Tips for applying make up for pictures..thanks Click'in Moms

I found these excellent tips on Click'in Moms. They are excellent! These are easy tips to give you that perfect look for pictures!

 1. Be sure to start with a clean and moisturized face; nothing is prettier than beautiful skin!

 2. Apply your makeup in natural window light if at all possible. This may mean applying your makeup in a room other than your bathroom but good lighting is essential to a good, even application of makeup.

 3. A good primer is just as important as a good foundation. Use primer before applying your base to give a smooth canvas by concealing large pores, uneven color and texture, and fine lines. M.A.C. Prep and Prime, Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer, Benefit Porefessional (my personal favorite!), Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Makeup For Ever’s HD Microperfecting Primer, Rimmel Fix Perfect Primer, or L’Oreal’s Studio Secrets Professional Secret No.1 Magic Perfecting Base are all great primers to use under your foundation. 

 4. Please stay away from using mineral makeup for your portraits. Mineral Makeup is fantastic for everyday wear; however, in portraits it can give a very distinct and undesirable glow or shine. Revlon’s Colorstay Makeup is my favorite drugstore option while M.A.C. Studio Fix and Make Up For Ever’s HD Invisible Cover Foundation are great high end options. In portraits, a matte finish is more desirable than a glow. When applying your foundation it is best to use a damp sponge or foundation brush rather than wiping your foundation on your skin with your hands to avoid uneven coverage or streaking (this also cuts back on the spread of germs). I use a foundation brush and the Beauty Blender sponge.

 5. Set your foundation with a translucent matte powder banishing any shine. My favorite is M.A.C Prep and Prime Transparent Finishing Powder while another great option is Revlon Photo Ready Translucent Finisher. 

 6. Play up your eyes! Again, avoid shimmer or glitter. I strongly suggest using matte or satin neutral shades to bring out your beautiful eyes. Trendy or dark colors can cause your images to look dated and your eyes to look small or garish. Almost every makeup company offers pallets that can give you a natural look for your eyes. A golden brown really plays up any eye color. Almay Intense I-Color comes customized for your eye color and can take the guess work out of picking the right shade. Be sure to blend the color for the most flattering look. 

7. When it comes to applying eyeliner, in many ways less can be more. I suggest lining brown or black brown eyeliner, being careful not to line the inner rim too heavily as this will create a small looking eye. It is best to just line the lash line creating a full looking lash. 

8. Don’t forget mascara! I suggest waterproof (aka sweatproof) black mascara. Two coats. Using a new mascara tube can really be helpful because the product will not be dried out causing you to have clumpy lashes. Be sure to wipe off any excess mascara on the tube before your application. 

 9. When selecting a blush color, choose a shade that resembles the flush you have after exercise or laughter. Again, stay away from glittery or shimmery shades for your portraits. Almost every woman I know is afraid of blush but when applied correctly it expertly enhances your look. Apply the most vibrant part of your blush on the apples (where you smile) of your cheeks and blend upward on your cheek bone. Blush needs to be applied a bit heavier than normal for portraits because the camera has a tendency to wash out the color. After applying your blush take a large fluffy brush with no product and blend once more for the most natural finish. 

10. A naturally colored lip is the most flattering in portraits because lip color trends change so quickly. One of my favorite ways to keep the lip natural is to use a neutral colored lip pencil (my favorite is M.A.C spice but almost every cosmetics company makes a neutral shade) and line and fill in the lip. I then apply a blush colored gloss lightly over the lip concentrating the application in the center and blending out toward the corners of the mouth (again, less is more). If you prefer lipstick choose a color that enhances your existing lip tone. One of my all around favorites is M.A.C Honey Love but another all around favorite is Smashbox Primrose. 

11. When you are completely finished with your look, give a final dusting of translucent powder lightly over your entire face to set the look.