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beautiful bridal makeup with brown smokey eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

Evening At The Manor Bridal Photoshoot

Hello Beautiful!

I love participating in styled bridal photoshoots! That’s when I get to express my own creativity and create a bridal look all of my own. Of course, I still use the inspirational guidelines for the photoshoot, but unlike working with the real bride, I’m not limited by comfort level with makeup and her vision. I also love hanging out with all the talented Ottawa wedding vendors that come together to create something beautiful. Even though we all work in the same industry, we rarely get to spend time together during a busy wedding season.

When I was invited to take part in this bridal photoshoot set in a beautiful Manor in Merrickville – I jumped on the opportunity. First of all the list of vendors was amazing and the goal was to be featured in Once Wed wedding blog! And that’s a huge and ambitious goal which was coincidently a personal dream of mine! Once Wed is one of the top bridal blogs and they are very picky about who they let to grace the pages of their blog.

Lovely Cara, the owner and designer of Stor by Margo Jewelry was the mastermind behind the inspiration for this shoot, which was one of her stunning vintage bridal rings. To execute and bring her vision to life, Cara asked Brittany, the owner of Gloss Events and Decor to style the shoot. Brittany is such a delight to work with and to be around! She has one of those happy bubbly personalities that charms you as soon as you meet her!

She is constantly trying to create something new or inspire another. For this bridal photoshoot she really did make each element feel romantic, soft and rich. All the place setting elements were selected by mixing vintage pieces with sleek modern lines and soft flowing fabrics. Brittany used heirloom silver trays, goblets & cutlery and balanced them out with modern blush dinnerware, etched wine glasses and topped each with La Fabere stunning stationery & raw silk ribbons. The final look was stunning!

She also had a brilliant idea of adding a chandelier to the ruins to elevate the textured stone, modernize it and create a glamorous space for the beautiful couple. I remember how for my wedding all I wanted is a chandelier in a tree! Another element that was done differently is that instead of a cake she put together this delicious looking fruit platter – the colours and textures of which looked stunning in photos!

Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t be on set for this bridal photoshoot! I recently had a baby and at the time of the shoot she was only 2 weeks old!!! I could barely stand for long enough to finish the makeup on the model! So the model came to me to get her makeup done instead. Oh, it killed me to not be there during the process! I was worried about possible touch ups needed or change of a look! When it comes to makeup – perfectionism is not an overkill because every little detail will show up in pictures!!! And as much as I can rely on post production of the photo editing, I would like it to give less work to the photographer and nail the look on my own, without the help of a photoshop. So I did my best and chose a look that is one of my favourites at the moment. Big blown out brown smokey eyes with big lashes, soft contouring and neutral lips.

I think everything came together so beautifully – a romantic wedding with an old world feel to it. There are so many details to ogle over – the silk ribbons, the table setting, the chandelier, the florals, the dress, the unique hair accessories (that were created by an Ottawa local talented hairstylist Kirsty from Topknot Hairstyling). So go ahead, check it out and take it all in and hopefully you will get inspired! There is lots of stunning wedding inspiration in these photos!

P.S. The day this stunning bridal photoshoot was featured on Once Wed I was beyond excited and so grateful for the amazing work of everyone on this team!

xoxo,

Klava Z

Awesome Vendors:
Photographer Charlotte Northrope
Styling and Decor Gloss Events and Decor
Jewelry Stor by Margo Jewelry
Stationary and Ribon La Fabere
Florals Pollen Nation Floral Studio
Hair and Hair Accessories Topknot Hairstyling
Makeup Klava Z
Bridal Gowns Willow & Sasha by Made with Love Bridal available at Revelle Bridal Boutique
Groom suit L’Hexagone Menswear
Featured Couple: Stephanie Larocque & Mathew Bertrand

wedding invitations

beautiful bridal makeup brown smokey eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

beautiful bridal makeup brown smokey eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

beautiful wedding table set up by Gloss Events and Decor Ottawa

bride and groom vintage wedding

vintage wedding bride and groom

vintage wedding table set up

vintage theme wedding table china

vintage bridal ring

wedding fruit plate

wedding inspiration bride and groom

bride and groom vintage wedding

vintage wedding bride and groom

bridal photoshoot

beautiful bridal makeup with brown smokey eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

stunning bridal dress

beautiful bridal makeup by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

Wedding florals

Bride with a long vintage veil

beautiful bridal makeup with brown smokey eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

beautiful bridal makeup with smokey brown eyes by Ottawa's wedding makeup artist Klava Z

bridal photshoot

Bride and groom

Natural Beauty Makeup Look created by Klava Z Ottawa makeup artist with lavender pink lips and shimmery neutral eyes and glowy skin using only natural cosmetics.

