My “Go to Kit”

Hola internet!

Recently, I was approached by a fellow photog based in Southwest Missouri regarding makeup. He wanted advice regarding creating a basic kit that might be useful for his business. A “go to kit” his ladies would fall in love with and remember him for. I was humbled that he came to me for this advice and was happy to oblige!

Of course my mind went a million miles a minute! “Butterschotch , woodwinked, melba, mineral ?! no, yes, AHHH!”

While constructing a list for him, I realized how wonderful it would have been if I had someone around when I was building my kit. Someone who could tell me what they run for when a client or bride gives them creative freedom, answer my questions and learn from.

With this I give you the edited list of what I gave, Brent. Edited to include a more detailed list for those of you who are really interested. This is not everything you need, of course, but a basic starter kit that makes me smile.

*First off, you’ll need a few different shades of liquid foundation. Ranging from mahogany to alabaster. By having multiple shades to choose from you can be sure you have what you need to create a custom color for your client. (I will be writing soon regarding undertones as well as tips for matching foundation and creating flawless skin, so please keep checking back).

Note: my personal, every day, go to foundation these days is the almay smart shade. It gives me that glow I crave without the heavy feeling and moist look other foundations give. And it really is “smart”, it takes the guess work out of matching founcation. I use light to medium and it gives a good amount of coverage. I, personally , do not need heavy coverage (THANKS MOM!) so for those who need more coverage be sure to start your face with spot correction using a concealer.

*You’ll need some translucent powder to set the foundation. This is done BEFORE any other power is added to the face. If translucent powder is not available, a powder close to your skin color will work fine. But translucent is your friend! You won’t have to correct for color if you go with translucent This step ensures you have long lasting, smudge resistant foundation, and as this lovely added bonus- using a big fluffy brush firmly will smooth out any lines you may have created on your skin during application.

*Concealer in different shares is also needed in your kit. Different shades to customize for each client. I tend to grab my salmon colored concealer and mix with a yellow based concealer. I use Cinema Secrets concealer palette and it works great.

*I love love LOVE blush! You’ll need a few different colors in order to work with clients with different tones. MAC’s Melba, Blushbaby, and dessert rose are three of my loves.

*eyeshadows: I suggest different shades of brown. Both matte finish and some with shimmer. This will give you the option to go natural for every day and pump it up a bit if you’re heading out to a late movie with your honey. Men LOVE shimmery eyes- But be careful not to put too much shimmer on… you wouldn’t want people wondering if you got into a fight with Tinkerbell before you left.

Purples, pinks and golds I use alot on my clients. Lilac with a brown crease is one of my ” go to ” looks. To name a few of my faves: Hush , Swish, Fig 1, Stars N’ Rockets, and Espresso acts as my sweet crease companion.

Eyeshadow tips: Purples make green eyes pop and brown eyes look playful. Shimmery golds and browns look great together and purples work well with browns as well. Also, when choosing a color what you want to do is test it’s potency if possible before you buy. Take your finger and take a swipe at the color. If it gives you a good solid color then you are good to go. This means the shadow is actually going to show with less product. Since you will be needing less product to achieve the color you are looking for, you’ll get more product for your money!

*You must also have an eyeshadow base. Eyeshadow primer, cream base or concealer placed on the eye lid prior to shadow application keeps your color lasting longer! Two Faced Shadow Insurance and MAC Prep and Prime are great but can be pricy. Using the same concealer you use for spot correction will do a good job as well.

*You will use different shades of natural lip liner and lipstick. As well as some fun pink shades and nude lips are good. Add some gloss and you’re set. Some girls just use a simple nude liner filling the lips and a gloss over it.

* Mascara: I keep a few different types ranging from lengthening to full and flirty. You can get CVS types for these. I use colossal lashes by maybeline for both myself and clients.
Fake lashes can be added as well but that’s something that’s determined by your clients. I suggest Ardell lashes with Duo lash glue. Just make sure you girls know how to apply them properly!

*Black and brown liners are kit essentials! Black gives you the fashion liner girls crave and brown gives you the option of a natural clean liner. Colors are optional but can be a lot of fun!

Of course, this is not the only items you should or could have in your kit, they are merely my essential items I wish I knew were going to be my favorites right when I came out of school. I have a ton of things in my kit that I thought I could not live without and products I heard someone say was good once. But what I found to be my favorites are products I picked on my own and learned from trial and error. So don’t be afraid to try new products or the not so expensive brands… they may end up being your loves

And because Blogs are just better with pictures… Here are some Before and After shots of a few of the girls that participated in the Boudoir Marathon I talked about in the last post! Taken by the lovely Mirelis of BrownEyedPhotographer.

The O-So Beautiful Miss Mallory! We will be shooting her wedding this month so a giant YAY for that! And makeup will be done by yours truly! Photos will be posted, no worries!

Ohhhh Mandy! One of our former brides and one of the sweetest girls you’ll meet!

And lastly, the ever exciting Melissa! This girl will keep you on your toes and doubled over laughing. Don’t let this sweet face fool ya!

‘Till we meet again