get the structure behind these curls I lightly finger-combed “Grip” Mousse  (from the OSIS range by Schwarzkopf ) through her hair, then slowly, section by section made tight GHD curls. While the curls were hot, as soon as I released them from the iron, I rolled them neatly into a tight curl and pinned them with a grip clip and some tissue (to prevent tension marks where the clips grip). I then added hairspray, left the curls for around 45 min, and then took them down and combed away any stray hairs. Finally I used the Loreal “Play Ball” shine serum (which is a spray!) to bring out the texture and colour.

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:  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

Make-Up: Main Make-up Ingre­dients: MAC: Apply Strobe Cream — to give the skin radiance, the buff Stu­dio Fix Fluid -( in my expe­rience it’s the lon­gest wea­ring of MAC’s foun­da­tions which makes it ideal for bri­des) into the skin with a stip­pling brush (I like the #187). Apply “Shroom” to the inner cor­ners of the eye, “vani­lla” under the brow bone, “Cork” and “bronze” to the crease, “All that glit­ters” to the ball of the eye and “graphblack” technakohl liner along the lash­line with an angle brush. Fuzz the liner with a #219 pencil brush along the edge of the eye and into the outer edges of the crease. Gently exag­ge­rate the line of the eye with “black­track” fluid­line. Set the brows with clear brow gel, and then gently fill them in with an angle brush and an eyesha­dow like “brun”  or as I used here MAC’s eye-pencil in “strut”, gently dust some “strada” (matt) blush under the cheek­bone for con­tour, and dust a little “good as gold” over the top of the cheek for s fresh glow. Dust over the entire face with Prep+Prime trans­pa­rent finishing pow­der and then finish the lips with “Subculture” lipli­ner and “Kinda Sexy” (matt) lips­tick.

Hair: Spritz the hair with GHD “thermal protector” spray, section the hair and then create loose GHD curls, section by section. Holding the bottom of the curl, pull the remaining hair up towards the sky to create a messier, fuller and more “teased” curl. Braid two sections of hair and wrap around the forehead to create an element of “intentional control”. Spritz all over with a maximum hold hairspray, and then finish with a shine enhancing spray such as Loreal’s “Play Ball – Silky Sunrise”

Pho­to­grapher: Sally Mellish

Model:Caitlin Dow­nes

Bou­quet: The Flo­wer Market

Hair and Make-up Artist: Samantha Kaye

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

Make-Up: Main Make-up Ingre­dients: MAC: Apply Strobe Cream — to give the skin radiance, the buff Stu­dio Fix Fluid -( in my expe­rience it’s the lon­gest wea­ring of MAC’s foun­da­tions which makes it ideal for bri­des) into the skin with a stip­pling brush (I like the #187). Apply “Shroom” to the inner cor­ners of the eye, “vani­lla” under the brow bone, “Cork” and “bronze” to the crease, “All that glit­ters” to the ball of the eye and “graphblack” technakohl liner along the lash­line with an angle brush. Fuzz the liner with a #219 pencil brush along the edge of the eye and into the outer edges of the crease. Gently exag­ge­rate the line of the eye with “black­track” fluid­line. Set the brows with clear brow gel, and then gently fill them in with an angle brush and an eyesha­dow like “brun”  or as I used here MAC’s eye-pencil in “strut”, gently dust some “strada” (matt) blush under the cheek­bone for con­tour, and dust a little “good as gold” over the top of the cheek for s fresh glow. Dust over the entire face with Prep+Prime trans­pa­rent finishing pow­der and then finish the lips with “Subculture” lipli­ner and “Kinda Sexy” (matt) lips­tick.

Hair: Spritz the hair with GHD “thermal protector” spray, section the hair and then create loose GHD curls, section by section. Holding the bottom of the curl, pull the remaining hair up towards the sky to create a messier, fuller and more “teased” curl. Braid two sections of hair and wrap around the forehead to create an element of “intentional control”. Spritz all over with a maximum hold hairspray, and then finish with a shine enhancing spray such as Loreal’s “Play Ball – Silky Sunrise”

Pho­to­grapher: Sally Mellish

Model:Caitlin Downes

Bou­quet: The Flower Market

Hair and Make-up artist: Samantha Kaye

Cape Town

2009

Model: Catey Keen

Bou­quet: Elgin Roses

Hair and Make-up artist: Samantha Kaye

Cape Town

2009

Hair How-To: Pull her hair into a loose french roll, fluf­fing the top and pulling “ran­dom strings” loose. Braid loose hair pie­ces and tuck them into the french twist, pull pie­ces around the head in orga­nic motions and fas­ten with two bobby pins in a cross. Set with hairspray.

Pho­to­grapher: Sally Mellish

Model: Marika Maliaris

Bou­quet: Elgin Roses

Hair and Make-up artist: Samantha Kaye

Cape Town

2009