Allure Studios

Summer Mini Session Special

Shawn Grimes — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:27:29 +0000

***UPDATE: Only 5 spots available. Contact Us today to reserve your session.

For one day only we will be offering a very special offer and discount. On Saturday, June 26th will be having a day of mini sessions. The mini session features:

Hair
Make up
Posing coach
1 hour of shooting with 1 outfit
Two professionally retouched 10″x10″ prints in a leather folio
CD with all images from the session including the retouched images with rights to use

Each mini session will be $250. There are chances to save even more by having a friend book a session with you:

Bring 1 friend and get 10% off your session
Bring 3 friends and get 50% off your session

Since this is a one day only event, we have limited spots available. Contact us today to schedule your appointment for our Summer Mini Session Day.

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Meet Amanda

Shawn Grimes — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:00:10 +0000

Meet Amanda!!

One of the highlights during a photo session at Allure Studios is getting all glammed up! The studio has a professional hair stylist and makeup artist for each session. Her name is Amanda. Here is a chance to get to know a little more about Amanda and her hair and makeup skills!

How long have you been working with hair and make up?

-Ever since I was about 12. I used my little sister as my dummy. I have really been doing it seriously since I was about 15. I started with hair; I did a lot of up-do’s for homecoming dances and proms. Then in high school I somehow became the makeup artist, too. I was a dancer, and stage make up is not the easiest, so I became the go-to girl.

What do you like best about making people beautiful?

-I think by making people beautiful they really feel good about themselves, not that they didn’t look good or feel good about themselves before, it’s just that little extra lip gloss or curl that makes all the difference. Plus, everyone loves being all dolled up every once in a while.

What are some of your favorite make up styles?

-Of course everyone loves the smoky eye..and so do I, but I really like doing it with different colors. It doesn’t always have to be gray and black. I like to use greens, purples, and my favorites are browns and golds.

What do you like about working with Allure Studios?

-I love everyone that I work with at Allure Studios. We create beautiful photos that people are really pleased with. I really like all of the models I have worked with so far, everyone is up for anything and really left the creativity up to me.

Can you share one quick tip with our readers?

-Best tip: eyeshadow primer is the best make up tool!!

So come on in to the studio for your chance to meet Amanda and work with her to get pampered and get your very own starlet look!

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April Showers…

Stephanie — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:00:47 +0000

When setting the mood for a romantic encounter with your loved one, you want to make sure that you look and feel your best, of course. You can always buy sexy lingerie or fancy sheets to enhance your boudoir experience, but you can also take the cheaper route and make yourself the highlight of the evening. Give yourself (and your guy) the special treat of super soft and great smelling skin. Take a little extra time in the shower to exfoliate and hydrate your skin and you will look and feel radiant, and as a bonus your guy will not be able to keep his hands off you.

To start, you will want to buy a few things to have on hand for your exfoliating extravaganza. Here are a few products that you will need for this.

- an exfoliating mitt or glove, or a loofah, or body brush

from Bath & Body Works

- a pumice stone

from The Body Shop

- exfoliating cleanser or scrub

from The Body Shop

- a shower gel or body wash

from The Body Shop

- body lotion or body butter

from The Body Shop

After gathering your supplies, read an article on exfoliating, such as one of these:

Get Smooth Glowing Skin from SheKnows.com

How to Exfoliate Dry Skin from eHow.com

How to Exfoliate your Body for Soft Skin from wikiHow.com (this one has a helpful video!)

After you have completed your shower and your exfoliating, you will be ready to wow your man with your super soft, totally touchable skin. And you will feel totally refreshed and amazing!

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Pardon our Absence

Stephanie — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:22 +0000

It has been quite a hectic spring already around here. We want to apologize to all of our loyal readers for our recent absence. Our studio team has been working on completing sessions for our New Bride Sweepstakes and our January Sweepstakes winners. Both sessions were incredible and we were thrilled to meet and work with two fabulous ladies. We have been working on new ideas to share here on the blog for our Set the Mood Monday and Fashion Friday segments and are prepared to bring you a lot of new inspiration over the next few weeks. You can also look forward to learning a bit more about our resident make-up artist and hair stylist Amanda. We will also be highlighting one of our special clients in a Starlet segment. Thanks for bearing with us and stay tuned!

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In Like a Lion…Out Like a Lamb

Stephanie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:16 +0000

For this month’s 5 Senses Set the Mood piece, I have decided to embrace the old adage about March’s weather, “It comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” So for this month’s boudoir inspiration, get ready to embrace your fierce side and your gentle side all at once.