Natural Beauty Makeup Look – Eco February

Hello beautiful!

Welcome to Everyday Effortless Beauty Series by Klava Z, which is a weekly beauty series showing you how to do flawless, fresh, fun and natural makeup looks for everyday life.

It’s time for a Eco Natural Beauty Makeup Look of the month when I use only natural and/or organic products for creating it!

I love doing this as it gives me an excuse to play and explore more non-toxic beauty products and expand my eco makeup kit, which is a big goal for me this year. My everyday personal makeup bag is pretty much mostly green cosmetics, especially my complexion products, like powder and foundation. I figured since everything from our skin gets absorbed in our body, it’s important to have these products toxin-free. Plus it agrees better with my sensitive skin and it doesn’t make me break out.

I wrote all about how I became interested in natural cosmetics in my first Eco Look post.

For Eco February Makeup Look I partnered up with Louche Lily – a lovely online eco boutique carrying eco awesome products, specializing in skincare, body/care, makeup and accessories. The brands in her store are sourced from all around the world, with strong focus on Canada and the US, with utmost thought and care. The founder, Lyz Plant, is a talented makeup artist (and just the coolest girl that I can chat with endlessly) carefully selects all the products to make sure that they offer the highest quality ingredients for skin. This girl knows what she is talking about! The amount of research and personally trying out all the cosmetics before offering them in her store is astounding! She is a walking encyclopedia on all things toxic that shouldn’t be in our makeup products. I was super excited about her generous offer to play with her pro eco makeup kit!!! Needless to say, it was a kid in a candy store moment. I hope you enjoy this post and if you’re an aspiring beauty student going to one of the Riverside beauty schools, I have included some tips that you might be able to use 🙂

Eco February Makeup Look THE LOOK

Eco February Look was inspired by the cold frosted outside, of course! Cool tones are what I reach for during the winter the most, so that’s what I focused on creating this makeup as well. The soft sparkle of snow inspired the shimmery eye shadows all around the eyes. I wanted to create a look that has a hint of glam to it, to show that eco doesn’t have to mean very natural looking. That’s why I chose a brighter colour lip in a beautiful lavender pink for a fun pop of colour.

Klava Z, Ottawa makeup artist created natural beauty makeup with a shimmery brown eyes and pink lavender lips using only natural cosmetics. A fun collage of behind the scenes images from the photoshoot, styled outfit shots and model with beautiful makeup.

FACE

Since in the winter we do need a bit more coverage because the cool light outside is less forgiving I applied a creamy foundation all over and made sure that the skin is looking even-toned. I infused a soft pink flush on the cheeks with a creamy blush by applying it with my fingers and added a radiant glow to the cheekbones with a creamy highlighter, making sure that the blush and highlighter blend into each other.

EYES

I started by creating a pretty base of shimmery light ivory colour all over the lids using this very handy duo eye pencil that has light colour on one side and dark on the other. Then I turned around the eye pencil and applied the midtone brown shade in the outer corner going up towards the crease and slightly past it, so that when the models eyes are open you can see a bit of colour extending from her crease towards the brow. I also used this side of the eye pencil under the eye for a hint of pretty shine.

A brown eyeliner was used to create a very thin definition on the top and also in the bottom waterline.

TECHNIQUE TIP – EYE BRIGHTENING

Klava Z, makeup artist in Ottawa is showing how to do eye makeup and brighten the eyes on a model for her Natural Beauty Look Eco February

To bring more light to the eye and open it up a bit more in the middle, I applied a light shimmery colour eyeshadow right in the middle of the eyelid tapping it on with a flat brush for more intensity (as opposed to blending it in). Of course, I finished with a generous application of mascara (is there other way with mascara, really?).

