Inspiration Through Nature

Working on a photo shoot is the moment when art and imagination meet. All people involved are given complete freedom to openly express their creativity. It is an opportunity to break away from the confinements we are usually conscious of, and discover how far our talents can take us.

 

 

 

Artistic Makeup by Hala Ajam

 

Often, what is most fascinating to watch is the transformation of the ordinary object into extraordinary; turning a wheat blade into an eyelash, using the sequin of an old dress on the eyebrows, or a flower petal in place of eye shadow. The possibilities are endless, as is our imagination.

 

 

Artistic Makeup by Hala Ajam

 

The art of creating, challenging the laws of nature, and breaking down visual barriers is not just for those who use paints and brushes. A makeup artist, like a painter, uses their imagination to create unforgettable images.

 

 

Artistic Makeup by Hala Ajam

 

Such creativity is expressed during photo shoots, when there is no choice but to resort to all resources, both real and imaginary. Subsequently, we learn how to create in the most inventive ways.

 

 

Hala Ajam’s Book Face To Face

 

 

 

Make Your Own Natural Look

Let’s get the natural look; a very natural style for a winter holiday evening with family. The motto is: be glamourous but do not overdo it! Enhance your eyes with a natural smokey effect in warm earth tones. Start with beige all over the eyelid, then work the curve of lid with caramel brown. Don’t forget the lower lash line! Then, with a dark brown eye kohl, line the upper and lower lash lines. Warning: do not connect the lines! Over it, apply some dark brown eye shadow and blend well. Don’t forget to also blend the dark brown to the crease half-way, trace a black eyeliner to the upper lash line as you like (All, half, or nothing).

Christmas Makeup

Apply black mascara and fill your eyebrows with a color that matches your hair’s. Then, use a raisin colored blusher: it will contour your face and bring light to its center.

Looks of the Decades: 2000’s

2000’s

The growing trend during the past two decades has been to fight the natural aging process. The miracle creams of the 90’s gave way to miracle treatments of 2000. Botox injections and collagen lip implants have become quick fix beauty staples for many. Makeup trends of past decades merge, as people start to individualize their looks to suit coloring and features. So, women are either opting for a makeup that is a mixture of all the past trends, or choosing their preferable one or the one that suits the best their own style.

 

In the following photo, I chose a nude but frosty look like in a fairytale.

 

 

2000’s Look

 

 

Hala Ajam‘s Book-Face To Face

This text was taken from Hala Ajam‘s Book Face-to-Face

Hala Ajam

Subtle Glamour by Hala Ajam

SUBTLE GLAMOUR, Make up Campaign, by Lebanese Makeup Artist Hala Ajam

 

 

Acclaimed makeup artist Hala Ajam has just released her Fall 2012-2013 campaign, Subtle Glamour.

Celebrating her own artistry, Ajam uses a delicate blend of colors to create the illusion of natural dazzle. Colors morph from white to bronze to Swiss chocolate on the eyes, while a soft blush and glowing pink lipstick make for the campaign’s refined look. Ajam has been applauded in the makeup world for crafting such deceivingly simple looks, and is known for her uncanny ability to always strike a fine balance between the subtle and the glamorous.

Keeping up with our fast-paced world, Ajam also pioneered the use of social media links as the only titles in a billboard campaign. The first in the region to use nothing for introduction besides her Twitter address @HalaAjam, as well as the Instagram logo and phone contacts, Ajam immediately invites everyone to step into her world.

Ajam is well-known for being a real force in Lebanon—an in-demand makeup artist who is famed for her work with Arab celebrities such as Shereen Abd El Wahab and Nawal Al Zoghbi.

Shereen Abd El-Wahab Makeup Artist Hala Ajam

Nawal Al Zoghbi’s Makeup Artist Hala Ajam

Looks Of The Decades: 1980’s

During this decade, many rules were broken in terms of makeup. A rainbow of makeup colors became popular throughout the 80’s, as the era of the dazzling disco was born. Colored eye shadows and liners were popular, along with glitter and iridescent powders.

Beauty is back: harder, tougher, and more glamorous than ever before. Perfectly groomed, polished, and forever youthful women portrayed in television shows like Dynasty and Dallas, captured the ‘look’ of the woman in this lavish and opulent decade. Brook Shield’s thick defined eyebrows create one of the strongest trends of the 80’s. Applied with heavily bold strokes, bright pastel eye shadows, colored mascara, fuchsia pink blusher all over the cheek, and bright matte lipstick complete the look.

In the following photo, I used a hot pink shadow and a purple color eye pencil, in addition to a lot of mascara and black pencil inside the eye. I applied dark pink blusher and bright hot pink lipstick. I filled the eyebrows with a light brown eye shadow to make them look thicker, and then I brushed it up.

 

 

1980’s Look

 

 

Hala Ajam‘s Book-Face To Face

This text was from taken from Hala Ajam’s makeup book Face to face

Hala Ajam

Bridal Step by Step by Hala Ajam

Before

The Model before beginning the Bridal Makeup

Step 1: 

For a photogenic face, use 2 colors of foundation; the first one should be the same color of your skin, and is applied all over your face and under your jaw line. The second should be two shades darker, and is applied on areas which you want to make appear smaller like the nose, cheeks, forehead etc.  Finally, apply the concealer (anticerne), which should be two shades lighter than your skin color to brighten up under the eyes and the center of the face. Finally,  set it up with powder of the same shade of your correction.

