Boudoir Hair and Makeup - What to Expect at the Chicago Boudoir Photography Studio

Every photo shoot at the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio includes professional hair, makeup and lashes as part of your boudoir experience. Having your hair and makeup done at the studio is part of your luxe experience and will ensure that your boudoir photos have that flawless look you want!

The Chicago Boudoir Photography studio has partnered with an incredibly talented beauty team to ensure that you get on-trend looks and a stress-free experience.

Today I’m excited to hear from Rosie Hunter, one of our fabulous artists who is going to answer all of your questions about professional hair and makeup at the boudoir studio!

Rosie Hunter, Rosie Hunter Makeup Artistry

Boudoir Hair and Makeup - What to Expect

by Rosie Hunter Makeup Artistry

Have you ever seen a beautiful boudoir image and thought to yourself “WOW! That woman looks incredible!”, and then quickly dismissed the possibility that you could ever look/feel that way? Ladies, I guarantee you the beautiful goddess you see before you did NOT wake up like that. Professional hair and makeup are a vital part of the boudoir experience that is completely transformative, both literally and figuratively.  You might arrive at your boudoir session a bit nervous and timid, but once your hair and makeup are complete, and you see how absolutely AMAZING you look, your inner Wonder Woman starts to poke her head out and say, “YES! I am ready to kick-butt!”

Keep reading for more info about what to expect at your hair and makeup session, along with typical questions. Can’t wait to see you in the studio!

 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT PROFESSIONAL HAIR & MAKEUP AT THE BOUDOIR STUDIO…

·       Your artist is a seasoned professional and has the talent, experience, and ability to achieve your desired look.

·       Your artist is using high quality products specifically intended to look amazing in HD photography.

·       Your artist will have a brief consultation with you before they get started. Please use this time to share any specific desired outcomes, as well as any allergies to topical products.

·       Your artist will LOVE it if you have an inspiration picture! A photo speaks a thousand words, and if you have a visual of something you love regarding hair and makeup, it will help ensure that you’re happy with your final look.

·       Your artist will NOT let you see yourself until the final “reveal”. Makeup and hair often look quite wild as they’re being created, especially smoky eyes! It’s impossible to judge a full look when only bits and pieces of it are completed. When your look is complete, your artist will reveal how fabulous you look. At this time, if you’d like any adjustments please let your artist know—she will be happy to make any adjustments and not be offended at all.

·       HAVE FUN AND ENJOY BEING PAMPERED! Girl, you deserve it!!

·       If your artist says you’re beautiful, or have amazing cheekbones, or hair that is to-die-for, believe her. She is telling the truth.

 I WAS WONDERING…

“I don’t wear a lot of makeup, and I don’t want to look heavily done-up in my images.”

I hear this A LOT. In everyday life, many women don’t walk around with a full face of makeup on, complete with false lashes and waterproof setting spray. Understand the makeup required to look good on camera is VERY different than the makeup required to look polished and ‘natural’ in person. At your boudoir session, you will likely be wearing much more makeup than on a typical day. Your eyes might be more contoured and smokier, your eye liner a bit more intense, and the coverage on your skin a bit more opaque, contoured, and bronzed. I always tell my clients the camera “eats” the makeup, meaning what may look dramatic in person doesn’t read dramatic on the camera. Trust your makeup artist to create your ideal look, whether your desired outcome is dramatic or subtle. The artist knows the amount of product to use to create your perfect image.

“I’m concerned about wearing false lashes. I don’t want to look overdone.”

False lashes are a MUST for boudoir as they enhance the eye beautifully on camera and create a gorgeous effect. False lashes come in many sizes and options, whether you want a full strip that is super subtle, individuals, or something thick and lush, lashes are the icing on the cake. Many boudoir images capture the a woman looking downwards, and a full lash looks incredibly sexy. That being said, please let your artist know if you have very sensitive or watery eyes, or a simply very opposed to them. Lashes are fabulous to be sure, but we never want you to be uncomfortable! And remember, it’s normal for lashes to feel strange and foreign once applied. After about 5-10 minutes, you shouldn’t know the lash is there anymore. If you feel poking anywhere on your eye, let your artist know ASAP so they can adjust the placement.

 “What should I do with my hair before my session?”

Getting your hair done is one of the best parts of boudoir! The biggest thing is to NOT have greasy hair at your appointment. If your hair is greasy, your artist can’t style it; no amount of dry shampoo can compensate at a certain point. A good rule of thumb: if you couldn’t make your hair look clean with dry shampoo, your stylist can’t either. That being said, “day-old” hair is great and will hold a style better if it’s not too greasy. The best-case scenario is for you to blow-dry your hair, either the night before or morning-of your session, with a body building mousse (I like Living Proof Full). It doesn’t have to be a perfect blow-out, this just helps give the hair lift for your session.

Other tips:

·       If your hair is curly and you want it to be wavy, DO NOT flat iron it before your session. This makes curling the hair very challenging and more time consuming.

·       If your hair is naturally curly, allow it to air dry or diffuse as normal, and your artist will refine your curls at the session

·       If you have allergies or sensitivities to product, let your stylist know ASAP

“Should I wax or do peels before my appointment?”

 Having your best skin for your photoshoot is always ideal, but often unattainable. A blemish usually shows up, a sunburn happens, a bruise magically appears, but don’t worry! That’s what makeup and photoshop are for! The things you can control prior to your appointment are the maintenance of your skin. If you need to wax, do so a least 7 days prior to your appointment ( in case your skin purges clogging your pores). If you need to do any masks, stop doing any that have AHA/BHA, glycolic, or retinol at least 3 days prior to your session. While we LOVE to exfoliate, and it’s great to do leading up to the photoshoot, using products with exfoliating properties can often make your skin peel. If your skin is overhydrated and peeling on the morning of your session, it doesn’t allow the makeup to sit on the skin as perfectly as it should (often leaving a bit of texture). Your artist will have ways to work around this, but if at all possible, please arrive at your appointment with a clean, lightly moisturized face.

Can’t wait to have you in the studio for your bombshell boudoir experience!

And make sure to check out our photo reveal below!