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A lot has changed in our industry this past year. COVID-19 has meant many makeup artists, particularly in Melbourne, have been unable to work for almost 7 months. We have transferred brides from early 2020, to new dates in late 2020. Only to have to transfer them again to dates in 2021. It's been difficult, but necessary, and so far I have been able to accomodate these changes for all of my brides.
But as our cases of COVID-19 start to drop, makeup artists in Melbourne started putting together our COVDSafe work plans, to show that we are ready to work safely, when we are allowed to. We will be doing everything we can to keep our clients and ourselves safe. I have a copy of this plan on my bridal website. www.amykennybridal.com/covid-19.html This plan will change as new things come up, laws change or recommendations form the government or health officials change. This plan covers all areas of my work- Bridal, film and advertising.
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I was interviewed by Open Colleges about how I became a makeup artist. It sounds so cliche but I loved makeup from a fairly young age and I loved doing my friend's makeup through my teens. I knew this is what I wanted to do. I first studied makeup in 1998, and then went on to work on a cosmetics counter whilst freelancing on the side when I could. If you would like to read more about my career and how I got here plus a few words from fellow makeup artist Amelia Webb, here is a link to the full article: www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/blog/how-to-become-professional-makeup-artist This photo is of me working on Melbourne Model Cassie H from Vivien's  A smoky eye and a more formal hairstyle, leads to a relaxed party inspired look as the night approaches. I subtle glitter highlight on the shoulder shows up as the lights come on. 
Photos by Marieke Byford- www.luma-wedding-photography.com.au
Hair by Chlelsea De Main- www.eyeamhair.com Flowers by Sassybird flowers- www.sassybirdflowers.com.au Dresses by Era Vintage- www.facebook.com/eravintagebride Jewllery and headpieces by Kall'ure Jewellery- www.kallurejewellery.com Makeup by Amy Kenny www.amykennymakeup.com/bridal-portfolio Model- Esra On a beautiful day I got together with some talented creatives in a copper clad caravan and produced a beautiful bridal shoot. We spent the afternoon walking through nature, with Marieke from Luma Photo capturing some beautiful shots. It's a little vintage bridal inspiration with some behind the scenes shots. This shoot was also on Nouba Blog.     
 Photos by Marieke Byford- www.luma-wedding-photography.com.au
Hair by Chlelsea De Main- www.eyeamhair.com Flowers by Sassybird flowers- www.sassybirdflowers.com.au Dresses by Era Vintage- www.facebook.com/eravintagebride Jewllery and headpieces by Kall'ure Jewellery- www.kallurejewellery.com Makeup by Amy Kenny www.amykennymakeup.com/bridal-portfolio Model- Esra  I am quite fond of skin exfoliation. When working on someone's face, I can see if they don't exfoliate, and also if they exfoliate too often. Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin cells and leaves skin feeling smooth and looking radiant. This will help with moisturiser absorption and also mean that your makeup will look smoother and last longer. But those little micro-beads found in many exfoliators are synthetic beads. That's right, plastic beads. Last year it was brought to my attention that these tiny plastic beads get through the water filtration systems, polluting our oceans and getting into the food chain. You can read about it here or watch a video here. I had to stop using the exfoliator I had immediately and disposed of it in the bin. But what can you do if you love to exfoliate, but also don't want to use harsh scrubs that contain ground up walnut shell or apricot kernels? I went a few months without exfoliating, but over the last year I have found a couple of great facial exfoliators that don't contain the offending plastics (which are labelled in ingredients lists as polyethylene or polypropylene). Smitten and Trilogy are the two exfoliators I have been trialling, and I have to say I do like them both. They both contain jojoba beads to exfoliate, rather than plastic. The Trilogy Exfoliator is a little thicker in consistency, due to the Kaolin in it, which is a white clay. Kaolin helps to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. The Smitten exfoliator has a slightly softer texture, and contains salicylic acid which helps to encourage skin cell renewal. Both companies are transparent about the ingredients that go into in their products (all natural) and they don't test on animals. Smitten is Australian and Trilogy is from New Zealand, so they don't need to be transported from the other side of the world either. Bonus! Alternatively, you can also use exfoliators containing salicylic acid or alpha-hydroxy acids which don't use physical exfoliation. www.smittencosmetics.com.au www.trilogyproducts.com *Please note: I purchased these products with my own money and don't receive anything for writing about them. Great makeup brushes can really give your makeup a refined and polished look. But if those brushes are not clean, the finished look will be a lot less than that. Not to mention the potential for bacteria to build up in your bristles and be placed on your face. But how exactly do you clean your makeup brushes?
