Headshot Makeup Tips: What Looks Good on Camera vs. in Person

Makeup for a headshot session is different from your everyday routine. What looks natural in a bathroom mirror can wash out under studio lighting. What looks dramatic in person can photograph as perfectly polished. The camera and the mirror are not the same audience.

This guide covers practical makeup tips for professional headshots, from photographer studios to AI headshots generated from your own photos. The principles apply to all genders. Foundation and concealer aren't gendered, and everyone photographs better with even skin tone.

The Foundation Rule: Matte Over Dewy

Studio lighting amplifies shine. What reads as "healthy glow" in natural light becomes "oily forehead" under a strobe or ring light. Matte or semi-matte foundation photographs better than dewy finishes in almost every lighting setup.

This is the single biggest mistake people make with headshot makeup: wearing their everyday dewy foundation and looking shiny in every frame.

Application tips:

• Match your foundation shade in natural daylight, not bathroom lighting. Bathroom lights skew yellow.
• Blend down your neck and to your jawline. The camera catches foundation lines that you can't see in a mirror.
• Set with a translucent powder, especially on the forehead, nose, and chin.
• Bring blotting papers to the session for touch-ups between frames.

Concealer: Your Best Tool

Under-eye circles photograph darker than they appear in person. Cameras are less forgiving than the human eye when it comes to shadows and discoloration.

For under-eye circles:

• Use a concealer one shade lighter than your foundation
• Apply in a triangle shape under the eye, blending downward
• Set with a light dusting of powder to prevent creasing

For blemishes:

• Color-correct first if the blemish has strong color. Green cancels red, peach cancels blue or purple.
• Apply concealer directly on the spot with a small brush
• Don't over-blend. You want to cover the blemish, not spread it.

Even if your photographer will retouch temporary blemishes, good concealer work gives them a better starting point and reduces editing time.

Eyes: Define Without Drama

The goal is eyes that stand out clearly in the photo without looking like you're heading to a nightclub.

Eyeshadow:

• Neutral tones: taupe, soft brown, champagne, matte cream
• Apply a lighter shade on the lid and a slightly darker shade in the crease
• Skip shimmer and glitter. They catch studio lights and create distracting sparkle.
• Matte finishes photograph cleanest

Eyeliner:

• Tight-line for subtle definition by applying liner right at the lash line
• Avoid thick wings or dramatic liner styles unless your industry calls for it. Actors and creative professionals have more latitude.
• Brown liner is softer than black and works for most professional headshots
• Waterproof formulas prevent smudging during longer sessions

Mascara:

• One to two coats of black or dark brown mascara
• Curl lashes before applying. It opens up the eye area.
• Avoid clumpy application. Separate lashes with a clean spoolie if needed.
• Waterproof is worth it for sessions lasting more than 30 minutes

Eyebrows:

• Fill any sparse areas with a brow pencil or powder matching your natural brow color
• Brush upward and set with a clear brow gel
• Don't dramatically reshape. Your brows should look like your brows, just tidied.

Lips: Defined and Natural

For most professional headshots:

• A lip color close to your natural shade but slightly more defined
• Matte or satin finishes. Glossy lips catch light and look distracting.
• Line your lips with a liner matching your lip color to create clean edges
• Nude pinks, mauves, and berries are universally professional

What to avoid:

• Bold red or dark colors, unless your industry or personal brand specifically calls for it
• High-gloss finishes
• Lip plumping products. They can look uneven in close-up shots.

For people who don't typically wear lip color: A tinted lip balm adds just enough definition to prevent lips from disappearing in the photo. Lips that match your skin tone exactly tend to look washed out on camera.

Contouring and Blush: Less Than You Think

The camera compresses three dimensions into two. Strategic contouring can restore the depth that the camera flattens. But headshot contouring is subtle, not Instagram tutorial level.

Contour:

• Apply along the jawline and slightly below the cheekbones
• Use a shade only 1-2 tones darker than your skin
• Blend thoroughly. Visible contour lines look obvious on camera.
• Skip nose contouring unless your photographer specifically recommends it

Blush:

• Apply to the apples of the cheeks and blend upward toward the temples
• Matte formulas photograph better than shimmer
• Peach and rose tones work for most skin tones
• Apply less than you think. Studio lighting amplifies color.

Highlight:

• Skip it, or apply very sparingly to the top of the cheekbones only
• Avoid highlighter on the nose, forehead, or chin. These areas already catch light.
• Matte or very subtle sheen only, no visible sparkle

For Men: Yes, This Applies to You

Makeup for male headshots isn't about looking "made up." It's about looking polished under lighting that's harsher than any office.

The minimum: Tinted moisturizer or light foundation to even out skin tone. Concealer under eyes if dark circles are visible. Translucent powder on the T-zone to eliminate shine. That's it. Nobody will know you're wearing anything.

If you want to go further: Light brow grooming with a clear gel. Matte lip balm to prevent chapped-looking lips. Blotting papers throughout the session.

What not to do: Visible foundation, any product that has shimmer, anything that changes your skin color rather than evening it. The goal is "I look like myself but better lit," not "I'm wearing makeup."

For industry-specific appearance guidance, see our guides for corporate headshots, lawyer headshots, and financial advisor headshots.

Makeup for AI Headshots

If you're generating headshots with AI tools like Narkis.ai, the makeup rules shift:

For your upload photos: Wear your everyday makeup or no makeup at all. The AI generates the final look, including skin smoothness and lighting. Over-the-top makeup in your input photos can confuse the AI model or produce results that look more "made up" than you intended.

What the AI handles: The AI naturally produces even skin tone, subtle contouring from lighting, and clear features. It does what professional photography makeup is designed to do, without you doing anything.

Where it matters: If you have a strong preference for a specific makeup look like a bold lip or defined eyes, wearing that look in your upload photos helps the AI reproduce it. If you want a natural look, upload natural photos.

The result: AI headshots essentially have "perfect headshot makeup" built into the generation process. It's one of the key advantages over DIY photography at home, where getting makeup right for the camera is a real challenge.

Day-of Checklist

Before you leave for the session:

• Foundation: matte or semi-matte, matching your skin in daylight
• Concealer: under eyes and on any blemishes
• Powder: translucent, focused on T-zone
• Eyes: neutral shadow, tight-lined liner, 1-2 coats mascara, groomed brows
• Lips: natural shade, matte or satin finish
• Contour/blush: subtle, well-blended
• No shimmer or glitter anywhere

Bring to the session:

• Blotting papers
• Powder for touch-ups
• Lip color for reapplication
• Mirror. Don't rely on the studio having one accessible.

For complete session preparation, also see our guides on what to wear and how to pose.