Hair & Makeup for Professional Headshots
Do I Need Professional Hair & Makeup for My Headshots?
Some clients want to hire a hair & makeup artist, others want to do their own makeup.
Either way it’s important as a photographer to know how to think about makeup so you can provide the right suggestions to your clients.
Headshot makeup is significantly different than their day to day makeup, so our studio artist, Amy Banas, has helped organize some tips so you can familiarize yourself with hair and makeup for your photography.
In General
The goal is to find a natural look, similar to the way they present in their office. Between makeup, lighting, and retouching, it should be authentic, reflecting them truthfully - just maybe on a really good day.
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 face 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.
Adjustments for sunburn, rashes, etc. are easier and more aesthetic when adjusted during retouching.
Rather than hope for a successful express tanning, use retouching if a client is feeling more pale than normal.
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 designed to provide a “youthful shine” tend to come across sweaty or wet 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, they can start applying lip balm regularly at least 3-4 days before the shoot.
Avoid applying lipstick past lip edges. The camera picks it up noticably and will appear unnatural.
Eye Makeup
Avoid long eyelashes. They act like flags 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.
If using mascara, use black.
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
Typically, it makes sense to choose a style that would work in the office. It’s helps when you meet people in real life and prevents the shot from losing its professionalism in exchange for gala vibes. If you shoot for the stars and your haircut comes out poorly, that can be tough to work around.
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.
Shaving facial during the session allows for different looks.
For clean-shaven shots, use a razor with caution.
Store hair pins and hair ties in the studio.
Final Tips to Prepare For A Headshot Session
Consider the outfit and don’t try to do too much. The more we try to enhance the look with big stylistic changes, the more variables we introduce, and more importantly, the less recognizable the subject will appear. Trust the process - 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.
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