WHY YOUR MAKE-UP DOESN’T PHOTOGRAPH WELL - AND HOW TO FIX IT

We’ve all been there — you’ve spent ages on your make-up, used all the “good” products, followed tutorials from every influencer under the sun… and then you take a photo and suddenly:

• You look shiny

• Your under-eyes look dark

• Your make-up looks patchy or flat

• Or worst of all — it looks like you’re wearing no make-up at all

Trust me, I’ve been there!

In fact, one of the reasons I fell in love with make-up all those years ago was because I couldn’t understand why my glam never photographed the way it looked in real life. I’d spend hours watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians, wondering how Kim, Khloé and Kourtney always looked so flawless, no matter the lighting or occasion.

That curiosity led to years of trialling, testing, practising and perfecting camera-proof make-up on myself and later on clients. Now I’m sharing everything I’ve learned so you never have to wonder why your make-up disappears in photos again!

Let’s break down exactly what’s going wrong and how to fix it, along with some product recommendations...

1. YOUR SKIN ISN’T PREPPED FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

There is a huge difference between skincare prep and make-up prep.

Being a glazed doughnut at night is cute — but too much slip under make-up leads to shine, movement and separation under flash.

How to Prep Properly

• Use hydrating products, but let each layer fully absorb

• Avoid greasy SPF or anything containing zinc/titanium dioxide if flash is involved

• Choose a primer based on your skin type, not trends

Skin Prep Product Recommendations

Dry / Very Dry Skin:

• Bubble Cosmic Silk Milky Toner

• Weleda Skin Food

• Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

Normal / Combination Skin:

• BYOMA Milky Toner

• Glossier Priming Moisturiser

• Rare Beauty Illuminating Primer

Combination / Oily Skin:

• Laneige Blue Hyaluronic Water Bank Toner

• Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream

• Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer

Bonus hack:

Sleep, hydrate, limit caffeine. Lack of sleep = dehydrated skin + darker under-eyes.

2. YOU’RE NOT USING ENOUGH PRODUCT (OR LAYERING IT PROPERLY)

This is the #1 reason make-up looks invisible in flash photography. Cameras eat make-up, and flash washes out colour. If you apply make-up the same way you do for errands, it will not show up. This is not "clean girl" make-up — get it on there, sis!

How to Fix It

• Apply thin layers and build gradually

• Let each layer set before adding more

• Press and pat to build up coverage — don’t swipe

Tools + Techniques

• Dense buffing brush or make-up pad sponge for foundation

• A dry beauty blender-style sponge for pressing concealer under the eyes

• A pointed puff for baking and setting

• Dense brushes for strong pigment (contour, blush)

• Fluffy brushes for a diffused finish (bronzer, setting powder)

3. YOUR POWDER TECHNIQUE IS OFF

Powder is essential — even for dry skin. Without it, make-up moves, shines and disappears on camera.

How to Fix It

• Press powder into the skin — don’t swipe

• Use different powders for different areas depending on your skin type

• Avoid HD silica powders (flashback risk)

Full Powder Technique

Baking:

• After concealer, pack loose setting powder under the eyes with a puff

• Leave excess sitting briefly

• Dust off immediately with a with some of your pressed powder (prevents it from looking too light or flashing back)

Powder Types:

• Pressed powder = contains pigment, smooths/blurs, controls shine, sets your base

• Loose powder = slightly tinted for extra coverage, used for under-eyes, carving cheekbones, snatching the nose

Loose Setting Powder Recommendations

Dry / Very Dry Skin:

• Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder

Normal / Combination or Combination / Oily Skin:

• Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Setting Powder

Pressed Powder Recommendations

Dry / Very Dry Skin:

• Kosas Cloud Set Pressed Powder

  
  

Normal / Combination Skin:

• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish

Combination / Oily Skin:

• Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Pressed Powder

4. YOUR BRONZER, BLUSH & CONTOUR AREN’T BALANCED

Flash dulls pigment — meaning you need more colour, definition and warmth than you think.

