#danikaclevenstine

Few things are more seductive than a soft shapely beautifully defined pair of ...lips.

Let's face it our amazing makeup artist star Danika Clevenstine deserves props for giving a lovely boost to our AFP photoshoots. She's been "coloring" faces of our models, and her style and aesthetics are always a DO! From deeply dramatic to softly romantic, every make up look produced by Danika is perfect.

AFP: Danika can you please tell us a little about Jamie's latest look?

Danika: We wanted to go for something high in glam but also keep things natural to make sure her makeup didn't take away from her beautiful looks for the shoot. This look was a peachy "smokey" eye paired with a coral lip. Even though Jamie has BEAUTIFUL lashes, we did give her false lashes to give her eyes some added definition.

AFP: Which element of make-up work do you most enjoy?

Danika: I love teaching girls how to do makeup and I also love seeing the added confidence that they have when they put it on. I love building connections with the models that I teach at a modeling agency and teaching them things that they won't only use on auditions but also for the everyday life. 

AFP: Who do you most enjoy working with?

Danika: I love our fashion blog team. Any time I get to work with John Rounds in a shoot is amazing- we work very well together and his work is some of the best I've seen. I also love working with Danuta, she has an infectious personality and is so welcoming- these are my favorite individuals to works with mainly because we work so well together and bring the best fashion photography to life in the Lehigh Valley. 

AFP: You've worked on a lot of A Fashion Page photo-shoots and you have worked with models at other places as well, how does that feel, and how do you prepare for those?

Danika: After working with Jamie a few times, I know how to fix her brow shape to make it perfect. When your working with a new face it's sort of a challenge and I love a good challenge! You will always work with different personalities too but it makes your job fun. Over the four years I've been a certified makeup artist, I've worked on many different faces and skin tones, you are more comfortable as time goes on. Making sure I go in prepared makes things easier so I am ready for any looks they throw at me. 

AFP: Do you like creating really out-there looks, or do you prefer something classically beautiful?

Danika: I truly believe that makeup should accentuate your features and not hide them. You are made to look like you do, so I prefer a natural look. I never do a crazy eye and a crazy lip, sort of a makeup artist rule, you play only one area of the face up and tone down the other. 

AFP: What do you think makes a great model?

Danika: CONFIDENCE! This is the number one thing I tell girls, be confident and the pictures will follow, it's really all you have to do. Confidence is infectious and will show through your pictures. 

AFP; Does everyone look better with make-up?

Danika: That's a hard one to answer: yes or not too. I've heard the saying but I feel confident with or without makeup and even as a makeup artist most of the time I am not wearing makeup. (Danuta probably hasn't seen me once with makeup on lol!)- I actually prefer no makeup for me. Although I do believe even a small amount of makeup can help to even out skin tone or make your eyes pop. But there are days where I feel prettier without it on. 

AFP: What is in your personal make-up bag?

Danika: In my personal makeup bag I have: an eye lash curler (which is key!), Tarte setting powder, makeup Forever foundation,  Buxom mascara, Tarte shape tape concealer, Anastasia brow wiz in soft brown and flower child blush by Becca- pretty much my 5 minute face items! I don't even use eyeshadows for work or eyeliner, just the basics! 

AFP: If you turn up at a shoot and the model has terrible skin, what do you do?

Danika: First thing is to evaluate the skin. I keep a bag of sugar in my handbag in case we can do a sugar scrub to get off some dead skin before makeup application. There was a time where I had TERRIBLE skin and is actually why I got into makeup.  So, I am really good at helping to cover blemishes, especially with the color correction skills I learned in my makeup program.

For further information please visit Danika's website at makeupbydanika.com

JAMIE WEARS: Romper: LULUS, Earrings: H&M, Chokers: Steve Madden

MAKE UP: Danika Clevenstine

PHOTOGRAPHY: John Rounds

MODEL: Jamie Klein