6 Things you Shouldn’t do before a Boudoir Shoot

There are hundreds of list of things you SHOULD do before a boudoir session, but what about the things you shouldn't do?  I have a list of 6 things you shouldn't be before a boudoir session and why it's important for you to avoid them at all cost.

1. DON’T TAN BEFORE A BOUDOIR SESSION

  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not tan a day before the session.  If you must tan do it about a week or more before your boudoir session.  Why shouldn't you tan before a boudoir session?  Because the orange skin will make it more than difficult to do any post work on your body, and you may actually clash with the settings.  Also if you decide to spray tan before our session some of the tan may get on our white flooring and stain the carpet and furniture.  If you really must tan then please so at least 5-7 days before your scheduled boudoir session.  Honestly, the most natural skin tone looks best in boudoir photos.

2. PARTYING HARD THE NIGHT BEFORE, YOU CAN’T PHOTOSHOP HUNGOVER

There is nothing worse than a severely hung over person at a photoshoot.  There are a lot of things we can fix in post, but hungover isn’t one of them.  Do yourself a favor and do not drink the night before a boudoir session.  Just remember that you paid good money for an awesome session so do everything you can to help optimize that!  To make sure you get your best results don’t drink at least 7 days before your session.  This will help alleviate the potential of bloating and breakouts. 

3. DO NOT GET A HAIRCUT BEFORE A BOUDOIR SESSION

Please do not get a haircut before your boudoir session.  I know firsthand how a bad haircut will make you feel insecure.  Recently I went to get my hair “trimmed” at a local salon a day before a major bridal show.  The stylist was new and ended up cutting EIGHT INCHES OF HAIR OFF!  Count that… ONETWOTHREEFOURFIVESIXSEVEN…EIGHT!!!!  All I could think about that entire day is how stupid my hair looked.  Alas, it’s just hair and it will grow back, but do you really want to have a bad haircut a day before a major shoot? 

4. DO NOT GET WAXED A DAY BEFORE YOUR SHOOT

Skin can be easily irritated.  Your skin may normally look great the day after a good waxing… but it only takes that one time to just not heal the way it normally does.  Please do not get a wax more than 2-3 days before your session.  Give your body time to heal just in case the unthinkable happens.

5. DO NOT TAKE SHOTS BEFORE YOUR BOUDOIR SESSION

Yes, this seriously has happened to me before… like twice.  At Wonderland Boudoir we offer mimosas prior to your shoot and an assortment of wine, but I have had clients bring in hard liquor and just go to town. Yeah, after that second time I don’t allow outside drinks in.  Just like we can’t Photoshop hungover we also can’t Photoshop drunk. 

6. TRY TO AVOID SODIUM BEFORE YOUR BOUDOIR SESSION

Yes, I know this is super hard to do considering the age we live in.  Everything is fast food this, microwave that, just add water here.   Even I was addicted to Ramen (post college) for awhile.   However,  about 5-7 days before a session cut out as much sodium as possible.  Sodium helps to retain water which, in turn, makes you look bloated before your session.  The last thing any woman wants is to be bloated before a major shoot.

I really hope these 6 suggestions of things you shouldn’t do before your boudoir session will help you ladies prepare for your next boudoir session!  It’s really important to be very well rested and take care of your body before, during, and after a boudoir session!

In the comments below can you think of any other things one should avoid before a boudoir session?

6 Excuses to Sneak out of the House... for a Surprise Boudoir Session

“I am SO excited for my boudoir session, but I need an excuse to sneak out of my house as this is a surprise anniversary present for my husband.  Do you have any suggestion on what I should say?”

“How can I sneak out of the house for a boudoir session without my husband finding out?”   Is probably one of the common questions I get asked by clients who are hosting a boudoir session as a secret present for a significant other. 

While I do not advocate lying to your partner I think sometimes we can make excuses, especially if they are the greater good.  I’ve had some clients come up with some creative ideas and today I want to share with you five excuses that will buy you a numbers of hours out of the house for your boudoir session.

1. Schedule Your Session When You Know He’s Busy

Many couples know their partners routine by heart and because of that can anticipate what they are doing and when they are going to be home on particular days.  For example, my father would play basketball every Saturday from 9AM to 2PM and then we would hang out at the park another hour so he could speak with his friends before we all headed home.  That was six solid hours we were out of the house.  What my mom did on those Saturdays I still have no idea.  However, anticipate his schedule and schedule your boudoir session around that. 

Does he spend Sunday with his parents?  Or does he have an old friend from High School coming into town for the weekend?  Does he spend a certain day of the week meeting up with his boys and playing video games or catching up at the bar with them?  Know his schedule and anticipate what he’s going to be doing so you can go to a session without him getting wind of your surprise.

• Cons: His plans may fall through and opt to hang out with you instead.  It’s a good idea to have a contingency plan in place just in case things go awry.
• Pros: No need to make up a story about what you’re doing because he will probably be too occupied with his own schedule.

