An Authentic Punjabi Celebration!

Thanksgiving weekend was once again dedicated to working on an out of town wedding! But i had no complaints on missing out on the turkey as this was one of the most enjoyable weddings i have ever been part of. Spanning over 3 days and two cities, with live dhol players, bhangra, gidda, punjabi style feasts, music, masti and more it was an event to remember!

Before i start with the looks we worked on for the Sangeet, wedding and reception i would like to express how honored i was with the heartfelt hospitality, respect and love of my bride and her family. Her best friend was truly a matron of honor and took on the responsibility of not only last minute details for the bride but also ensuring that i was taken care of. Thank you so much for every thing!

Sangeet night was thursday evening and my bride wore a traditional wine colored patiala shalwar kameez ensemble with antique embroidery detailing. She wanted a true punjabi look so we braided her hair at the back with accents of tassels at the base and parted her bangs to gently frame her face on one side. The makeup was an evening look with pearlesque pink, wine and antique bronze eyeshadow, black eyeliner and kohl, fake eyelashes in the most natural set, contoured pink cheeks and a taupe/pink lip color.

For the wedding, it was all about the maharani look. The exquisite lehnga was a maroon/burgundy completely laden with antique zardozi, kundan, gota and gemstones in golds, bronzes and emerald green. The dupatta was extremely heavy due to the embroidery so we did a very high behinve style updo that came down to just the right height once the dupatta was pinned.  The makeup was a classic gold, maroon, vanilla, copper, bronze eyeshadow, winged black liner on the top line, emerald green shimmering liner on the bottom line, black kohl, more defined black fake lashes. The cheeks were sculpted with a dark taupe, blush was a peach tone with antique gold highlights, the lips were a soft copper on apricot and the skin was finished with a mineral face powder finish to add a subtle glow to the matte foundation. Bindis were placed around the brows in red and white crystals and the dupatta was draped maharani style.

I don't usually attend the wedding ceremonies but this one i did, and her entrance was so surreal that i got a tear in my eye and goosebumps from the grandeur. As she walked under a drape of flower garlands, to the sounds of live 'Ohmmm mangalam' chanting and her face glowing with regal elegance reflecting the sparkles from her wedding outfit!

The next morning a 4.5 hour drive from one city to another and we were ready to work on the reception look. This was going to be red carpet diva all the way. The burnt russet sari once again had antique detailing and a lush maroon velvet blouse.  So we did the hair in large soft curls on a side part with a lot of bounce and touchable feel.

For makeup i worked with russet, cream and olive green on the eyes, black liner done cleopatra style, olive liner on the lower lash line, black kohl rimming the eyes and true diva style eyelashes. Cheeks were copper toned, the lips were a mocha pink layered with two toned gold/orange pigment and then glossed. True starlett material indeed!

And the love poured on...

November 8th 2009 started with a foggy haze with a chance of thunderstorms as I headed out to the wedding at Nature's Point in Lago Vista. A lovely location overlooking the lake- the setting was dreamlike with an outdoor mandap of drapes and florals against a gray lake backdrop...

My bride brought her heritage of Indian Punjab and UP in the reflection of a lovely red jamevar silk bridal lehnga outfit from Pakistan elaborately embroidered with antique metal bullion. Her desired look for the wedding was enhanced sparkling eyes with a bold lip, flawless skin (to hide any signs of stress and sleepless nights) & a soft but high do to hold her heavy dupatta- We worked with tarnished gold, terracotta, olive green and bronze for the eyes with lush black liner, custom set false eyelashes, two toned foundation to create a flawless contoured look, and three shades of red to create a soft yet bold red lip.

The final look was vibrant, elegant and perfect against the gray skies- that just before the ceremony started pouring down showers of love.... a bit wet, but not a damper on the joy and festivity that continued way into the night!

A Lovely Curtain Call!!!

Last Sunday brought a lovely experience with a darling bride- A Gujarati Indian wedding in the unique setting of the One World Theater in Austin.

What a fantastic production indeed- from the eclectic setting, to the dramatic lighting, and most impressive of all, the program guide was custom designed to look like a premier theatrical production hand out! Very creative indeed.

My Bride- gorgeous undoubtedly, wore a lovely beige and red lehnga with lush crystals and antique metal bullion. We chose to do a 60's bollywood starlet inspired look with a 21st century influence. Dark Kohl lined eyes, extended winged eyeliner, long lashes, chiseled features and soft shimmery lips all in hues of golds, dull reds and bronze-

Bravo on the production and for the look... Encore!

