Best Way to Look Great in a Photo

School photos. Family photo albums. Picture booths. Photos on little stickers. Photo ops are everywhere.

Celebrity makeup artist Rachel Weingarten has gotten many faces ready for a photo. This is what she has to say: “Did you ever notice how some people always come out perfect in pictures? These chicas aren’t always the most traditionally beautiful, but they’d know how to pose and which looks are the most flattering.”

Try these picture-taking tips from one of Rachel’s Web site PlanetPretty.com, for a picture perfect look. (If you don’t wear makeup yet, no prob. Just skip that advice and be a natural beauty.)

Don’t go to extremes. If you’re going to be photographed at special occasion like your prom or your older sister’s wedding, don’t use this time to break out the funky new makeup tricks that you’ve read about. Practice your makeup look several times before the event, and even get all dressed up and have a friend photographed you, so you can have a better idea of what you’ll look like in print.

Your prom or sister’s wedding is not the time to turn your brown eyes blue with colored contacts, or to dye your mousy brown hair platinum blonde. You may end up hating the effect, and having to live with the proof in picture form forever!

Easy on the foundation. Forget the old rule of using founda­tion on your entire face—unless your skin is really blotchy and uneven. You’ll find that applying the right concealer—using a tapered concealer brush—can cover up a multitude of sins. Always start with less (you can layer some more on afterwards!). Some places to lighted up are the inner and outer corners of your eyes, right around and un­derneath your nostrils, and the outer corner of your lips.

Cover up your zits. Use a concealer that matches your skin tone and dab a drop on at a time, then follow with translucent pow­der to set. (If you’re plagued by acne or persistent pimples, it’s time to visit a dermatologist, who can prescribe cleansers or medication to help you with your spotty skin.)

Make your eyes stand out. A drop of white or baby blue frosty eye shadow blended right under the arch of your eyebrow really opens up your eyes. (You might also want to try a dab in the inner corner of your eyes.) To make your eyes really pop in photos, line only your top eyelid, and use mascara on the top lashes only. Eyes mat are lined on top and bottom tend to look smaller in pictures.

Prevent a washed-out look. If you’re fair, and you want to avoid looking washed out, apply some cream blush to the apples of your cheeks, and try darkening blond brows with a bit of a darker shadow with ash tones in it.

Blend. Whatever you do or try, blend, blend, and then blend some more! Well-blended makeup shows up beautifully in pictures.

Even out your pores. Translucent powder applied with a big fluffy brush helps to even out your pores, and to give your face a more uniform look. It also minimizes shine, and flash photos tend to magnify shine on your T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin).

Set your makeup. Spritz some Evian water (you know, 1 lose spray cans that you see in the drugstore) all over your face. Be care­ful not to scrunch up your face, or you’ll leave yourself with lines of makeup where they shouldn’t be.

Bo your hair first! If you can, do your hair before your makeup. Hot blow dryers and hairspray can destroy your carefully applied makeup!

Hints for glasses wearers. If you wear glasses, don’t over-apply your makeup since it will be magnified by the lens. Consider taking off your glasses for photos, or move your chin down slightly so lenses don’t catch a glare.

Try to find your best angle. Or, try to look up at the camera with your neck stretched. (If you pay attention to pictures of your favorite celebs, you’ll notice that they usually pose the same way in pictures.)

Pose. Try tilting your head slightly. This emphasizes your bone structure, and you’ll look relaxed and friendly.

SMILE! Truly beautiful girls aren’t always the ones with per­fect hair, teeth, or skin. Truly beautiful girls realize that all the beauty tips and makeup in the world can’t make someone with a bad attitude and a scowl look beautiful! The right makeup and clothes might help you to look better in a picture, but to be a real beauty, you just need to let your inner beauty and gorgeous self shine through!

Say cheese!