The Artistry of Beauty and Brand Building
- Heather Oliver
- Aug 20
- 5 min read
When Amber Woodall founded Alkali, it all started with a distinct vision. One that reflected quality, artistry, value, and beauty. A vision that went past building a business. She wanted to build a brand.
Every decision Amber makes is brand centered—from product lines and dress codes to floor colors and light fixtures. When Alkali got the chance to be a cover feature in Forsyth Woman, the approach was no different.
The Idea that Sparked the Creative Vision of Alkali's Cover Photo
As Brand Director, I'm part of Alkali's leadership team, which consists of Amber, Wren (Alkali's manager), and me. We were discussing our upcoming projects and the cover for Forsyth Woman came up.
Amber asked me if I had any ideas for what we should do for the cover. Since we were in the process of opening the spa side of Alkali, my initial thought was having someone coming out of water with really cool nails. This idea was inspired by us adding a float tank and nails to our spa.
Evolving An Idea Into an Artistic Vision For the Alkali Brand
As Amber always says, you never know where inspiration will come from. She really liked the idea and pitched it to Brooke Eagle at Forsyth Woman. Brooke was all for the idea and looped in Jon Eric from Jon Eric Johnson Photography and everything unfolded from there.
But the idea was just that. An idea.
Amber's the one who took inspiration from the idea and ran with it, using her creative genius to evolve it into a true vision that perfectly encapsulated the Alkali brand.
Bold, beautiful, sexy, and creative.
It was incredibly exciting to see it all come together, too. Here's a breakdown of her process.
Every Vision Has a Process
For the cover shoot, Amber had a distinct mental image, which also required hands-on direction. That's why she chose to handle the hair and makeup herself, and to be on set throughout it all.
Amber hosted the shoot at her home, in her indoor pool, which turned out to be the perfect location. She also had a specific model in mind, Hannah Morgan, who happened to be available for the shoot dates. In other words, everything just fell into place.
"I didn’t realize when planning this shoot for Alkali that it would be such a grounding session for me. It had been a while since I'd been the only one on a production set responsible for the model's look. It reminded me that this was how it all started for me—and 14 years after opening Alkali, my hands are still in hair and makeup and the creativity is still flowing." - Amber Woodall, Owner & CEO of Alkali
This shoot let Amber truly unleash her skills and her vision for a look that exuded art and individual beauty—for the model and the setting.
The Look
Amber had several distinct looks in mind for the shoot to coincide with Alkali’s announcement for its spa expansion. Every detail was thoughtfully planned out and meticulously executed to ensure she got the outcome she was going for.
Nails
She started by applying a custom-made, temporary gel tip set on Hannah’s nails.
Amber custom-painted them to complement Alkali brand colors and sculpted them to have an extreme, eye-catching shape.
This was Hannah's first time having temporary nails applied for a photoshoot, but it likely won't be the last. Because of nail popularity, temporary nail applications are becoming commonplace in fashion shoots.
Skin and Makeup
One of the reasons Amber chose Hannah for this shoot was for her natural beauty. Amber wanted her to look polished and glamorous, but not overdone.
For this shoot, Amber's go-to skin products were SkinMedica and RMS Beauty Products.
She started by applying SkinMedica HA5 to provide Hannah's skin with ultra hydration and plumpness. Next, she used RMS ReEvolve Radiance Locking Primer to even out her skin texture and for extra prep for when Hannah would be in the water. Amber followed up with RMS foundation for a natural, but polished finish.
"One of the best compliments I've ever received as a makeup artist is that I let skin look like skin. In other words, I let the skin shine, not the makeup. This is done by prepping the skin with what its missing, instead of relying on makeup to cover it up." - Amber Woodall
To complete Hannah's makeup look, Amber used RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow, ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush, Luminizer, and Master Radiance Base—one of her personal favorites. The only non-RMS product she used was a waterproof mascara.
In the photo below, Amber styled Hannah's hair with an alternating marcel iron set and Oribe's Invisible Defense heat protection spray.
Of course, hairstyling isn't going to hold underwater, but Hannah has a great natural texture to her hair that worked perfectly for this shoot. Each water shoot had to happen quickly so that her makeup didn't break down too fast.
After the underwater shots were captured, Amber used Oribe Gel Serum to give Hannah's strands definition around her hairline and across her face for a polished, final look.
Imagery: Bringing a Vision to Life
With the vision and look locked down, the next step was to bring the vision to life. That's where Jon Eric from Jon Eric Johnson Photography came in.
No stranger to fashion and editorial work, Jon Eric melded his own creative vision for the photography with Amber's brand vision, which resulted in some absolutely stunning imagery.
Together, they orchestrated an incredible shoot that was bursting with creativity and screamed "sexy." Jon Eric was after a close up of Hannah's face that gave off strong 90s vibes. JE's photographic vision instantly reminded Amber of the cover for the movie Wild Things with Neve Campbell.
To create this vibe, she reached for a discontinued tube of Oribe vampy lipstick (yep, Oribe used to have a lipstick line!). Jon Eric did an exceptional job of catching the water play, not only in the pool, but also water off of Hannah's fingers and nails.
Building a Brand: A Labor of Love
Just like everything else Amber does at Alkali, the photoshoot for Forsyth Woman was a labor of love. Each detail thoughtfully planned out to be an extension of the Alkali brand. But it's also a testament to Amber's dedication to the highest level of artistry and love for beauty—a shared trait among everyone on the Alkali team.
Fun Fact: The Water's in the Details
Right at the time we were putting the final touches on this blog, Taylor Swift dropped her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl." We couldn't help but notice the use of water and makeup on the cover! As the saying goes: great minds think alike!🤩
Alkali's Water Shoot Gallery
Here's a curated group of photos from our water shoot. Several distinct looks, all with the Alkali brand in mind.
Alkali is more than a hair salon and spa! We do full makeup and nails for any occasion, including weddings, parties, fashion shows, portraits, events, night out on the town, and more!
Have a special event coming up? Contact us to schedule a free consultation to discuss your needs and vision.
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