2019 IBI Awards International Award Winning Image/ Best Braid Hairstyle “Arcadia Blooms”

Amazing concepts come from everywhere and at any time. About two summers ago I had thought about doing a hairstyling collection with braids inspired by my backyard pond and floral garden. The concept was in the early stages of development and I had shared the idea with my friend Genna Yussman Greene. I had a general direction for where I wanted to go for hairstyling but had not finalized what I was thinking for wardrobe or make up. I had put together a vision board with paper fashions and bold eye make up. I would have Genna do both the styling and the photography and Isidro Valencia for make up.

2019 IBI Award Finalist Best Undo/Upstyle“Arcadia Blooms” — 2019 IBI Award Finalist Best Undo/Upstyle
“Arcadia Blooms”

I spent two days practicing on my mannequins. Spending alot of time on them meant having sore hands and fingers. Blow drying long hair, practicing sectioning, various braids and braiding techniques. I used hair pads and lots of hairstyling products. I used hot tools, clips and lots of hairspray on these days. I took photos with my camera phone and sent to both Genna and Isidro. Genna sent me camera pics back of the wardrobe she was putting together. I was able to visualize the model’s face when I created the looks which made the day of the photoshoot easier to adapt the style to the models.

image by Genna Yussman Greene / Absolute Studio

Our studio (Absolute Studio) was freezing in December and I staggered the models through out the day. Each model took over two-three hours per styling along with an hour of makeup. The girls turn up the heat for Genna while she took photos but we were all freezing. Fortunately the entire shoot was worth it at a whopping ten hour day plus an additional 6 hour day for the second day.

award winning Image IBI 2019 award winner. image by Genna Yussman Greene / Absolute Studio

I could not have asked for a better set of talented models. I booked Theresa Krosse, Chelsey Malm and Dakota Bruton. I had decided last minute along with Genna to introduce a fourth hairstyle and with that we added an additional shoot day and another model, Lucy Duane. Each look was very technical and showcased intricate braiding and long hairstyling and finishing. The make up Isidro created was bold and clean and really showcased the beauty of each model’s bone structure.

IBI 2019 Finalist / image by Genna Yussman Greene / Absolute Studio

Chelsey’s hairstyle consisted of a braided hair veil that draped the side of her face and formed from on scalp braids. I set her hair with a curling iron with the remainder of her hair. Afterwards the hair was backcombed, brushed and styled into shape.

Theresa’s look is all about texture. I created a lot of on scalp braids and a large fish tail on top of her head. The ends of the braids after securing with micro bands I wrapped them around large hair pins and heat styled them with a hair iron. This technique in the beauty industry is referred to as “Rick Racking”. Afterwards the hair was brushed out and sprayed with hairspray.

A lot of hairdressing went into each look. Hair was set on each model first using Redken’s Gut 10. Hair was braided using Water Wax, Braid Aid and set with the Sam Villa texture iron, straightening iron and marcel iron in some combination on the four models. Hairsprays of choice were Fashion Works 12, Control Addict 28 and Triple Dry 32.

lucy’s hairstyle included on scalp braids that curved the rounds of the head. I created a textured high ponytail I then brought across the top toward the face. I took the ends of the braid and secured them on top the ponytail and pulled the hair between the braids. I created a single braided rose on her left side. I used Water Wax on the braids for control and lots of shine. I liked the contrast of the textured, matte ponytail with the sleekness of her braids.

For Dakota’s hairstyle. I did a lot of ponytail on the back and sides of her head. I backcombed a large section and secured with pins. I did several fishtail braids that I fanned out and wrapped over the backcombed section. The front of her hair did on scalp braids and I formed the ends of the braids into flowers. You can see below how I changed my design from the mannequin prep day below.

Isidro convinced me to enter the 2019 IBI awards (International Beauty Industry Awards) I entered three of the looks. I found out on October 1st one of the images won the award for “Best Braided Styles” and a second image was named a finalist for, “Best Undo Hairstyle”. I could not believe it and was beyond thankful. Our team worked so hard.

The entire collection was submitted for publication and published in a four page spread in Feroce Magazine in the July 2019 issue. The collection had a snippet featured in the June 2019 of Beauty Launchpad magazine.

Models:

Theresa Krosse @theresa_krosse

Lucy Duane (Heyman Talent Agency) @lucyduane

Dakota Bruton @dakotabruton.model

Chelsey Malm (Tribe Management) @chelsey.malm

Photography | Wardrobe: Genna Yussman Greene @gennayussman

Make Up: Isidro Valencia @valenciamakeup

Hair | Creative Direction: Matthew Tyldesley @hairbymatt

official bts making of Arcadia Blooms

I love working with photographer, Jenni Harper (Harper Young Photography). She has an eye for good lighting and balanced composition. Every few months we make plans to execute a photoshoot. This time we wanted to create beauty images incorporating moody lighting and textured, braided hairstyles. We decided to only use jewelry for wardrobe paired with shimmering make up. We are representing beauty and fashion with wearable looks for 2018.

We chose to use costume jewelry for simplicity from JC Beauty in Louisville, KY. We selected three models, two looks a piece. Models were booked from Lexington, Ky and Cincinnati, Oh.

We planned the shoot several weeks in advanced but challenges can happen. Our make up artist could not make the date last minute fortunately, I had an assistant on set. Caleb Yeske is both a hair and make up artist. He did and amazing job as he is well trained in his skill sets. Photoshoots have taught me a lot about how to just "go with the flow" as the show must go on. The end results speak for themselves as everyone did an amazing job.

We created 2-3 looks per model and time ranged up two hours per look. Looks involved extensive braiding and the usage of hair pieces. Pre braided kanekalon hair and hair pieces were prepared a few days prior to the shoot. Make up looks included shimmers, bronzers and metallic hues. Highlighters, Metallic lip color and bronzed skinned were incorporated to match and reflect the moody set/lighting created by Jenni. Models nails were polished in metallic tones.

For this look on Ayanna, I started with a directional blow-dry using Redken, Guts 10 upwards with a Sam Villa hairdryer and Denman Brush. Afterwards I converged the hair into pontails in the center like a "mohawk" while leaving smalls sections out that I cornrowed on scalp. I secured hair pieces on the small ponytails and attached the braids into them with hair pins and Fashion Works 12 hair spray.

bts side profile of Ayanna

I used Water Wax 03 pomade and a fine tooth come to wave the fine hairs around her hairline on Ayanna's skin.

bts profile of Kirjah (cross hatching)

This look on Kirjah, was created by sectioning small square sections into elastic bands and converging them together (cross hatching). I found Hardware Gel 16 helped with control of the hair. The top of her hair was braided with Kanekalon hair for length and density.

bts profile of Katy

For this look on Katy, I section the center top and secured the hair into several ponytails that I pulled and loosen. The remaining hair was braided scalp and formed into a rosette and secured with hair pins. Control Addict 28 was used to set the look.