 

 

Step 1

 

Step 2:

As for the eyes, apply on eyelids and under the eyebrows a beige eye shadow. On the bone of your eye, use a medium color brown (blend well) and the same medium color under your lower lash line.

 

 

Step 2

 

Step 3:

Use a dark brown shadow in the crease of the eye and under your lower lash line, blend well.

 

 

Step 3

 

Step 4: 

Apply liquid black eyeliner on the upper lash line, line lips with a natural color. Apply a peach color blusher on the apple of your cheeks. And finally, apply false eyelashes.

 

 

Step 4

 

Step 5:

Apply a natural nude color on the lips. Now you have a natural make up for a natural bride, the final photo is just to show you that the flash of the camera will take away 50% of the make up. So if you’re going for a day wedding don’t overdo the makeup so it will not appear to bold in the pictures, since the photographer won’t be using flash. 

 

 

Step 5

 

 

The Final Touch

 

 

 

After

 

In day light weddings, use light & natural makeup because the photographer doesn’t use the camera flash. However, in indoors & evening events and since you will be exposed to projector lights & camera flashes, the intensity of the makeup will look less in photos because of the previously mentioned causes.

 

 

Hala Ajam

 

 

 

Look Of The Decades: 1970s

1970’s

Early 1970’s

Think thin individual eyelashes. they were used with white, shiny and iridescent colors of eye shadows, applied all over the eyes, and blusher applied over the cheekbone. Eyes were lined with a black pencil and then well smudged. Sometimes, earth tones like taupe were added to shade the eye lid. The same earth tone replaced the pinkish ones for the cheekbones. Lips were made thinner by using dark shade lip liners and frosty lipsticks.

However, the 70’s were also defined by a very natural ‘makeup’ free time, especially for those who consider themselves ‘hippies‘.

 

Late 70’s

No false eyelashes were used. The eye shadows colors became medium ones. A darker eye shadow was used in the crease, and a very light one was applied under the eyebrows. White or blue eye pencil was used inside the eye, coupled with a lip gloss and a darker than the skin lip liner. White was applied under the eyes, and women wear thin eyebrows. Moreover, light creamy iridescent powders were used over the middle of the face, in a trio cheekbones colors.

In the following photo, I used a white frost eye shadow on the model. I lined the eyes with black eyeliner and added eyelashes on both upper and lower lids. I applied a white eye pencil inside the eye and extended it outwards in the inner and outer corner. I drew the lips with a darker lip liner than the lipstick, generally used in the nude color makeup.

 

 

1970’s Look

 

 

Hala Ajam’s Book-Face To Face

This text was from taken from Hala Ajam’s makeup book Face to face

Hala Ajam

Looks Of The Decades: 1920s And 1930s

1920s

Gone are the days od a discreet natural appearance; the daring style and androgyny replaced it. Stylish women began plucking and drawing their eyebrows. Actresses drew theirs in straight lines or going slightly down to give a certain expression for the silent movies. Dark lid eyes, made up with kohl, became the rage. The ultimate fashion accessory: the new twist tube lipstick, ideally applied in public. Bright colors such as bluish red, cranberry and orange are the most favored and ideal in creating dainty ‘bow’ shaped lips.

In the following photo, I used red-colored eye shadow on the model that becomes darker in the inner corner of the eyes, hence, blending the color with the eyebrows to give her face a sad expression. I drew her eyebrows higher and slightly down at the end to enhance the sad look.

 

 

The 1920’s Look

 

1930s

Thanks to Coco Chanel, who inadvertently fell asleep in the sun, the gloden suntan is born and becomes that rage of the 30’s. Pan cake makeup was created. Wispy eyelashes, high thin eyebrows and sharp lips, played a part in defining the look of this glamorous era (Greta Garbo look), as well as bold and rich colored lipsticks, bright as red and orange. Sleepy eyes were drawn by bringing the eyeshadow downwards. For a glamorous look, beads could be put on the end of the lashes.

In the following photo, I used a pale foundation and drew her eyebrows thin and high. I darkened the models eyes and reshaped them to make them look sad. I even went on to draw her lips slightly downwards on the sides to help achieve the look.

 

 

The 1930’s Look

 

 

This text was from taken from Hala Ajam’s makeup book Face to face

Hala Ajam’s Book Face To Face

 

 

Hala Ajam

Eyebrows

Eyebrows by Hala Ajam

 

The problem with following trends when it comes to shaping our brows is that trends change overnight. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the re grown of your eyebrows.

Over plucking can result is an unnatural shape severe arch, which can add years to once appearance. Also it is not always guaranteed that all the plucked hairs with grow back. Therefore, to avoid any disappointment or disaster, simply follow the natural shape and arch of your brows, plucking only to tidy, remove stray hairs and accentuate your natural arch.

The brow should be at its thickest above the inner corner of the eye and gradually taper out towards the outer corner. As grooming can also encourage hair to grow back faster and thicker it is always good to think before you pluck. The same can be said about bleaching the brows, which is normally required for models to create a specific look, but generally not necessary beyond the pages of a magazine. At the end of the day, I advise keeping them as natural as possible and enjoy for now having one less thing to groom, and to avoid labeling yourself to a certain age group.

 

Tip pro:

Avoid over plucking your eyebrows. With time and over plucking the hair will stop growing. Keep them as natural as you can to keep your eyebrows looking natural.

 

makeup by Hala Ajam

 

 

 

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Regards,

Hala Ajam.