Makeup Tips for Awesome High School Senior Photos

One of the keys to getting awesome senior portraits is great makeup. When applied properly it can enhance your natural beauty and coloring. Below are some tips for picture perfect makeup.

Go Slightly Heavier than Usual

Makeup tends to look more toned down in photographs than it does in person.  So, you should apply just a little more makeup than usual for your senior portraits.  Liquid eyeliner is especially nice since it is more bold than kohl liners.  If you are going to have your makeup done by a professional or if you are a skilled makeup artist yourself, I highly recommend using some false eyelashes.  You can get eyelashes that look natural. I had false eyelashes for my wedding, and they really make your eyes POP!

Balance Bold with Natural

If you have a smokey eye, use a more natural shade for your lip color. And, if you have a bold lip color, go for a more natural look for your eyes.

Choose a Complementary Eyeshadow Color

Find your eye color (or the closest shade to your eye color) and then find the color that is directly opposite to your eye color on the color wheel. That is the complementary color of your eye color.  What does that mean?  Well, when you wear an eyeshadow with a complementary undertone, it will really make your eye color stand out.  That is because complementary colors enhance one another. The key here is that you select an eyeshadow with the complementary UNDERTONE, not the actual color itself. Someone with green eyes should NOT wear red eyeshadow. (Not that you could really find it in stores!) Below are some nice eyeshadow shades for various eye colors:

Blue Eyes: (yellow or orange undertones)

Warm neutrals like taupe and champagne, tan and brown.

Brown Eyes: (closest would be purple or blue undertones)

Purples, teals, or royal blue.  If these are too bold for you, you can go with taupe, peach, brown or even silver.  Because silver is so cool, it contrasts nicely with the warmth of the brown.

Green Eyes: (red or purple undertones)

Wine, plum, lilac/lavender, copper, and pink

Hazel Eyes: (Purple and blue undertones)

Plum, eggplant, periwinkle or even navy to help intensify the flecks of green, gold and brown

When in Doubt, Hire a Pro!

If you are looking for a makeup artist in the Raleigh / Durham area and prefer a natural look, I have referred a number of clients to Kim Beebe, who is a freelance makeup artist based in Raleigh. Her email is: kbeebe@nc.rr.com.  I used Kristi Martinson of Wink Hair & Makeup for my wedding makeup and she is fabulous.  Her style is a bit more dramatic.  Wink works with lots of photographers in the area.  Parlour is a great place to have your hair blown out or to have some soft waves put in your hair.  They also have makeup services.  Parlour has locations in Cary near Whole Foods, in North Raleigh (Lafayette Village), and in Raleigh (Cameron Village).