10 DIY Make up Tips for Your Headshot

The perfect makeup for your portrait should give a refined yet natural look. If you just need a 'quick headshot' and don't have time for a Professional Make-Up Artist to 'work their magic, here are some tips (with links to some of the best reviewed products) to help your complexion look even.

**Of course, having a Professional MUA is always recommended. Especially for an online profile photo that will be seen by all but, if you're pretty good at doing your own make-up daily and hiring an MUA is not feasible, you may be able to pull it off.

In this post, I only share products I truly love and recommend. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. Drink lots of water the two days prior to your headshot appointment. Also, taking a Vitamin E supplement once a day can ward off any last minute eruptions.

2. Refresh and Regenerate Clean and refreshed skin looks great in photos. The night before your photo shoot, use a gentle exfoliator or mask as well as toner before you apply moisturizer to prepare your face for photo finished makeup.

3. Apply your Makeup in "Good" Light

If possible, try to find a window with soft natural light (not direct sunlight) that blankets the whole surface of your face when applying your makeup (as opposed to just illuminating one side of the face.) A 'vanity lit' mirror is also the perfect light to get your make-up applied beautifully and evenly.

4. Primer Primer is another great tool to help you look your best. Primer should be applied to your skin just before make-up application to smooth out fine lines, minimize pores, and other imperfections that may show up in your portrait. It provides you with the perfect blank canvas to work from.

5. Use concealer for scars and dark circles Once you're in front of the camera and flash fires, the camera can pickup scaring and blemishes that are only covered by foundation. Concealer provides another layer of coverage for even skin tones, even in harsh lighting.

6. Foundation Choose a 'medium to full" or "full" coverage foundation with a matte finish that does NOT contain "shimmer". When photographed, shimmering foundation looks like blemishes on the skin and will need to be edited away. Check out this site for the "best foundations". For a good quality, low cost option, I use L'Oreal Paris True Match Super Blendable Foundation. If your skin tends to get on the oily side, consider carrying a few oil blotting sheets with you or paper towels, which are great for last minute touch ups or, after finishing your full face of makeup application, apply a very tiny amount of translucent finishing powder. Following this easy fix will provide your portrait with the appearance of a delicate, flawless complexion.

7. Bring Out Your Eyes Start with eye shadow primer to avoid creasing and smudging.

If you have larger eyes, you can de-emphasize your eye size with eye liner. I like to use liquid eyeliner in this instance. For smaller eyes, a soft, blendable eyeliner pencil will help to accent the eyes.

Elongate your lashes with a little bit of mascara to emphasize your eyes. Avoid applying too much mascara and "clumping". A good, smooth mascara gives your eyes great definition, and well-proportioned false lashes can also add a great kick to your look without appearing overdone.

For eye shadows, wear complimentary or neutral tones and apply eye shadow based on the shape of your eyes.

Don't forget to brush your eyebrows!

8. Lips Natural colors that enhance the tone of your lips tend to look best. Apply a bit of neutral lip liner around your lips to hold the lipstick in place and give shape to the lips. Yet again, keep away from layering on shiny glosses and stick with your favorite natural toned cream lipstick or a thin layer of tinted gloss. Try a tinted lip balm or chapstick to give a nice transparent color that also leaves your lips soft and moisturized.

9. Blush and Bronzer Blush and bronzer are great tools to bring out your cheekbones and give your cheeks a defined, rosy look. Swipe a little bronzer under your cheekbones and around the outside of the your face; then, dust a bit of blush on the apples of your cheeks for a slightly flushed, glowing look.

10. Picture Perfect Teeth

For a last minute whitening of your teeth, try brushing with a bit of baking soda and rinsing with hydrogen peroxide. This quick fix will brighten up your smile and give you a set of glowing pearly whites that are bound to boost your confidence. After all, you should not only look your best but also feel your best.

-Contributers: Nicole Tyler & Layla of Le Studio NYC