I hate the way I look in pictures. I say to myself ” Do I really look like that ? That Bad? Yuck!” I never feel as if I look pretty in a photograph. I don’t see myself looking in pictures the way I look in the mirror. In real life makeup rarely, if ever, translates to pictures because the flash and lense you’re using in your camera is totally changing how your face is seen. In real life there isn’t anything targeting and bouncing light off of your face, and washing out your features. Plus, the human eye sees very differently than the lense of a camera, which is obviously why you look different in the mirror than you do in a picture. Here are some basic fixes from Mac Makeup Artist Regan Rabanal that deal with shiny, uneven skintone, tired eyes, and unpronounced features that will help you get camera ready, so you’ll as look good in photographs, and selfies as you do in real life.
FOUNDATION, CONCEALER, AND TRANSLUCENT POWDER
FOUNDATION FIRST : Starting with a clean and moisturized face, use a mattifying, full coverage foundation to help your skin look smooth and even. It will also combat shine.
Using a foundation makeup brush to apply the foundation will help to blend it into your skin and give you a natural- looking finish.
The flash of the camera will bounce off of your makeup, so make certain your concealer is blended harmoniously with your foundation.
NEXT, CONCEALER : After applying your foundation, you’ll be able to better see your problem areas, which will stand out. Some problem areas are around your nostrils, the shallow area underneath your eyes, and in your laugh lines. Use a minimal amount of concealer on the areas you want to conceal, and make sure you really blend the concealer with your foundation.
To create seamless blending of your concealer, I use a damp makeup blending sponge, pressing and rolling the sponge so the concealer blends it into the skin. For me, the sponge works well and does an amazing job.
You can also use a concealer brush and pat the concealer into the skin with the brush bristles.
TRANSLUCENT POWDER : Apply the translucent powder as your final step so that you can see exactly where you need it. It will remove any shine on your face, and hold everything in place. Sweep it on the center of the forehead, the center of the nose, and the chin.
EYEBROWS : Eyebrows add structure to the eye. A fuller brow makes your face look younger and fresher. But, don’t overdo it. Fill in your brow so it looks natural. It should have dimension, without being too harsh or too opaque. Use an eyebrow pencil to create hair-like strokes within the brow. Start from the bottom of the brow and fill it in upwards, so you get a graduation of an ombre effect within the brow. This creates a natural looking brow in both photos and real life.
EYESHADOW : To make your eyes look brighter and larger in pictures, Use three shades, a highlighter, a neutral shade, and a darker shade. For your eyelid, choose a shadow that is close to your skin tone as your neutral.
EYELINER : Frame your eyes in photos with eyeliner. the closer you are to the lashes, and tighter the line is, the better.
Use a skinny eyeliner brush to apply the liner.
CONTOUR :
HIGHLIGHTER – add to the top of your cheeks, to the center of your nose, the inner corner of your eyes, the brow bone and your Cupid’s bow. Highlighter acts like an In Real Life Filter.
BRONZER- defines bone structure. Sweep over your jawline, temples, the sides of the nose, and under the cheekbones.
BLUSH – gives cheeks tone and dimension. Use blush after your highlighter to blend both products together. Use a fan brush to apply bronzer and blush for a graduated application.
LIPSTICK – in photos your lips should be balanced, saturated, and symmetrical. Using a lip brush, press the color into your lips gives you ultimate control and maximum coverage.
I’d love to hear your comments, questions, and advice about how you look great in pictures. What are your secrets? See you down below, in the comment section. And remember, what the camera lense sees is not exactly how you look in the mirror, or In Real Life!
xo