First off, before we talk about the gorgeous Ms M, we must apologise for not posting as often as we would like. We have been extremely busy photographing, editing and creating cheeky albums for clients... which sadly we are unable to share with you guys.

There are so many reasons that clients decide to do a Boudoir Photo Shoot... And our favourite has to be the one that Ms M had! She wanted to do it for HERSELF. She was needing a boost as she had lost a bit of her confidence.

She arrived at our studio extremely shy and nervous about her session. However, her nerves soon disappeared, as Monique added some sexy curls to her hair and created a beautiful yet soft smokey eye.

After she started pulling out some of the sexiest black lingerie and killer heels, we have ever seen... we were ready to get started. With a little direction on posing and loads of giggles, magic started to happen! We just love how she came out of her shell, and oozed sex appeal on camera. 

We are sure you will agree, Ms M is smoking hot.... And, she agrees with us, that she has zero reasons to have any self-doubt!

Here is a peek at Ms M's shoot:

Ms M took the leap and regained her confidence and self love.... isnt it time for you to do the same?

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

The third presentation in the series of talks by Chantal at the Photo & Film Expo was 'Essentials of Boudoir Lighting'. 

Foxy Miss Roxy is so awesome to work with, so we asked her to be our model again.  This gorgeous young lady is extremely versatile, and this time she chose a sexy black steampunk feel outfit that suits her personal style. Our super talented Makeup by Monique did the most beautiful smokey eye for Roxy and finished up her look with a gorgeous hairstyle, which perfectly complimented Roxy's outfit choice.

Roxy's final look prompted us to do something a bit different from normal ... and we decided to create a simple but really beautiful set from a pop up backdrop, a red chair and some dark coloured organza.  As our demonstration was about using the Photon Continuous lighting, we created the whole look on stage, and showed how to add different lights to change the feel of the photo.  

Our aim was to illustrate the simplicity and softness of continuous lighting, and we demonstrated some easy tips & tricks to achieving great looking images, and this was really well received by our wonderful audience.   

Here is a peak at the gorgeous Roxy, who is always willing to work with us & is just fabulous in every way.

The ladies at femme fatale boudoir would like to thank everyone who attended the talks, and especially a big thank you to our fabulous sponsors: Photon Lighting and Vanguard Camera Bags & Tripods for the opportunity to not only represent them, but also for allowing us to demonstrate how to use their wonderful products on stage at the Photo & Film Expo.

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

Last week was the annual Photo & Film Expo at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, this is the biggest photographic event in Africa. It's always well attended by photographers looking for great deals, as well as, those wanting to learn from some of the most talented photographers in the industry.

It was a huge honour for Chantal to be asked to speak on the Vanguard Training Stage again this year. She didn't only represent femme fatale boudoir, but also the awesome and fantastic Photon Lighting and Vanguard Camera Bags & Tripods. Working alongside her was our very talented Makeup by Monique, who did the most incredible makeup & hair styling for our beautiful and versatile model, Roxy.

The first day, Thursday 19 November, was dedicated to the use of continuous lighting. Therefore, Chantal decided to demonstrate how easy it is to do a styled Glamour Photography using continuous lights.

Her shoot was inspired by one of the most beautiful flowers currently in bloom, the hydrangea or Christmas Rose. Roxy was dressed in a gorgeous pink tutu, and Monique did the most stunning pink makeup, soft up-style and put hydrangeas in Roxy's hair and on her face.

It was such a magical shoot, here is a peak at Chantal's on stage shoot with the gorgeous Roxy:

The ladies at femme fatale boudoir would like to thank everyone who attended the talks, and especially a big thank you to our fabulous sponsors: Photon Lighting and Vanguard Camera Bags & Tripods for the opportunity to not only represent them, but also for allowing us to demonstrate how to use their wonderful products on stage at the Photo & Film Expo.

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

Sexy Ms Scarlett is one of our ladies who we just love working with! Her porcelain skin and strawberry blonde are so gorgeous on camera!

