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Makeup Technique: Power Brows

Products Used:

Medium arch brow stencil.
Dip Brow Pomade in Chocolate.
Tinted Brow Gel in Espresso.
MAC Studio Finish concealer.
MAC #263 angle brush.

Nothing transforms the face like nice brows! They provide an overall balance to the face and eye shape. Creating bold, power brows is a great makeup technique to frame the eyes with a bit more of a statement. The power brow is made super simple using Anastasia Beverly Hills stencils and long-wearing products. This routine is also perfect if you’re growing your brows out and need help achieving a shape that is “transitioning.”

By using a brow stencil you cheat your way through the fuss of getting that perfect, even shape on both sides. You can use a stencil with any brow-filling makeup product; i.e. pencils, powders, gel creams, etc. In one $20 set of stencils you get 5 styles- that’s an entire brow wardrobe! The makeup technique for keeping them clean and shapely is a lot easier than you may think…

Step 1. Comb through your naked brows, brushing the hair upwards.
Step 2. With the stencil lined up and pressed against your brow (use the 3 Golden Ratio® markers for help), draw along the bottom of the brow ONLY using the brush and Dip Brow Pomade.

Step 3. Wipe any excess product OFF your brush. Now, lightly blend the pomade that’s at the base of the brow up- softly fill in the desired brow shape.

Step 4. Apply brow gel throughout brow in the direction of hair growth.

Step 5. Clean up the base and tail of the brow with a concealer shade close to your natural/foundation color using a flat-edged brush. Voila!

High up on the 15th floor of the Omni Hotel, the windows wrapped around the corner of the room and presented a stunning bird’s-eye view of Uptown Charlotte. It was slightly foggy that morning, but you would’ve guessed that the weather was sunny with all the warmth and excitement radiating from inside the bridal suite. I carefully and excitedly prepped my station for a long day of wedding makeup for Jeressa and her 11 bridesmaids.

The women were absolutely lovely and all so different in beauty and personality. Some had traveled in from as far as Texas and Boston, and the room simply buzzed with excitement as the ladies made up for all the time they’d been apart.

One by one each of the women sat in my chair (mimosas in hand) and received the signature makeup look designed for Jeressa’s wedding. The look called for full lashes, glamorous eyes, and a matte red lip. Because her wedding colors were black, white and gold the red lip was an accent color that put such a thoughtful focus on the ladies. I used M.A.C “Brick” lip pencil and “American Doll” liquid lipstick by Anastasia Beverly Hills for the perfect red lip. Jeressa gifted each of her bridesmaids with their very own red lipstick for easy touch ups throughout the night- both a very thoughtful and incredibly smart gesture.

It was so rewarding to hear them literally scream with delight over their makeup. As the afternoon lead on the bridesmaids changed into 11 uniquely styled gowns, all black to match. The transformation was incredible! The red lip truly stood out, they looked so elegant and chic. And as the ladies transformed so did the weather; the skies turned sunny and inviting, perfect for a rooftop ceremony.

With the ceremony time approaching we quickly changed locations and headed to her wedding venue. The Harvey B. Gantt Center was just a few blocks away. Even before I began with the bride’s makeup she had an undeniably gorgeous glow. My goal was to enhance her beauty in a natural way yet still bring on the drama and the glam. The bride received airbrush foundation for flawless, long lasting coverage even for her oil-prone skin. She also requested smokey eyes which were accented by luxurious mink lashes and the signature red lip of course! She looked timeless, and the makeup perfectly complimented her classic while still fashion-forward Justin Alexander gown. From the dress to the accessories, Jeressa undoubtedly looked the part of beautiful, glowing bride.

Up until the final moment that she walked down the aisle I was present making sure everyone had makeup that was perfectly intact. I freshened up a few red pouts and blotted down a couple of faces. When showtime rolled around the parade of bridesmaids were cued down the aisle. I thanked Jeressa for trusting me with her makeup and for sharing with me her wedding day memories. She was more than gracious and we joked that another excuse for me to do her makeup would most certainly have to happen soon! And as she finally stepped out towards the rooftop ceremony on her father’s arm, I quietly slipped out and smiled thinking about how perfectly the day unfolded.

Bride & Groom: Jeressa & Darrell

Makeup: Alyssa Green

Photography: Emphasis Photography

Ceremony venue: The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture

“There’s no place like home…” and there’s certainly no place like the Land of Oz on Emerald Mountain- a hidden gem perched high up on Beech Mountain in North Carolina. Once an active family destination during the 70s-80s the privately owned Wizard of Oz theme park is nowadays a quiet monument to the classic story. It features everything from the yellow brick road to Dorothy’s Kansas farmhouse, and opens to the public only once a year in autumn. This magical place set the scene for Jane and Jay, who flew in all the way from California for their Oz-themed engagement photos.

It was a traveling job for me and took over three hours of driving from Charlotte to get there (quite the adventure itself through the winding Blue Ridge Mountains). I arrived for beauty prep at a quaint home where Jane and Jay were staying for the weekend. They were accompanied by Veronica, a talented photographer from New Jersey.

When it came to my services, I greatly appreciated how trusting Jane was in my makeup artistry- she allowed me complete creative freedom. For the first look, we opted for a gorgeous plum-red lip and full, false lashes. This was Jane’s first encounter with a bold lip color and she was surprised by how well it suited her! Between the makeup, hair, and wardrobe styling (which of course included the iconic, glittering ruby pumps) Jane’s look in the engagement photos was totally transforming.

Another thirty-minute car ride and we were on the doorsteps of Oz. As soon as the camera came out we were greeted by the resident black cat, who naturally we nicknamed Toto. He would not leave Jane’s side the entire day, and you’ll find him in almost every photo! There was a sense of exclusivity as we shot in the Land of Oz, it was quiet and we had the whole park to ourselves. Between makeup touch-ups I played assistant on the shoot, handling lighting equipment so Veronica could capture the perfect shot. Halfway into the four hour shoot we opted for a second look for makeup and hair, I chose an aubergine smokey eye with just a hint of glitter and placed Jane’s hair in a bow-shaped up-do.

Memorable scenes from the film were carefully recreated, and tailored in a way that would tell the story of Jane and Jay. Some of the final engagement photos taken that day would take my breath away. As the view along the yellow brick road began to open up, the sun was softly setting behind the mountains. It was a perfect fairytale ending to a day spent in the Land of Oz.

Styling and concept by Jane Bloom.
Hair and makeup by Alyssa Green www.alyssa-makeup.com
Photography by Veronica L. Yankowski/VeroLuce Photography www.verolucephotography.com
For more information on Land of Oz visit http://emeraldmtn.com/LandofOz/landofoz.html

Get that bridal glow by keeping up with a healthy regimen.

The secret to having the bridal glow and perfect makeup on your wedding day begins months before the ceremony. Your main focus should be maintaining a proper skincare routine with the time you have leading up to the big day. The integrity of your wedding makeup improves by having balanced, healthy skin as a base.

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