Hair & Makeup for Professional Headshots
Do I Need Professional Hair & Makeup for My Headshots?
Hair & makeup for corporate headshots requires a different approach than other headshots, and forms of photography.
As a photographer, you need to know how to help your clients so they don’t end up with headshots that feel more like a night out than a day at the office.
In General
The goal is to find a natural look that offsets that impact of high resolution cameras capturing someones face behind bright studio lighting.
Between makeup, lighting, and retouching, it should still reflect the person as they are, with the main difference being the level of detail and richness from the studio lighting and retouching. Done well, nobody should be “noticing” the makeup, per se, they should be thinking wow, they look great - not different.
Foundation
The main objective of foundation is to even out the skin tone and allow for a great base to apply the rest of the makeup, which is best applied to clean, even, and moisturized skin. They can enhance results by using extra moisturizer 5+ days before the session.
If nothing else, stress the importance of water – hydrated skin looks better! Drinking extra water in the 3-4 days leading up to a shoot will improve hydration and skin.
Tips to Apply Foundation:
Match the foundation to the natural color of the neck/chest skin.
Don’t try to fix sunburn, rashes, etc. with makeup - it comes out more natural when left to retouching.
Client feeling pale? Rather than hope for a successful express tan, boost saturation in retouching
Powder and liquid foundation both work, so recommend the type they feel comfortable with. (Technically, oil free - water or alcohol based - liquid matte foundations work best, but requires experience or it might dry quickly and become caked-looking).
Matte foundation is recommended. Products offering a “youthful shine” tend to come across shiny in photographs.
Primer works for those with a lot of freckles and/or laugh lines as cameras often make these features appear more harsh than they are in real life, and primers can help neutralize that.
Powder
We don’t want shiny faces, so use powder liberally at the start of the shoot to create a matte look and continue to apply powder as needed. Oil-absorbing wipes work well too.
For lighter skin tones, try a colorless translucent powder.
For darker skin tones, try Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
Picking The Right Blush
Pick blush one shade darker than normal, and apply in circular motions, first big broad circles, then smaller more detailed circles.
Keep in mind you can always add more, so start out light.
Prepping Lips
Lipstick can work in professioal headshots, but can quickly become too much.
Choose a shade that is slightly darker than normal, or simply stick to natural lip balm.
Avoid strong lip colors and lip lines.
To prevent chapped lips, start applying lip balm regularly 3-4+ days before the shoot.
Eye Makeup
Avoid long eyelashes. They act like blinds and block the light from reaching their eyes.
Eyebrows should be shaped and filled a few days in advance. If not the eyebrows may look red.
Stick to liner above the eyes. Under-eye liner can enhance darkening around the eye shadows.
Neutral, nude colors work best for eyeshadow. Do not use shimmer for eyeshadow – stick to matte.
Hair
Use hairspray or gel to hold hair in place.
Subtle shine can be nice, but avoid a fully wet look.
Avoid mattifying products because they'll make hair look dull and dry. Biosilk spray is a great option.
For longer hair, a gentle blowout gives hair some volume.
For styling, consider the confines of headshot cropping - placing hair behind. the shoulders can really help the image breathe
Final Tips to Prepare For A Headshot Session
Consider the wardrobe options, and don’t try to change the client’s natural look too much. A natural look with a great expression in beautiful lighting is all that is needed to create a stunning professional headshot and business portrait.
For clients that book professional hair & makeup, consider adding notes to your prep guide so they know what they need to do to arrive makeup ready.
Related: What to Wear for Your Headshot
To book professional hair and makeup with your session, simply select a session containing Hair & Makeup when choosing your appointment.
Book weekday session with professional hair & makeup