 

From Goddess to Princess- A Tamil Bride

Halloween weekend was an exciting one for Studio Sila. While we didn't get to play dress up, we did have a fantastic time offering services of photography and makeup at a very grand wedding in Houston.

The exciting part was that hours before i left for Houston i had to have emergency dental surgery to extract 4 wisdom teeth! Cannot thank my compassionate dentists enough for giving me enough medicine to numb the pain for the travel and work.

So starting at 6 a.m on Saturday morning, the look my bride wanted was natural glamor and with her lush thick hair in curls. We worked with old gold, rich gold, bronze, maroon and olive green for the eyes with black kohl, defined cheeks with a subtle hint of color and copper based lips. The hair was half up with a poof and down with huge soft curls. By the time we were done, she looked nothing less than an Indian Goddess! The oohs and wows were echoing through the ballroom as she made her entrance carried by uncles and cousins in a lotus shaped basket!


For the reception, it was all out glitz and shimmer. A splendid silvery pink outfit loaded with crystals and custom re-designed with a crinoline petticoat created a Cinderella ball gown effect. My bride opted for side swept large curls accented with pink orchids and crystals. The eyes were steel gray, silver and pink, loads of kohl, sculpted cheeks and soft pink lips- A princess indeed!

Photo-credits: Tk@studiosila.com

A sweet living doll!

October 11th 2009 brought gray skies, freezing rain, a teasing cold front and the opportunity to brighten it all up with a wedding look for a darling bride in Austin!

A Jain Gujarati Indian wedding with a fantastic combination of tradition with modern individual touches- An intimate wedding at the Holiday Inn North West and a fun reception at Cafe' Blu at the Lake!!

For the morning ceremony we started at 9:45 a.m at the Renaissance at the Arboretum- The outfit was a lush emerald green and deep red chiffon sari with dull gold embroidery. The desired look was natural with the 'Saman's signature touch' of accentuated eyes and chiseled features... For the evening reception, the lehnga was a unique patchwork inspired piece with embroidered and woven panels in hues of magenta, emerald green, mustard and more with a gold and mustard blouse and an emerald green dupatta. And the bride with her sweet demeanor and soft features looked just like a doll!

This is the look for the morning which was tweaked for a bit more drama with the hair down for the evening and these are the before and after pictures for you to enjoy!

I am back!

Dear Ones!
I am sorry for disappearing for quite a while but ooh have I returned from exciting trips and such wonderful learning experiences from my travels :)
Lots of weddings this summer, will post the images very soon- Till then, stay beautiful~
XOXO
Saman

Product Review- Smooth Away

$10 to the challenge, is this really a break from those expensive razor cartridges? So the product is purchased and is tried on the face (jawline and upper lip) and arms. Does not want to work on the leg (south asian hair is defiant?) No real sensation of tugging or friction though a lot of the skin turns powdery white (exfoliation?) and feels warm after repeated attempts in one area.

Exactly 24 hours later, the jawline starts tingling, then angry purple bumps start emerging all over. I try to soothe them with witch hazel, rose water, ice, neosporin, but they itch and get larger. I look like i have blisters on my face. The next day the swelling subsides and i have dull purple blotches where the bumps were. Four days later they vanish.

Lucky for me i did'nt have any public appearances scheduled other than one bridal session where the bride who had once doted over my clear skin looked shocked at what looked like i had contracted a nast skin condition!

The hair growth poked through in 36 hours, soft spikes emerged in 48, a week later the hair was long enough to be visible at an arms length.

My take- Its not worth it. My skin is not sensitive, but it did not like the abrasion. The razor does the exact same thing without the skin erruptions (of course i dont use it on my face!) The growth time is comparable to the razor, the spikes are softer at the tip so they dont look like a stubble, more like when you wax or thread your hair.

If you have tried it, feel free to post your comments on the experience!