2. Girl’s Day

Tell your man that you are having a girls day.  Most men respect the sanctity of the sisterhood so there will probably be very little questioning.  If he does ask for details explain to him that you are planning on getting a late lunch and then seeing a movie (pick a long movie that you know he will have no interest in).  Informing him that you will be seeing a movie will eliminated a need to call or text you since he will know you won’t be looking at your phone. 

• Cons: Your man may be a movie buff and invite himself to the movie section of your day.  If that is the case tell him that Cindy (Insert your BFFs name here) is currently going through a tough time and just needs a friend.  This will ensure that he won’t ask any additional questions or invite himself along.  Just make sure to tell Cindy that you will be using her as an excuse.  The last thing you want is him calling/texting Cindy to give her his condolences and Cindy responding back extra confused. 
• Pros: There is probably very little chance of him barging in on your girl time so this will be a solid excuse.

3. Brunch

This is a lot like the girl's day, but you can use the excuse of brunch if you need to get out of the house earlier in the day.  Brunch gives you a solid 5 hours to host a boudoir session. 

This plan will work because there is even less of a chance of your man calling you because he will know you will be out with your girls. 

Cons: Now you have to let a number of ladies know your secret.  We know the more people you let in on the covert mission the more likely it is for someone to slip up and ruin your surprise.

Pros: There is only a VERY a small chance that he may call you.  However, you can actually have brunch with your girls after the session.  Especially since you will be dolled up you will look extra glam and when you get home you will have a valid excuse for the amazing hair and makeup.  Plus if you’re looking extra hot there won’t be too many questions after you walk in the door. 

4. Getting Your Hair Done

It’s no secret that it can take HOURS for your hair to get done at a hairstylist.  Most stylists are juggling two or three other clients and this typically adds on to your time.  Let him know that you are getting your hair done and tell him that later that evening that you want to have a night out on the town. This gives you reason to be very glammed up. 

• Cons: he drops by the salon to see you get your hair done and you’re not there.  If that happens tell him you went to see a new girl.  It’s not like you won’t have valid proof.
• Pros:  You don’t have to scrub the beautiful makeup off or wash your gorgeous hair.  You already look amazing AND you get a date the end of the night! Sounds like a win to me!

5. Spa Day with the Girls

Maybe someone is getting married or one of your girls is having a milestone birthday party.  Whatever the case maybe tell him you are going to treat this friend to a girls spa day.  Don’t give him too many details about where you’re going or how long you are going to be.  Just let me know you are doing it because it’s Cindy birthday (she’s the best isn’t she) and you want to treat her.

• Cons: He may text you to see what you’re up to.  So you need to have an idea of how a spa works and let him know what you are doing… or about to do at the spa.  One of my clients actually had to do this because her hubby would text her every hour to 90 minutes.  You will also have to wash all that beautiful hair and makeup off so it really looks like you went to a spa.  I know.  Sucks!
• Pros:  Being at a spa gives you a good reason as to why you didn’t answer your text right away. 

6. Volunteer Work

This is a solid excuse you can use to leave the house with little to no suspicion.  Make sure you tell him that you are volunteering at a girls/women centric organization so he doesn’t invite himself to come.  Many women organizations don’t allow men to be around for a number of different reasons so you won’t have to fear him wanting to join. 

• Cons: You will most likely have to wash all your hair and clean your makeup off to not garner any questions.
• Pros: This gives you a valid reason to be out of the house for an unlimited amount of hours and a good reason why you didn’t answer your phone/text when he called to see how you’re doing.

So There You Go!

I hope these six excuses to sneak out the house for a boudoir session helped you!  Again I don’t promote lying, but you are doing something for your beau so I hardly think he will count this against you. 

In the comments below let me know what additional excuses you can come up with to get out of the house. 

If I can get at least give good reasons I will create a second blog post!

5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Makeup Artist for youR Boudoir Shoot

“Do I really need to hire a make-up artist?   I do my own make up every day.”

This is a very common question/statement I get asked from clients.

Unless you’re a professional makeup artist yourself, the answer will…

ALWAYS.  BE.  YES. 

Let me be honest with you.  When I have professional hair and make-up artist contact me to do a boudoir session with them 90% of the time they hire someone else to do it for them. 

Why? …

..Because they understand the value in hiring a professional artist.

Today I’m going to give you 6 REAL reasons why you need to hire a professional makeup artist for your boudoir session.

1.) Investment

Your boudoir session is an investment.  There aren’t many things in this life that go up in value after purchase, but a boudoir is one of them.  You paid for an amazing photographer and purchased the perfect lingerie and outfits for your session.  However, you are now considering cutting cost a little bit with hair and make-up by doing it yourself... or letting your cousin, sister, aunt (whoever) do your makeup because they do such a great job on themselves.  Doing makeup on you is not the same as doing it on someone else.  Let me tell you that paying the additional $100-$150 (depending on the boudoir studio) is well worth the price tag.