This technique is such an easy and fast step that will help your eyes to catch extra light and bring a flattering sparkle to the eye. It’s all about small details in makeup, right? You can do this with any of your eye makeup and if you are in rush just use your finger to tap the eye shadow on the eyelid. If you would like to learn more techniques and become a pro at your own makeup then see me for a makeup lesson.

LIPS

Gorgeous shade of bright lavender-pink was swiped on the lips to give the whole look a brightening lift with a lovely pop of colour and take the makeup from the routine natural to a fresh pretty look.

PRODUCTS

The key products to achieving this look are the eye-shadows, cheek products and the lipstick, which I will provide my short reviews on as usual. However since I’m really focusing on introducing natural makeup products, I will list all the products I used.

Natural Makeup Products by Ilia, Vapour, Dalish and 100% Pure cosmetics used by Klava Z, Ottawa makeup artist, to create a Natural Beauty Makeup Look Eco February

100% Pure Dual-Ended Creamstick Eyeliner in Cotton & Silk. I always look for ways to simplify my makeup application and this eye pencil allows me to do just this! Double bonus for two gorgeous colours with pearly finish in one pencil! It’s so easy to use that you don’t need a brush and there is no mess from powder eyeshadows. Just apply this pencil where you want it, whether as an eye-liner or a shadow; and then blend the edges by patting them with your finger. It glides on creamy and smooth. If your skin is on the oily side I would recommend either wearing a primer or set with powder eyeshadow on top for more long wearing power.

100% Pure Eye Shadow Vanilla Sugar. A beautiful neutral eye shadow colour with sparkle, that is pigmented with fruit cosmetics.

ILIA Lipstick in Around The World. ILIA Lipstick combines organic ingredients with contemporary colors blended into a creamy and long lasting semi-matte finish. I love the selection of lipstick colours ILIA offers! This rose hue lipstick with a strong lavender undertone is one of those rare purple shade which can be worn by nearly everyone.

Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Lovely. Lovely is a beautiful pink tone. Its rich color pigment has a long-lasting effect that gives a pretty flushed-cheek look. This shade is incredible for all skin tones as well. The creamy consistency of this cream blush blends beautifully and smoothly with the warmth of the fingers or a brush.

ILIA Cosmic Dancer Highlight. I’m all about highlighters, especially so natural looking as this one! It’s very discreet, giving the skin true glow without the shimmer. This subtle golden hued highlighter is great at adding dimension and vitality to the skin. The texture is a bit thick but easy to bend still.

100% Pure Eyebrow in Brunette

100% Pure Maracuja Oil Mascara Length & Separating in Black Tea

100% Pure Long Last Liner in Dark Cacao

Dalish Concealer C02. I have raved about this concealer here already.

Vapor Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous Foundation

Vapor Organic Beauty Stratus Instant Skin Perfector.

You can find all these natural beauties at Louche Lily Eco Beauty Boutique.

GLAMMED UP VERSION OF THE LOOK

Natural Beauty Eco Makeup Look created by Klava Z Ottawa makeup artist with shimmery brown and vanilla shades on the eyes, glowy skin and mulberry colour lipstick .

It’s so easy to amp up the glam of this look just by adding a deeper lipstick colour. I applied a mulberry colour lipstick right on top of the pink one that was already there. What a gorgeous and effortless look! It looks so great that I am going to have to do some more research on natural beauty products and look at websites like Waterlilies And Company!

Klava Z, Ottawa makeup artist created natural beauty makeup with a shimmery brown eyes and pink lavender lips using only natural cosmetics. A fun collage of behind the scenes images from the photoshoot, styled outfit shots and model with beautiful makeup.

I hope this Natural Beauty Makeup Look – Eco February gives you a preview of how beautifully the natural products can perform and inspire you to try them out!

And if you do, I would love to see it! Don’t be shy, post your interpretation of this look here or on Instagram with a tag #EffortlessbyKlavaZ.

Next week in my Beauty Series I will be showing you how to create a makeup look for your vacation in the warmer climates when you are escaping our cold winter. And in the meantime, follow me on Instagram @KlavaZ.makeup and Facebook Klava Zykova Makeup Artist and Educator for everyday makeup inspiration.

