Amanda Woods on Fire Innovative Beauty
by Ken Levy, photography by Bart Cepek
Amanda Woods wants to beautify the Treasure Valley one face at a time. As a makeup artist and hair stylist, she’s got the credentials to make it happen. She lists silver screen legend Maureen O’Hara, who recently passed away, as one of her clients, and says she had the honor and pleasure of preparing her for her 95th birthday party in August 2015.
Woods is the founder and sole proprietress of Woods on Fire Innovative Beauty, based in Meridian. Woods has been a licensed cosmetologist for over 12 years, but says she’s been doing glamour for the stage for over 20.
She worked with actors Lee Majors, Terry Kiser, and Jane Morrow during the filming of “Almosting It” in the summer of 2014, and has done commercials and “private celebrity work,” whose names she is sworn to keep secret.
She is a member of RAW Natural Born Artists, an international organization of independent artists that encourages the creative success of its members. As such, glitter virtually flows through her veins and becomes intricate, artistic expressions showcased on her fashion-regaled models. Many have appeared on the runways at RAW showcases in 2013 and 2014.
In the latter show, “Dreams and Nightmares: Imagining Out Loud,” Amanda says she compiled a series of looks for 22 models that were inspired by dreams.
“I have the most amazing team that has really helped me realize this vision,” she says, allowing her to be able “to put these looks out on the runway with these fantastic models and being able to be 100 percent confident in their appearance and how they look, and how they’re portrayed on the runway.”
She enjoys taking her clients out of their comfort zone and showing them a different side of themselves. This summer, she worked with local models and photographers for elaborate photo shoots at Bruneau Dunes State Park, as well as other venues such as an abandoned cement factory in Lime, Oregon.
Amanda says her background in dance spawned the love for adding a dash of spice to the everyday beauty regime.
Amanda graduated from New Images Academy Of Cosmetology in August 2003. Happily married to Noah Woods since December, 2007, the couple has six daughters ages, 15, 13, 9, 7, 5, and 3.
“After the passing of our sweet daughter Emma in November 2007, I took a four-year hiatus,” Amanda says. “I knew it was time to come back to the beauty world when a fateful meeting occurred with well-known photographer Lenny Wheeler.”
That team collaborated on their first shoot with model Sorin Craciunescu.
“I hit the ground running and haven’t slowed down since,” she says. “My goal is to inspire as many people I can through my work, encounters, events, collaborations, or whatever else comes our way, and to be the best mom my girls could ask for.”
To contact Woods or learn more about her work, find her on Facebook by searching for the Woods on Fire page.
