Lumous Makeup

What does "lumous" mean? 

"Lumous" is a word that translates from Finnish to English as "enchantment, spell, charm" even as "witchery"

This word from Emma Graef's mother language is simply to describe what kind of result she is interested in to achieve. No matter if she works on a designer's or magazine's fashion shoot or for a bride's important day, she wants to create something more than just a pretty face. This doesn't mean a strong, cakey makeup – quite the contrary: less is more in her opinion. She wants the skin to maintain a beautiful texture even if this means the "traces of living" to show through. Makeup is not to create a mask by the latest trends. It's about studying the face structure, colors and the personal style of the individual and going from there (this can mean a light color eyeshadow, Hollywood classic red lips, black smokey eyes or winged eyeliner that would make Amy Winehouse seem like the nanny-next-door). 

Your makeup from a professional should be about you. 

Emma wants you to create a special "lumous" when you enter the room but not to look like it took three hours to get ready.  Your confidence after having a professional makeup done that makes you look like the better version of you will lighten up the party. People will say "You look gorgeous!" rather than think about who did your makeup.

Emma Graef's experience

Emma Graef is a makeup artist from Finland, now located in Beacon, New York.

As soon as her sister took her to buy her first makeups she became obsessed with the cosmetic products. She was the worst kind of marketing victim! The number of euros spent on the local mall's drug store products must be shocking, but the joy to apply the colors and playing with the transformations made her visit the stores again and again. 

Emma started her training to become a makeup artist in International Make Up Center in Helsinki, Finland in 2010. She enrolled to become a stage makeup artist for theatre as she had previously studied acting and spent her teenage years on stage. Her school taught skills for beauty and stage makeup artistry. 

After graduating from the makeup school she did an internship with Jenny Jansson, a makeup artist whose work she greatly admires from fashion magazines. Jenny Jansson taught her to makeup artistry for fashion and camera during shoots for famous Finnish magazines and brands such as Lumene, Elle Finland and Marimekko. She was the one who taught Emma the minimalistic approach to applying the makeup products.  

During her career, Emma has gotten the joy to work with her many beautiful brides and their loved ones. She is currently part of bridal beauty team Bridal by Alexandria. She has also worked with multiple amazing designers and companies such as wedding dress designer Agata Wojtkiewicz, Mafalda Von Hessen, Farmacy Beauty, Anna Campbell (with Face Time Beauty) and Visual Country. For television, she had the honor to work with singer Jenni Vartiainen for Finnish DNA-commercial. While she lived in Geneva, Switzerland she had the amazing experience to work in makeup and perruque team in Grande Opera during Macbeth.