Have an effortless beauty day!

Let’s play!

Klava Z

Credits
Photos Throne Photography
Model Jenny D Models International Management
Hair TopKnot Hairstyling by Kirsty MacDonald
Styling Toast Special Events
Clothing Vincent
Makeup Products Louche Lily
Pretty pink Makeup Look for a Valentine day

Sweet Valentine Makeup Look

Hello beautiful!

Welcome to Everyday Effortless Beauty Series by Klava Z, which is a weekly makeup series showing you how to do flawless, fresh, fun and natural looks for everyday life.

I know that we don’t need an official day to celebrate our love relationships, but I’m a romantic and I love an excuse to celebrate!  There is a certain air of excited anticipation as women get ready for their date on this day and spend a bit more time then usual to make sure we look our best.  Also I got engaged on a Valentines day, so it’s extra special for me!  Maybe that’s why I got excited and created two different looks for your inspiration. 🙂  This week I will start with the Sweet Valentine look.

Pretty pink makeup look

THE LOOK

When I thought about this look I imagined a demure girlie girl with a whimsical style, almost Carrie Bradshaw-esque like that believes in love at first sight and holding hands.  This makeup look is certainly girlie with a soft pink palette on eyes, cheeks and lips, but not overpoweringly so.  It’s simply lovely.  Women often shy away from wearing pinks on their eyes, but I happen to think that a properly chosen shade of pink can be very flattering and feminine.  My trick to avoid making the eyes look sick when wearing pinks is to blend them with other colours and don’t judge how it looks until you do eyeliner and mascara.  Once you have an eyeliner that serves as a border between the eyeshadow and your eye ball, pink colour looks 10 times better, trust me.   Let’s get to the details, shall we?

Collage of photos for Sweet Valentine Makeup look

HOW TO

SKIN

I evened out model’s skin with a creamy foundation that has medium coverage.  Since this is a going out look it’s ok to wear a bit more foundation to make sure the skin looks really even toned as long as it’s blended well. 🙂 I set the foundation with sheer powder to achieve this natural matte skin finish and lightly brushed the softest pink blush on the cheeks for a kiss of barely there colour.

EYES

To make sure the colours of the eyeshadows pop nicely I used a primer in a nude beige colour first to cover any lid discoloration that might interfere with the eyeshadows.  Then I applied a light pink colour eyeshadow all over the lid, a darker pink in the crease and a browny pink in the outer corner and smudged it on the bottom lash line as well.  I almost always brighten up the inner corner of the eyes with a light eyeshadow that is slightly (or very, depending on the look) shimmery.  The eyes were finished with a dark purple gel eyeliner to keep all the makeup in the same tones.

TECHNIQUE TIP – CURLING LASHES AND APPLYING MASCARA

How to apply mascara

A big part of this look is to have these wide open innocent Bambi eyes, so I really focused on making the model’s eyes look more open.  There are few tricks to achieve this.  First, ALWAYS curl your lashes!  I meant it!  Unless you have curly lashes already, you will be amazed at a difference and will love the push up effect!  Yep, the push up effect is not just for a bra. 😉  When you curl your lashes, it will make them look longer and your eyes more open and bigger.  Now I know that a lash curler can look like a torture device and in the inexperienced hands it can certainly become one.  Here is how you want to use it not to hurt yourself and to achieve maximum impact.

 

Find a curler that works for your eye shape.  They are not all created the same, so try them out before you buy.  Always curl your lashes before you put on mascara.  You can risk breaking your lashes if you do it the other way around.  To curl – look straight in the mirror and bring the lash curler from under towards the eye so that your hand makes a slight dip approaching the eye. Practice getting the curler as close to the lash roots as you can without pinching your skin.  This will give you the most lifting and elongating effect.  Do a gentle test squeeze of the curler to make sure that you don’t have your skin caught and then pump the curler squeezing tight for about 5 seconds.  Open the curler, move up the length of your lashes and stop half way and curl again to give them a nice C-shape curl instead of a harsh L-shape one.

You can help your lashes stay curled when applying mascara by holding the wand horizontally and wiggling it back and forth and then pushing it up as you move the wand upwards.