As a professional makeup artist, it's imperative that we clean and sanitise our brushes. But it is still important for your personal ones. Some people recommend baby shampoo, but I find it does not effectively remove liquid and cream products, it's just too gentle. There are products you can buy that are specifically for brushes, like Clean Brush Goat's Milk soap and Beauty Blender Cleanser, but I do love Dr Bronner's Pure Castile soap. It can be purchased in liquid or bar form from any health food shop, and easily removes all traces of makeup. It's also great for makeup sponges. When washing my brushes, I like to wear a pair of ordinary dish washing gloves (ones that are kept out of the kitchen!) This protects my hands from the drying effects of soap and water, and the texture on the gloves cuts my cleaning time in half. This is very handy when washing 50 brushes! I wet my brush in warm running water, apply a small amount of soap, lather on my textured glove, and rinse. Don't use water that is too hot as it may melt the glue that is holding the bristles in. Powder brushes will be clean in a few seconds, foundation brushes may need a second go. I squeeze out the excess water on a clean towel, lay the brush flat or on a slight angle with the bristles pointing down and leave to dry overnight. I love to use brush guards to help keep the shape of my brushes. They are a flexible mesh tube that hold the bristles in place to stop them splaying out. In the morning a spray my brushes with brush cleaner to sanitise them. I like Parian Spirit and Scotty's Brush Cleaner, but you can also use Isocol (70% Isopropryl Alcohol). I hope this helps to keep your brushes clean and in great condition. Great brushes should last at least 10 years if you look after them. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments! We all want flawless, glowing skin on our wedding day. The makeup chosen by your makeup artist will help you achieve this, but well maintained skin will ensure it. Being a Melbourne makeup artist, I see a lot of dehydrated skin. So I've put together some tips to help you get great skin for your wedding. Skincare If you don't already do much for your skin, consider starting a skincare regime at least 1 month before the wedding. Skin cell renewal occurs approximately every 28 days. But it can sometimes take a couple of months to make sure that the products you are using are the best for your skin. You then want to make sure they have enough time to work. I find that most people get great results by using a full skincare regime, including cleansing, toning, moisturising twice a day, eye cream and using exfoliators and masks. People with oily/combination skin usually prefer to use a wash off cleanser, but be careful not to over cleanse and strip the skin of all of it's natural oils, this can make your skin produce more oil to get it try to get back into balance. If you have dehydrated, dry or sensitive skin, a cream cleanser will be much more gentle, and will leave your skin feeling comfortable after cleansing. It's best to use a gentle hydrating lotion or mist in place of a toner for dry skin. I also think that layering a serum or oil before your moisturiser gives much more comfort to dry skin. Choose a moisturiser that is best for your skin type with a texture that you like. An oil free, fluid texture is usually preferred by oily skins, a light cream for normal skin and a rich cream will give comfort to dry skin. Smooth skin and a glowing complexion are made easier with the use of a gentle exfoliator. Those with combination and oily skin types can exfoliate twice a week. Dry skin, although flaky, does not react well to too much exfoliating. Often we feel like exfoliating a lot to rid our skin of the flakes, but once a week is best for dry skin. For very dry and delicate skin, one a fortnight may be enough. Exfoliators should be gentle massaged over damp skin, there is no need to be aggressive with your application. Exfoliating too often can damage the epidermis leaving it rough in texture and raw looking. Makeup does not adhere well, or last long on over exfoliated skin. I recommend not to exfoliate your face the day of your wedding. Do it a day or two before. If you feel your skin needs a little extra help, you can also use a facial mask. There are many different types of masks, but generally speaking, a clay mask is good for combination/oily skin types as they are good for absorbing excess oil. Hydrating masks are good for dry or dehydrated skin, which may be a gel formula or a creamy more nourishing formula. If you have a true combination