DC Makeup Class Alert! Makeup for Photography Saturday, July 21, 2018

 I have to apologize for the delayy with hosting this class. As soon as I started with the planning my work schedule got extremely hectic. So, I had to make the decision to put off this class until the time was right. Work is still busy, but I know have more time to put in to plan this wholeheartedly.

That being said, having 12 years of experience in the makeup and beauty industry, I believe it's time that I share my Makeup for Photography tips. In this class you will learn what it takes to perfect makeup looks that will be photographed. With Makeup for Photography, it's important that you master attention to detail, foundation matching, makeup coordination, knowing your client and makeup coordination.

READ MORE DETAILS Below:

This class will include:

*hands-on instruction

* makeup workbook

*hands on demos

*makeup practice

*makeup gift

*breakfast

*lunch

I am super excited to be offering this class! I think as a professional makeup artist it's important to know how to acheive flawless makeup applications. I am here to help you take your skills to the next level!! Booking for the class is VERY limited. Sign up for the class starts FRIDAY , JUNE 8th at 10am. please email hello@denyelledbeauty.com for booking info.

REINVENT.

This year was tough...had it's ups as well as downs...not everything is meant for social media, and you're probably looking at this blog post wondering...

"What happened to Denyelle?"

Well...LIFE happened...to me, my family, and some of my close friends...

But, per usual, I had to be the strong one.

Because I'm ALWAYS the strong one. 

The backbone...

The glue...

The listening ear...

The confidant...

The therapist...

Aaaannnddd, the mediator.

Here's the thing though... I felt like "I" couldn't break, because that meant EVERYONE would break, and if everyone is broken whoooo and howww will WE  fix...us?

Yeah...I know right?

With everything that was going on, I lost myself in the hustle and bustle of life.  My long-term relationship had failed...I had gained unwanted weight and I just didn't FEEL right.

Then I wondered...How can get that good, that GREAT feeling about myself back? How...how can I feel like ME again?

Being in the beauty industry, I'm supposed to always be pretty and poised, put together and fierce...but you know what? I haven't FELT fierce in a LONG time...

Yeah, the selfies are cute and all but I still haven't felt....like...ME.

Deep sigh...One day I thought to myself "I meed to REINVENT my life."

So, I slowly started to do things I liked to do...karaoke, reading, spending more quiet times with The Lord, saying "no" when I had been so used to saying "yes", pampering days, and I slightly updated my clothe /shoe wardrobe, and a host of other things. I also have a corner in my room I call "Things that make me happy" . It consists of concert tickets, pictures, stickers, my vision board, and newly added; a painting my sister gifted me for Christmas/birthday. 

I am also slowly updating people I spend time with...and drawing NEAR to those who DON'T make my presence in their lives an OPTION.

Now...let me tell you about these latest images of me...(don't cry Denni, don't cry...)

DFINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY 

I finally LOOK how I feel! I LOOK like meeeee!!! Am I all the way there? Absolutely not, but these images let me know I'm going in the right direction.

I'm so proud of myself...what some may have seen as failure in my life I see as a BLESSING because of the LESSON learned from the "MISTAKE".

DFINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

DFINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

I believe, in life, EVERY thing has a "WHY" whether it is good or bad, there is always a WHY.

Jackie Armstrong Photography

I AM my WHY. Be your WHY. ❤

Jackie Armstrong Photography

Happy 2018💫

Always live in love, 

Denyelle

Photo credits: 

DFinney Photography

Jackie Armstrong Photography

Giphy

Curlfriends at the Fair

A year ago I had a dream...a vison if you will, about doing a photo shoot which featured beautiful brown women having fun. That vision /dream gave me the idea to do "Curlfriends in the City" . So, I reached out to one of my photographer friends Melena of MShonell Photography ( www.mshonellphoto.com) with the concept; lucky for ME, she was down. Fast forward, we did a model call, and snagged 5 beautiful women of color. We did the shoot in the U St corridor of Northwest D.C.,  and "Curlfriends in the City" was a success!! We were featured on blogs, and were reposted many times.