Seems like such simple things, like curling lashes and putting mascara on them, but there is are these technique tips that make it more effective and easier!  I find it’s like that with most things in makeup and I love showing women all the tricks!  So if you are in Ottawa and would like to become a pro at your own makeup, check out my Educating page.

LIPS

The lips were painted in pink (of course!) see-through glossy stain.  I didn’t want the opacity and heavier texture of the regular lipstick to keep the feel of this look light and playful.

PRODUCTS

Makeup products for Sweet Valentine look

MAC Eyeshadow Palette.  I love the fact that you can make your own palettes at MAC!  In case you didn’t know, you can purchase any of their regular permanent eyeshadows in pans that fit in the empty palette of 4 or 15 eye shadows.  In this palette I put together the following eyeshadows:  Vanilla – warm ivory, Yogurt – soft pale pink, Girlie (of course!) – rosy pink, Haux – soft muted rosy brown.

MAC Fluidline in Macroviolet.  My go to gel eyeliner that applies super smooth and has a finished look of a muted liquid liner.  It stays on really well with minimal smudging.  The best part is that you get to choose the brush to use with it depending on the effect you are going for.  This one is a beautiful deep smokey violet colour.

Shu Uemura Lash Curler.  If you type in google search Shu Uemura, the first thing that comes up is Lash Curler.  They set the standard many years ago and it is still one of the best on the market that has the least potential to hurt your eye and so easy to use.  Also seems to work for most eye shapes unless extremely hooded.  I still remember researching where I can get one since I couldn’t get it in Victoria, BC (where I lived at the time) and purchasing my first one on a trip to San Francisco.

Burberry Bold Lash Macsara in Ebony.  If you like high-impact mascara with lots of volume on the lashes (ahem, yes!) – this is the one for you!  The formula is creamy and very pigmented and the fibre brush has the perfect spacing between the bristles to coat lashes very thoroughly and generously in a super black bold finish.

Benefit Pin Up Lash.  This is the first time I purchased Benefit lashes.  I didn’t even know they make false lashes.  I came across them searching for a perfect lash for the amped up version of this Sweet Valentine look and this has certainly delivered!  They are multi-layered, so it looks like there are three different types of lashes placed on top of each other creating really fluffy dramatic effect without looking too heavy.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laque in Rose on the Rocks.  This product has a unique and pleasant texture – feels like water going on, so lightweight and cooling.  It has more colour intensity then a regular lipgloss with a mirror-like shine minus the sticky effect.  The glossy finish wears off but the colour stain stays for a long time.

GLAMED UP VERSION OF THE LOOK

IMG_4008

I didn’t want to go darker on the eyes or on the lips to temper with the sweetness of this look, so I decided to pump up the lashes volume by adding dramatic false lashes and a swipe of black liner on top of them.  The difference with such a subtle change can be quite big, I think.   The eyes have an extra oomph to them without using darker or brighter eyeshadows.  Judge for yourself.

Pretty pink makeup

 

I wanted to mention my exciting partnership – starting with this look the very stylish and awesome girls at Vincent Boutique  will be providing my Beauty Series with stunning clothing that makes my wardrobe jealous.  I’m sure you have noticed how gorgeous the outfit for this look is!  You are lucky if you leave in Ottawa then you can check out them and their beautifully curated collections in their location on Preston, otherwise it’s online creeping, I mean shopping for the rest of you! 🙂   Here is some more eye candy…

 

The look for Valentine's Day - sweet and girlie

So here is my interpretation of the makeup look for the sweet and lovely romantic girl getting ready for her date on Valentine’s Day.  I hope you like it!  I hope you try it out!

 

And if you do, I would love to see it!  Don’t be shy, post your interpretation of the Sweet Valentine look here or on Instagram with a tag #EffortlessbyKlavaZ.

Come back next week to check out the second Valentine’s Day look in my Beauty Series!  And in the meantime, follow me on Instagram @KlavaZ.makeup and Facebook Klava Zykova Makeup Artist and Educator for everyday makeup inspiration.

Have an effortless beauty day!

Let’s play!

