Washed Out on Video Calls? Try This Five-Minute Makeup Routine
One of our customers described a problem a lot of working women will recognise instantly:
“Using colour. I spend a lot of time on Zoom/Teams and sometimes look washed out or tired. Women with bolder lips look more fresh.”
And she’s not wrong.
Video calls can make makeup look different to how it does in the mirror. Colour can appear softer, shine can look more noticeable, and features can lose some of their natural definition on screen.
The good news is, you don’t need a full face to fix it.
The five-minute version
1. Bring some colour back with blush
Blush can make one of the biggest differences on camera.
Apply a little more than you might for an everyday no-makeup look, focusing on the apples of the cheeks and blending upward toward the temples.
The goal isn’t to look heavily made up, just to bring some warmth and life back to the face.
2. Add something to the lips
A little colour on the lips can help your features look more defined on screen.
It doesn’t need to be bold. A stain, balm or lipstick slightly deeper than your natural lip colour can be enough to stop your lips disappearing on camera.
3. Control shine without taking away all the glow
If you tend to notice shine through the forehead, nose or chin on video, use a small amount of powder through the T-zone.
Leave the rest of the skin looking natural.
A little dimension on the cheeks can help the complexion look fresh rather than overly flat.
That’s it.
Blush. Lip. A little strategic powder.
Two things that can make an even bigger difference
Raise your laptop
Camera angle matters.
If your laptop sits low on a desk, try raising it so the camera sits closer to eye level. A couple of books underneath it can make an immediate difference to how your face appears on screen.
Put the light in front of you
Natural light from a window in front of you is one of the easiest ways to improve how you look on a video call.
If the brightest light is behind you, your face can look darker. If overhead lighting is creating strong shadows, try adding a lamp in front of you instead.
Sometimes better lighting does more than extra makeup ever could.
Keep the makeup simple
For video calls, you generally don’t need heavy layers.
Focus on the things that still read clearly on screen:
- Even-looking skin
- A little cheek colour
- Defined lashes or brows
- Some colour on the lips
If you love illuminator, keep it subtle and place it where you naturally want a little light rather than adding shimmer everywhere.
Before an important call
Open your camera for a few seconds before the meeting starts.
Check the lighting, camera height and whether there’s any shine you want to soften.
Then close it and move on.
It’s a meeting, not a photoshoot.
Not sure which shades will show up best on you?
Our team can help you choose blush and lip shades that suit your colouring.
And our free colour matching service isn’t just for foundation.
