Makeover Madness

A couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from Mix 94.7 asking me if I would take on a makeover for their morning show personality Sara. Sara had been named #22 for the 2012 Hottest Women in Radio Contest and the rest of the members of the show were saying that she's more "cute" than "hot" (especially in comparison to some of the other risque entries...check them out here). They even said she couldn't do sexy and challenged her to do a "sexy" photo shoot!

Oh...and they wanted it done in 24 hours :-)

I agreed to the challenge, met with Sara and the next day we were teasing, curling and spraying her hair to her best Victoria's Secret hair and layering not one but TWO pairs of false lashes on so she would be ready to bat them in front of the camera. Sara was a good sport and we decided to go for more subtle sexy than over the top and it was perfect!

Here is Sara's "before" photo.... (beautiful and cute)...trust me someone this gorgeous doesn't usually need a "makeover" but we had a blast playing dress up!


















And after some hair, makeup, wardrobe changes AND the awesome coaching of the photography duo behind Peekaboo Boudoir here are a few of the final images!












Click here for all the pics!





Click here for Sara's behind the scenes video from the shoot. So proud of Sara for stepping out of her comfort zone!


DISCLAIMER:: You do NOT need a team of professionals and two pairs of false lashes to be "sexy"...you should love what you see in the mirror every single day. If you don't then maybe it's time for a change. This was just for fun and didn't involve any permanent changes (no color or cut) although Sara was inspired to come back the following week to have almost 5 inches cut off of her long locks! Even a small change can make a BIG difference!

Thinking about a makeover? Call and book an appointment at Mirror Mirror today and start LOVING what you see in the mirror! (512)420-8868

PONY UP!

I recently came across a beautiful photo on Pinterest that got me thinking about ponytails and now I can't stop. It's such an easy fix to get out the door fast and anyone can create a ponytail. Ponytails can been seen on red carpets and runways and have some major staying power. Most people just pull their hair straight back and that can work great in a pinch but if you take it just one step further it can become something fabulous! Here's how...

BUMP IT UP

This is great for Day 2 (or 3) hair, use a little dry shampoo and add a little volume at the crown. The trick is to not brush out all of your work pulling it back!

PART WAYS

Shift your part just slightly farther than you normally wear it and create a dramatic look in an instant!

THAT'S A WRAP

This is the oldest trick in the book but it still works! Take a small piece of your ponytail and wrap it around the rubber band for the perfect finish. Extra credit if you braid the piece first!

FINISHING SCHOOL

Add a little Elixir Ultime (yes I'm still obsessed with this product) to your ends so they look polished and shiny....and they will smell great too!

Photos (clockwise from top left): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Laura's Wedding

I love doing hair and makeup for weddings and I really love when it's for a friend. I was so flattered when cupcake guru Laura Lively of L's Cupcake Delivery asked me to do her and her bridesmaids hair and makeup for her big day. It also happened to be exactly one week before my wedding so we went through the planning process at the same time even ended up picking the exact same"dancing" dress. Laura wanted long voluminous curls but wanted it out of her face and for makeup she wanted glamour!! Cory Ryan was the photographer and I just couldn't resist sharing a few of the photos!

To see Cory's blog on all of the wedding details click here!

Cheers to Laura and Ryan!

To book an appointment with Martha Lynn you can call the salon at 512-420-8868!

Kendra Scott:: March Ads

Just wanted to share with you all the latest Kendra Scott ads featuring the gorgeous photography of Cory Ryan and hair and makeup by me. The shoot was a blast and these photos where taken right outside Kendra's beautiful new studio. If you haven't been by you absolutely MUST go!!

For more behind the scenes from the shoot check out the Kendra Scott blog here!

MOVE THAT BUS!!!

I hope you all watched tonight’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." I was fortunate enough to do hair for the bride for the wedding and hair & makeup for the bride’s interviews.

Now that the episode has aired I can FINALLY share a little about what an amazing day this truly was.

