Makeup tips for video conferences

Working from home is here to stay, and with it, daily video calls. While they offer flexibility, they also present the challenge of looking good on camera. How can we achieve a professional and natural image through the screen? With these makeup tips for video calls, it's easier than you think.

Lighting and camera position

No makeup technique or concealer is effective enough to correct bad lighting. The wrong light will cast shadows that make us look tired, with dark circles under our eyes, or with an awkward facial angle.

When choosing the location, let the best light guide you, not the background of the room, which, the more minimalist, neutral, tidy, and simple it is, the better. After all, we are the focus, not the surroundings.

The camera should be positioned at least half a meter away, either directly in front of the subject at eye level or, even better, slightly above. A high angle refines features and lifts shadows. With a low angle, we risk the dreaded "double chin effect."

Where possible, the lighting should:

• To be abundant and natural; in an outdoor space or coming from a window.





• Light the light from the front, never from behind, and ideally from a slightly higher angle. A professional tip is to use a second light source focused on your most flattering profile. When in doubt, it's best to keep it simple.





• If you're using artificial light, white light is best. The light from the screen itself is fine. If there's a secondary light source, remember that golden tones soften features while bluish tones make them appear harsher.

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How to prepare your skin before a video call

“What is essential is invisible to the eyes,” the fox tells the Little Prince. Indeed, what looks like good makeup is often just healthy, radiant, and flawless skin. Objectively, balanced skin without makeup is more beautiful. That is the goal.

• Cleanse . Remove traces of grease and bacteria accumulated overnight with a gentle cleansing suitable for your skin.





• Active . A good massage, whether done manually or with a specific tool, will promote drainage and stimulate circulation, facilitating the penetration of active ingredients. If the massage is done manually, a great trick is to use the second step of your hygiene routine, with oil, so that your hands glide easily. It's relaxing, pleasant, and, when repeated frequently enough with good technique, the most effective anti-wrinkle and anti-sagging method there is.

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• Prepare . Use a mist or toner suited to your needs to complete your cleansing routine and prepare your skin for the active ingredients you'll use next. If you don't like using toners, try a facial mist to refresh, hydrate, and soothe your skin before applying other cosmetics. Esthederm's Cellular Water Mist also has a tightening effect and a comforting aroma.





• Refresh your eyes . Lack of sleep or a cold can cause red eyes, and nobody wants "hangover eyes" in a business meeting. A good massage with a tool specifically designed to improve circulation and drainage would be ideal. If you don't have time, refreshing eye drops or, failing that, a spritz of thermal water on the eyes will help soothe the area, reducing the appearance of capillaries and providing moisture and brightness.





• Protect . Use antioxidants every morning. Alone or in combination with hydration. Both Vitamin C + Vitamin E compounds and Hyaluronic Acid + Ferulic Acid are excellent options that provide a plump and refreshed appearance.





• Avoid shine in the T-zone . Luminosity and shine are distinct concepts that offer very different results. Excess oil is unacceptable.

Makeup for virtual meetings: keys to a professional image

Makeup is an art. A good makeup artist will always seek to accentuate and enhance our most flattering features; correction is secondary.

Before starting any makeup application, it's essential to focus and define our objective. What do we want to convey when we're getting ready for a business meeting? "A professional image" seems like the obvious answer, but beyond the obvious, we want to project the image of someone attentive, interested, active, willing, cooperative... alert.

The "just woke up" and "I haven't left the house in three days" looks are unlikely to convey that message. The good news is that, despite the distance and technology, achieving it isn't difficult at all.

• Foundation is neither mandatory nor a mask. The golden rule is: if you have beautiful skin, don't hide it; on the contrary, enhance its natural texture and structure. Where is it written that we have to use foundation on the entire face and neck? If we've chosen the right shade, and it's therefore the closest to our skin tone, we should only apply it where the pigmentation varies and needs to be evened out. Of course, some people will need almost full coverage, but they are the minority. A tinted BB or CC cream is usually more than enough to achieve uniformity without losing a natural look.

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• Curl your lashes and apply mascara . If you only have time for one thing, make it this. Opening your eyes conveys a willingness to listen actively, and AIME's Lash Care Tubing mascara is your perfect ally.





• Concealer . Concealer is probably your most versatile tool, although choosing the right palette isn't easy. For the under-eye area and dark circles, look for a concealer one shade—or even two, if they're very pronounced and dark—lighter than your skin tone with a yellow undertone to counteract the grayish hue of the under-eye area. In dark skin, dark circles tend to be purplish; here, an orange undertone will offer better results. Couperose or rosacea require a green undertone. For those who suffer from localized but extensive or generalized redness, there are restorative treatments like Medik8 Calmwise Serum , which provides immediate relief for all types of redness, treats sensitivity, and prevents new outbreaks.

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• Blush . A light blush on the cheeks creates an immediate "healthy glow" effect and highlights the whites of the eyes, thus increasing the alertness we seek.





• Eyeshadow and eyeliner . Generally speaking, not overloading your brushes is good advice. Unless you work in makeup, hair, or fashion, avoid dramatic effects and last-minute experiments.





• At the inner corner of the eye, a touch of eyeliner or light eyeshadow brightens the eyes. The pinkish tone also softens the blue of the veins that sometimes show through in that area.





• For the lips, a subtle lip liner and a touch of gloss would suffice. However, it's proven that lipstick lifts the spirits and conveys optimism. If you can't live without it, go for it!

If we had to summarize our makeup tips for working from home in one image, it would closely resemble what Koreans call Glass Skin. A translucent, crystalline skin that projects health and light from within, which is where true beauty comes from. To achieve this, in addition to healthy lifestyle habits, skincare must be specific and consistent. A good base makes everything much easier, including makeup.

And you? What makeup and lighting tips do you use for your video conferences? Tell us! We're eager to hear them all!