Going in front of the camera can be pretty intimidating — especially in the age of HD where every flaw is highlighted in great detail. As the resident cam model makeup advisor for my platform, I get at least a dozen questions a week from models who want to bring their makeup game to the next level but don’t know where to start. Here, I’m going to answer the top five most frequently asked questions.
How Do I Make My Face Look Flawless in HD?
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The key to looking flawless in HD is the holy trinity: HD Primer, HD foundation and translucent HD setting powder. This combination ensures you have a good base, lots of coverage and a silky smooth finish.
Start by prepping your skin with a good moisturizer, followed by an HD face primer. I use CoverFX Blurring Primer ($38) on my clients because it minimizes fine lines and holds up well under hot studio lights. If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative, NYX Professional Studio Primer ($10) works great as well and can be found in many drug stores.
Once your face is primed, apply an HD foundation to even out your skin tone and cover up any imperfections. MakeupForever Ultra HD Foundation ($43) is my favorite because it offers buildable coverage and still allows the skin to breathe. If that’s a little pricey for your taste or you have trouble finding it in your region, NYX Professional HD Foundation is a fantastic dupe you can get almost anywhere in the world for under $20. There are a lot of great non-HD foundations out there as well, but I prefer HD for this step because the micro-pigments make it less detectable on camera while giving skin a filtered effect.
Finally, finish off with a light dusting of translucent powder like MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder ($29) or NYX Studio Finishing Powder ($10). This will set your foundation without altering the shade like a traditional powder might.
How Do I Make False Lashes Stay Put?
I recently worked with a model who was mortified when one of her false lashes popped off during a particularly hot and heavy private show. So, how do you keep this from happening? Once you have applied your lashes and the glue is dry, put a tiny bit of eyelash glue on an eyeliner brush and very carefully apply a second layer over the band of your false lashes. Once the second layer of glue is dry, you can easily cover it with waterproof black eyeliner (MAC 24-Hour Brushstroke Eyeliner is a good one) and your lashes will stay put until you take them off. One model I gave this advice to says she even slept with her lashes on and they still didn’t budge.
Now Do I Make My Lipstick Last?
Start by brushing the dead skin cells off your lips with a wet toothbrush, and then apply a little moisturizing lip balm before you start your makeup so it has time to absorb completely. Next, prime your lips with a light layer of concealer to extend the wear of your products and mute the natural color of your lips. Then, line your lips with a matte lip liner and fill them in with the same pencil so if your lipstick fades, you have another layer of color underneath. Next, apply a long-wearing lipstick over top. My favorite is Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick ($20) because it stays on forever and feels amazing on the lips. If you fancy a little bit of shine, finish things off with a dab of gloss or highlighter in the center of your bottom lip.
How Can I Avoid Touching Up My Makeup During a Live Show?
It can be tempting to grab your compact during free chat for a quick touch-up, but if you’ve got great momentum going in your room you might not want to slow things down to powder your nose or re-apply your eyeliner. To avoid this, lock everything in place with a great setting product like MAC Prep + Prime Fix + ($27) or Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray ($32) to keep your makeup in place, even during a long shift. If you live in one of the few places in the world these companies don’t ship to, you can also try Skindinavia.com. This is the company that makes Urban Decay’s setting sprays so they offer the same quality product with even more delivery options.
What Makeup Brands Offer International Shipping?
This is by far the question I get most frequently from models. It can be very disheartening to hear about an amazing product only to learn you can’t get it in your home country, so I made sure that most of the brands mentioned above offer international shipping. Makeup Revolution, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Morphe and Anastasia Beverly Hills are just a few other amazing companies you can shop from any part of the world, including Eastern Europe and South America. If you’re looking for NYX Cosmetics in Romania (along with other brands like Milani) you can get them from Makeup Shop Romania.
If you have any questions I didn’t cover here or would like to read more makeup tips in a future column, please email me at CamsJBackman@gmail.com.
Jackie Backman is the content manager for Cams.com. She has been working in the industry for over 12 years and specializes in copywriting and social media management.
