This week's Fab Friday Fashion is actually going to focus on beauty tips. Lets be honest you can have found the best outfit in the world to wear to your session but in order to have the total package you need to do certain things to prepare for your big day. I doesn't matter if you are preparing for your wedding, pinup, boudoir or even family session. There are things you can do to make the most of your session.
First of all consider hiring a makeup artist and or hair stylist for your session. They are the pro's! You are investing in quality photography services for your big day and they will help you look polished and ready. Lucky for you I offer it all and know some of the best ladies in the area who offer MUAH.
Whether you go with a pro or not there are some basic things you'll want to do to prepare. I've been sending a prep list to my clients for years and today I'll share some of those tips with you.
Let the list begin!
Sleep! It's not just for babies it's for beauties too. For the week of your session try to rest up and get that solid beauty sleep in each night.
Water! Yes I know it doesn't taste like anything ( I have to force myself to drink it every day). Hydrated skin is happy skin. Drinking your 6-8 glasses helps flush toxins from your body (and skin) and helps to lessen water retention and puffiness.
Skin care! Your skin is your largest organ. Take good care of it. If you aren't on a quality skin care program your skin will show it. Your skin care program should include some sort of exfoliating component (like a mask) as well. You should use it religiously in the weeks leading up to your session. Also don't forget to tend to those dry patches on elbows and knees and keep that body moisturized too.
Nails and Toes! Treat yourself to a mani/pedi the day before your session if possible. If you're not able to do that then be sure to tend to them so they look neat and clean and chip free. In general you want to stick with a color that is going to compliment your outfit(s). Hyper bright colors will draw attention away from your face so I suggest avoiding them. Don't wear polish? Then at least make sure they (feet too) are clean, filed and possibly throw on a clear coat.
Teeth! In this day of coffee and soda consumption we are hard on our teeth. Consider using white strips or a similar product in the weeks before your session. Most OTC products will do the trick just fine. I hope, for your health, that you aren't smoking but if you do, pay extra special attention to your front teeth. Cigarettes cause a lot of staining that can show more in your pictures. One tip about teeth whitening. To avoid "chic-let" teeth you should not lighten your teeth to any shade that is whiter than the whites of your eyes. It can look unnatural in your photo's.
Waxing! Face and body hair should be taken car of at least 2 days before your session to avoid redness or swelling from the hair removal process. Also digital cameras pick up everything so something that looks like peach fuzz in real life can seem more pronounced in pictures so keep that in mind when deciding what/where to do your hair removal.
Hair! Many photographers (myself included) do not touch up your hair in post production. Your stylist should be on your list of people to visit the week of your session so that you can have your color looking as fresh as possible.
PMA!! Positive Mental Attitude is the MOST important part of your preparation. Every time you walk by a mirror tell yourself (at least) one POSITIVE thing about your look, body, face, style etc. When you feel confident it shows.
I hope these tips help you prepare for your big day.
And what's a photography blog without a photo. This is one of my all time favorite makeup looks that I've had the chance to do.
Miss Tiffany as The Mad Hatter. This was from our Alice in Wonderland High Concept session last year.