The Sense of Sight

Since we are embracing our fierceness this month, why not start as a little lion tamer? This first outfit is courtesy of Trashy.com Lingerie. This outfit is sure to keep your guy’s eyes strictly on you…or else! To increase your ferociousness, definitely add the riding crop accessory and the top hat, to make it known that you are the Queen of the bedroom.

To contrast, of course, this second outfit will definitely show off your calm and gentle side when you are looking for something less edgy and more soft. When trying to convey your soft side, you can never go wrong with white, soft pink accents, and lots of eyelet lace. Nothing is more feminine than Trashy.com‘s Lolita Collection, which this outfit is a part of.

The Sense of Smell

The sense of smell is very powerful and playing it up can definitely be helpful when you are trying to set any kind of mood. For this fierce/gentle combination this month, you may want to give your guy a little treat with the Fierce cologne from Abercrombie & Fitch. With it’s mix of citrus and musk scents, this is sure to meet the criteria for a fiery scent.

For yourself, you may want to try something soft and lightly fruit scented, such as Pearberry from Bath & Body Works. This is a delightful mix of pears and berries that will present a soft and sensual scent to complement your ultra-feminine look.

The Sense of Taste

Remember, setting the mood for a special evening with your significant other does not have to begin and end with the bedroom. You can very easily set the mood all day long for a special night. For this particular mood, begin with a steak dinner made at home for your loved one. This is something that the two of you can do together to work on setting the mood. Cooking together can be a very sensual experience, if you are open to it. So pop open a bottle of your favorite wine and get cooking!

For dessert, think of something like and airy, like meringues. These are easy to make and as light as air. These are even a little sweet goodness that you and your sweetie could feed to one another since they are bite size. Here is a recipe for “Meringue Smooches” on FoodNetwork.com. How romantic do those sound?

The Sense of Hearing

When you are searching for music that might enhance your mood, for this particular combination, you may want to start out with some of your favorite rock songs. Something that gets your blood pumping, something that brings out your inner fierceness.

On the softer side of this you may want to embrace your inner lamb and look for something more sensual and romantic. Something light and easy to listen to in the background. Here are a few ideas…

Angel by Sarah Mclachlan
Here with Me by Dido
Only Time by Enya
Melting by Tristan Prettyman

The Sense of Touch

For the sense of touch you want something bold, maybe try one of these accessories if you are looking for something playful. Even if you have no intention of using it, your guy will likely be impressed (and a little intimidated) when you present it to him.

Riding Crop

Cat of Nine Tails

If that is too bold a statement, you can always find another way to bring fierce into the touch portion of your mood-setting. Leather sheets might bring just the right amount of a bold sensation to your boudoir.

Between the Sheets: The Home of Exotic Bedding

Of course, don’t neglect the more delicate side to this experience. Anything extra fluffy and comfortable will easily portray the gentle, soft lamb-like side of this equation. However, the Heavenly Bed by Westin definitely lives up to its name. This bed and bedding combine to create the most comfortable sleeping environment. It is truly cloud-like. You can purchase the bed and the bedding from Nordstrom.

Happy March to you all! As always, feel free to share your own ideas and inspirations here in the comments. I hope many of you have some fierce boudoir experiences, as well as a few sweet and delicate ones too.

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St. Patty’s Day Fun

Shawn Grimes — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:26 +0000

On March 17, many people wear green in celebration of St. Patrick’s day. Bars are crowded with people celebrating and the color green is everywhere. How did St. Patrick’s Day become known as such a party day? What is the purpose behind the party and what does this have to do with fashion?

St. Patrick’s Day was originally celebrated on March 17 in honor of the death of St. Patrick in the 5th century. Although this feast day fell during the Lenten calendar, all restrictions for Lent were waived and people would celebrate. Restrictions waived? Feasts? Celebrations? We can do that. We just need to figure out what to wear.

This St. Patrick’s Day, what restrictions are you willing to let go of and how willing are you to try something new? Whatever you decide to do on St. Patrick’s Day, spice it up, let go of some of those restrictions and have a little fun. I’ve put together some outfits, encouraging you to loosen up, in honor of St. Patrick, of course.

What do you think about the traditional Irish kilt? These outfits take that and create a sexy schoolgirl appeal with an Irish twist.

