So before we dive into Ask Team Practical today, we have big news, you guys! Exciting news! (I know, like the news about my pregnancy wasn’t big enough for the week? But no, the universe is spinning fast these days.) So a story.
A few weeks ago we mentioned, in my post on hair and makeup and feminism, that we’d done an APW beauty shoot on a pony farm. I know y’all, but Maddie LIVES on a pony farm (this is not a joke). This happened after lots of requests from you guys for help on DIY hair and makeup for weddings (because I’m apparently not the only one around here who’s into doing her own beauty routine on her wedding day). So! We pulled together a team of awesome stylists (more on that in a minute), got some APWers together (who were multi-ethnic! Tutorials for all kinds of skin and hair!), ordered a bunch of Mexican food, and got down to having way too much fun with fake eyelashes.
But then something kind of amazing happened. APW Associate Editor Maddie got her magic on. And suddenly (literally, suddenly, I’m not making this seem more dramatic than it really was) Procter & Gamble was interested in sponsoring an APW Beauty Shoot. Like us, they think you should be able to look hot (however you define hot) on your wedding day, using makeup you can buy affordably at your local drugstore. They also told us we could do our normal APW thing with the series, just the way we always do. It was a perfect match.
So! Right after the Fourth of July, the crew is getting together again to do an even cooler DIY Hair and Makeup shoot (I know that seems impossible, given that last time we were on a PONY FARM, but think industrial spaces, crazy hair garlands, and lots of girl time), this time sponsored by P&G Beauty & Grooming (think Cover Girl, Olay, Pantene and Herbal Essences to name a few). Just. In. Time. For. Summer. Weddings. (And yes, we’re still bringing you the epic pony farm shoot, but that’s coming in the fall.)
The most amazing part, the part that should make all of us want to kiss the lovely people at Procter & Gamble on the lips, is this next bit. APW has become a very big thing running on a very small budget this year (hello crazy amazing growth, we love you, also we’re tired). So thanks to Procter & Gamble, we’re not just going to get to bring you hair and makeup tutorials, we’re also going to get to use the money to invest directly in the site and the APW community. It’s such a huge deal for me I don’t even have words for it. I’m more excited about this than I would be about more naps (and goodness knows I could use some more naps).
Tell Us What You Want:
We’ll be bringing you this new content in two short weeks (yayyy!), but we’re planning the shoot right this second. So summer brides, tell us what you want. What makeup tutorials would your really love? What hairstyles do you want to know how to do? We’re covering all kinds of skin and hair, so give us your wish list, and get the stylists thinking.
Which brings us to the stylists. Y’all. They are amazing. Luckily for all of us, they’ll be hanging around APW this summer, passing on their skills. (Hurrah!) Let me tell you about them (particularly for you Bay Area ladies who are less DIY inclined):
Nichole (hair): Cool tattoos. Laid back attitude. Mom of two (who started giving me amazing tips the second she figured out I was pregnant). Into classic with a modern edge. Known for her versatility and ability to help clients find their own style. When not lending her edgy skills to the APW Hair & Makeup Tutorials, Nichole is a stylist at the Harper Paige Salon in San Francisco.
Yesenia (hair): Holy moly. Girlfriend did my hair, made me look amazing, created super hip styles in five seconds flat (and would tweak them in another five seconds if I felt like a change). I love her. Yesenia’s philosophy around her work is that being beautiful and feeling beautiful are the same thing. “I think if you feel beautiful, there’s no one that can take that away from you.” Currently a stylist at Ketér Salon, in Berkeley, this girl has the magic in her fingers, and she will make you laugh.
Shana Astrachan (makeup): Remember how you were all gasping over my makeup (and my sneaky fake eyelashes) in the makeup and feminism post? That’s all Shana’s work, and she’s actually that good in real life, and then some. She’s the crazy talented artist behind the company Fox & Doll, serving the whole Bay Area, and specializing in vintage-inspired and classic hair and makeup. She has a background in fine art and metalworking (I know) and a passion for crafts and DIY endeavors. This woman is the real deal.
*****
So, a huge hat tip from the APW team to the Procter & Gamble team. We can’t wait to bring you these tutorials.
Now it’s your turn. Tell us the styles you’d most like to know how to do, and we’ll work on making it happen. With flowers. And fun. And documentation. Let’s do it.
Please note that these stylists are not affiliated with P&G Beauty & Grooming.
Photos by: Emily Takes Photos
