Ah passport photos, those two words combined conjure up connotations of bad lighting, lego shaped hair and lifeless expressions thanks to that old rule of not being allowed to smile seriously who came up with that?! As the years tick by one act that is sure to remind you of that youth passed is the renewing of your driving licence. The piece of pink plastic you got back in your teens that allowed you to hit the road and gain a piece of independence praying for the day it would become green.
Mines up for renewal and instead of sobbing over the number of years that have passed me by I thought I’d take a more pragmatic approach and turn it into a blog post! What makeup do you wear knowing you will be sat on a twistable stool in front of a piece of unflattering glass? With passport photos lasting decades it’s vital you opt for something timeless, you don’t want to be looking back on blue liner paired with a purple lip.
For my latest runin with a passport photo machine I started by prepping the skin with a bucket full of hydration. The Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Primer gives a boost of moisture and prevents foundation from holding on to any dry patches. I then went it with my base of choice making sure it doesn’t contain SPF and paired this with a hydrating concealer and under eye brightener. Stop that shine from breaking through by powering your t-zone and now it’s all about adding contour and shape to your skin. Passport photos tend to make everything flat and lifeless so I used the Tom Ford Bronzing Powder dusted all over to give colour to my skin and added the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder to give natural definition.
To bring the cheeks to life it had to be my much loved Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in the shade Luminous Flush which I enhanced with a soft dusting of the failsafe Stereo Rose MSF. Lids were kept fuss free, a layer of MAC’s Paint Pot in Vintage Selection followed up with a thin layer of liner close to the lash line to give the appearance of fuller lashes. Don’t forget to curl those lashes and go in with a voluminising mascara to ensure your eyes stand out in the picture. Initially I had my Marc Jacobs New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel slicked across my lips but sadly this didn’t show on camera. I grabbed the nearest lipstick in my handbag which unfortunately has come across a tad orange but at least my lips can be seen! Brows were all thanks to a recent trip to a local Blink Brow Bar and overall I’m pretty happy with how the pictures came out. Take that passport photos!
