Behind The Brush

Welcome to Behind The Brush. We are more than just professional makeup artists, we’re professional women, too. We know how hard it can be to feel put together after a night of being up with kids or after a long day at work. We want to make that feel easy for you, not like a chore.  

This little corner of the Internet is for you, our clients. We wanted to create a space where we can communicate with you when you’re not in our chair. We think each and every one of you is beautiful and you deserve to feel that way every day, not just after coming into the studio. We want to share beauty tips and tricks that we’ve learned along the way. Occasionally we will share personal stuff, too. We want you to get to know us the same way we want to get to know you! 

We are Raquel and Ahmana, lifelong best friends and now business partners. We believe in the power of connection and relationships. We believe in confidence. We believe that every single woman is beautiful. We believe in you. Our whole mission is to help women see themselves just as the people who love them do. Us ladies are really good at loving others and forgetting about ourselves. This is our attempt to change that.

We’re going to do our best to post something weekly. (Is that goal too big? We’ll find out)! However often we post, we know that we want this space to be useful and fun. We want your input on how we can help you. If you could drop a comment below and tell us what you’re struggling with when it comes to your beauty routine, that would be so great. What overwhelms you? What is the question about the products in your makeup bag that has been bugging you? Do you need advice on skincare? How can we help?

Can’t wait to hear your comments and hopefully chat more about this stuff with you the next time you’re in the studio! 

What’s In A Name?

We get asked maybe five times a day how to pronounce the name of our studio. Though we knew it would be a challenge, we really love the meaning, so we kept it. Now we have fun helping people remember how to say it:

Mooi like boy

Mooi like toy

Mooi like soy

Mooi like coy

You get the idea. 

Mooi means beautiful in both Dutch and Afrikaans. But it’s not just that translation we liked. We want everyone to feel and embody Mooi. 

You know that feeling when you're getting ready to go out for the evening? You played all your favorite music, you set aside a good chunk of time to pamper yourself. You nailed your makeup, your outfit is on point, and you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and think, “Damn.” That’s Mooi.

Mooi is being able to say “damn” with the same confidence when you roll out of bed, grab a cup of coffee, and drag yourself over to your bathroom mirror and see your pajama’d self with bedhead staring back at you. 

We truly feel that beauty has so little to do with what’s on your face. It’s how you feel about that face. We love that we have the tools and training to give women outward confidence. But we think our secret sauce is the relationship skills we have to help women find confidence for who they are, not how they look. It’s our Mooi.

We have a challenge for you. We challenge you to write down at least three things about yourself that make you feel Mooi. These things should have nothing to do with your physical appearance. We would love if you shared them in the comments below, but even if you don’t share, we can guarantee it will make your day. 

So, go on. Write them down. Feel beautiful. Be Mooi.

Meet Mooi

We’re so excited to announce the launch of Mooi Studio, a makeup, skin and beauty studio based in Denver, Colorado! We’ve been hard at work preparing for the launch of our studio and can’t wait to share it with you.

What Is Mooi?

Mooi Studio will offer a variety of skincare and makeup services, including wedding makeup, date night and photo-ready makeup applications, lessons, specialized express skincare treatments and more. Founders Raquel Turner and Ahmana Aryan are passionate about making women feel beautiful, and this passion is what has allowed them to partner and turn their dream of opening a makeup studio into a reality!

How Mooi Started

Raquel and Ahmana met seven years ago working at MAC and then transitioned to NARS. From there, the rest is history! They love the energy that comes with working together, and share very similar, yet unique styles. 

Also known as the dynamic duo, these two have joined forces to launch Mooi Studio where they will specialize in makeup and skincare as well as cosmetic retail. The vision for Mooi is to become a place for women to gather, relax, and enjoy one another’s company during a beauty service. 

Meet the Girls Behind Mooi

Raquel Turner is a licensed esthetician with years of professional experience to support her talent in the beauty industry. She has based her philosophy on helping people feel beautiful and at their best while creating true and lasting connections. From styled photo shoots, to brides and special events, Raquel specializes in everything from the soft and natural to the bold and dramatic. She’s a trusted expert in the beauty and skincare industry and goes beyond service to educate clients for a lifestyle of beauty and health. 

As a makeup artist and licensed esthetician with 13+ years of experience, Ahmana Aryan is passionate about all things beauty. Her experiences working with top brands like MAC and NARS, along with her insight into what products are needed to create beautiful skin and makeup, sets her apart as a leading beauty professional. Ahmana loves connecting with her clients to help them feel confident and beautiful in their own skin. She’s done makeup for celebrities, various magazines, brands, brides and her personal clients. 

Here on Mooi’s blog, ‘Behind the Brush,’ you can expect to learn about all of Raquel and Ahmana’s favorite products and expert tips and tricks. To keep up with all things Mooi, be sure to follow us on Instagram!