I am asked often about makeup for photo shoots and I thought I would put together a quick tip sheet for when one is having a photo shoot with a professional photographer. Below you will find a few tips and tricks to help you get the best photograph.

1. Start with a clean fresh face. Moisturize and pluck and tweeze what you don’t want. Photoshop is a great thing, but if you know you a stray hair, pluck it before your makeup is applied and your photo shoot.  
2. Matte Makeup is your best choice. Your best bet is to use makeup that gives a matte finish vs. a shiny sparkly finish.  The lighting can make the shine and sparkle, look more enhanced if you’re not careful when using anything but matte finished makeup. These are not expensive and can be purchased at your local drugstore.
3. When applying your makeup, apply in normal, natural light.  Applying your makeup under heavy or not enough lighting can alter the look of your face. 
4. When choosing powder use more of a yellow tinted powder. A shiny shimmery powder will reflect light and may make you look washed out.     
5. Concealers are great, be sure to blend. Too many times we forget to blend, especially under eye concealer. Be sure your under eye concealer is nicely blended. 
6. Black! Yep, black eye liner and black mascara. If you’re use to using other colors, like brown, opt for black when getting your picture taken. 
7. Many women don’t take the effort in blush, but you want to for your photos. Using a good blush will help from looking washed out. Don’t overdo it.  Don’t have a heavy hand when applying your blush.
8. Lipstick, don’t skip it! Trust me when I say, don’t skip lipstick. You need to contrast your face features, your lips are one of them. You don’t need a bright color, but you’ll need some color.  You can go bold or nude, but don’t skip it.

A few additional things that are not directly related to makeup, but are related to your appearance for the best photo.

• Check your roots, if you are one that colors your hair, be sure that you have touched up your roots. This could become a major issue with the photographer and as much as we could photo shop these things, it’s makes it a lot easier and much more realistic if you can do a touch up a few days or week before your photo session.
• Make sure whatever hair style you choose is flattering to your face. Use styling products that will hold your style, but won't cause your hair to appear plastic. Never go for an outrageous or crazy hair style, this will distract from the photo.
• Unwanted facial hair. YEP I said it. Be sure to pluck any unwanted facial hairs. Those strays should be taken care of before your shoot. 
• Nail polish! Better yet, nails in general. Make sure your nails are well manicured and the color your teen has chosen for her nails is what you want in a photo. I especially stress to parents of teenagers to check their nails the night before and be aware of the color choice on their nails. There are always work arounds, but it’s hard if your teen has florescent nail polish and that’s not the look you’re going for with your family photos. 

When in doubt, consult the photographer, especially with understanding the location and lighting is always good to know.  Look for an up and coming blog about wardrobe selections for your photo shoot. Hope these tips help you