Make-Up Do's & Don'ts
in our opinion makeup is one of the most important features of photography.
yes, for us women, clothing and hair are high up on the list, but nothing is more important than the face.
for this reason, we can't stress enough the option of hiring a professional makeup artist.
however, we realize some clients have better makeup application skills than others. so if you choose to apply your makeup at home or with an artist not preferred with Minted Willow Photo Company
- here is what you need to know -
- The Do's -
- The Don'ts -
- do wear high definition - studio grade foundation
- do wear natural looking eye lashes, it's a must
- do one shade lighter or darker than your natural lip color for the perfect nude lipstick
- do match your foundation shade to your skin and neck.
- do wear concealer that covers and matches your skin
- do use a setting spray to set your makeup
- do keep makeup soft and blended
- do wear natural shades and warm tones of eyeshadows
- don't get cakey, natural always looks better
- don't use self tanner (ever)
- don't use a darker foundation to mimic a tan
- don't do winged eye liner, it is too harsh
-don't over-fill your brows!
- don't wear unnatural eye shadows or lip colors
- don't over contour with bronze and highlight
1. Don’t wear foundation with SPF in it
While protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays is important, the titanium oxide in sunblock creates a white cast your skin leaving a ghostly look when the camera produces a flash. Combining SPF with flash photography is a recipe for very unflattering pictures.
Do choose a full coverage, matte foundation without SPF.
2. Don’t set your makeup with a translucent powder
To ensure a flawless finish, a setting powder is mandatory, but not all setting powders are created equal. a translucent powder is the perfect choice for every day make-up, it brightens and locks the makeup in place. But be careful! In person, they are undetectable but in flash photography, they show up in the absolute worst way!!!
Do set your makeup with a powder that matches your foundation.
3. Don’t skip on primers
Women have so many things to consider when posing for pictures: Is my hair okay? Am I sucking in my gut enough? Are my Spanx showing? You don’t want to have to add to the list: is my makeup creasing???
Flash photography is very unforgiving to makeup gone wrong. Your concealer may be settling into the fine lines underneath your eyes and the winged liner that took you so long to perfect, may be falling down your cheeks before it’s time to say “cheese!”
Do prime your lids and face before applying your makeup.
Use a silicone-based primer for your face and under-eye area to keep foundation and blush from sliding everywhere. Prime your eyes with a jumbo eye pencil or a creamy eye shadow base to ensure long lasting shadow, especially if you have oily lids!
You’ll also notice a difference in color payoff when you lay down a primer before eyeshadow. Whether you are using a higher-end shadow or a drugstore brand, the colors will appear truer and more vibrant.
4. Don’t use a shimmery bronzer - MATTE MATTE MATTE!!!
Wouldn’t we all like to have that sun-kissed glow year round? Some women try to replicate the radiance by piling on shimmery bronzers. Keep in mind that shimmer is used to highlight small areas of the face, and any glitter can settle into wrinkles and fine lines. If you misuse the glittery powder, you will risk looking like a disco-ball in photographs
Do contour with a matte bronzer:
Be mindful of matte bronzers, they can appear orange-y. Sticking with a chocolate brown color will give you a warm glow and the illusion of perfect bone structure. Run your matte bronzer on the backs of cheekbones, along the jawline and around the temples for a slimmer face. Your face will look perfectly radiant and slender from every angle.
To add a bit more dimension to your face, try an aluminizing highlight on the tops of cheekbones and on the brow bone. This will give your face a candlelit effect and act as a nice contrast to the contouring.
5. Don’t forget to exfoliate lips
If you’ve gone through all the necessary steps to make sure your makeup is flawless, it won’t matter unless your lips are in line. A camera flash usually washes out your lips in a photo, so lipliner, lipgloss and/or lipstick is a must! If you’re pout is experiencing some dryness and cracking, it will show up in pictures.
Do exfoliate lips and moisturize.
Kick chapped lips to the curb by exfoliating your lips with a scrub, a washcloth or your toothbrush. After you’ve rubbed off the excess skin, make sure to moisturize lips thoroughly with a nourishing lip balm. Your smile will be the focus of your snap shot, not cracked lips.