Updated: September 2024

For our list of Hair & Makeup Must-haves click here

Here’s our top 10 photo session tips for getting camera ready – HAIR, SKIN, and MAKEUP EDITION with shoppable links here! If your schedule and budget allow, it’s always great to work with a professional hair and make-up artist. However,  it’s also quite possible to look absolutely amazing when getting ready on your own. These 10 tips are easy and straightforward (but often overlooked) – and they make a big difference in your photos!

Skincare Suggestions

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! If you’re a mature adult and even if you don’t wear make up, moisturize your face, of course, but don’t forget your neck & decolletage and especially your hands and lips. Our favorite face cream is this one — not too sticky or tacky, just hydrates the skin and photographs beautifully. (Pro tip: Use it at night for 2 weeks before your session). We also like this daytime moisturizer with SPF recommended by our dermatologist. Most importantly, be sure to apply some lip balm or chapstick before you leave the house. This one goes for the guys, too! Dry, crackly lips are not are a good look on anyone, so keeping the lips hydrated is a MUST! A body moisturizer with hyaluronic acid will do a great job of keeping any visible skin looking great! If you’re a teen & oily, moisturizing might not be your issue. (See tip #6 below.) In that case, do your normal skincare routine and don’t pick at your skin in the days leading up to your session. We can easily retouch a blemish or two in post, so not to worry.

Makeup Tips

2. Skip the trend of radically modifying your eyebrows and go the opposite route – lightly fill them in! This is our favorite brow pencil (the shade Ash is the best we’ve ever found for blondes)! The eyebrows go a long way in helping to frame your face.

3. If you wear blush and mascara, apply just a touch more than usual. It will help your features pop. We love this great lengthening tubing mascara and beautiful, blendable blush which you can also use on your eyes!

4. If you wear make-up, apply a full coverage foundation that provides a luminous matte finish. This will leave you with the most flawless complexion. We have additional recommendations here.

5. If you wear lipstick, choose one that’s 1 or 2 shades darker than your natural lip color. We’ve got a great lip color recommendation here. It’s super hydrating and has great staying power. Don’t forget to bring your lip product with you to reapply during the session if needed.

6. Lightly powder that t-zone with a translucent powder, even if you’re not overly oily. We adore this powder compact by Charlotte Tilbury. And don’t forget to bring it with you! A hydrating setting spray can also add some staying power & we absolutely love these blotting papers to tackle shine on the go.

7. Avoid a ton of shimmer. If you like to glow, and glitter is your thing, then by all means include it in your look, but go easy and try to limit it to one feature –lips, cheeks, or eyes. We suggest this phenomenal luminizer that’s become harder to find, but is just so pretty! Remember to use sparingly as a little goes a long way. We love it on the brow bone and top of the cheeks.

Haircare Tips

8. A dab of pomade is great for taming those flyaways and those little stray hairs. You just need the tiniest bit! Hair spray works too, but can get crunchy. Remember to bring whichever you prefer with you for touch-ups on the day. We love this hairspray for shoot days, and it also comes in a travel size!

9. If you’d like to cut or color your hair before your session, do it about 2 weeks prior. This will give you some time to style and play with it, and allows for a more lived in look.

10. Most importantly, plan ahead and do a trial run. If you’re buying new hair products (or make up or skincare) be sure to try out the new items a few times to see how they’ll wear on your hair & skin. You want to look like yourself, but the best possible version of yourself, so make sure everything wears well on your skin and hair.

Work these photo session tips into your routine and you’ll be more than camera ready! If you need help, we’re here and love to assist in curating your look – whether it be with hair, skin, makeup, wardrobe or accessories.

You can find all of the shoppable links to all the products we recommend, and use everyday, here.  We also have additional styling tips for headshot and branding sessions here, high school senior sessions here, and family sessions here.

Kidlette is a full-service Michigan photographer specializing in high school senior, family, and personal brand storytelling sessions in Metro Detroit, serving Rochester Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield, Grosse Pointe, and beyond.