Seattle Lingerie Fine Art Nude Bridal Maternity Glamour PinUp Photographer

12.08.14

Naturally curly hair

Today I had a client with naturally curly hair that wasn’t sure if coming in with clean and dry hair, as suggested, was the right thing to do. Women with naturally curly hair typically need to use more product than women with straight or wavy hair in order to keep down the frizz, and add some definition to their curls. Therefore, when they are told to come in with clean and dry with no product, their ears perk up and often question if that pertains to their hair as well. So today I want to take the time to clear the air and give some detailed instruction on how to prepare for your session at Belle Boudoir if you have naturally curly hair.

Do’s

1. Do wash your hair the night before your appointment

2. Do use a deep conditioner or deep conditioning mask to pump in extra moisture and help to keep the flyaways at bay

3. If you would like for your stylist to work with your natural curl, then simply allow your hair to air dry overnight and arrive at the studio with clean, dry, and product free hair

4. If you are planning to have your hair straightened or have big loose waves or curls, you can either follow the above directions or take it one step further by blowdrying your hair straight before arriving with clean and product free hair.

5. Do have faith that the hair stylists at Belle Boudoir WILL know what to do to your hair to achieve your desired result. We all have tons of experience working with all hair types and promise we won’t steer you in the wrong direction!

6. Do bring in images of the type of style you would like us to take inspiration from.

Dont’s

1. Don’t apply product to your hair – especially creams, pomades, grease, gels, etc. These will only weigh your hair down and be counter productive when we are working to create sleek and sexy volume.

2. Don’t come in with dirty hair. The natural scalp oils also tend to weigh the hair down which is why most women with naturally curly hair go several days between washes – the natural oils tend to tame the frizz and keep the volume down. Unfortunately this is not helpful in a special situation such as your session with us at Belle Boudoir.

3. Don’t try any new product for 7-10 days leading up to your appointment with us to ensure that you do not have any undesirable results, allergies, or breakouts.

4. Don’t try a new stylist within 6 weeks of your session date! While there are many incredible stylists, not all of them work well with naturally curly hair and the last thing you want is to get a cut or color you are unhappy with before memorializing your beauty in a photo session with us.

Hopefully the above information will help you know how to prepare your naturally curly hair for your session at Belle Boudoir. And finally – DO feel free to leave comments and questions below if anything is lingering on your mind!

xo,

Nikoma (Hair & Makeup Artist)

057 19A(pp w768 h511) Naturally curly hair

11.24.14

Disguising your real lashes into falsies

Yesterday I had a client ask me how I was going to be able to disguise her eyelashes into the false lashes I was planning to apply and it struck me that there are probably far more women with that exact question. In order to decode the answer for you, I am going to explain how I apply false lashes in 6 easy steps.

1. Grab the false lash at the outer corner and pull it away from the package

2. Measure the length of the strip (base) of the lash to your natural lash line and trim off the excess from the outside of the lash. If you cut them from the inside of the lash, there will not be a graduation into the longest lashest and they will look significantly less natural.

3. Apply a thin, even layer of glue across the base of the lash and allow to dry to a sticky consistency – typically 20 seconds. I recommend using Duo glue in either clear or black but Ardell works well too if you are unable to find Duo.

4. Start in the middle of the lash line and press the false lash as far into your natural lash line as possible, moving outward until you reach the corners. Hold the inner corner down until it fully adheres.

5. If you are able to see any areas where the glue is visible, use your eyeliner to disguise it into your look.

6. With the mascara of your choice, start at the base of your natural lashes and press them up into the false lashes as you apply a light layer to darken your lashes to the color of the falsies.

AAaaaaand Viola! You have perfectly applied and disguised false lashes.

xo,

Nikoma (Makeup Artist)

11.01.14

My Body Image Started To Change

Typically when I write a short story about a clients experience at Belle Boudoir, I take their words and work it into (what I hope is) a well crafted story. You will notice in this weeks story, however, that I simply quoted our client for a large portion of the story. She was incredibly thoughtful, honest, and well written. Her raw responses are significantly more powerful than anything I can write. So much so that I was in tears reading the last paragraph. Please read on and you will see what I mean…

A little over 36 years ago Ms L married the man of her dreams. They met in Junior High school and attended the same church which is where, she says, they fell in love. A true “match made in heaven,” if you will. When I asked Ms. L why she decided NOW was the right time for her boudoir session at Belle Boudoir, she gave me an incredibly well articulated answer: “A woman has to have a planned strategy in marriage (a man should have one as well) as to how you are going to keep the fire burning and not let familiarity’s drenching bucket smother that fragile flame, and fragile it is. A long term relationship will benefit greatly from well timed sprinklings of spice or drastic change, like a new hair cut/color, a well deserved vacation, moving to a new city, or, in this case, unexpected behavior concerning romance or sex. My shoot was my unexpected gift to my husband. Something he never thought I would do.” *le sigh*