skin, don't be afraid to use a clay mask on your T-zone, and a hydrating mask on your cheeks. There are also masks to boost radiance for dull complexions. Masks work well after you have removed the dead skin cells. So exfoliate the same day or the day before applying a mask. Sun & Water If possible, stay out the sun the two weeks before your wedding. Nobody wants to be a sunburnt bride! The sun is also quite dehydrating for the skin. Using a moisturiser with SPF in it is great, but be mindful that this is not enough protection for a day at the beach or the tennis! A high protection sunscreen needs to be applied every two hours if you are outdoors for long periods. Drinking lots of water and eating healthy wholefoods will help to hydrate and look after your skin from within. Don't underestimate the effects of what we put in our bodies! Waxing Many women get some facial waxing done before their wedding, but did you know you shouldn't get it done the day before your wedding? Waxing removes every tiny hair from your skin. Foundation will not adhere to skin straight after waxing, so get your waxing done about 5 days before your wedding. If you have any stray hairs, I will tweeze them for you! Fake Tan If you are getting a spray tan, I highly recommend that you have a trial to check the colour. Be sure that you are using an experienced professional and that the colour is desirable, so that I can match your foundation correctly. It can be a good idea to get a spray tan before your makeup trial, so that I can balance and adjust your makeup to suit the tanned colour. The depth of makeup on fair skin will look very different on your spray tanned skin. If you are going quite dark with your spray tan, I prefer that people get a light application on their face. If you are doing your own fake tan application, exfoliate your body first to ensure a smooth and even application. Be really careful with your application on your knees, ankles, elbows and around your heels. Remove any build up from these areas an wash your palms well! What to wear It is preferable that you wear a strapless top or singlet during makeup and hair application so that it is easier to match your foundation colour and to avoid messing up your hairstyle when you go to get dressed! Here's to smooth, glowing skin ready for makeup application (and your wedding photos!) *This advice is general in nature and aimed at those who aren't sure how to look after their skin. It should not replace the advice given to you by your dermatologist or regular beauty therapist. With an early start on a cool morning, I got together with talented wedding photographer Katie, from Love Katie + Sarah and Grace Travaglia to create some bridal images to inspire. With nature as our backdrop, beautiful floral designs by Rita from Blooming Brides and dresses by Claire Pettibone ( Intique & Co Bridal Boutique ) and Anna Campbell, I created two bridal looks with hair and makeup. Thanks also to Ali Bailey + Zahrah Habibullah for being photographic assistants on the day.
  More of my bridal makeup can be seen here http://www.amykennymakeup.com/bridal-makeup
Katie's wedding photography can be seen here http://www.lovekatieandsarah.com/ This video by Daomay Keo, is of a shoot I did with Myuran Ganesh. The photos are still to come, but the behind scenes can be seen here. Well, it's some behind the scenes, and some creative additions- I don't get my models to do their own makeup! Creative director/Shoot Photographer: Myuran Ganesh, Video: Daomay Keo, Hair & Makeup: Amy Kenny Models: Brooke Zuijdwijk, Meaghan Gleeson, Melanie Kirby, Styling: Leroy Lorenzo, Designers: Yuan Zhang & Hannah McMullin Mythical Winter Tales - FS700 from Daomay on Vimeo. Earlier this year, I was asked to join Dana Leviston, to work on the launch of Calvin Klein's denim and underwear lines. With the help of two of her hairstylists, we got 10 models ready in a few hours. We created a natural, luminous look for the models using CK one's beautiful cosmetics. These are some behind the scenes shots taken by Morganna Magee     |
AuthorAmy Kenny is a Melbourne based makeup artist and hairstylist working as a bridal makeup artist, commercial makeup artist, fashion makeup artist and corporate makeup artist in Melbourne and Victoria. Archives
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Melbourne makeup artist | Melbourne bridal makeup artist | Melbourne advertising makeup artist | Melbourne commercial makeup artist
Melbourne makeup artist | Melbourne bridal makeup artist | Melbourne advertising makeup artist | Melbourne commercial makeup artist