DIY Maternity Shoot Hair & Makeup | Academy of Hair & Makeup

Inspired by my own pregnancy, which I now look back on as one of the most wonderful times of my life, I am often asked about hair and makeup for maternity photoshoots, so I thought I would put together a quick blog for those mammas who decide to do their own hair and makeup for their shoot. I have also included some inspirational pictures at the end.

DIY Maternity Photo Shoot Hair & Makeup

I am a mum of a beautiful little boy, he is 2 at the time of writing this and right now he is sound asleep, just the way I like him 😉 If there is one thing I regret is not doing a maternity photoshoot when I was pregnant, after all, I could have easily done my own hair and makeup for it. So instead of dwelling in the past of what I should have done, I thought I would put together a piece for those who are thinking of doing a maternity shoot. All I can say is if you have been up in the air of doing a shoot or not, please do it or you may find yourself regretting it like me.

I know that you may have some concerns of how much it will cost all up, I understand and I know just how expensive it is to have a baby, especially your first one, so my aim in this blog is to show you how you can save some money and do your own hair and makeup all by yourself (or with the help of a great friend).

When it all gets too hard and all you feel is sick, fat and constantly uncomfortable, then that’s probably the best time to do a maternity photoshoot, so that you can get dressed up and feel like the beautiful woman that you are!

Makeup.

Start with a clean fresh face. Moisturise your skin, then pluck and tweeze what you don’t want. It’s best to pluck hair the night before, that way you don’t congest the open hair follicle with makeup creating future breakouts and blackheads. The other thing that you should do the night before is to exfoliate your skin, remove that old layer of skin so that your foundation will go on flawlessly.Matte makeup is your best foundation choice. Your best bet is to use makeup that gives a matte finish vs. a shiny or dewy finish, as you may look oily and sweaty on camera and combined with the lighting, it will enhance the pores and blemish bumps. There are some great inexpensive matt foundations out there, please leave a comment below if you would like some recommendations.If your skin is quite dry and you usually avoid matt foundations then that’s ok, all you need is a super hydrating moisturiser underneath your foundation, that way it doesn’t look so cakey or dull. If you truly don’t like matt, then you can always spray your entire face at the very end with a hydrating mineral charged water like MAC Cosmetics Fix+, it will give you a slight glow/dewy without looking oily.

BONUS TIP: Avoid SPF foundation as this can create camera flashback.

When applying your makeup, apply in natural light. Applying your makeup under heavy or not enough lighting can alter the look of your face. Sit by a window, but be careful that intense sunlight doesn’t hit your face directly. I do not recommend applying makeup in yellow or mood lighting. White light is best.

When choosing a face powder use more of a golden tinted powder. Nothing shiny, white or pink-based. A golden tint will give you a bit of warmth without making you look like a Geisha. Less is best to start with. You can always add more during the photoshoot if you need to. If you do get oily during the shoot remember to blot off the excess oil with tissue or blotting paper first, before touching up your powder, or you will just create layers of oil and powder, not nice.

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Concealers are great, be sure to choose warmth. Too many times I have seen really white under eye or a grey colour under the eye. When you select a concealer ensure that it has a peachy tone to it rather than all-white or yellow tone. Concealers can be 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation. Too white or too bright will give you a grey undertone or camera flashback.

BONUS TIP: If you have intense dark circles under your eyes, you may like to use a tiny amount of orange or pink colour corrector first before applying a regular concealer over top. I emphasis the word tiny, as we are used to people on social media overusing colour corrector. If it’s just under the eyes then think the size of half a pea or smaller, then blend that into the dark circles with a fluffy eyeshadow brush until the colour corrector neutralises the under-eye area, (you’ll see what I mean when you do it). Comment below if you would like my recommendation on which one is best. Remember to blend your concealer and set it with a lightweight powder.

Black! Yep, black eyeliner and black mascara. If you’re used to using other colours, like brown, blue or grey, then I highly recommend you opt for black when having your picture taken, even if you are very fair. Everything in photography looks washed out, so black will really help to frame your eyes and make them pop.

Many women don’t take the effort in blush, but you will want to for your photos. Using a good blush will help from looking washed out. Don’t overdo it. Don’t have a heavy hand when applying your blush. Simply tap a little on and blend. You can use both a bronzer and a blush if you choose to. Use a bronzer to help contour your face, and a blush on the apples of the cheeks to give you a healthy glow. Apply your blush that matches what you are wearing, if what you are wearing is more of a warm tone (it has an undertone of gold or orange through it) then pick a peachy tone or bronzey blush. If what you are wearing is more of a cool tone (it has a blue-based undertone through it) then pick more rosey, plum or pink-based blush.

Lipstick, don’t skip it! Trust me when I say, don’t skip lipstick. You need to contrast your face features; your lips are one of them. You don’t need a bright colour, but you’ll need some colour. You can go bold deep colour or nude, but don’t skip it. I would also say have your lipstick match your blush. And if you like gloss, then add some over top.

The most important thing I would highly recommend you do is take a photo or video of yourself while sitting by a window. What you don’t want to do is not know what your makeup looks like on camera before heading down to the photographer, as there probably won’t be time to fix anything, so take the time and do it before. This will give you a more realistic approach to how you will look on camera, as remember, the camera always washes colour away.

Soft Goddess Locks

One of the most popular hairstyle requests for a maternity shoot is soft curls. Just like a pregnant Goddess in a white robe! The best way to achieve this is to ensure your hair is properly washed and dried, free from products. You can definitely do this on yourself, otherwise, ask a friend to help you reach the back.

Once brushed, divide your hair horizontally starting at the nape of the neck, no more than 1.5 inches thick. Pin the rest up and out the way. Divide that bottom level into 3 or 4 vertical sections (no more than 1 inch thick). Curl the hair for a few seconds; release it for no more than 1 second. While it’s still warm quickly twist it around your middle finger and pointer finger to create a loop. Pin the loop to the scalp and allow it to set and cool there. Finish the bottom level, then work your way up to your crown.

Section a bottom layer horizontally

From the bottom layer section a 1 inch area vertically.

After you curl using a GHD or Curler, use your middle and pointer finger to create a loop and pin it to the scalp.

BONUS TIP: All hair that frames the face should be curled backwards, not forward towards the face, otherwise you’ll end up looking like Goldie Locks rather than a beautiful pregnant Goddess.

Once you have all the hair pinned up let it sit for at least 20 mins, or while you do your makeup.

When your hair has cooled down, release all the pins. With a tiny bit of shine serum on your hands, run your fingers through to break up your curls, just be careful to not overdo it or you could end up with frizz rather than soft curls. Feel free to tip your head upside down and give it a shake, this will give it a bit of extra volume. The curls will drop over the next few hours, but this technique will ensure you will still have curls the next day. In fact, they will be even better the next day! Finish with a small amount of hairspray, you don’t need a lot, otherwise, it will go crunchy and be weighed down.

After your hair is pinned up for 20 mins release it 1 layer at a time

I hope this helped my fellow pregnant mammas! Even if you don’t have a photoshoot, why not do a little self-pampering and book a date night with your partner. Take the time for yourself now before Bub comes along and things change.