AAAaaannnnddd...

*drumroll please* This year we were published in the 1st edition of Color Story Magazine!

@colorstorymagazine

Exciting right!?

With the unexpected success of "CITC"* shoot, it was hard to find a concept to top it. I knew we had to " bring it" with the next shoot.

Then...

One day, while scrolling my FB timeline, I got wind of the County Fair coming to town. After my discovery I quickly realized we had about two weeks to plan and prepare to execute the shoot.

Knowing Melena wanted to shoot at the fair, my immediate text to her was- "WE HAVE TO SHOOT CURLFRIENDS AT THE FAIR!!! What is your schedule??"

We HAD to act fast because the fair was only in town for one weekend, which, for me, meant I had to carefully and strategically execute EACH detail...we locked down a date and time and I had to start with the planning.

Model call was tough...I needed at least 4 women of varying skin tones to pull off my vision and I was receiving images of the same tone..BEAUTIFUL women nonetheless, but I needed a variety.

Then "voila" everything came together...I ended up with 6 models...which meant work for me as the MUA, Stylist, AND creative director...No sweat right??  Nah, no sweat, I got this!

Deep sigh... 

I decided this time we would be colorful so the outfit colors you see were chosen by me accordimg to each model's skin tone.  Makeup had to be soft glam on the eyes with a popping bright lip to coordinate with their clothing.

@_terri_smith_

@misschelle.renee

@Krysinthecity

KNEW I wanted them to have big fun, eat fluffy cotton candy, win cute prizes and laugh until their bellies hurt...but I didn't think of the crowd. OMG...ya'll when we arrived...I cringed "what about the crowd??". How in the world can we do a PHOTOSHOOT at the fair with this HUMONGOUS CROWD???

Let me just say this...My GOD is AWESOME! with the exception of one rude game worker, we had a smooth shoot! People were surprisingly respectful of the models, and some were even giving lovely compliments to my ladies. 

 @_joymelanie @catherinemiller

 @misschelle.renee @loccrush

 @catherinemiller @_terri_smith_

All in all we had a bunch of fun, and I am extremely proud of this colorful fun-filled shoot. 

A HUGE thank you to photographer Melena DeFlorimonte (MShonell Photography)  and my beautiful models Joy, Catherine, Terri, Mischelle, Krystle and Denise for making this shoot better than what I could ever imagine! 

I hope you enjoyed Curlfriends at the Fair!! Leave a comment..let us know what you think!

 @catherinemiller @_terri_smith_

If YOU would like to be a Curlfriend email me at hello@denyelledbeauty.com!

Until next time,

💜D

*CITC= Curlfriends in the City

CURLFRIENDS AT THE FAIR

PHOTOGRAPHY: MSHONELL PHOTOGRAPHY

CONCEPT/STYLING/MAKEUP: Denyelle D. 

New Bridal Beauty Packages!

Good day all! I'm pleased to announce Denyelle D. Beauty 's Bridal packages which will be rolling out for the 2017 wedding season!!

DFinney Photography 

I'm often approached with questions about packages and I am SO EXCITED to provide you with quality makeup packages!

Some of the new Bridal packages will allow me to be more involved on wedding day and wedding festivities. This is to insure you look and FEEL your absolute best at all times! How exciting is that?! :-)

Lauren M Photography

So, if you are interested in booking, learning more about the bridal packages, or if you have any questions, Please email me at hello@denyelledbeauty.com. 

Thanks for stopping through and have a lovely day! 

Wedding Wednesday- Beauty Edition

Happy Wedding Wednesday!

Today I will talk about how I create different looks for my bridal clients. I believe that bridal beauty should be timeless, soft, and near perfect. I enjoy looks that have that "WOW' factor without being overly done, and I believe that bridal looks should not be dramatic or trendy. Your wedding images will last a lifetime, and when you book with me, my goal for your wedding day is for you to still be happy with your makeup look 20 years down the road. 

