Meredith Ehler is a makeup and hair artist extraordinaire who has been enhancing my client’s beauty for years, for weddings, for senior pictures, and for headshots. Our girls grew up across the street from each other, and we started our respective businesses around the same time! She’s a creative, talented dynamo, and I am delighted to have Meredith Ehler as a guest blogger today!
A little about Meredith Ehler:
Meredith Ehler is a Makeup and Hair Artist, Home Decorator and Wardrobe Stylist in Northern Virginia. Meredith understands the importance of looking great and living a stylish life. She earned a degree in fashion, studied in Paris, and worked as a fashion stylist and event planner for Nordstrom, Saks and other stores in the DC and Denver areas. She recently finished working on the set of a TV pilot shot in and around DC, serving as a Makeup and Hair Artist, as well as Wardrobe Stylist. Meredith’s work has been seen in such publications as Virginia Living Magazine and Posh Seven Magazine. Meredith was also a Makeup Artist for MAC Cosmetics.
And In Meredith Ehler’s Own Words:
“With Winter passing and Spring around the corner it’s a perfect time to plan a photoshoot. I am a professional makeup artist in the Washington, D.C. area and Angela Goodhart and I have worked together for 10 years. She and I love to help our clients achieve the perfect headshots and portraits. Here are some of the tips we share with our clients before their shoot, for both indoor and outdoor shoots.
When a client books a session with me before their photoshoot it is wonderful for so many reasons. My favorite reason is simply for them to be pampered! Sometimes we are moving so fast that we forget to slow down and take care of ourselves. So many clients tell me that they are so happy they treated themselves to having me style their hair and do their makeup because it was a great way to relax before their shoot. They feel like their pictures look great not only because they had professional hair and makeup, but also because when they finally got in front of the camera all the issues of the day were farther away in their rear-view mirror. They tell me that they were really able to relax and enjoy themselves!
It’s a great idea to take care of some small details too. Believe it or not, there is a chance that your fingernails will show up in the picture. Sometimes a simple pose will incorporate your hand being in the shot. I recommend having a professional manicure done before the shoot. Celebrity photoshoots at the top magazines always have a manicurist on set! If you can’t get a professional manicure then consider taking a few minutes to give yourself a simple manicure, both women and men, and remember to check the nails on your teen boys and girls too. Just take a moment to cut and smooth out rough nails. For women, I recommend a light or clear polish. Dark nails and nail designs are fun but can be distracting in the final picture. And the “perfect nails” today may seem trendy our outdated as you look back at the pictures one day. Keeping it simple is the best bet!
The same guidelines are great for hair and makeup too. I love making women of all ages feel beautiful. But my goal is always that they feel like a more beautiful version of themselves. The makeup I do on my clients is what I call “simple beauty.” I don’t set out to change their look, I want to simply enhance their God-given beauty. I don’t recommend any trendy hair or makeup for a photoshoot. If it’s homecoming or prom that is a different story! But for a headshot or senior portrait session I like simple hair and makeup. I always make sure my client or Angela has lip color, powder and or oil blot sheets, and a hair brush on location so that my clients can touch up at the shoot.
The most important tips for hair are:
1 – Get a fresh trim on your hair, especially if it is long. It will curl much better if the ends of your hair are fresh and it will look so healthy! I promise that cutting off an inch will make you look better – not worse!
2 – Have clean roots and dry hair when you arrive to my studio. And
3 – If you have super curly hair consider getting a blow out before you come to see me. I can style hair for your shoot but if it is super curly, and you want a straight look, it’s best if you arrive with a fresh blow out.
No matter if you hire me to do your makeup and style your hair for your photo shoot, or for prom or any special occasion in your life, you will be treated like a celebrity! I have a studio in Sterling, Virginia where I love to pamper my clients. I travel the country to take classes from the best celebrity makeup artists in the country. I keep up to date on the latest tips and trends and my makeup kit is stocked with the best professional products the industry offers.
I also care about your skin. I want skin to look radiant and natural. I use foundation that is very popular amongst the industry’s best artists. The products I use are also used in TV and film because they leave everyone’s skin looking healthy and natural! I encourage everyone to take great care of their skin, hydrating it and exfoliating it before they see me if at all possible. I can walk you through a plan a few weeks before your shoot to help your skin look amazing by the time you meet with me. Drinking lots of water and using a lip conditioner weeks before the shoot help a lot. The better your skin is the better your makeup will look! I offer lots of amazing products to help you accomplish all of this on my website
www.MeredithEhler.com.
I believe in natural skincare. I want the products that are used on my clients to be chemical free. Much of the skincare available on my site from Limelight by Alcone is chemical free, mostly organic, and even carbon footprint free. Much of the makeup in my kit is paraben free and cruelty free as well. I am always available to help, even if you have not scheduled a shoot, to help you. Message me anytime to talk about a simple beauty routine or a makeup lesson.
I believe that an inner beauty glows in the final photo just as much as outer beauty. My goal is always to be a blessing to you! I want all of my clients to look and feel beautiful as they step in front of Angela’s lens! I look forward to hearing from you. Message me questions because I am always doing live videos on Facebook and would love to address any questions you may have.
You can find me on Facebook and the web at MeredithEhler.com. And on Instagram at Meredith_Ehler and Twitter @MeredithEhler.