Klava Z

Credits
Photos Throne Photography
Model Jenny D Models International Management
Hair TopKnot Hairstyling by Kirsty MacDonald
Styling Toast Special Events
Clothing Vincent

 

 

 

 

 

#Iwokeuplikethis Natural Makeup Workshop June 17

natural makeup glowy skin Flawless-skin-model-201001 11377085_10153243632927559_298077512881831863_n

Sometimes my favourite makeup looks are the ones that don’t even look like makeup was a big part of the morning routine, but there she is: with luminous fresh skin, glowing in all the right places (because when it glows in wrong places we call it greasy), eyes are defined and stand out, brows are polished, there is a flush of youthful colour to the cheeks and lips are smooth with the perfect pink hue to them.  It’s not just about what you do with makeup, but how you apply it and what products you are using that makes a big difference.  And I will be talking about it, sharing the secrets and showing it all step by step at my makeup workshop #Iwokeuplikethis on June 17th at the Handmade Bride.

Natural makeup seminar workshop in Ottawa

What you will learn at my workshop:

Makeup that complements your features, while still being effortless.  How to do makeup that looks like it’s barely there but at the same time transforms you into your better version.  The version that looks like you get 10 hour beauty sleep every day, drink your green smoothie everyday, do yoga twice a day, don’t have any worries or concerns and have all the time in the world to laugh with your friends.   I will show you the best products to achieve this, how to apply them, the techniques, in what order, what tools to use for best results.

I’m very much into makeup that doesn’t take time.  My time in the morning is usually taken up by running after my 16 month-old adorable daughter, so “efficient” is the key word in my routine.  You will learn the tricks and shortcuts to achieving desirable effects.

It took me years at a beauty counter helping hundreds of women to find and perfect makeup techniques that work and I can’t wait to share them!  I will demystify highlighting, contouring and bronzing and show you the easy daytime appropriate way to do it (forget that 30 minute Youtube tutorial involving 3 different shades of concealer).

over exaggerated contouring and highlighting

How NOT to contour

 

You will also learn the latest summer beauty trends and how to easily incorporate them into your daily routine.   I will show you how you can add just one thing to your look to make it more fresh and current.

What to expect from my workshop:

It will be a fun summer beauty event with delicious catering by Gourmet, cocktails made for sharing with friends and a pop-up shop by Louche Lily.  It’s a trendy online Eco beauty boutique that carries the best natural and organic beauty products on the market.  Beauty without Sacrifice is their motto and I’m such a believer in it (as you will find out if you don’t know me already)!  Their products are carefully selected, maintaining the highest quality ingredients for your skin.  Simply put, the products must produce RESULTS, contain healthy ingredients and be luxurious to look at, to feel and ultimately to bring home for your vanity table.

Trust Fund Beauty nail polishes

Extra bonus will be having Lyz Plant – a world renowned makeup artist who has been practicing make up artistry for 15 years and a founder and CEO of Louche Lily at the event.  When not found behind a computer screen keeping up on the most savvy beauty trends for Louche Lily, you can most likely find Lyz Plant at any given Fashion Week, or in front of a possible celebrity or bride.  I have to admit, I have a bit (big!) of a crush on Lyz, her talent and her mastermind. 🙂  How amazing it will be to have her there to tell us about her favourite products that she tested out herself on numerous high-mantainance clients and to recommend makeup and skincare to my guests one-on-one!  I’m always searching for natural products that deliver, so I’m really looking forward to picking her brain.

The workshop will be held at The Handmade Bride boutique, which I like to visit once in awhile simply for inspiration, that’s how beautiful the space and dresses are.  Meaghan, the genius behind it, hand picks independent Canadian designers with Indie spirit for boutique’s dresses and accessories (fun bow-ties and lovely floral crowns among many others).   I love that they offer dress alterations not just on their own, but customers’ dresses bought elsewhere as well!

I know that by now the only thing you would like to know is where to buy the tickets to this fabulous event!  Follow this LINK at Snapuptickets.com to register for the workshop and buy your tickets.

At the last makeup workshop I did women were telling me that if they knew it would be this much fun they would have brought friends.  Hint, hint.

makeup lesson, makeup semimar

Holiday Look Makeup Seminar

Can’t wait to see you at my summer beauty workshop!  I promise you will have an amazing time!  And maybe will get to be my model for one of the looks! 😉