Today, I am sharing one of my favorite makeup looks that I've created for former brides and bridal shoots!

Here is an anniversary shoot with Tiffany and Alonzo! This glam shoot was so much fun and they were a beautiful couple to work with!

Ok, this is the breakdown of Tiffany's makeup look:

Skin: Black Opal Cosmetics Foundation Stick in Suede Mocha and Truly Topaz to Highlight the high points of her face. Black Opal Foundation Stick in Carob was used to contour the hollow of her cheekbones to make them stand out a bit.

Makeup was set using Black Opal Loose Powder in Dark. Skin was highlighted with MAC Cosmetics Mineralized Skinfinish in Gold Deposit, and her blush was MAC Blush in Sweet as Cocoa.

EYES: On this shoot I used a neutral matte palette of eyeshadow by Mehron. Eyeliner was ELF Cosmetics creme liner in Black. Tiffany's bottom lid eyeliner was MAC Powerpoint Eyeliner in Engraved.

Eyelashes were Ardell Demi Wispies. 

I finished off the look with MAC Cosmetics lipliner in Vino, and Miliani Cosmetics Lipstick in Matte Flirty 

I hope you enjoyed viewing this look as much as I enjoyed creating it! Tell me what you think and leave a comment below!

Until next time,

-Den

“Images by DFinney Photography
Hair by Terri Gregorik, LLC.”

DFinney Mentoring Session with Vanessa Moye and Janelle!

One beautiful Friday afternoon I was brought on to provide makeup for one of DFinney Photography’s mentoring sessions. The mentee was Vanessa Moye and she was such a delight to be around. Our model for the day was Janelle, a budding photographer from Chicago. Janelle was in town for a friend’s wedding and signed up to be a model for the hands-on photography portion of the session.

Janelle walked in and I thought she was absolutely gorgeous! Her skin, her hair, and OMG those eyes were definitely something to write home about. After we exchanged pleasantries, my idea to do my signature natural makeup look went out the window! I wanted, I NEEDED to make her eyes stand out and her lips to pop! I couldn't wait to get started with her and I am happy that she felt so beautiful afterwards. <3

DFINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

PRODUCT DETAILS:

EYES:

Coloupop cosmetics Super Shock shadow “So Quiche”

MAC Cosmetics Matte Eyeshadow “Carbon”

MAC Cosmetics Matte Eyeshadown “Saddle”

MAC Cosmetics Matte Eyeshadow “Folie”

Motives Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner “Little Black Dress”

Red Cherry #47 eyelashes

SKIN:

Black Opal Cosmetics Foundation Stick “Topaz”

Black Opal Cosmetics Foundation Stick “Hazelnut”

Black Opal Cosmetics Foundation Stick “Suede Mocha”

Black Opal Loose Powder “Medium”

Black Opal Loose Powder “Dark”

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Powder “Indiscretion”

MAC Cosmetics Blush “Sweet as Cocoa”

BROWS: 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyebrpw Palette "Chocolate"

LIPS:

MAC Lipliner “Vino”

MAC Lipstick “Diva”

VANESSA MOYE PHOTOGRAPHY 

 I was SO pleased with how this look turned out! When I saw the images I couldn't help but to compare it to an Dark and Lovely ad! I hope you enjoyed this post, there will definitely be more to come!

VANESSA MOYE PHOTOGRAPHY

Until next time,

-Den

Curlfriends in the City

One evening, I was scrolling through the Internet and I was inspired by a photoshoot of a group of beautiful women at the beach. They appeared to be having a great time, and I was inspired to do a shoot with women having fun too. I knew it had to be a special group of women to pull this off, and I wanted them to have awesome natural hair.

The young ladies I got together pulled off this shoot perfectly and I'm honored that they decided to let down their guards and have fun.