If you love the fun of St. Patrick’s day and the novelty and luck of the wearing of the green, a few cute St. Patrick’s day accessories can make your outfit. Start with a pair of your favorite jeans and “go green” from there. A sexy shirt, cute heels and a few themed accessories complete these lucky outfits.

Speaking of restrictions, it may be time for you to schedule your boudoir photo shoot. A few themed novelty accessories could make for the perfect outfit. Check out these accessories and consider these ideas: drape the flag or the scarf around you letting it lay in just the right places, wear a playful t-shirt and panties, put on a crown and strike your princess pose. Be creative, come up with your own ideas. Remember the key word, restrictions? Lose them this St. Patrick’s day.

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Fantasy Play…No, We Don’t Mean D&D

Roxy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:32 +0000

One of the hardest to maintain standards we have created for ourselves as a society is the standard of monogamy. Glancing around the animal kingdom, we find ourselves in good but sparse company. Aside from a few otters and penguins walking by, it’s a lonely road, and it isn’t made any easier by our biology. Men are hard-wired to spread their seed, and women are searching for opportunities to get the best genetic buck for their bang. So how do we acknowledge this fact without taking for granted the loyalty and affection of a partner? The following tips may help you to keep the spice in your life without fostering insecurity or infidelity.

1. Flirt (Because Committed doesn’t mean Dead)- Chances are when you go out with the girls, chat with coworkers, or even stand in line at the grocery store, you don’t leave your allure behind. It’s perfectly natural to flex your flirty muscles when engaging the opposite sex, and this attention does a great deal to keep your confidence running on high. You can shoot coy looks to a cute guy at the gym without hurdling your treadmill and jumping the free weights to make contact with him. Trust that your partner has the same restraint, and let them know that you don’t expect his hormones to shut down every time you leave the room.

2. Fantasize (Because we’re all Every Woman)- My boyfriend recently made a comment about a woman on TV. My immediate reaction was that I looked nothing like her, and it threw me off guard. My mind jumped to an insecure place, and I wondered if I was really what he wanted. After a moment’s consideration, however, I realized that my very handsome guy is a far cry from my own celebrity crushes. This only proves that we are both alert, sexual beings, and it opens the door for some very steamy nights. If you find your mind wandering, let your lover know. Ask him to assume the role, and play groupie to his inner Jagger. If his mind is stuck on Megan Fox, get garage inspiration, and try out for the part of sexy mechanic. (You can even think of some fun ways to use those oil rags.)

3. Face Yourself (Because you are Number One)- Fantasies are fun, but your relationship is reality, and you are the sex kitten behind it all. A sexy photo shoot, a special night out, or a new nightgown can be just enough to remind your man of a side of you he hasn’t seen in a while. You’re probably what he’s picturing when he has bedroom on the brain, so be confident in the fact that you are worth a fantasy or two. Try wearing your glasses instead of contacts or put your hair up when you usually wear it down. Call him when he isn’t expecting it and let him know that you’re thinking about tonight. You may find that he can hardly wait to get you home.

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The Baltimore Tattoo Convention: Tattoos as Fashion Accessories

Roxy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:00:41 +0000

After checking out the vendors at the Baltimore Tattoo Convention, I decided to ask the experts about mainstream culture’s changing perspective on ink.

I have a number of tattoos myself (somewhere in the low double-digits) but I have always hesitated to get work done on certain areas of my body. In addition to the physical worries like fading, sagging, and expanding, it’s hard not to dwell on the attitudes and assumptions that others have in regards to this fashion statement. If I get a tattoo on my lower back, will people think I’m a tramp?

Tattoos–from sleeves to the notorious “tramp-stamp”–are becoming more and more prevalent, but I was reminded at the convention that certain stereotypes are still very widespread. A stunned hotel employee told me that she overheard another attendee saying “You know girls with tattoos are very sexual.” It seemed like a pretty big leap to take, but after talking to some artists and a group called the Gypsy Queens, I came to better understand that notion.

The Gypsy Queens are a group of tattooed models and role models who are on a mission to show the world that a lady with body art is, first and foremost, a lady. Frankie Scorpion, founder of the GQ’s, will be the first to tell you that the promiscuous stereotype exists for a reason, but a few bad apples don’t spoil the whole bunch. Groups like the Gypsy Queens, the first to include a no-nudity clause in their modeling work, exist to spread the love and tear down these notions in the general public while helping girls to expect respect. Leading a group of business-oriented, savvy, and classy young women, Frankie represents a growing number of tattooed people who are asking the world to take tats a little more seriously. Check out the Gypsy Queens at www.myspace.com/thegqs and their friends at www.inkedmag.com.