XOXO
Saman

The Nail Story

Mehndi is an adornment of the South Asian bride that is both a marvelous piece of art and is one amazing aphrodisiac :)
So the nail design and mehndi are two parts of the wedding look that carry over to the post wedding and honeymoon and many brides for this reason choose the french manicure as their nail design.
While the french manicure may look extremely neat and very classy on a day to day basis, it doesn't always work out with the mehndi. Mehndi gets darker 48 hours after its initial application and the more your body temperature rises, the deeper it appears! And that can become too stark a contrast with the white tips- Here are my recommendations for nail color and design-
If you are wearing a red, maroon or orange theme that has gold accents and wish to stay away from those colors for the nails good alternates are:
1. Champagne or light sand shimmering nail color
2. Taupe color with copper tips (shorter nails only)


For pink, blue, green outfits that may have silver detailing
1. American manicure but with pearl tips (no white or creame please)
2. Sheer silver nail polish (it doesnt look tacky)
3. Diamond dust or very subtle glitter solars

Airbrush design on the nails is a personal preference but can some times look a bit too busy with the intricate mehndi design on the hands.

If getting solars or acrylics, do request a slightly rounded square tip and get them done atleast 4 days before the wedding event start as the cuticle area can throb or hurt the day after the nails are put on!

Happy nail styling!
XOXO
Saman

Sound bytes from desi weddings

With every lovely new bride, trial makeup session, unique wedding, excitement and buzz comes an exclusive memory of random statements... here are some of the latest ones:

1. I want to look like my self. (Of course, but do you wear a heavilly embroidered lehnga with all that jewelry every day?)
2. I don't want to look like a christmas tree. (That really isn't my style either)
3. I hate red-lipstick. (Hmm that is personal preference but i don't do red lips with a pink outfit either)
4. Can you make my dupatta feel lighter (Sorry sweetest! I can pin it so it does'nt intefere with movement but weight is something that should have been considered with purchasing the outfit)
5. I don't know what color Im wearing for the wedding. Can we do a trial makeup session ( For what color theme???)
6. I want to look pretty. (And i want the same thing for you too)
7. I don't want to look caked up (DO any of the brides you've seen in my portfolio look like they have icing on them?)
8. Do i have to pay tax too?
9. Do i have to reimburse the parking fee/valet fee too?
10. My wedding is over budget, we have 600 guests, can you give me a break (i would love to, but im working from 3:00 a.m- 7:00 p.m on your wedding my dearest to make you look and feel fantastic, shouldn't that be paid more than the price of your centre piece arrangements?
:D )

I adore all my brides- this is what makes the whole process so much fun!
XOXO
Saman

A Vision of Exquisite Beauty!

A Hindu, Jain, North Indian, South Indian Gujrati wedding!

This weekend was any makeup artists dream come true. I got to work with one of the most exquisite faces and the most darling bride ever!

From 7:00 a.m- 6:00 p.m with coffee and poongal, giggles, music, lots of chit chat and rave reviews from the photographer, videographer, bride'smaids, cousins, brothers, mom and dad and even the groom (here here Saman!) it was a day that felt truly rewarded!

A doctor by profession, yearning to be a bollywood starlett- any as the images below will advocate, there is no doubt, she will have all the A list actresses of India on a run for their money does she decide to make her mark in the industry

:)

A 60's bollywood inspired classic elegant look for the wedding. A modern softly dramatic complimentary color theme for the reception.

XOXO

Saman

A garba/ sangeet session

Good friday, traffic like it was thanksgiving and a windy spring day all came together for the Garba/Sangeet night session for a beautiful bride!

As we travelled all over town from her Parents house in Round Rock, to lunch at Madras Pavillion, switching luggage and cars and into South Austin towards the hotel braving the traffic chaos on I-35, it was music and chit chat and time just flew by.

Every one kept asking, Saman are you her friend? From College?

:D

Once at the hotel we took over the suite gently moving the groom's family out of there and in 2 hours we created an elegant look for my dear bride in shimmering nudes and green for her red and burnt orange outfit.

Hope the photoshoot at the botannical gardens was a good one girl- and I cannot wait to work with you for the wedding and reception looks!

XOXO

Saman

Freshly washed hair or dirty hair?

The question echos through almost every consultation i have with my brides to be. Lets put it this way, would you want to touch some ones dirty hair? Im talking a couple of days old, oily goopy mangled with products.... not so nice!

But, freshly washed hair can be extremely challenging to work with especially if the hair is straight. No matter how much product is starched on, the hair may look great temporarily but it will not hold! So what we ask for is clean hair but not shampooed just a couple of hours ago. Ideally the night before the wedding is when you should shampoo, condition and dry your hair. Give it some nice brushing before bed, then again when you wake up. That will stimulate the natural oil production which will give it a natural lift and just the right amount of tackiness to the stylist to create the best, long holding hair style when coupled with the right styling products.