Mariana Meredith, Lisa Jauregui and I arrived on base at Patrick’s home around 8am to start hair and makeup on Jessica and her three bridesmaids. I was definitely nervous because normally a bride chooses you and you do test runs and bridal portraits and can really get know each others style for months before the big day. Not on this freezing cold day…we had to jump right in. As we walked in the house I could sense Jessica’s understandable nerves and assured her that I would not stop until she loved it. We tried a couple of ideas before deciding on her final look. We wanted it to be soft and romantic but secure enough to withstand brutal winds and a long production day. Mariana and Lisa amazed me with their speed and skill. We had about 2 hours get the bride and three bridesmaids in hair and makeup, dressed and out the door to the church! Our beauty team and the four girls had a great time laughing and talking and it felt like any other wedding. I was amazed as Jessica began to tell me about Patrick, how they met, and the journey that brought them to that day. My heart went out to her and the devotion she has for her future husband. As a bride to be I couldn’t help but think about what it must be like to be told you are having a wedding in a week and not get a say in how things went AND to have cameras documenting the entire thing! Wow!

We were on time and made it to the church where I finally saw Ty and crew buzzing around just like you see on the show. They were so kind and involved and gracious to every volunteer. We were in a tiny room at the church with the bride and bridesmaids until the moment she walked down this aisle. This is such a private time for any bride and there is such a feeling of anticipation in the air. It was truly an honor to be in the room.

After the wedding we all headed to the new home and I was separated from them until after the reveal hours later! This is a nightmare for hair and makeup because you want to make sure every curl stays in it’s perfect place. As I arrived at the home it was truly breathtaking to see the volunteers that had worked 24 hours a day to make this possible for such a deserving couple. Lots of smiles and false “Move That Bus” chants until the time finally came. The couple arrived and then they finally did move that bus and they were headed inside. I stayed with the crew and volunteers until after they went through the house room by room and then did a final touch up before they went outside for the surprise reception!

I have always loved Extreme Makeover Home Edition and what they do for the families. I will NEVER forget this couple and my experience on this project.

DETAILS:

Caplan Miller's blog and list of all of the amazing vendors:

http://www.caplanmiller.com/blog/

Photographer Ben Sassimi’s blog and photos from the day:

http://www.sassaniphotographyblog.com/

To watch the full episode:
http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition

Special thanks to Marques Harper for the mention in his blog post about the episode

http://networkedblogs.com/etrix

Getting Glossy!!

I have been waiting on pins and needles to see the pictures from the Glossy "Bridal" issue and was finally able to see them today. I absolutely love them. The recent "snow day" and the chill in the air actually reminded me of the day we met at the picturesque Barr Mansion for this shoot. I know, it has been a mild winter and I do feel spoiled, but this January day was absolutely freezing, not made any more mild by the whirling wind. But, the crew was a tough bunch (especially photographer Deborah Cannon) and the poor models were pros and smiled away. Seeing it now makes me wonder if I am mistaken and this really was a beautiful spring day.

For this photo shoot the goal was to make the bride and her party look like the real deal. The direction I took to achieve this, is as I would with most weddings. The hair for the "bride" was very soft and elegant and the goal was to let it feel special and stand out from the wedding party without taking away from the gorgeous gowns. For the "maid of honor" we did a simple side ponytail and for the other "bridesmaids" we went for the perfect bun! Everything told a story but no cookie cutter looks for these beauties. I couldn't have done it without Mariana Meredith and Cassandra Matthews who were instrumental in helping me create these looks! This shoot was particularly special for me because I have the pleasure of styling many brides each year and this year I, too, will be a bride!

Marques Harper and Elena Garcia chose the most elegant gowns and Evie Evan created perfect bridal makeup that allowed the models to truly shine.

The entire shoot was fabulous. To check it out first hand go pick up a copy of the latest Glossy! To view the online version you can click on the images below.

If you or someone you know is interested in talking wedding hair, or just hair in general you can find me and more examples of my work at www.marthalynnbarnes.com.

Lashing Out!

Photo From: http://community.livejournal.com

In my opinion one of the best ways to glam up your look is by adding fake lashes! They are great for tons of drama or just a natural lash look without caked on mascara. Here are my tips for applying them yourself...and you can see the segment from KEYE here!

1.) Trim them to fit your eye - many people's eye are too small for the larger lashes so you want to make sure they fit. Cut from the inside of the lash line
2.) Make sure the glue has PLENTY of time to dry - at least 30-45 seconds otherwise they will just slide around your eye
3.) Tilt your head back - this will let you see exactly what you are doing without closing your eye
4.) Mascara - Apply one coat of mascara to marry your lashes to the fake ones
5.) Eyeliner - Once they dry apply a little bit of eyeliner to conceal the line
6.) Flaunt - Bat those lashes and hit the town!!

Best of luck!!