Fun fact: Our Curlfriends hadn't met until the day of the shoot?? Crazy chemistry right? 😍

Why Natural Hair? 

The Natural Hair phenomenon has taken over the beauty industry. Relaxer sales have tremendously dropped. More women are taking the plunge and doing the "big chop" to go completely natural.
Women all across the world are connecting because of their hair. As a matter of fact, I am often stopped on the street by women wanting to know my hair care routine. In addition, natural haired women have a carefree aura and are absolutely beautiful! 

Why the city?

I'm a city girl, and nothing says fun with my girls then a random shoot on one of Washington, DC's most famous neighborhoods. So, I wanted to capture the ever changing beauty of DC. 

What are Curlfriends?
The Curlfriends are superwomen. They are powerful women that have beauty, intellect, ravishing smiles and timeless beauty.
Curlfriends are also women who rock their natural curls or locs, and they connect with other curlies because they have similar things in common. 

They say when a woman cuts her hair she's transitioning to a better version of herself. If you're thinking of taking that step to rock your natural hair, use these women as inspiration that you CAN be beautiful sans relaxer or weave! 

In this shoot we have mothers, teachers, church administrators, models, a yoga instructor, and a photographer. With the vast background these women have, the most thing they have in common is owning their beauty. Yes, makeup was applied, but all of these women are comfortable in their skin sans makeup. 

The concept of this shoot was meant to encourage women to not be afraid to get glammed up, reach out to their friends, and have a fun day out. It was also done to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and do something out of the norm!

I'm so excited to see my vision come to life and I hope you enjoyed this post! Stay tuned this week for the introduction of our Curlfriends! 

Until next time...

luv,

Den

Special Thank  to Melena of MShnell Photography for these perfect images!! @mshonellphoto

Models: Joy -IG @joymelanie
               Denise - IG @loccrush
               Kai Bean
               Catherine - IG @catherineamiller
               Adina - IG @blissculturephoto

Your Day, Your Slay

Sy Photography

Yes, I know the word "slay" has been used to capacity but what better way to describe how you're gonna "KILL IT" on your day other than to slaaaaaay it!?!

Let's talk about it...

How will you represent your personality through your bridal styling? You've said "Yes To the Dress" now how are you going to allow your personality to shine??? The ultimate goal is for you to not only look beautiful, but to feel beautiful and here's how!

DFinney Photography

If you're a low-maintenance woman, choose accessories that are true to you. Add some bejeweled chucks, small studded earrings and a simple necklace to add some charm to your look. With makeup, tell your makeup artist that you'd like a fresh makeup look, and opt for small lashes (yes lashes) to accentuate those beautiful eyes. 

Capture Your Beauty Photography

Heeeey diva!!! Yes you!!!! If your a self-proclaimed diva and selfie queen don't hesitate to go full out glam! But waaaaiiiit, don't overdo it, less is definitely more even when you're a diva. If you choose an ornate necklace, choose simple earrings. If you choose busy earrings, opt for a simple necklace.

Carl Elixir Photography

When it comes to your makeup look don't be afraid to change up, and give your trusted makeup artistsome creative control. 😉

Capture Your Beauty Photography

Natarsha Wright Photography

All in all you want to look and feel your absolute best, you want jaws to drop, and you want the love of your life to shed a tear as you walk down the aisle.💕

Thank you for taking the time to read my "Beautifully Ever After" Blog series. I hope I gave some insight to wedding beauty, and made your ideas a little more clearer. Until next time...

-💜 Den

The Marriage: Makeup & Photography

DFinney Photography

Hey Ladies! This blog is to talk about the importance of hiring the perfect wedding photographer! Yes, we know Uncle Bob has an expensive camera and can take pictures, but it's best to allow a professional photographer to capture your day.

The marriage...

If you've been reading the previous blogs, you now have an idea of how you want to look on your wedding day. The marriage between a professional makeup artist and a professional photographer is important because they make each other shine!