Happy hair styles~
XOXO
Saman

Facebook and Twitter

Happy Monday Ladies! While its bitterly chilly on what should be a warm spring day in Austin, here is a bit of warmth through chit chat and connection!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=2436679643&ref=mf

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SamanAnsari

Send in those questions~
XOXO
Saman

Some tips (From experience)

Here are some tips and tried and true recommendations for all brides to be as well as those preparing for a big event-
1. If prepping your face for a hair free look, please take care by scheduling facials, waxing and threading at least a week prior. Any less than that and you can have bumps, pimples and scars on your face that will be harder to conceal.
2. Hair works with gravity & weather- If you desire a down do with large curls, remember that they need to start as smaller curls which will open up and get looser as time progresses. Use too large a barrel for curling and the hair will go straight too soon. If the weather is dry and static, the hair will get fly away distorting those large curls again. If its humid, the large curls will stick to your neck and face and look like un-styled hair! So trust your artist and let them do tighter curls and enjoy them through the event as they slowly get looser and bigger.
3. Do not fixate your self on one portion of the face to make it perfect. Look at the entire face, from an arms length (how many people will see you from 3 inches away?) The complete look should be pleasing :) Visual balance is achieved when you stand 2 feet away from the mirror and it all looks good.
4. Do your part and get some good sleep before the event. Hydration and rest are essential and even with the finest makeup techniques nothing can compare to the real, fresh look of well rested eyes and nourished skin!
5. You know your skin and how it behaves best. So if its oily, do not go for a shimmery glowing look as it will go overboard after an hour when your natural oils come through the makeup. And yes, flash photography where the flash faces you, will enhance any shine so unless you want hot spots on your T zone that look neon- keep the shimmer/fairy dust/glitter/shine/glow/bronzer to a minimum please.
6. Don't over moisturize your skin, it will cause the foundation to slide. Don't layer on chapstick before the lip color, it will cause it to bleed!
7. Trust your experienced artist (that is why you chose them right?) You are the essence of beauty and when enhanced with makeup should look elegant, divine and diva like, so stay away from the untouchable, too perfect, too polished, too porcelain a look and have a lovely event!

XOXO Saman

Airbrush or not?

Its in great demand right now, airbrushed foundation! Its amazing for sheer natural looking skin, but then again so is a traditionally applied one with a skilled hand and a good brush. As a matter of fact for the wedding, pro makeup artists do not recommend air brushed foundation especially when more coverage is needed for spots, pigmentation, that stress related pimple, those 'didn't sleep all week' tell tale dark circles!

Here is my first Hydro Foundation of Kett Cosmetics bridal application!
To reiterate my view- here is an article from an industry professional who needs little introduction:

http://www.weddingaces.com/2009/03/wedding-makeup-airbrush-foundation-or-hand-applied/#more-1400

A Tamil Affair!

This weekend was a fantastic one indeed, though i was up at 4:00 a.m both days to start work pre-dawn, the results were just perfect.

In the overcast balmy weather of friday i went to the bride's parents home to get her ready for the Pooja followed by the Mehndi night. Welcomed with such warmth by her family was a great start and to top it off, her mother made a fantastic cup of south indian filter coffee for me :)

Her Kanjiveeram sari was a pink with mauve undertones with a gold and green weave. So we worked on the following look that could transition from a day time pooja to an evening event. Oh by the time the session was over it was pouring with menacing thunder so i got drenched on my way out, but my bride was able to enjoy her look all day!

Saturday Morning i was at the Driskill with a winter coat on cause the weather had turned to freezing! I met up with the family and as the bride hopped in for a quick shower i enjoyed the lovely decor of the mandap that had been set up already. Her father was so generous and arranged for my caffine intake with a warm cup of coffee and we got started with the wedding ceremony look. Half waythrough the session i did the makeup of her mom, such a lovely lady indeed!

The bride wore a sari that was a family heirloom almost a 100 years old in a rich magenta and gold. Her hair was bejwelled with orchids flown in from Hawaii, a long braid, gold tassels and ruby encrusted discs! This is the hindu ceremony look-

After a quick lunch we started working on the second look for the american ceremony, we had just about an hour to get it all together but it looked splendid!