With her having been in front of our camera before... she was not at all nervous for her shoot, instead she was really excited and looking forward to it. We chatted about different ideas for her shoot while Monique did her beautiful makeup and hair styling. Ms Scarlett had a specific request when it came to the styling of her shoot... she wanted a hint of red. So we paired her stunning nude coloured lingerie with a bold red lip and a glass of her favourite red wine... which just looked stunning!

Ms Scarlett is super sexy, and her sensuality just oozes out, when she is on camera! We love every minute that we work with her and we are looking forward to doing more shoots with her in the future.

Here is a peak at the Sexy Ms Scarlett's, hint of red boudoir shoot:

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

Beautiful Liv is one of the ladies who we love to work with...over and over again. As she is not only drop dead gorgeous, but also one of the sweetest ladies we know, not to mention extremely intelligent as well!

Liv is currently living in Vienna, as she is completing her studies. But, when she mentioned she was coming back to South Africa, for a holiday. We jumped at the opportunity to work with her again. With it being Spring time, and we obviously wanted to celebrate it! We decided to do a Pretty in Pink inspired shoot. This required us to get our hands a little dirty for a change, as we made Liv's stunning flower crown, as well as the tutus she is wearing...if we are to be honest...we had the best time doing so!

Shandre made sure that Liv's hair and make up looked gorgeous, with a pretty and soft smokey eye and pink lip. After Shandre worked her magic, we were ready to start the shoot. Liv's skin tone beautifully complemented the different shades of pink...it was the perfect combo! 

To Liv, it's always awesome working with you...you are so beautiful in every way! We wish you the best of luck with your studies and we look forward to our next shoot together!

Here is a peak at a few of our images from Liv's pretty in pink shoot:

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

Foxy Miss Roxy worked with us previously at the Photo & Film expo when we did our talks on Boudoir photography and constant lighting, but we thought it was about time she joined us for a full shoot in our studio.

She was pampered by Shandre who did her fabulous hair and make-up while we chatted and got to know her better.  We discovered that Roxy has many things about her that make her fascinating to work with, and while she comes across as soft and beautiful, she has a sultry and sexy side too.  It was our aim to capture all aspects of this gorgeous lady, and we had loads of fun doing so!  The studio was filled with gorgeous outfits, to-die-for Iron Fist shoes and loads of giggles while we did the shoot.  We love working with Roxy, and cant wait for her next shoot!

Here is a look at a few of the images we got of this amazing, talented and really sexy young lady ... Foxy Miss Roxy!

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

So you have already got to know both our photographers - Chantal & Shelley...now it's time you get to know Monique, our fabulous make-up artist & hairstylist. She also did a bespoke glamour shoot, which we recently launched as an additional offering to our already amazing packages (want more details - click here). 

Meet Monique
Monique is one of our super talented make-up artist and hairstylists. She has the most incredible friendly and bubbly nature... and manages to put everyone she meets at ease. She is a true master of all styles of make-up & hair. With Monique, you just know you will be in the hands of one of the best! 
  
Monique is also a freelance mobile Make-up Artist & Hairstylist and we would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking to book one. Her email address is [email protected] and she is based in JHB but travels to any destination.

The Shoot
Monique did her own glamorous hair and make-up...before stepping in front of the camera. She was a little uneasy at first but soon relaxed and her shoot was filled with loads of giggles and fun. Monique is gorgeous both inside and out...she is one of the few people that you will meet and immediately love because she radiates true beauty. 

Really get to know Monique
So before you have a peek at Monique's photos, here's a bit about Monique so you can get to know her even better:

What do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for being the person responsible for making women feel beautiful about themselves and giving them the opportunity to see themselves as gorgeous human beings.

What is your idea of beauty?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I believe this statement is so true, as each of us sees the world differently, what might be beautiful to me may look totally different to the next person.

What inspires you?
My family inspires me to believe that I can be and do anything. My job as a Make-up Artist and Hairstylist really inspires me to challenge myself to create opportunities in life. When ladies go "wow I never thought I can look like that" it gives me the inspiration I need, to know that I am doing a great job.

