As your senior session date is approaching and I’m sure you’re counting down the days, there are 3 things you must do before your senior pictures. These appointments will ensure that you are looking and feeling picture perfect for your session. PLUS it will help take a lot of the stress out of prepping and planning. 

MANI & PEDI

Get your manicure and pedicure done one or two days before your session date. This ensures your polish and cuticles are both fresh and ready to be photographed. Follow these extra tips to make sure your nails are picture perfect: 

1. Keep it neutral! Going overly trendy with nail color can really date your senior pictures. But the goal is to remain classic and timeless with beautifully polished neutral nails (leave the trendy options for one of your outfits choices). Go for shimmery nudes, subtle shades of blush, or even a classic french tip. Our top polishes are:
   • Essie’s Sand Tropez or OPI’s Tiramisu For Two (taupey tan neutrals)
   • Essie’s Skinny Dip or OPI’s Bubble Bath (blush pink tones)
   • Essie’s Flower Girl or OPI’s Humidi Tea (shimmer champagney nudes).
2. Keep your hands moisturized! Make sure to moisturize your hands extra well for the week before your senior picture session. I recommend using a heavy moisturizer at night on your hands, cuticles and nails to help heal any rough knuckles, cracking skin, or broken nail beds. Mani/pedi appointments can also be harsh on the sides of your nail beds, so make sure to use something thicker like Aquaphor Ointment around your cuticles for a few nights before your session.
3. Don’t pick at your nails! Try not to pick at your fingers and cuticles or bite your nails for several weeks before your session. Red, inflamed, and peeling skin around your nail can be really distracting in your images so do whatever you need to do to make sure that you keep your nails and cuticles damage free.

If you need more inspo or ideas for your senior pictures check here!

FACIAL

It’s so important to exfoliate and moisturize for smooth makeup application, so why not let the professionals handle it for your special day? Book a facial with your local esthetician at least a week before your session to ensure that your skin is fresh and makeup ready on your session day. *Out of all 3 things you must do before your senior pictures – the don’ts in this section are super important for flawless senior pictures so much sure you don’t miss them!

Facial Do’s:

1. Ask for gentle exfoliation. Ask your esthetician for a gentle exfoliating scrub. It will help reduce dry patches and texturing and will smooth your skin. This will make your foundation apply smoothly on your senior session day too. After your exfoliating facial stay away from any more physical exfoliants and stick to using moisturizing products until your senior session date.
2. Now is the time to groom your brows. Please be sure to groom your brows so they look clean (even boys)! If you wax, tweeze, or thread your brows, do this 5-10 days before your session, usually at the same time as your facial. Waxing can cause a lot of redness and swelling, and even some scabbing so it’s smart to have this done about a week before your senior picture session to ensure they have time to heal if necessary.

Facial Don’ts:

1. Stay away from peel treatments. Now is not the time for a chemical peel or any other harsh peels that will leave you with red, inflamed, and peeling skin! Even if your esthetician assures you it will be healed by session day – everyones skin reacts and heals differently. You and I would both be devastated if your skin didn’t heal in time! Go for a super gentle exfoliant and then an ultra-hydrating treatment that will leave your skin supple, moisturized, and camera ready. 
2. Don’t allow any extractions for this specific appointment. Even professional extractions should be avoided at all costs. These can leave your pores red, inflamed, and even scabbed for a few days later. 
3. Avoid salicylic acid. Avoid using products containing salicylic acid or other acne fighting and skin drying products at least a week before your senior session. It can leave your skin looking flaky, patchy, and textured. This will also be problematic when applying makeup as it can settle into the skin textures and amplify them on camera. 

HAIR TRIM

Book a trim and color refresh with your favorite stylist about a week before your senior session.

1. Avoid drastic changes. Now is not the time to completely change up your hair color or go for a big chop. If you end up hating it, it will be in your senior pictures forever. Yikes! 
2. Touch up your roots. If you dye or highlight your hair, this is the perfect time to touch up your roots so that they’re cohesive with the rest of your hair and ready for the camera. *Please don’t expect or ask your photographer or editor to fix that in Photoshop! That specific editing process is extremely time consuming (multiplied by every single image in your gallery) or may not even be possible at all. If it is possible to edit in post production your photographer may have to charge you extra for the unexpected time spent fixing this issue in all of your images.
3. Get a fresh trim. Get rid of the dried and split ends so your hair looks flawless for your big session day. Soft, long layers photograph beautifully if you’re itching for a subtle change to freshen up your look.
4. Don’t forget your extensions. If you are wearing extensions for your senior pictures, they will need to have the same treatment (color treatments and trim) as the rest of your hair to ensure they seamlessly blend in on session day. 

Now that you know the 3 things you must do before your senior pictures – you’ll need to get your senior session day booked! You can check out our website here if you’re curious about our premier senior experience or complete our contact form here so we can chat about our available session dates and see if our studio is the perfect fit for you!