When prepping for a photo shoot with me, it’s essential to take some time and prep your face.  A little makeup can really make all the difference in getting a complete look.  Plus, if you’re paying for a great portrait image in the end, you want to take the time up front to ensure your happiness.

1. Take the time and get your brows cleaned up and tinted before the shoot. I just got mine done at Waxology in Virginia Beach and Taylor was absolutely perfect.
2. Ladies, if you have peach fuzz (fine, blonde, fuzzy hairs) on your face, grab an eyebrow blade /shaper and get rid of it. It doesn’t hurt and it does not grow back looking like a beard.  I do it every three weeks and have no beard or black hairs ever.  It also helps exfoliate your skin, so that’s a plus. You can find out how to use it here. It’s called dermaplaning.  Your face will shine afterward and the softness will blow your mind.  It’s pretty amazing.
3. A little Retin-A goes a long way, but you need a prescription for it.  It gets rid of pimples in a jiffy!  Just be careful because it can dry out your skin too.  You don’t want flakey skin in your photos.  You want soft looking, dewey skin.

Please do these steps at least a week before your session if you decide to do so.

Once you’ve taken care of your skin, let’s move to the color.  Now, I’ve left out a lot of skin care steps, but you should know that you need to have a good cleanser, a moisturizer for day and night, some serums, an eye cream and lip balm. Preferably with some sunblock in the day time product.

3. Color Correcting. I personally need a color correcting cream for the insanely dark circles under my eyes. I seriously look like a zombie without it.  If you have purple, then you need kind of an orange.  If you have red, then you need a green.
4. Use it on spots and dark circles. Basically, anything you want to hide.
5. Please be sure that your foundation matches your skin color.  Do not go to the makeup store and test the foundation on your hand.  Your hand is different than your face.  You need to test your foundation color On.  Your.  Jawline. For the love.  I am not going to color correct that in PhotoShop.  It’s your job to get the correct color.  Get the ladies at Sephora to help!
6. Try to go with neutral colors that compliment your natural features.  Sparkly or shimmery colors will reflect light and maybe not look so good in camera. Line your eyes so they’re more defined and add mascara for voluminous lashes.
7. A good rule of thumb is if you plan to have dark eyes, you should have subtle lips.  And vice versa.  If you plan to have bold red lips, then subtle eyes are better.  I find that most people don’t put enough on for the camera anyway, so this will probably never be a problem.  Again, super glossy lips won’t look good in camera, so go with a lip color or tint.  Also, if you have chapped lips, you don’t want flakey pink or red lipstick on top of the dry skin.  Just go natural.
8. Neutral colors are always a good idea for cheeks too. I have a naturally pink cheek, so I just use a bronzer under my cheek bone and a highlighter for the actual bone. Some folks do need a bit of color though to brighten up.

Please Note that if you add a luminance type of makeup to your skin, it’ll show up in flash photos.  Meaning, your skin will look extra light (and not in a good way) where you applied it IF the photographer uses a flash.  In regular outdoor lighting, I don’t use a flash unless I need to fill some shadows with light.

If you have questions on how to apply your makeup or for more tips and tricks, just be sure to find something on You Tube that is in your age group and highlights your specific questions.  If you’re doing your makeup for an event, my advice would be to get it done professionally.

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