Seniors: Hair and Makeup
You want to feel confident, natural, and totally yourself in your senior pictures… but figuring out hair and makeup can be overwhelming.
Should you do it yourself? Hire someone? What if it doesn't feel like "you" at all?
As a senior photographer who has helped hundreds of seniors prepare for their photos, I’ve seen firsthand how a few simple choices can help you walk into your session feeling confident and relaxed—ready to shine!
Whether you're going full glam or keeping it simple, this guide will help you make hair and makeup choices that feel true to who you are—so your photos reflect the best version of you.
There are benefits to letting the pros handle your hair and makeup:
They have experience with applying makeup and styling hair that will last all day
They have quality products in all the shades you can imagine
They know what looks best for the camera!
Their applications will be flawless and allow you to be confident and rock your session
Want the full senior prep checklist? 👇
If you are planning to conquer hair and makeup on your own, I have a few tips below for you to be glam ready. I highly recommend having another set of hands to help with the preparation process, curling those hard to reach strands in the back or giving a once over on makeup are monumental in a stress-less session.
Makeup
Apply lip and eye makeup slightly darker than normal. If I learned anything from my years in dance as a child it’s that on picture day you need to amp up the appearance of your features for the camera to capture it.
Following up with slightly darker makeup, is don’t add heavy layers and layers of makeup. You want to remain natural and not clumpy/flaky in your images.
Go for a matte finish look, shiny foundation may look sumptuous day to day…but you want to minimize this glare in your portraits. (translucent powder is great for this!)
If you don’t normally wear lipstick, I suggest applying wearing a shade that is close to your natural lip color. At a minimum, wear chapstick.
Mascara is a must, consider wearing lash extensions as well. They are a short term addition for a long term gain.
If you wear light shades of eye shadow you will want to amp this up to a medium tone. Back to the first point in this list, light makeup will not show up as prominent in close up pictures.
Hair
Don’t try a new cut, style or color before your senior pictures. However, a trim or reshaping along with color touchup to existing highlights it perfect a couple weeks before your session.
If you typically where your hair straight, give it a slight curl to frame your face and add movement.
Don’t shy away from hairspray today, it’ll be your friend in holding down pesky stray strands of hair.
If you hair tends to react to humidity bring product to help minimize your locks.
Your senior session is more than a photoshoot—it’s a chance to capture this unforgettable moment in your life. When you feel great walking into it, it shows in every image.
I’m here to guide you every step of the way, including what to wear, what to bring, and how to prep. This is your story, and your photos should reflect that.
Want more tips and a behind-the-scenes look at what to expect?👇
Ready to book your session?👇
