It’s all about blending

With more than 150 weddings a year under her belt and a decade in the beauty biz, makeup artist Denise Elliott knows a thing or two about making the most of makeup.

The beauty dynamo has brushed and highlighted her way to success, with a team of nine women who help her meet the huge demand for her makeup services.

“My style is pretty much about enhancing your natural beauty. I’m not really a fan of that cakey makeup look,” Elliott says. “That’s my whole approach, is making them look like themselves, but even better.”

To do so, Elliott offers up a few essential beauty tips, including her suggestion to get those brows groomed.

“Shaping your brows really frames your face,” she offers.

Next up – and this one is crucial – she warns, make sure to properly blend that foundation. This critical step, she believes, is one element that is essential to her success as a makeup pro.

“Honestly, it’s all about blending,” she says.

Really watch for the two-tone look – where the face is a strikingly different shade than the neck. Pick the right shade at the makeup counter. Don’t forget to brighten with mascara, which wakes up your eyes, and blush, to get a soft glow.

Along with a ton of bridal and grad work, Elliott also offers makeup parties where she, or her team, come to your house and go through a whole makeup lesson (for day or night). The service is popular with moms who want to offer their daughters an introduction into the world of tasteful makeup application. Along with running through the importance of skincare (make sure to cleanse, tone, and moisturize, Elliott insists), everyone at the party gets a face chart that they can refer to when they apply their makeup on their own at home.

Elliott asks everyone at the party to bring in their current makeup products to see what they are using. She’s uncovered some horrifying surprises: makeup that is 15 years old, lipstick samples of hideous colours, piles and piles of old stuff that just sits in the bag, wasting space.

The cost of a private lesson is $135, but with parties the price lowers as the number of people rises. So, for a group of six or more, it’s about $75 per person.

For wedding makeup, applications costs $150 for an Elliott team member, and $250 if it is done by Elliott herself.

But there will soon be an easier and thriftier way to access the “Elliott look.” The beauty maven is set to open her own makeup bar in Lower Lonsdale. Called The Studio by Denise Elliott, the shop will be like the Blo hair bar of makeup, where clients can come in and get gussied up for a party, date, event, or just cause they need a freshen up.

The new bar is expected to open in July and will feature a selection of makeup products, along with the beauty service. Elliott is still hammering out the details, but expects makeup applications will cost about $60, with additional charges for add-ons such as eyelashes.