How to Apply Makeup for Photos and Video: 8 Makeup Application Tips for the Camera

Looking good on camera doesn't require a makeup artist, but professional makeup tips help. Even if you prefer a natural look, the camera tends to exaggerate flaws and create artificial ones. Who needs that?

Whether it's a dating profile, a family photo or a video production, these camera-friendly makeup tips focus on makeup application that enhances rather than detracts from your looks.

These makeup application tips are geared towards color photos rather than black and white photography, though some tips can be applied to both.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #1

Skin, The Canvass: Before you apply makeup, start with smooth, toned and moisturized skin. If necessary, give yourself a facial or scrub treatment. This minimizes uneven or artificial looking makeup application and promotes a healthy, glowing look.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #2

Minimize Shadows: As photos are two-dimensional, the camera ages subjects by enhancing dark, fine lines and wrinkles. To compensate, gently apply a lighter shade of concealer makeup to darker areas: around the eyes, crevices and expression lines.

Using upward strokes, next apply a light layer of foundation makeup over the face including lips. Blend makeup at the edges. Except for corrective work, use foundation makeup colors closely matching the natural skin color.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #3

Bronze or Blush: Various makeup effects can be achieved with blush. Bronzer makeup powder is widely successful and produces a natural or lightly sculpted look, depending on its application.

To apply powder blush: blow off excess from the brush and apply lightly to cheekbones and above the outer corners of eyes to the temple.

For a makeup application guide, make a wide peace sign with a hand. Rotate 90 degrees towards your nose. Palms out, place the point of the "V" at your hairline and align with the corner of your eye and the bottom finger resting on the cheekbone. Focus color at or one finger below this area on the cheek, and at or above this area around the eyes.

Apply a second thin layer on checks and blend lightly at edges as needed.

**Additional makeup tip: Bronzer makeup can also be applied along the sides of the nose to minimize width. And, a darker shade of blush applied under the cheekbones produces more definition.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #4

Eyes and Lines: Unless you like the look, or have the eyes for it, avoid harsh lines, or the raccoon look, it makes the eyes look smaller and deeper set.

Try a smoky-colored eyeliner pencil, and smudge a bit if necessary. With liquid eyeliner, an option is to dot the eyeliner next to the eyelash base rather than create a solid line. For a different look, limit liquid eyeliner application to the top eyelid and/or the outer corners of the eyes.

Smoky eye shadow applied above the eyelids and blended with the outer corners of the eyes also creates a desirable effect; a highlighted brow area enhances this effect.

**Additional makeup tip: To soften lines, lightly swipe the lid and brow area once or twice with a powder makeup brush dipped in light pink blush.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #5

Lips: Most lips benefit from definition, even when lipstick is not generally used. For a natural but polished look, try a shade or two darker than your lip color, apply lip pencil, smudge lips a bit and apply a little gloss, or lipstick.

**Additional makeup tip: Apply a lighter lip color or gloss only to the center of lips to enhance a pouty look.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #6

Powder - When Not to Shine: Apply a light dusting of translucent powder over your face to avoid shine and set makeup. Concentrate on the T-zone as necessary, and apply sparingly to lined or dry areas.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #7

Eyebrows: Before applying makeup ensure that the eyebrows are properly shaped as they affect facial expression.

For a guide, align a pencil vertically along the edge of nostril and inner corner of the eye. Do the same for the outer corner of the eye. This makes a good start and endpoint for the eyebrow.

If the eyebrow arch needs help, align the pencil with the edge of the nostril and the outer edge of the iris to determine the highest point of the arch.

Tweeze stray brows outside these areas and use an eyebrow pencil for even more definition. However, it is best to avoid significant tweezing just prior to applying makeup.

Camera Application Makeup Tip #8

Red Eyes: To brighten the whites of the eyes and minimize redness line the inner lower eyelid with a light blue eye pencil.

Conclusion

Makeup tips for camera include a wide array of corrective and dramatic effects as well as simply enhancing one's natural appearance.

The key is to consider that images are two dimensional, so shadows and highlighted areas may need to be emphasized, de-emphasized or even simulated, for the best overall effect. Employ makeup tips for problem areas based on your photo experience with similar lighting conditions and adjust accordingly.