As makeup artists, we've definitely been through big and small shoots. Cover shoots, print ads, commercials, film and television, video recordings, and so on...
Of course, not every shoot goes smoothly. There are always scenes that are close to disaster.
Next, let's count down the 5 most dreaded situations makeup artists encounter during photo shoots.
1. Customers who provide their own clothing and accessories.
Because of hygiene considerations, we usually ask those who say they have many accessories to bring their own. However, often when they arrive on set, they only have two pairs of earrings. If we're shooting two looks, they only bring two outfits and one pair of shoes to get them through everything, with no backup. This truly tests the skills of the stylist and the post-production editor.
Still haven't sent the photos
Before the shoot, you can contact the other party and, if possible, take photos of the accessories, shoes, bags, clothes, or any other styling items you have and let the stylist review them. This way, everything is clear at a glance, making it easier to choose a styling and see if anything is missing, allowing for extra preparation if time permits. However, customers often wait until the last minute to send a few photos, leaving the stylist with insufficient time for additional preparation; or they don't send photos at all. Whatever they bring to the site is what we work with, relying entirely on chance.
Changed the head before shooting.
Cut your hair and change your hairstyle a day or a few days before the shoot, or dye it a very “striking” color 🦸🏼♀️
Generally, regular trims don't have much of an impact. But if it goes from long to short, or suddenly turns pink... how can you expect the stylist to cope?
Before shooting, we usually ask the other party to send recent photos to see their current hairstyle and face shape, so that we can have a concept for styling. The shooting process on the day will be smoother, because there's no need to figure out what to do on the spot. Just imagine, the model who shows up on the day has a completely different look! However, professional stylists can still handle it, but it will inevitably affect the time and the already coordinated outfits to some extent. The final result will not be the same as the initial one.
4️⃣ Went to the beauty salon for a facial the day before the shoot 🤦🏼♀️
Everyone might have the idea of booking a facial appointment today for a facial treatment tomorrow to clear out impurities. While your face might feel clean, it ends up red and irritated from the aesthetician's manipulation… In reality, skin needs a recovery period, especially after a facial treatment at a salon. Girls with acne or sensitive skin should be especially careful. After a facial treatment, your skin needs 2-3 days to recover from redness and swelling caused by squeezing or excessive exfoliation. It's not suitable to apply makeup directly the next day 🙅🏻♀️
If you have any unhealed wounds, you'll be more prone to infection. If you want to have beautiful and clean skin before your photoshoot, we recommend getting a facial about a week beforehand. Definitely don't do it the day before! 😄
5️⃣ I had permanent makeup done (eyebrows, eyeliner, lips, etc.) the day before the photoshoot. Although many artists now emphasize that you can go out immediately after the procedure without any downtime, redness, or swelling, pigment is still injected into the skin, and the skin still needs time to heal. It's not suitable for makeup to be applied directly. This can cause external products to irritate the skin. Additionally, freshly done eyebrows are darker and can look unnatural. If you need to reshape them or make them look lighter for a styled look, you'll need to use a significant amount of concealer to cover them. Moreover, after getting your eyebrows done, there will be a few days of scabbing. Applying makeup over wounds can easily lead to infection. 💁🏼♀️ For those considering permanent makeup, it's recommended to get it done two weeks or a month before your photoshoot. By then, your eyebrows will look natural, and it will be safer to reshape them or adjust their color if needed.
Next up is the lip procedure. If you're going for different looks, you'll need to change the lip color. The lips are still healing right after the procedure. How can you apply concealer to cover the original lip color and then apply other colors? These things can indirectly lead to wound infection 💁🏼♀️
