For your headshot makeup, you should typically strive for a “natural” appearance. Plan to seem like you do in real life; for example, if you often wear heavy makeup, consider doing the same in your headshot. You should strive to seem as natural-looking in your photograph as you do in real life if you wear very little makeup. Read more about headshot photography.
Skin
Applying makeup on skin that is clean, even, and well-moisturized is always recommended. So try to prepare ahead of time and start moisturising your face more often than usual at least three to five days before your picture session. Drink a lot of water as well since hydrated skin always looks best (regardless of how much foundation or makeup you use)!
As you apply your foundation, remember to: Choose a foundation shade that complements the skin tone of your neck and chest. While choosing a colour that is a little bit darker than your natural skin tone may be acceptable for social situations, it can frequently be distracting in headshots because the darker colour of your face will be very noticeable in comparison to your neck and chest due to the way camera lighting works.
It’s simpler for the photographer to alter the overall hue of the image during digital editing if you want your skin to seem tanner in your shot than it is in real life rather than attempting to correct a mismatched face or neck.
Liquid or powder foundations both work as effectively. Although oil-free liquid matte foundations with water or alcohol bases normally perform the best (and the majority of other headshot makeup tutorials will advise you to use them), the fact is that you don’t necessarily need to use liquid foundation if you don’t have much expertise with it.
Use a foundation type you are most at ease with since if applied poorly, it may dry rapidly and seem caked.Avoid using foundation or highlighter that is “sheer,” “glowy,” or “dewy.” Although these cosmetics may offer a more youthful appearance and sparkle in real life, they can make you seem sweaty or “wet” in pictures – particularly under intense studio lights. The best foundation to use is matte.
Even if you’ve hired a makeup artist for your headshots, you should still use a light toner the morning of the session. This will aid in pore closure on the face, facilitating a smoother application of makeup (which looks better in photos).
Consider using a primer if you have a lot of freckles and laugh lines. Even if you appreciate your freckles or lines, primers may help soften them a little bit since cameras frequently make them seem harsher than they really are. The procedure of applying makeup will be simpler overall with smoother skin.
Extra concealer should be applied freely. Make careful to hide under-eye shadows, blemishes, and redness on the face with more concealer after applying foundation since bright studio lights can see right through most foundations and expose imperfections and darkness under the eyes that you thought were concealed.
Avoid foundations with sunscreen in them. Under strong camera lighting, sunscreen foundations may subtly alter the colour of your face and make you seem perspirant or glossy.
Always keep in mind that the primary goal of foundation is to balance out your skin tone and provide an excellent foundation for the rest of your makeup. Keep things simple, don’t overdo it, and you’ll be OK.
Lips
In headshots, is lipstick acceptable? Yes, but when it comes to lips, the same advice that applies to foundation also applies!
You should wear your lip colour one shade darker than you usually do. If you want your headshot makeup to appear exactly as your makeup looks in real life, you’ll need a little darker lip colour due to the way digital cameras operate.
Avoid using bold lip colours and lip lines if at all feasible. Strong lip colours might bleed into the fine wrinkles around the lips even if you wear them in real life, necessitating photo-editing. It is thus recommended to stay away from them whenever feasible. If you don’t often use much lipstick, a lightly tinted lip gloss can be a good option. Also, bear in mind that anything glossy won’t look well on camera.
Do not forget to examine your teeth. Some lipsticks may get on your teeth and the photographer might not see it throughout the session. Throughout the shoot, be sure to check yourself in the mirror a few times to make sure your teeth are clean.
Stick with natural lip balm for males. If you have cracked lips, start consistently using lip balm at least 3–4 days before the shot so that your lips will still look beautiful on the day of the shoot.
To make your lips look fuller, avoid going over the corners with lipstick or gloss. It is quickly picked up by the camera, and as it nearly always seems unnatural, it will probably need to be corrected. Your lips nearly usually seem best in photographs when they are their natural size.