Please don't make the mistake in hiring a top notch makeup artist, and then have your younger cousin take photographs! It won't work out! You want your beautiful union captured beautifully and professionally, and most of all you want your beautiful makeup to be captured as well!

Point blank, a great photographer make a makeup artists work look stellar, and vice versa! It's the perfect marriage!!

Here are some of my favorite photographers that I've worked with!

DFinney Photography- Specializes in Engagement, Portrait, and Family Sessions http://www.dfinneyphoto.co/

Jackie Armstrong Photography - Specializes in Studio and Wedding Photography http://www.jackiearmstrong.com/

Natarsha Wright Photography- Specializes in Wedding Photography

http://www.natarshawright.com/

Carl Elixir Photography - Specializes in Wedding Photography

http://www.carlelixirphotography.com/

Rhea Whitney Photography - Specializes in Wedding Photography

http://www.rheawhitney.com/

Thank you for reading the blog today! Stay tuned for tomorrow's finale of the Beautifully Ever After series! Until next time. -💜Den

5 Steps: The Perfect Bridal Beauty Plan

Okay ladies, you have your ring, dress, bridesmaids, venue, wedding planner, photographer, caterer, florals, and DJ all in place, don't let your beauty needs come last!!

I can't tell you how many wedding day horror stories I've heard from women where they hated their makeup and hair, but had to smile their way through the day. Or, they've waited too late to book with their makeup artist and had to go with a friend whom only knows how to her own makeup, which resulted in a total fail!

Here are some foolproof ways to insure you're looking your absolute BEST on your wedding day!

1. Omg you got the proposal of your dreams! By now you have dress ideas in your head, and it's also time to peg down your entire look from head to toe. Get a girly notebook and write down your beauty notes!. This is also the time to decide how you want your personality to shine on your wedding day. 

Not my work

2. Surf the net by looking at some of your favorite entertainers and their makeup. Queen Latifah, Paula Patton, Toni Braxton, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Middleton, Jennifer Lopez, and Lupita Nyongo are some of my favorite celebrity beauties! 

3. Use social media to your advantage! Search Pinterest using searches entitled "wedding day makeup", "wedding day hair" , "bridal beauty looks" , "soft makeup looks", and "pretty makeup looks". Trust me, this will help out a LOT!

4. Some of the best makeup artists showcase their work and can be contacted right from your cell phone. From, you guessed it, INSTAGRAM!  Use the  Instagram search box to find a makeup artist in your area. Simply type in your area followed by MUA. For instance, if you live in Houston, you'd type in "houstonMUA" or "houstonmakeupartist". Then scroll through the images you see, and if you like a MUA's work email her, and get to booking!

Another way to use social media is by asking your Facebook friends for referrals. It's always great to get solid referrals from a makeup artists' current or former clients.

5. You should be booking your makeup artist 6-8 months in advance. In doing so, you are most likely to guaranteed to book your favorite makeup artist and hair stylist. This is a CRUCIAL step that's required to create your dreamy bridal look. Please don't wait until the last minute which could result in settling for less than the best in the industry. 

 

Thank you for taking the time out to read today's blog. I hope you got some great information, if you did leave a comment below!  Until next time... 💜Den

PS: Don't forget to SHARE with your friends and followers for a chance to win a LUXURY BEAUTY SWAG BAG! 😍

Bridal Skincare 101 with Vivian Wynter!

Today's blog post is featuring my good friend, aesthetician, and makeup artist Vivian Wynter!! Vivian, thank you so much for your contribution and your wonderful skin care tips! Check it out below ladies and gents!!

Hello Beautiful,

Now that you’ve gotten engaged and have chosen your bridesmaids, it’s time to talk about prepping your skin for the big day! As an Esthetician and Makeup Artist of 13 years, I KNOW how important skin care is to makeup.  You’ve all heard it but it’s true- great makeup starts with great skin! Now, if you weren’t born with the most perfect skin (and most of us weren’t) have no fear, I’m here to give you the 4 steps that will not only ensure great skin on your big day, but for the rest of your life!

