Makeup for Photography

When having professional photos done, it is best to hire a professional makeup artist. But if you can't or don't want to, then here are a few tips to assist you with your makeup application. Number one tip: HD cameras pick up every tiny detail and your makeup needs to be as close to flawless as possible.

Begin with your canvas. Your foundation should be applied smoothly and blended extremely well to avoid any brush strokes. Check it under different lighting, particularly sunlight for any noticeable makeup lines. Look for shiny spots and use a translucent powder on those areas.

Try to avoid makeup with SPF ingredients. They tend to cause what makeup artists refer to as "flashback", where your face appears whiter than the rest of your skin even though you had a perfectly matched foundation color.

Unless you are experienced, I suggest skipping any contouring or highlighting. Yes, your face needs dimension, but applied incorrectly, the results can be less than ideal.

Assess your eyebrows. You want to be sure they are clean and filled in. Use a powder brow color and angled brush to "add in" any missing hairs. If your brows are very light, deepen them just a bit so they won't disappear on the photos. Think of your brows as frames around a picture.

Shimmers work best when applied by an experienced makeup artist, so try to stick with matte colors. The little bits of shimmer can reflect light and may make your skin look oily or wet. Matte is much easier to apply and you won't need to worry about tiny reflective particles ruining your photos.

Opt for color and avoid a nude lip. Your face will look flat on the images so definitely choose a lip color with a deeper hue. Sometimes certain colors will appear different on camera, so don't be afraid to try a much darker shade than you would normally wear.

False lashes look great on camera. Choose natural length and look for false lashes without a dark strip. You can find some that almost have the appearance of individual lashes but are all in one. You could also opt for individual lashes and just accent the outer corners of your eyes. After applying the lashes, check to see if you need to blend in your natural lashes with the false lashes. Typically you won't, unless your own lashes are extremely light.