What is your favourite piece of clothing?
Love shoes - not that I can wear heels very often, as I am so tall!

What kind of lingerie girl are you ? bustier, corset, bra & panties, etc?
Bra and panty set (my favourite being the Victoria Secret set - I got as a gift from my husband)

Here are our favourite pics from Monique's shoot:

Sithembile is a sensational and courageous woman who recently went through some difficult months, due to illness, divorce and family members passing away.  During this time, this brilliant and creative business woman and mom of two boys admits she let herself go a little.

So... she decided it was finally time to do something for herself, and she contacted us about doing a glamour shoot.  She wanted to do something to make herself smile and more importantly, feel good about herself again. Her belief, being the same as ours, is that every woman should feel good about herself and when she does it radiates from the inside out. Sithembile really wanted to feel like a princess for a day.

Her glorious journey started with a glass of champagne, while Monique did her magic and made Sithembile look and feel fabulous with the most beautiful airbrush makeup. Then it was time to start the shoot, it was filled with giggles and laughter, and when she saw how gorgeous she really is, we took a break for some tears.  Finally Sithembile saw what others did, a stunning woman who is perfect just the way she is.

When we delivered the images she said to us, the sad angry little mouse I became is not present in the photos.  Just the happy beautiful me.  I realised, by accepting myself I could overcome all the negative I had been through.

Sithembile, you are gorgeous, fabulous and a true femme fatale!  We loved every minute of your shoot and we know you will continue to grow from strength to strength!

Here is a peak at the sensational Sithembile's glamour shoot:

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

Taryn, recently joined us for her glamour shoot, and would you believe this blonde bombshell always felt insecure about herself?

As Taryn sipped on her champagne and felt her nerves begin to calm down, she shared her life story with us. While this was happening, Monique worked her magic and produced fabulous airbrushed makeup and hair styling. 

Taryn always avoiding the camera, was shy and lacked confidence but after working exceptionally hard for 3 years, she shed 40kgs!  She says: " I have worked so hard and shed plenty of tears and now after 33 years - for the first time in my life, and still with all my natural curves, I feel beautiful, have confidence and want to have special memories to remind me of my journey."

After her shoot, Taryn sent us the nicest of messages: "I just wanted to thank you all again for a truly amazing and memorable experience in studio yesterday. Monique, I never thought I could look that hot - ever - you are amazing and thank you for helping me look and feel just absolutely gorgeous. (I am still rocking my sex hair)
Chantal and Shelley, you both made me feel so comfortable and at ease the moment I arrived. Thanks for your patience and guiding me through all of it. It was honestly such fun and if I could do it again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I could not believe the photos I was seeing of myself, you are both so talented and I cannot wait to see them on screen. 
You are an amazing team. Thanks for a very special afternoon xxx"

We think Taryn is absolutely gorgeous, this mom of one has no reason to avoid the camera!  It is really exciting for us to be sharing her glamour shoot, here is a peak at what we got up to in studio:

Love
the femme fatale girls
xxx

When it comes to applying Make-up, sometimes we forget that the tools we use are probably the most important assets in our Make-up bag. Choosing the correct make-up brushes are an investment as they do have a relatively long life span, if cared for properly. Good quality brushes can help you achieve great flawless make-up with very little effort.

So how do you choose the right brushes?  
Well most say that the brand names, like MAC are the best, but many of the smaller brand names, or even the ones you can purchase at pharmacies like Dis-Chem and Clicks or a make-up store, are just as good and are a bit more affordable.  


The most important things to think about when choosing make-up brushes is: 

• The size 
  
• What they are made of
  
• firmness of the bristles
  

Remember there are different sizes and shapes for a reason, each one has their own function. Therefore, one make-up brush is not sufficient for every application.

Brushes are made with different types of hair (bristles), you get natural hair, real hair, fake hair (plastic) or synthetic.  The real or natural hair brushes, tend to be a bit more expensive but they are awesome for dry make-up, like powder and blush. Synthetic brushes on the other hand are great for wet make-up, like foundation, as they do not stick or clog up.