1.) CLEANSE (Everyday)

Dry Skin- stick with a creamy cleanser

Oily Skin- stick with a gel cleanser

Normal (not oily, not dry)- stick to a lotion-based cleanser

2.) EXFOLIATE/SCRUB (3x’s/week)

This is ONE of the most important steps in your regime, it’s the second best anti-aging trick that makes the makeup go on smoother, and creates a clear, even tone in the skin.

3.) SERUM-Treatment (Everyday)

This is where you will target any concerns you may have, be it anti-aging, hyperpigmentation (dark spots), or breakouts.  If you’re having trouble picking one out, or don’t know where to start, call Vivian, and she’ll be happy to recommend one for your specific skin!

4.) HYDRATE (Everyday)

Dry Skin- stick with a cream (usually in a jar)

Oily Skin- stick with a gel

Normal (not oily, not dry)- stick with a lotion

And, there you have it! The four magical steps that will get your skin aisle and life ready!

TIPS FROM A PROFESSIONAL:

Get a facial once a season (every four months from a licensed Esthetician).  During the month of your wedding, get a facial one to two weeks before you big day!

Wear a sunscreen every day to prevent pre-mature aging and further hyperpigmentation (dark spots on the skin). THIS IS THE #1 ANTI-AGING TRICK

Use Makeup Removing wipes to remove your makeup at night before going to bed.

Uses a Clarisonic (or any oscillating electronic brush) for a deeper cleanse.

Vivian Wynter is a licensed Beauty Professional who owns a mobile spa where she brings spa services such as facials, and makeup and natural nail care to you in the comfort of your own home.  Contact her to schedule your spa services today!

Vivian Wynter

240.604.6042

Vivian.wynter@gmail.com

Bridal Beauty Trends: What's Hot -vs- What's Not

To kick off this "Beautifully Ever After"- Blog series, I've decided to touch on the importance of following the right beauty trends.

When it comes to bridal beauty, women can be a bit pressured to follow what is hot when it comes to beauty trends. Bridal beauty should be timeless, and is different than non-bridal beauty. Trends for the "civilian" woman a.k.a. non-bridal woman are momentary and change frequently. With bridal beauty, the look must be beautiful, timeless, and classic. Smokey eyes and statement lips are trends when done correctly, can be a beautiful way to express yourself on your special day. Here is my take on what's HOT and what's NOT when it comes to makeup and hair for your beautiful wedding day.

Thank you for stopping through to read the "Beautifully Ever After" Blog series today! We have some more bridal beauty information coming at you all wekk long!! See you soon! - <3 D

Denyelle D. Beauty's Newly Natural Hair Seminar

This past August I decided to host my first Natural Hair Seminar. The idea came to me after receiving so many questions and comments about my hair. Any time I post pictures of myself online, I get a slew of questions from people asking what I use on my hair, how do I take care of my hair, what style was I wearing, etc. So I decided to host a FREE class to help women like me to understand their natural hair. I've been natural for almost 12 years and I've inspired so many women to wear their natural hair, I thought this was the perfect timing to share what I've learned during my journey. 

During this class I shared many tips and tricks of how I style my hair, what I use for my hair, and how I nourish my body to promote natural hair growth. I also sold some of my all natural homemade hair products that I use daily. 

“we all use the butter, I even saw my husband use it on his bald head! lol”

— Newly Natural attendee

I commisioned model, and great friend of mine Catherine to be my hair model and we had a blast playing around with different hairstyles. We also showed the participants hot to set their natural hair for bed.

I will be hosting another class in October, so be on the lookout for details!

Thanks to everyone for participating in my seminar and I'll see you again soon!! -D

---

Event Photography: MSD Photography