You get invited to be on a TV show or interviewed for something, or do a professional photoshoot, and you’re thrilled to death! But also, a little terrified about looking good on camera. I get it.

I’ve been on several episodes of national TV shows, along with a CNN special. I also do videos for my day job as a news reporter. So I can tell ya, I know a little about doing your hair and makeup for camera because I’ve made ALL the mistakes. And Lord knows, ya’ll should learn from my slip ups.

Makeup for camera is very different for most people than their daily beauty routines, and that’s definitely true for me. Here are my top tips for looking good in videos and on camera, and I hope they help you a little when your big time comes!

Tame those flyaways

When you’re under bright lights, especially with a darker background (like a backdrop many photographers or videographers use) the little frizzies in your fair are totally magnified. Especially if you’re like me and like to tease your hair, or if you have thick hair! I can’t tell you how many times in a shoot I’ve had to stop and take a wet paper towel across my head to tame my hair, or rub lotion between my palms and pat down my little flyaways. Make sure you use lots of hair spray or gel to keep your hair in place, even if you normally go for a bigger, bed-head look like I do. 

Neutrogena shine control powder

I was recently on a shoot for a Discovery ID Channel show and this was what the video team handed me to keep under my chair, with a little white makeup sponge. It seems super thick (which it is when applied straight on your face with a sponge like that) but that’s exactly why they like it. You can powder your nose or forehead and totally, completely cut out any shine without looking like you added more makeup or changed your makeup between shots. It’s easy and from the drugstore, so definitely pick some up to have in your bag. You might feel really weird putting it on, especially if you typically go for a dewey look, but I promise you’ll be glad you did in this situation. Pick it up at Target.

Matte matters

Speaking of dewey looks– as much as I love them, that’s not what you want on a video or photo shoot. You don’t have to have heavy, mask-like makeup but you also don’t want your face to be reflective in the camera. The dewey-ness also can make your pores look bigger, which no one wants! Keep your face fresh looking with a foundation and concealer, but don’t go too heavy on contouring or highlighting. 

Shimmer

Shimmery or glittery highlights, blushes, and eyeshadows are some of my favorite things- but they aren’t camera and harsh light friendly. Again, glitter on your cheeks can make your pores look bigger than they are under all that lighting. Keep it off the eyes, too! Go for a matte, clean look with a color to warm up your crease and a lighter, skin-colored shade to put on the inside of your eye. You can use eyeshadow or eyeliner to define your eyes, but don’t overdo that either. It can look much harsher in photos than you realize. 

Lippies

The only real rule here is wear a lip liner, even if you usually don’t! It will keep your product in place, so it doesn’t start sliding into the skin or lines around your lips, and make it last longer too. I tend to stay away from very shiny lipsticks or glosses when on camera because they are too reflective off the lights for my liking.

Last but not least

Relax and have fun! This is your time to shine!