Brushes made with the correct materials and that are good quality will not lose bristles, and will ensure a beautiful finish as they do not stick or snag on your skin. 

If you are unsure, or need advice on which brushes to buy, have a chat to one of our fabulous Make-up Artists, Monique or Shandre.  They are both very skilled at make-up application and do offer courses on how to apply make-up. They often advise our ladies on the best products to purchase for their skin type and colouring.

A big thank you to Monique and Shandre, who are always fantastic with the most amazing make-up and hair styling they do for our ladies. They also assist us with the information for the make-up blog's. We did find a fabulous website which also has some great hints and tips for make-up application: www.bestmakeupbrushesguide.org, its definitely worth a visit.

Love
The femme fatale girls
xxx

Mrs A arrived at the studio super excited for her shoot but naturally also a little nervous...she couldn't believe she was finally doing her boudoir shoot. She brought a bag full of the most incredible and beautiful lingerie and heels...we were drooling and couldn't wait to get her in them.

Her nerves soon vanished once Monique started her magic...gorgeous make-up was on the cards for Mrs A. Monique didn't only make her look fabulous but feel fabulous as well.  

Mrs A is not only a natural beauty, she also has this smouldering sultry look which is so intense...just blew us away! She showed us how even just a simple plain white T-shirt can look sexy. This mom of one (almost two as we were excited to learn that she is expecting her second baby soon!) is totally fabulous! Once we started shooting...we didn't want to stop! Mrs A's hubby was totally gob-smacked by how gorgeous she looked, can you blame him...she is smoking! 

Here is a peak at another of our fabulous femme fatale's....the sultry Mrs A.

At femme fatale, we believe every woman needs a little bit of spoiling every now and then.  So we subscribed to Rubybox to see what its all about.  Its pretty easy to do, they ask you some questions about your skin type, hair and normal beauty regime, and then every month a beautifully packaged box, containing a selection of beauty products (some full size and some sample size) arrives at your door.

August was the first month we had subscribed so you can just imagine how excited we were to receive the email saying it would be delivered the next day.  It took all of our self control to take our time opening it so we could take some pictures to share with you.

The August box had a few really amazing things inside, we have used them all and wow, we love them all!  This is what we received:

• Africology Body Butter - This is wonderful, it really helped with our dry winter skin and smells very yummy!

• Bee Natural Rich Rehydrating Face Balm - Another winner, although we tend to use it more for our lips than our faces
• Rubybox Beauty Smooch Stick (Latte Limbo) - This has to be the best lipstick ever!  Its moisturising and stays put for most of the day
• REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate - As we are not fans of chemical peels, this is the next best option.  Its an enzymatic exfoliator that you apply at night, its gentle and made a huge difference to our skin by the next morning.
• Dual Sharpener - A handy gadget that we love.  It has both a large and small sharpener so its a fabulous addition to our makeup box
  

We do recommend the Rubybox to all our ladies ... its definitely worth the R169,00 a month, so go spoil yourself!

Love the femme fatale girls
XXX

Mrs K came to our studio all the way from Italy for her boudoir shoot. Her reason...just for her...we just love this reason. She wanted to feel and look sexy and beautiful...as you can see - she did!  

After many frantic "Oh my Gosh" messages and emails, it was finally time for her shoot. She arrived with so many killer outfits and the sexiest pair of shoes...we were drooling as they were so gorgeous! 

She was shaking like a leaf at the thought of what she was about to do...a few sips of champagne later and loads of ooohs and aaahs over the beautiful things she had brought, Mrs K relaxed and was ready to start her pamper process. After her make-up was done and she looked fabulous and started to feel it too...she was ready to start her shoot. It didn't take long for her to completely relax and enjoy every minute of the experience...as soon as she saw the first set of images she was blown away. Her nerves vanished and out came the sexy vixen, that had been in hiding for so long.

Mrs K described her boudoir experience as a journey....one where she started finding out who she really is. 
It was incredible to watch her confidence grow during the shoot and we cant wait for her to visit us again for her next shoot in a couple of months.  


Here is a peak at the stunning femme fatale, Mrs K