Men's makeup

little_angel

Well-known member
I have a shoot coming up that I'm doing for a friend to build up my portfolio. It's a a guy though. My mental checklist is saying pretty much conceiling, possibly contouring, brow grooming, lip conidtioner and maybe some clear mascara.... perhaps black on the waterline if they're going for a trendy/fashion look, but it probably wont go that far.

Do you guys have any tips on doing men's makeup?
 

flowerhead

Well-known member
What you listed sounds perfect really...I'd go for some light foundation, concealer under the eyes, some loose powder, (pressed would look too perfect) eyebrow pencil, maybe a tinted lip conditioner, and curled eyelashes with maybe a tiny bit of black/clear mascara....Nothing too heavy, but it really depends on the shoot and what the concept is.
 

giz2000

Well-known member
I have done men's makeup for shoots with Make Up Forever Face & Body foundation...it looks 100% natural, and unless the man has super oily skin, you don't really need a powder...
 

flowerhead

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by giz2000
I have done men's makeup for shoots with Make Up Forever Face & Body foundation...it looks 100% natural, and unless the man has super oily skin, you don't really need a powder...

Yeah, powder always looks good in photos though...
 

ballerino

Well-known member
but no mans face is EVER naturally powder-matt. Mac face and body is brilliant, and may need a little powder if theyre oily, but its so traceless. Its important to remember, mens skin is not meant to look 100% pefect. Start out REALLY light, and i wouldnt rec blakc mascara at all, brown if any pigment, otherwise stick to clear..
 

aeni

Well-known member
I keep it all natural looking as possible!

I like both MAC mists and Bare Minerals b/c they're both light and work well together.
Smashbox photofinish
YSL Touche Eclate
Eyeshadow highlight (browbone)
Blush (helps to define the chin and give color overall)
Clear mascara (eyebrows)
Lipgloss if necessary.
Evian mist

The less you use and the faster you are, the better. Guys don't like to sit long - I normally try to finish them in 20 min or less but like to take a few test shots first to make sure the coloring is good first.
 

kimmy

Well-known member
i'd go with a light application of foundation (mineral, if possible) but nothing very dewy or glowy (remember the dewy/glowy thing is generally more of a feminine look) and concealer if he's got any blemishes or bags under his eyes.

maybe use a matte bronzer (or MAC's natural MSFs if you have them) in the hollows of the cheeks and on the jawline to define the cheek and jaw bones. maybe a light application of MAC Tantone blush on the apples of the cheeks.

if he has dark hair, you can probably get away with black mascara, but i wouldn't suggest curling his lashes very much. maybe hold the curlers on for a couple seconds just to give them a little lift. if he's got blonde or light brown hair though, go with clear or blonde mascara. definately groow the brows and set them with MAC brow set (or clear mascara)

i second aeni's suggestion of a browbone highlight. but do this with caution (again, to avoid that dewy look) apply the highlighter with a VERY light hand
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and then to top it all off, some lip balm and maybe a dab of Clear lipglass in the middle of the lips to draw attention to them
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of course this, like flowerhead said, is all dependant on the shoot setting, theme, etc. but i HTH a little! good luck! and be sure to post pictures when you're done
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Just be careful not to use Studio Fix, as it has a lot of Titanium Dioxide which reflects the flash and will make the face appear lighter. This goes for mineral makeup as well. A lot of them are really Titanium Dioxide heavy. Make sure to check the ingredient list. HTH
smiles.gif
 

little_angel

Well-known member
i just wanted to share how the guys turned out... they were from two seperate shoots, but i think they turned out pretty well. the first guy was going for a much more natural look... the second guy is an adult film star.

290245836_c642ac7a0e.jpg


291244882_d98ad38a45.jpg
 

little_angel

Well-known member
Thank you!!!
smiles.gif
i ended up using studio fix fluid, but i dont think i'll use it in shoots again. too reflective. i think i'm going to stick with face and body now.

as for other stuff, i used clear brow gel, clear mascara, concealer, lip balm and a little bit of bronzer.
 

martygreene

Well-known member
Just a note- I would not suggest ever using mineral makeup in photography. The very fact that it's mineral makeup will indicate a high level of titanium dioxide and it WILL reflect back in an undesirable manner.

Little_Angel: do you have a larger version of the images?
 

MisStarrlight

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by martygreene
Just a note- I would not suggest ever using mineral makeup in photography. The very fact that it's mineral makeup will indicate a high level of titanium dioxide and it WILL reflect back in an undesirable manner.


I agree. Titanium dioxide is the devil!
 

*Luna*

Well-known member
Random question to piggy back on Little Angel's question... I have a similar situation, my shoot is TODAY actually and it's an African American male. Same tips or is there anything special I shouold consider? I know it's late notice but I hope someone can help!
 
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