Hair style and makeup play a very important part for a photo shoot. They complement what you are wearing and shape the overall outcome of the photos. There is a huge difference between women’s perception of makeup and hair, and today we will dig a little deeper in the importance of having a good hair style and how this differs from the makeup during a photo session.
At London Boudoir Photography, we always offer a professional makeup artist as a complement for your Experience; however, we believe that wherever you like to be photographed, your hair style and your makeup should be kept into serious consideration.
Do you want to know something more for how to be happy with your photos?

The difference between your Hair Style and your Makeup

Women are often used to apply some makeup on them. They have their own style (or styles) and their technique to shine. Many women we spoke to admitted that they like a good makeup, but they are not usually as skilled as they would like to be; however, when discussing their hair, the many women we speak to are generally much more precise. Women know their hair very well, they know how it reacts with some products and have a strong idea on what is good on them.
Not for nothing, the general reaction while trying a new professional make up artist is “Wow, I love it!” even if the makeup is a little bit experimental, contrary to the first time women try a new hair stylist. I have to admit that I haven’t heard many women being happy about the first visit to a new hair salon as they rarely get the hair style the love and want.

The hair is something personal

A good friend of ours, Caterina, is a professional session stylist with many catwalks behind her shoulders. From many years, she started teaching us the importance of a good hair style during a photo session. In the beginning, I have to admit that it was very difficult to understand a good hair style from a mediocre one, but with a lot of her patience, we gained good skills in understanding how hair styles work.
(Now, let’s be honest, Fabiana is the one who has always been more interested in Caterina’s lessons while I am still quite a novice to hair style.)
One of the things we learned is that hair is something personal and complex. Not all hair is the same, and they need different treatments and products to shine. A product that works for a specific type of hair may not work for another or vice versa, and understanding the hair is an art, a question of practice and a good knowledge of products.

The Professional Makeup Artist

Creating the right makeup for the camera is something that requires equally challenging skills to the ones needed for a good hair style. The makeup is somehow more specific to cameras than hair. This is why photographers employ makeup artists who are skilled with hair styles and not hair stylist with makeup experience. It is extremely difficult, though, to find someone with exceptionally good makeup skills and equally good hair style skills and product knowledge.

What can you do to shine in your photo session?

Despite being on the forefront of quality while employing the makeup artist for our customers, we are the first to know that creating a hair style that last for an entire photo session is a challenge for many makeup artists, even the best ones. When you book a session with us we are extremely open on this point, but should you have a session with another photographer, our suggestions is to play it safe: go to your usual salon before your photo shoot.
A makeup artist on set is great to touch up your hair style and make it shine for the camera, but your stylist is the person that better know your hair, your taste and knows how to prepare it at its best.