The most memorable part of Ms. L’s experience at Belle Boudoir was “the atmosphere in which Cheryl created at the studio. And it was obvious that she had done research into how to create it. Most important, the temperature was perfect. Cheryl was calm and methodical but never cold. Because I was nervous and felt like a deer-in-the-headlights, her slow methodical movements and direct direction for posing, in its complete opposition to what I was feeling, brought my heart rate down and a confidence that together we could pull this thing off. Believe me, I had my doubts, not with Cheryl but with my ability to appear sexy! Performance anxiety was totally thrown out the window!”

When I asked Ms. L what she took away from her session at Belle Boudoir she said that her “youngest daughter who is still at home constantly tells me I have a body-image problem (and maybe it’s due to the awful mirrors I have at home). Leaving the studio, even though Cheryl assured me that we had captured some great images, I was anxious. BUT, when the first photo arrived in my inbox my “body-image” started to change. First, I vowed to smile more in the bedroom. Secondly, even though I know the images have gone through post-production, I realized that I had good proportions and that my daughter was right, I “saw” myself much differently and had been very self critical. Thirdly, the realization that I had been self critical made me realize that I had robbed myself of actually being sexy! Frankly, that made me mad! Two-thirds of my “I could be really sexy” life had been stolen! But alas, God has His way of growing and expanding us just at the time that we need it most. He cares about our vibrancy and liveliness in our romantic relationships and through the serendipitous way that Cheryl and I came to know one another, I can see His hand leading me into this learning moment and exciting new self-perspective!”

Ms. L’s story is why Cheryl Jones and I do what we do. We want to give women the opportunity to see themselves through someone else’s eyes. We want to show them how beautiful, strong, and sexy they truly are. We view boudoir as a way to empower women to walk a little taller by seeing their true beauty. Ms. L’s story is a perfect example of exactly that and we are honored that she was willing to share her story with us! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

xo,
Nikoma Souza

p.s. This session was done after the sun had gone down — ask us if you’re interested in an “after dark” session — which results in more shadows and highly dramatic imagery.

10.25.14

Making Memories With A Maternity Shoot

One thing that I regret about my pregnancy, is that I did not let anyone take pictures of me. I do not have even ONE photo of me during one of the most memorable and important times in my life. Therefore, when we get women in the Belle Boudoir studio for maternity shoots, I am elated to be a part of them.

When Ms. T and her husband decided it was time to extend their family by adding in a little one, she knew that it was an experience she wanted to document. After all, growing a life is one of the most magical, memorable, and incredible experiences a woman can have. Ms. T decided to come into Belle Boudoir in order to memorialize her 8th month of pregnancy and we are so happy that she did! As you can see in the photo below, she was literally glowing. During a time when your body is going through so many physical and emotional changes, it is important to acknowledge that you are still beautiful and sexy. In my opinion, women are the most beautiful during this enchanting time. And having your maternity experience memorialized at Belle Boudoir is one of the best decisions a woman can make! Take one look at the photo below and I think you’ll agree with me.

xoxo,
Nikoma

10.20.14

Shaping Your Brows

Tweeze, pluck, wax, thread, tint, shape, or maintain, OH MY! With so many options for getting and keeping your brows in shape, which method should you go with and who should you trust to shape and maintain your delicate facial frame?

For most women, it is best to get your brows shaped by a professional who will take into consideration your face shape, eye shape, and your natural brow shape. They will ask what type of shape you like – a high arch, something softer and more rounded, etc. If you aren’t sure, you can always leave that decision to the professional. I have always had great experiences at both the Brow Bar by Benefit (available in most Macy’s locations) and Anastasia Beverly Hills (available in most Nordstrom stores). Both brands specialize in brows and are the go to shapers for most of Hollywood’s leading ladies. When you are dealing with a feature that can literally make or break your face, it is always in your best interest to see a specialist. These estheticians will always guide you in the right direction and are able to suggest other products that may help you put your best BROW forward such as brow gel or powders and can teach you how to use them.

One you have your brows shaped, they are pretty easy to maintain on your own with a good pair of tweezers. I recommend using a slanted pair from Tweezerman or Anastasia Beverley Hills for the best results. When you are maintaining your brows. It is important to only tweeze the stray hairs. Do not try to re-shape your own brows as it can often end up leaving you with undesired results.

Since getting your brows shaped can leave your skin red and puffy and because makeup does not like to adhere to freshly waxed skin, it is important that you give your skin a full 48 hours to “settle” before your shoot with Belle Boudoir. This small detail will make your shoot an even bigger success.

Happy Shaping,
Nikoma