Hair & Skin Tips from Toronto Makeup Artist Jennifer Tuner
Jennifer is one of our favourite hair and makeup artists to help our clients look their best for their boudoir session. She traveled with us on many of our boudoir marathons across Ontario in 2019, and will be joining us as we shoot on location in Quebec City, Montreal, Kingston, Peterborough and Barrie in 2020.
Jennifer has so much experience and so many tips to share, we interviewed her earlier this month to get all the details and share them with you. Read on to learn some great tips to best prepare your skin and hair for your boudoir session!
We are SO lucky to have Jennifer as part of our incredible team!
She is the organizer and lead makeup artist for Miss World Canada, Miss Teenage Canada and Top Model Search Canada.
Jennifer has done makeup for music videos, film and television, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) & Miss Universe Canada.
Jennifer was a makeup artist at the 2018 Toronto Women’s Fashion Week after party fashion show by Chavez.
She is also the Educational Trainer at Wright Artistry where she trains both makeup artists and non-makeup artists proper makeup application techniques.
What’s the best way clients can prepare their skin in the days/weeks leading up to their boudoir session?
The best thing they can do for their skin is to keep it clean and well hydrated in the days/weeks leading up to their appointment. The best way to hydrate their skin is actually to stay well hydrated. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day and avoiding sugary beverages is always something I would recommend to keep their skin clear and well hydrated.
How can clients best prepare their face the night before their boudoir session for best makeup results?
I strongly recommend they gently exfoliate their face the night before their boudoir session. This will remove any dry or dead skin that make the makeup look more visible. Makeup loves moisturized skin too, so be sure to slather on the moisturizer once they are finished exfoliating as well.
What should clients do the morning of their appointment?
I suggest simply splashing cold water on their face and not using any harsh cleansers. Do not apply anything with oils in it and do not apply any cream containing SPF protection.
Should I bring my own makeup or foundation?
In general, I would say that no they do not need to bring their own products with them. If they have a particular product they love and they know works well for them, then by all means they may bring it. Their artist may choose to use it or they may want to work with their own products since they know how they will perform under professional lighting situations. I would say it is never bad to bring their own just in case, but most professional artists have fully stocked kits and are ready for every skin tone and ethnicity.
I have bad skin (oily/dry/acne/acne scars). Can you still make me look beautiful?
Absolutely! Makeup is a very powerful tool when used correctly and when combined with professional photography. Well applied makeup can completely get rid of uneven or blotchy skin tones. What makeup cannot do, however, is even out the texture of their skin. There are some tricks to help reduce the appearance of acne scarring. However, depending on how the light hits their face they are always going to see a little bit of the texture.
The good news is that any left over imperfections are where the photographer will take over and correct in the editing. Don’t let skin issues get in the way of booking a session! Once your makeup artist is finished and your session has been professionally edited, there will not be anything to be concerned about!
What’s the best way to remove unwanted facial hair?
In general I suggest not drastically changing their routine. If they have never waxed anything before, do not try it the day before their appointment. I recommend trying anything new a minimum of 3-6 weeks prior to their appointment in case they have an allergic or adverse reaction. Do not wax anything on their face within 4-7 days of their appointment. Waxing can remove all of the hair as well as the top layer of their skin which can make the makeup application appear patchy or noticeable. As a last minute alternative I suggest either threading or tweezing.
How can clients best prepare their hair?
Everyone’s hair is a little bit different, so we definitely recommend doing what is best for their hair type and their desired outcome. In general, we want their hair to be clean and dry. For most people, this means I would recommend washing their hair the night before their appointment and then allowing it to air dry naturally. Or, for added volume, I suggest blow drying with their head turned upside down. If they want their hair to be parted in a certain place, be sure to set the part where they want it after washing their hair.
For some people, trying to change their part on the day of their session is next to impossible. If they have extremely curly hair and they want it straight, they should blow dry straight the night before and do not apply any products. Especially do not apply any oils to their hair. We will apply the right product for they hair/style and use products that will not damage their hair when styling with heat tools.