Romance, Beauty, love and all things pretty. I have wanted to do a Valentine Themed photoshoot for some time. My creative partner, Genna Yussman Greene suggested we do one at the beginning of 2017. Genna had put together some vintage dressers and I wanted to do some classy updos and polished hair. We enlisted our buddy, Isidro Valencia for make up and two gorgeous models and our team was set.

We wanted to fuse romance, with big hair and vintage styling for a timeless feel. Genna ordered a custom floral backdrop to be used for the shoot. We chose two gorgeous models, Emily and Kristina. We have worked with both before and chose both girls for their beautiful facial structures, Their tall lean looks and their positive attitudes on set.

This collection was release exclusively by Bangstyle as a featured collection. The staff at Bangstyle have been so supportive of the work we do and they said the timing for the release was perfect.

For Make up Isidro created a soft look consisting of soft smoky eyes, pink pastels color on eyes, shimmer, rosy cheeks and soft contoured cheeks.

Spring make up 2018 by Isidro modeled by Emily

For This undo I converged all of Kristina's hair upwards into a ponytail I then added a long hair pad and a large wefted hair extension and form the hair over the pad into the shape using Fashion Works 12 and a finishing brush from Tearsheet. Control Addict 28 was used to finalize the look.

For this Fishtail undo, I fishtailed braided random sections on Emily's entire head then with the ends pinned them between the sections created for the fishtails.

This updo was a lot of fun. I was watching a lot of the old "Dynasty" so I did this timeless, voluminous undo with Redken's Guts 10 for volume. Next hair was pulled upwards into a couple of ponytails. A small hair pad was used for the bump on top that hair was covered with Emily's hair using Fashion Works 12. I smoothed the hair using a small finishing brush. The other ponytails that hair was backcombed, smoothed and rolled into shape with bobbie pins. Finished with Control Addict 28 and Shine Flash 03.

The vintage look was set using Iron Shape 11 and Sam Villa's marcel iron and pinned to cool. Afterwards the hair was brushed out using Tearsheet's static free large tail comb and Fashion Works 12. No bend clips were placed in the hair to set it while Isidro finished Emily's her make up application.

Kristina's hair was set in the same fashion with Emily's only different placement and finished with Control Addict 28.

Credits

Photography | Wardrobe | Set Design | Genna Yussman Greene @gennayussman

Hair | Matthew Tyldesley @haibymatt

Make Up | Isidro Valencia @valencia0612

Models | Kristina Russ @kristina_russ

Emily Bennett @emilybennett_

About a year ago I contacted photographer, Gary Barragan to photograph my texture collection. I wanted to focus on romantic, classic hairstyling with a vintage feel and modern flair. I love hairdressing and wanted this collection to really showcase my hairdressing skills.

complete collection photographed by Gary Barragan

I would of course enlist my favorite make up artist, Isidro Valencia and Wardrobe designer/stylist, Genna Yussman Greene.

I of course spent a couple weeks practicing the hairstyles on mannequins. Braiding, Setting hair, creating volume, backcombing, securing ponytails and curls. I ended up booking a total of 5 models so I had my work cut out for me. Time was very imperative and as such a long day for make up and for finishing hair. Luckily I wanted minimal for wardrobe and Genna did a great job putting together the necklaces.

We spent an entire day doing the collection. It took about 12 hours and the my table was filled with every brush, curling iron, hairspray. Hair extensions, clips, elastics and pins of all sorts to tackle every head of hair that entered the room.

At this point in my career, I understand that sometimes I may have a certain expectation for executing a hairstyle I practiced but sometimes they just don't work on the model chosen. This is really when one has to think smart, stay positive and move on. You really have to think about how the hair will compliment the model and balance her features. Thats the nature of the photoshoot...you make it work. The discoveries are quite impressive.

Isidro did an excellent job with make u. Very moody, strong defined brows, eyes and a deep lip color.

For creating this look on Kristina, her hair was micro crimped all over using Sam Villa's texture iron and Redken's Iron Shape 11. Hair was then separated on top and the back hair was backcombed and secured into a roll with hair pins. The top section was backcombed and formed into the top row connecting the first roll. Worked into shape with Fashion Works 12 and finished with Control Addict 28.

to create Shantay's hair. The from was separated from ear to ear. The back hair was wrapped around (rick-rack techique) hair pins and ironed. The from was blown straight with a Denman brush, hairdryer and Redken's Argan Oil 6 and Align 12. Next the front was marcelled iron into a set. Once cooled, the hair as formed into shape and the back was released and teased out. Finished with Control Addict 28 and Shine Flash 03 for high shine.

on model Alexis, I did a scalp braid on one side and set the opposite side with a 3/4" marcel iron and Iron Shape 11. Once the hair was cooled I brushed/combed out the hair and set it with Control Addict 28.

For Katy, I separated the top into a top ponytail then braided the hair with Movability 05. Aftwards I knotted the braid and secured with hair pins. The lower half of her hair was converged into a side ponytails and loosely braided with Move Ability 05. The look was completed with Control Addict 28 and Shine Flash 03.