With the new tattoo boom, are people taking tattoos in privileged areas less seriously? I viewed a beautiful portfolio at the booth for Intimate Body Art Studio in which I noticed a number of tattoos that covered the bikini zone. I asked the artist if he found himself doing more of this work in recent years, and I was surprised to hear that this kind of business is dwindling as people become more confident tattooing their public parts. The entire tattoo community seems to be moving away from its naughty reputation.

So how do you best accentuate your look with ink? Aurora, a vendor with Steadfast Brand, had this to say, “I think beautiful people should get beautiful art. It’s just another way to heighten your appearance.” And tattoos certainly do that. When I passed by some of the ladies from British Ink, a D.C. based shop www.britishinkdc.com, I was blown away by their appeal. Dressed in stunning vintage fashion, the work on their legs and arms added a great deal of intrigue to their ensembles without lessening their sophistication whatsoever. Talking to their associate Paul Roe, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was in the presence of royalty, and he summed up the fashion issue perfectly, “Tattoos are the ultimate accessory, a permanent garment.” With that in mind, choose your tattoos wisely. Is there a drawing, painting, or symbol that you would want to wear every day, and where?

Body art can add a great deal of intrigue or edge to your appearance, but their permanence is a deal breaker for many of us. (While some of my body may be an ever-changing landscape, my bathing suit areas will never be part of the canvas.) Websites like TattooFun.com help you to choose and even customize temporary tattoos to satisfy your occasional craving for ink. Consider a flower or swallow in an area that you’d like to receive some extra attention, and enjoy the reaction you get!

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Starlet Session: Mrs. L

Stephanie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:00:23 +0000

We had the distinct pleasure of photographing the gorgeous Mrs. L a few months back. She was one of our first sessions at Allure and she was such a treat! Mrs. L came into our home studio in Aberdeen, MD for her session. She has the most wonderful personality that is both fun and sexy and it totally comes through in each of her photos.

We had a lot of fun with Mrs. L and she was incredibly easy to work with! With a nice long session, we had plenty of time to let Mrs. L warm up to the camera so that we could capture her true personality in each of her photos. We also had our whole team on board to help Mrs. L get ready for her session. We had our incredible hair stylist, Amanda, our wonderful make-up artist, Sherry, and our fabulous posing coach, Nicole, all here to make sure that Mrs. L looked her best in all of her photos.

Mrs. L wanted an album for her dear hubby for Christmas. They were married last June and she thought this would be a great gift for him for Christmas since she wasn’t able to get them done before their wedding. Needless to say, he loved his gift! And you can see why from the photos below!

[[Show as slideshow]]

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Pole Dancing Tips

Nicole — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:14:01 +0000

For a couple years now, we have been hearing about the fit and sexy trend of pole dancing! The art of pole dancing was once taboo and reserved for the shadier sides of town. Now you see gyms featuring this style of dance as a workout- an effective one at that! Because of this woman have the confidence, and the skills, to use this for the bedroom.

The popular “striptease” for your lover has kicked it up a notch by bringing in an eight foot brass rod as an accessory. It is not expected to swing upside down and perform some sort of double loop on the pole the very first time you try it. There are plenty of ways to make the pole look sexy by staying on the ground- struts and hip rolls will do just fine.

After having some experiences with pole fitness classes and some fun with it of course, I willingly share some easy tips for conducting your very own dance pleaser.

Pick a song you both will enjoy! Choose something in the genre you both listen to whether it be pop, rock, hip-hop, etc. Then think of the kind of tone you want to set for your sexy night in. If you’re going romantic, try something like Christina Aguilera’s “Nasty Naughty Boy.” You can take the opposite approach and rock it out with “Crazy bitch” by Buckcherry.
Reveal something! Keep the attention of your audience by having a reveal. Wear a man’s work shirt, then take it off to show your sexy little attire underneath.
Have some fun! The most important thing to remember is to have some fun with it. Don’t take it too seriously if you miss a step- your partner won’t know if you don’t tell. Trust me, they are paying attention to other things…

If you are feeling a little weary about your moves, check out Xpose Fitness (www.xposefitness.com). The instructors are willing to give you help and your local Xpose has a full class schedule and the opportunity to rent a pole for your pole dancing weekend.

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