Beauty Tips for Boudoir Photography

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for that special someone or seeking an opportunity for self-love, a boudoir photoshoot is the perfect solution. Boudoir photography is all about expressing your individual beauty and celebrating your uniqueness. You don’t have to have a supermodel’s body—you’re beautiful just the way you are, and you deserve to feel that way. Follow our simple beauty tips for boudoir photography to present your most confident and sexy self at your boudoir photoshoot with Zorz Studios.

When it comes to boudoir photography, confidence is key, but it doesn’t hurt to do a little prep work in the days leading up to your shoot. Up the va-va-voom and oh là là factors by giving your hair and skin a little extra attention. Even the tiniest details can make a huge difference in how your finished portraits turn out.

1. Plan your boudoir photography after your monthly

This one is rarely pointed out among beauty tips for boudoir photography, surprisingly… Boudoir sessions are about empowering and feeling your best. To many, pulling this off during their period when they instead feel crabbiness, anger, more anxious, or just more down than normal, is tough. Book a week after your menstrual cycle when the energy gets back to high. If you booked weeks in advance and something desynced, feel free to call us to see if we can reschedule.

2. Keep your skin healthy and hydrated

In the weeks leading up to your boudoir photoshoot, it’s essential that you care for your skin—and not just on your face! Healthy, glowing skin will make your photos pop, so follow a simple daily skincare regimen of cleansing and moisturizing. To keep your skin looking fresh, exfoliate it 1 to 3 times per week using a a sugar or salt scrub. Use an prescription wrinkle cream to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

For healthy and hydrated skin, drink plenty of water and try to stay away from salty foods which retain water. Watch your intake of caffeine and alcohol. Avoid processed foods and refined sugar as much as possible. Apply your face lotion a few hours before the shoot. Use a clear deodorant. If your upgraded boudoir package included makeup, simply show up with clean skin, our makeup artists will take care of the rest!

Please do not worry about stretch marks, bruises, cellulite, etc. If you’d rather not see them, we can retouch the skin in post-processing on the included number of images.

Lastly, try not to bring your lingerie on yourself—your panties and bra will likely leave marks on your skin. Instead, wear something loose and comfortable, even if it’s not sexy just yet. You’ll transform very soon!

3. Get rid of unwanted body hair

Your body will be the star of your boudoir photography, so take care of unwanted body hair to make sure you look and feel your best. Pay particular attention to your underarms, bikini line, and face. You may even want to give your brows a little extra attention to achieve a polished but natural look. Don’t worry if you over-tweeze—you can use a brow pencil to refine the shape.

Shave your legs, underarms, and bikini line the morning of shoot. If you prefer waxing, make sure to schedule it a few days before the shoot so any blotchiness or redness is gone. Be sure to try on your lingerie ahead of time as well, just to make sure there aren’t any surprises in sensitive areas.

4. Give your skin a sun-kissed look

In addition to removing unwanted body hair, considering getting a tan. A natural, controlled sun-bathing is best but wear a sunscreen (SPF 15 or more) and avoid creating those tan lines. If you got your base tan already, avoid the excessive doses of the sun for a week! Stay in the shade, wear a big brim hat, and cover/protect your skin for this brief period. Blotchy red skin will look anything but attractive to look at on those photos for the rest of your life.

If there isn’t much sun for you, weigh in using a self-tanner to give your skin a sexy sun-kissed look. Stick to tanning methods you’re familiar with to prevent adverse reactions to sprays or lotions in the days before your shoot. If you have sensitive skin and consider a tanning salon, talk to their specialist about the best option for your skin to avoid redness, irritation, or burning.

Spray-tanning may result in streaks and unnaturally orange skin. If you cannot do without spray tanner or tanning lotion, limit it to your body. Spray tanning your face can result in uneven skin tone which could detract from the quality of your photos. For airbrushed tans, schedule your photoshoot no more than 5 days after tanning.

