1. Cut out salt and alcohol: Within a week of your session, cut back on salt and limit or stop using alcohol. If you go out several nights a week drinking with friends, opt for a soda or cranberry juice. Both salt and alcohol cause it to retain water, especially on the face, which can make it appear puffy on camera. Avoid particularly salty foods, this means no sushi! “Sushi-Face” is a real thing and models avoid it like the plague!
2. Self-tanning or spray tan: If you’re doing a workout or bikini and want to tan, start a few days in advance so you have time to level out and look “natural.” If you are a self tanner, you can slowly do it to the shade you want, and if it is a spray tan, you will have a couple of days to even out the dark spots by exfoliating.
3. Whiten your teeth: if you drink coffee or red wine, or smoke, it is very likely that your teeth will accumulate stains, even if you brush your teeth regularly. A few days before the session, start whitening your teeth. Over-the-counter whitening strips work great, and you’ll be glad your teeth pop in photos and shine when you smile!
4. Get a manicure – This is particularly important for pattern modeling, as your hands are often in and around your face, or touching parts of your clothing. If you don’t want to pay for a manicure, you can do it yourself. Clean, file and shape your nails, then add a clear coat or neutral polish. Never come to fix brightly colored on your nails unless specified to do so. It can be distracting and seem unnatural.
5. Exfoliate the skin and hydrate: three to five days before the session, prepare your skin by exfoliating. One of the easiest ways is to use a salt or sugar scrub in the shower. After each shower, hydrate your entire body. Repeat every day. This process will remove dead and dry skin, helping you to glow and love the skin you are in!
6. Epsom Salt Bath: This is an old tactic for print and runway models. Very hot water and Epsom salts are believed to be able to remove excess moisture and swelling from the body. You want to do this the night before and hydrate well after you’ve done it, as it will also leave your skin dry. After bathing, try to limit your fluid intake until after the session.
(Some additional items for the day of)
-A change of clothes to wear while combing and putting on your hair. Opt for button-down shirts as they don’t have to go through your head when it’s time to change. Do not wear anything tight that will leave marks on your skin when you remove it.
-A clean, naked and hydrated face if you know that you will be made up on set.
-Be sure to bring sunglasses, not a pair that will leave marks on your nose. These marks ALWAYS take time to disappear!
-Bobby pins the color of your hair
-Makeup wipes / oil blotting wipes
-Small toothbrush and toothpaste tube. Especially in long takes, you may be having lunch and want to start the second half of the saying as fresh as possible.
-Nude underwear if you are going to wear clothes that are not yours. Bring bras and panties that do not show lines and do not show through light colored clothing. She wears various types of bras, such as strapless and racerback.
-If it is a swimsuits session, it is protocol that the model bring panty liners since you do not own the suits that you will use during the session.
While we can provide you with all the beauty tips and tricks to set you up for success, ultimately what matters most is that you bring an excited and optimistic attitude, ready to step out of your comfort zone and have fun! True joy shows on camera, and a model having a great time is the most beautiful. Good luck!