Fix

• Add 20-30% more than you normally would

• Increase product payoff for flash

• Use creams/liquids as well as powders for longevity

• Avoid overly cool-toned contours (they look muddy)

• Use bronzer instead of contour for a more natural sculpt

• Use two bronzers  — a warm-toned one for warmth, and a deeper, more neutral one for definition

5. YOUR UNDER-EYES AREN’T BRIGHT ENOUGH FOR FLASH

The under-eye area takes the hardest hit under flash — don't get caught out!

Fix

• Choose the correct undertone (cool, neutral or warm depending on your skin tone)

• Hydrate before concealer

• Use a colour corrector for deep/dark circles

• Use a full-coverage concealer in thin layers

• Opt for a concealer thats 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation

Under-Eye Hydration Recommendations

Dry / Very Dry Skin:

• Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

Normal / Combination Skin:

• The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream

Combination / Oily Skin:

• BYOMA Depuffing Eye Gel

Concealer Recommendations

Dry / Very Dry Skin:

• Kosas Revealer Concealer

Normal / Combination Skin:

• Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer

Combination / Oily Skin:

• Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer

6. YOUR MAKEUP ISN’T SET PROPERLY

Most people use the wrong spray for the wrong purpose. There are two types of sprays, and they are not interchangeable.

Setting Spray

Makes make-up melt together and removes powderiness.

Setting Spray Recommendations:

• Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist — Dry / Very Dry Skin

• Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray — Normal / Combination Skin

• Revolution Matte Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray — Combination / Oily Skin

Fixing Spray

Locks make-up in place like hairspray for the face.

Fixing Spray Recommendation:

• L’Oréal 3-Second Setting Mist (all skin types)

How to Set Properly

• Apply setting spray after base + powder

• Let it melt your make-up together

• Add powder in key areas if needed

• Finish with fixing spray

• Use powder puffs and brushes appropriately

7. YOUR PRODUCT CHOICES AREN’T PHOTOGRAPHY-FRIENDLY

Dewy, sheer, balmy formulas disappear under flash — switch up your products accordingly for your "night-time" make-up routine.

Fix

• Use medium–full coverage foundation

• Satin or matte finishes photograph best

• Avoid overly dewy primers and foundations

• Never skip powder

• Keep glow strategic, not all over

Highlight Placement

• Bridge of the nose

• Tip of the nose

• Tops of cheekbones

• Brow bone

• Cupid’s bow

Highlighter Recommendations

Powder:

• Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter

Liquid:

• Made By Mitchell Blursh Lights

Cream:

• Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick

8. YOUR LIGHTING IS SABOTAGING YOU

Lighting can make perfect make-up look bad — or elevate it completely.

Fix

• Face the light source

• Never put the light behind you

• Avoid overhead spotlights

• Avoid harsh side lighting

• Mattify the centre of the face right before taking any photos with flash

• Keep your background light-free, with the light source directly in front of you

9. YOUR BROWS & LIPS LACK DEFINITION

Cameras soften features — especially brows and lips.

Brows

• Go one shade darker than usual

• Layer a pencil/powder and a tinted gel

• Add structure for balance

Brow Recommendations:

• Kosas Brow Pop Nano

• REFY Brow Pencil

• REFY Brow Gel Tint

Lips

• Use two liners  — lighter/warm tone for natural shape, and a darker/cooler tone for contour

• Add lipstick and gloss to give colour and dimension

Lip Liner Recommendations:

• Rimmel Lasting Finish 8HR Lip Liner

• Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat

• Morphe Signature Lip Pencil

• NYX Slim Lip Liner Pencil

10. TOUCH-UP ESSENTIALS

    
    

    Carry with you at all times:

• A tinted pressed powder compact

• Your chosen lip combo

• A disposable mascara wand (to keep lash extensions well-groomed)

• A small concealer for around the mouth/chin if needed

Done correctly, you’ll barely need touch-ups — but these are lifesavers!

CONCLUSION

Once you master these techniques, your make-up will photograph beautifully in any lighting — flash, daylight, club lighting, whatever. Try them, experiment, take before-and-afters, and watch how your glam transforms.

If you use any of these tips, tag me! I wanna see how good you did...