Great makeup enhances your boudoir photos.  Do you really want to take the risk of doing a reverse smokey eye and ombre lip on yourself if you have never done one before?  The day of your boudoir session is NOT the day to try your hand at applying false lashes or a makeup technique you have never done before.

I really wish I could attach photos of my clients who did their own make-up versus my girls who hired a make-up artist.  However, I do not want to put anyone on blast so I won’t do that, but there is a night and day difference between the women. 

Most boudoir studios will have in-house or contracted hair and makeup artist they can recommend to you.  These professionals have typically worked with the photographer on a long term and ongoing basis and can anticipate the photographers shooting style and perfectly incorporate that with what you are wearing to the session. 

At Wonderland Boudoir our makeup artists typically stay with us the entire length of your session.  Unlike many boudoir studios our makeup artist touches you up throughout your session to make sure you look flawless in each frame.

The last thing you want to do is love EVERYTHING about the photo EXCEPT your make-up.  You don’t want to regret doing the makeup yourself (or resenting your family member for doing a poor job).  Boudoir sessions focus A LOT on the face.  Have complete confidence in your session by hiring a professional makeup artist.  The extra $100-$150 on a makeup artist will be a drop in the bucket when it comes to gorgeous photos and peace of mind.

2.) Quality

Makeup artist invest a lot of time and money into their craft.  They research different styles and know by heart the brands that will work best for not only your skin but for the overall photos.

Also, there is a quality to their work you will not find anywhere else.  Each makeup artist develops a style and skill that they call their own.  This is called passion.  The makeup they do for you is evidence of their skill and brand.   Essentially, you are a walking billboard for them.  If you are being photographed they NEVER want to do a bad job.  That’s why they put in so much time and effort to provide you with a quality result for your boudoir session. 

 

 

3.) Professional Grade Makeup

All of the makeup artists that I have ever worked with apply high quality HD makeup for boudoir sessions.  For session such as boudoir, engagements, and weddings they use makeup that is more heavy and not for everyday use.  We aren’t talking drug store brands here.  No.  There is nothing wrong with anything you may have purchased at CVS, but if you are looking for Grade A flawless make-up your makeup artist is going to have it. 

The brands makeup artist use for boudoir sessions is built to last for all day use and under hot lights.  Professional grade makeup takes real effort to remove.  You want something that will last the entirety of your session and even later into the day.

4.) Technique

Makeup artist are professionally trained and state certified. They know what they are doing.  They have techniques that we commoners can’t do.  Keep in mind that a photo a 2D image.  This means that everything is flat in a photo.  However, professional makeup artist know tricks to make your photo 3D.  They add color, highlights, and contouring to make our cheekbones, eye, and hair pop!  Let’s not forget the blending game!  There is nothing like a makeup artist that knows how to really blend!  Blending makeup is probably the most important technique that any artist can do and it’s the one that most people who aren’t makeup artist tend to forget.

5.) Photographers Hate Photoshop

Most photographers hate Photoshop.  They much prefer to get every last detail right in camera.   Yes, makeup is one of those details.  Many clients think that Photoshop is the be all end all, but Photoshop is a tool… not an answer.  In fact the photo of Toni to the right was one were the only two things I did was remove blemishes and make the color pop. That is all.  Before arriving to the boudoir studio Toni went to a celebrity MUA in Dallas to have her makeup done.  Let me tell you, the money she paid was well worth it because not only was the makeup perfect for her outfits, eyes, and face shape it also allowed her to receive her photos back much faster because I didn’t have to take the extra time to touch anything up on her face. Who doesn’t LOVE getting their photos back sooner than anticipated?

6.) Relieves Stress

Having a professional take care of your makeup alleviates the pressure of making sure you did it right.  While this is listed as the last reason it’s actually the number one reason you should hire a makeup artist to do your makeup for a boudoir session. 

You have so much going on already… work, planning for your boudoir session, buying lingerie, and let’s not forget your personal life.  When you hire a professional makeup artist all you need to do is show up. 

I always tell my clients to create a Pinterest board as inspiration for each look they want to do.  This helps you, me, and the makeup artist because it provides a visual idea of what you want your end result to be for your session.  Since a makeup artist can’t read your mind it’s important to send a visual idea of what you are looking to accomplish.

CONCLUSION

Hiring a professional makeup artist is an investment that you need for your boudoir session.  There is a quality and technique that professional makeup artist have that most people don’t because they haven’t studied the form.  Makeup artist use expensive high quality makeup that isn’t necessary for everday use but is necessary for your boudoir session. Photographers like to use as little Photoshop as possible for your session so it’s important to make sure your makeup is right in camera to help speed up the editing process which helps you get your photos back sooner.  The most important reason you need to hire a professional makeup artist is that it leaves you stress free.

In the comments below let me know if you have anymore questions about why you should hire a professional makeup artist for your session.