5. Wash your hair the day before the shoot

Healthy hair is a must among beauty tips for boudoir photography. For any stray grey hair, trim and touch it up if you don’t want it to get in the way. We advise not to experiment with a new hair color, use the one you tried and feel confident about. Wash your hair the day before the shoot and keep it clean. Avoid using products in your hair that might lead to greasiness or flakiness and make sure your hair is dry before the shoot. However, if you want to give your hair a little extra love prior to your shoot, try using volumizing shampoo in the shower and volumizing mousse when you blow it dry.

If you’re worried about the length or styling of your hair, don’t be! Your hairstyle is a reflection of your personality and part of your unique beauty. The stylist, if included in your upgraded boudoir package, will help you achieve the ideal style to show off your inner and outer beauty throughout the shoot.

6. Treat your hands and feet to some love

Though your face and body may be the highlights of your boudoir photoshoot, your hands and feet will be visible in most shots as well. Treat yourself with a manicure/pedicure the day before your shoot to give your hands and feet a flawless finish.

Choose a polish shade that matches your lingerie. For a universal fit, your safe bet is to go clear, beige, or light-pink. You can sophisticate these muted options with French manicure, adding one of these 47 nail art ideas, or even glitter! And, for a bold but classic look, go with red. If you’re not planning to wear high heels, be sure to exfoliate the bottoms of your feet.

7. Don’t be afraid to go bold with your makeup

Boudoir photography is the perfect way to explore your sexy side, so why not experiment with bold makeup? Eyeshadow and liner can really bring out your eyes and highlight your personal style, or give you that smoldering look you’ve always wanted to try. Go for waterproof makeup if you can, just to make sure it lasts the duration of your photoshoot.

If you are confident in own makeup skills, brava! We will also be able to address any imperfections after shooting, but keep in mind, there are retouching fees for anything beyond the included enhanced photos. It is advised to arrange for your favorite makeup artist to bring their training and experience to this special occasion. You can also upgrade your package to include one of our affiliated makeup artists.

Be sure to have some makeup remover with you as well, should you decide to take a couple shots with a clean look. Those are better taken in the beginning of your shoot but unless you go with a half-day or full-day session, makeup application would take a good portion away from your limited session time.

A detailed article on boudoir makeup is coming soon.

8. Get that sanity and beauty rest

Some important beauty tips for boudoir photography don’t even involve beauty products. Yet, they will leave their mark as surely.

Plan ahead to avoid last-minute stress of shopping, packing, and other logistics. Have a relaxed, quiet evening the day before your boudoir shoot. Avoid scheduling any late activities, work or personal deadlines, and if possible, involve your partner, friend, or family member to help with some chores the day before the session. Finally, have a good 7-8 hours of sleep. You may conceal some stress and sleepless marks with makeup but your less-than-perfect mood will reflect on your face.

9. Prepare yourself with positive affirmations

The most important thing you can showcase in your boudoir photography is self-confidence and a positive attitude. You don’t have to be a model to take a gorgeous photo and nothing is sexier than confidence. Combined with our 15-year experience of posing and light manipulation in beauty and fashion photography, you will feel and look like a model! The lady pictured here turned 50, see what else we did for her all-day birthday photoshoot. Give yourself positive affirmations on the day of your shoot to get yourself into a positive frame of mind.

Expect to feel nervous and accept it, just as knowing that you will be in highly skilled hands, caringly guided by a pure vision of beauty and professional ethics that hundreds of clients trusted with no remorse.

Once the shoot begins, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Strike a pose, even if it feels silly at first. After a few shots you’ll start feeling more comfortable and you’ll be ready to rock the rest of your photoshoot.

Beautiful boudoir photography isn’t about having the perfect body, it’s about harnessing and highlighting your individual beauty. You are unique and that’s what makes you beautiful! At Zorz Studios, we strive to create an experience that leaves a lasting impression. Follow the simple beauty tips for boudoir photography above to prepare for your boudoir photoshoot and bring your sexiest and most confident self into the light.