Amber has had to become streetwise the hard way, though her background is middle-class, private school education. She’s fiercely moral and determined that something positive will come out of their predicament. This leads her to sometimes be too hard on everyone, herself in particular. In reality, a sensitive, caring soul, Amber has a great longing for love deep inside her, which she keeps hidden, fearing that to reveal it will make her weak.
Amber usually has her zulu knots wound tightly upon her head but for a brief few episodes she had this gorgeous style. Her hair is still sectioned but the knots are left to fall free.
In making this hairstyle the hair is divided into 12 sections! Not at all easy. It is done on damp hair which makes it a little easier. In series one Beth Allen had long hair and so her natural hair was used. Later on after she had her hair cut the makeup department used “wefts”. These are long pieces of hair that are attached to the scalp and pinned in place.
Once the hair is divided it is wound and twisted tight at the scalp and secured with a rubber band and then pinned with bobby pins. Lots of wax is used to keep it tight and easy to manage.
Amber’s hair was bleached and then the re-growth left to grow to keep the contrast.
When Amber’s hair is made into zulu knots – they start off with this style and then twist and curl each piece of hair around it’s self – using more bobby pins to hold it in place. The hardest part of this hairstyle is getting the partings correct and then keeping the hair where it should stay.
Along with this hairstyle was Amber’s distinctive bright makeup.
On and around her eyes in MAC pigment in purple. It extends right from the browline down to the cheekbone and is carefully blended in.
A little MAC black eye powder is used on the bottom of the eyelid to darken the eye further.
Black kohl eyeliner is used on the bottom and top of her eyes and then small feathery lines extend from under the bottom eyelid.
Bodyshop #5 is used on Amber’s lips. With Ben Nye violet lip liner. And just to add depth there is a little bloom silver in the centre of the bottom lip.
The stripes on Amber’s cheek are a mixture of orange and yellow mix. It is applied through a stencil with a sponge to give a slightly marbled effect.