• Photographer and stylist (and amateur lotion mixologist) Helen Berkun has her fingerprint all over Chicago’s fashion community—and beyond. A native of the Ukraine, she’s the brains behind Missred Photography, and her work has appeared in magazines such as CS, Playboy, SIXOSIX, Pistil, and Venus. She’s also shot many Chicago designers lookbooks, including Lana jewelry and Lara Miller. But her eye for fashion extends far beyond the lens, as her styling work has appeared in TCW and Eliza magazine. Throw in her young son, Natan, and Berkun is always on the-fly—even in her 4 inch heels.
  
  

  View Helen’s work at www.missred.net; or read about her stylish day-to-day activities at helenberkun.blogspot.com.

Helen 's favorites...
 
Scent:

Barneys…actually their shoe department.


Mascara:

YSL  Faux Cils, once you try this stuff, you never go back. It’s like
the perfect eyelash drug.


Body Lotion:

I like to make my own concoction, I mix Dove Cream Oil body lotion
with some Jojoba Oil from Whole Foods and a little shimmer lotion by Smashbox. I put it all into one pump bottle and mix it up, seriously
this stuff feels like heaven and makes my skin like my son’s tushi.
Delish!


Which lip gloss are you addicted to this month?

Chanel Aqualumiere in Diamond Rose


I feel prettiest when…

I’m holding my little man in my 4” heels. I feel like a super woman,
super mom, super MILF! If I can carry and juggle a kid while still
looking HOT, that makes me feel PRETTY and powerful.

If I were a magazine, I would be…

A little Elle and a whole lot of BAZAR with a pinch of French Vogue somewhere.

I am always searching for …

Something, nothing in particular but I’m always on the look out.
Whatever it may be, I’m a lifetime scholar that’s on a search for
something fantastic!

My favorite place to shop is…

Online, I’m a full time mama, photographer, stylist, girlfriend and
fashionista. I don’t have time to go into stores and try stuff on. I
always see new beautiful things because I’m constantly in stores
shopping for clients or pulling pieces that are shipped to me directly
from the show rooms. If I love something that I pulled for a shoot I
either buy it right there, I purchase it later online or get it
straight from the designers.

The best beauty tip I ever received…

If you ever have a zit emergency, and we all do so don’t pretend you
don’t! You have to do an extraction and have to go out within a half
hour? Well then take a pill of Motrin, crush it up, put a drop of
water in it, mix up the paste and put it on your little boo boo. Leave
it on for about 5 – 10 minutes and wipe it off with a moist cloth.
It’ll take the swelling and redness right out.

My favorite beauty product from my past is…

I used to love love love and still do Visine eye drops. I do a lot of
smokey eyes and nothing is worse than bloodshot smokey eyes. So Visine does the trick for me.

The last thing I do before I go to bed is…

Kiss my little man goodnight, even though he goes to sleep much
earlier, I always walk into his room and give him a smoocher.


I will splurge on…

SHOES SHOES SHOES!

What’s for breakfast?

Egg white omelet with broccoli, red peppers, onions and
monchego cheese.

What are you reading?

I read a lot, I just finished Tuesday’s with Morrie and typically love
anything and everything by Paulo Cuelo. Oh and of course my mommy bible, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Motherhod.

Biggest regret?

None, we live, we learn, we grow.

Favorite sinful food?

OMG, so many. For a fashion girl, I’m a total eater. I’m Russian so my potatoes, meat, caviar and some herring are always must have items in my house.

My favorite spa treatment is…

Hot stone massage, I love all my treatments at Tiffani Kim Institute.

Favorite fashion trend of all time…

Over the knee boots and anything leather…guess what? It’s all back
this season…woo hoo. I’m a total rocker girl at heart.

Currently obsessed with…

Riccardo Tisci.

Most played song on your ipod right now?

Not just a song but a full album. I love BEDTIME STORIES by Madonna. “I’ll never be an angels, I’ll never be a saint it’s true, I’m too
busy surviving…”

I would love to meet…

Gwen Stefani. I relate to her so much, she wants to have it all and
still be a great mom, that’s totally what I’m about.

Favorite Chicago neighborhood is…

I just love Chicago, it has so many great neighborhoods. It depends on the mood I’m in, I’m a Gemini so I get bored easily.

One word that describes you is…

Strong.

Best advice you have ever received…

Learn to let things go and just breathe.

A few things you never leave home without…

My iPhone, I feel naked when it’s not next to me.

Favorite vacation spot…

Anywhere where there is love and family around. My boyfriend always
says, it doesn’t matter where you go to find romance, if you didn’t
bring it with, you won’t find it even in Paris.

Secret guilty pleasure…

Sometimes I dress up in my own closet, blast some killer girl music
and dance around pretending I’m a singer, singing into my hair
brush...Now my son likes to dance with me, so we’re big dorks like
that.

Worst haircut you ever received….

When I was about 10 years old the movie Ghost was a big hit. So I was obsessed with Demi Moore and had my curly main cut to a boys hair cut. I walked around for a few years with a Jew Fro.

What was your favorite outfit in elementary school? High school? Currently?

In High School I was obsessed with my suede blue Doc Martin
boots…today I am obsessed with my suede blue Doc Martin boots.