Now came the main challenge, with two sessions of product overload on the hair, the bride had to take another shower and shampoo her hair so i had to get her ready for the grand reception look in under 2 hours!!!

I had my assistant join me as we blow dried her silky hair, added huge curlers for volume, then curled individual sections with a curling iron for big bouncy curls and finally added tons of extensions for the ultimate glamorous look! I worked on her mother's evening look again and she was so delighted with the false eyelashes :)

The reception look was a red and bright blue and on my bride's cinnamon skin, it looked simply divine- Hugs and thankyou's were the culmination of the day with her bride's maids and guests appreciating how lovely she looked for each event, now that is true satisfaction! After 14 hours of non stop work, i came home delighted and yearning for a massage.

XOXO

Saman

Why so long?

Every now and then i will get a bride who at the consulation will ask, wow Saman your session is 3 hours long at a wedding? I know of artists who do the whole look in an hour and makeup counters are done with a full makeup look in 30 minutes!

Yes i know, it seems like a long time and here is what those 3 hours include from me. With over a decade of working at weddings, i know there is always 'something' that comes up- we need to have time to accomodate that surprise. Friends want to come in to take a peek, that takes up time as they all ooh and aah and create excitement. A distraught family member may think you are the source of every solution and keeps asking you about random things...

Then there is the stress of the big day, of course you are nervous, its a huge change in your life! Would you rather feel rushed with an artist who goes at lightening speed to get your hair, makeup and dressing done and is out the door?

I arrive early, i help organize and layout all your jewelry, clothes, and details. How many forget that putting ironed clothes in a suitcase causes them to get wrinkled all over again! So i iron them again for you. We start with the hair, we talk , you laugh and smile, wiggle your toes... Then we proceed to the makeup, you close your eyes and relax as i pamper you through the process. I answer every knock at your hotel room door and assist taking unwanted visitors out of your room. I dress you up, put on your jewelry, help you wear your shoes :) Your photographer arrives for getting ready shots, i help you enjoy that session. He/She leaves to capture the arrival of the baraat- you get nervous, excited, realize you need to run to the ladies room- i help you get settled again.

We look in the mirror together, you enjoy the total vision of beauty, we make any desired tweaking changes.... I stay with you till your family comes to take you down for your grand entrace.

It's the quality of service my dearest bride to be... you are in good hands because i love what i do and my commitment to pampering you is what makes it a 3 hour session!

XOXO

Saman

What joyous excitement-

This weekend i was part of a grand Indian wedding of the Maharashtran & Tamil cultures! As i made my way to the Rennaisance at the Arboretum in Austin at 5:00 a.m, the windchill was nippy. But soon the cold melted to the warmth and hustle bustle in my brides suit as we got company from her brother, mother, aunt, uncle, the photographer father, the PRIEST :), another brother, his son and lots of friends- soon there was barely enough space for me to get her ready but hey that is the fun of a true desi wedding.

As i put on her final touches i even got a suggestion or two by the priest on how she should look for the wedding :)

I headed back to the studio at 9:00 a.m and was back at the hotel at 3:00 p.m to get the reception session started. As i undid her updo there was a shower of rice that turned the carpet white, no kidding, that is the most generous amount of rice shower i have every seen come out of a hair do! As we proceeded to covert her hair style into a lush cascade of big curls, I met the groom for the first time then, lounging in his UT shorts and T with the remnants of the wedding with Turmeric color feet and a black spot on his cheek to ward of the evil eye- what a darling he was too, the next time around he looked so handsome in his tux!

From a very traditional Maharashtran bride (with some Tamil accents to accomodate the new family ) to a glamorous Bollywood diva- how divine- all in a days work.

XOXO

Saman Ansari

Spread a little cheer...

Its truly hard, you hear of friends loosing their jobs every day, you look at your finances and squeal! The savings look minimal...

Its tough to think of beauty and makeup at times like this, seems so trivial and perhaps shallow... so that glass is half empty.

Lets change the view, come stand on my side, now take a look. When its gray and cold outside, a bright colored dress changes the mood and theme...makes those blues not so bad. Its the same with the times now, they are hard, almost harsh, but with a little bit of care on how you look, when you face the mirror and give your self a pep talk about money matters, you wont get distracted with pale skin, frizzy hair, an emerging pimple. You will look good, feel confident and will be better prepared to take on the challenges.. Now with that lovely look, SMILE... spread some cheer, its contagious!

XOXO Saman