From Girl Next Door To Glam: Here are 7 Makeup Ideas for Your Senior Photos

Your senior photos can either be a snapshot of who you are now OR it can be a way to step into your new era.

New school, new look, new you.

And doing your makeup for your senior photos doesn’t have to be stressful.

Most photographers (like us) will give you the option of having a local professional makeup artist do it for you!

But if you want to do your makeup yourself, here are 7 makeup ideas to help you narrow down your options!

Makeup Tips From Casey! Tampa’s Go-To Professional Makeup and Hair Stylist

I asked Casey (one of our FAVORITE professional hair and makeup stylists to work with) for 5 tips on makeup for senior photos.

Here’s what she said!

Makeup can be bold OR light

Your makeup should be whatever amount YOU are comfortable wearing.

But kick it up a notch with a little heavier application and coverage for the skin.

Powder in the T-zone for shininess is very necessary!

You’ll need the 3 hair essentials:

– A comb

– Hairspray

– Bobby pins

Plan for unexpected things

Factors like wind, rain, and extreme heat.

Bring glue

If you are wearing lashes, bring extra glue in case they lift!

Bring lipstick or gloss for touchups.

Your hair and makeup stylist will handle the rest 😉

7 Makeup Ideas for Senior Photos

Need some visual ideas?

To be 100% honest: some of the girls below DIYed their makeup, while others decided (or maybe Mom did— who knows!) to hire someone like Casey to take out all the makeup guesswork!

It’s totally up to how you want your makeup done for your senior photos.

And if you can’t decide, send this to your friends and ask them to help narrow down your favorites!

1. Glam

When you’re taking your senior photos, remember these aren’t just for your parents to hang up in your living room.

You can use these photos for job applications (or your LinkedIn) or as headshots if you’re looking to go the creative route.

A glam look would be PERFECT for anyone looking to go into industries such as modeling, acting, or content creator!

What She Did:

Sharp, penciled eyebrows
Fake eyelashes with mascara for extra fullness
Brown and orange glitter ombre eyeshadow effect
Eye shadow under on lower lashes
Matte lipstick
Foundation and contour

2. Girl Next Door

If you like the idea of wearing makeup for your senior photos, but you don’t wear a lot of it in real life, this is for you.

Senior photos are an excuse to dress up (not that you need one), so if you want your outfit to be casual, but you want to play it up with your makeup, this is the perfect in-between for natural and glam makeup!

What She Did:

Mascara and eyeliner
Neutral eyeshadows with sharp edges
Foundation and contour
Light pink color

3. The No Makeup Makeup Look

This is a great simple makeup look for your senior photos!

But I want you to hear me: you DON’T have to wear makeup for your photoshoot. If you want to go full bare face, we love that for you.

You can also keep it light and still accentuate your features. Just use a lil’ makeup to highlight your lips or eyes and we’ll take care of any blemishes in editing!

What She Did:

Light foundation (a tinted moisturizer works, too!)
No eyeshadow
Lip liner and gloss
Mascara

FREE GUIDE: A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing Outfits for Your Next Photoshoot

4. Rocker Chic

Planning on going on tour with your band after high school? You can’t go wrong with this rocker chic look!

But really, imagine being the quiet and shy girl in school and then THIS being your senior photo.

Whether you’re looking to step into a new identity or this is exactly how you dressed in high school, a look like this never goes out of style.

What She Did:

Sharp, penciled eyebrows
Fake eyelashes with mascara for extra fullness
Dark eyeliner
Cut crease eyeshadow that’s light in the corners of her eye, ut dark and sharp on the wing
Eye shadow under on lower lashes
Foundation and contour for an edgier look

5. Blushing Beauty

Tampa senior looking over her shoulder. her makeup is simple with blush to make her skin glow

If your skin is your biggest concern, adding a touch of blush can really help bring out your natural beauty!

Just go light on the makeup for your eyes and lips, and use foundation, contour, and blush to make a statement (this looks really good with golden hour photos!)

What She Did:

Darken her eyes with mascara and eyeliner
Light eyeshadow
Heavy blush and foundation to make her skin pop
Lip gloss (no color) for a more natural look

6. Personality Pop

We almost called this one the girl next door look. But looking closely, you can see this senior was letting her personality show through.

She may look like she went for a simple makeup look, but her shrp eyeliner and done-up brows say otherwise!

Sometimes it’s the small things that really make your senior photos stand out!

What She Did:

Bold, fluffy eyebrows
Sharp, but thin eyeliner
Light mascara, foundation, and blush
Natural lip color with gloss

5. Red Carpet Look

Your senior photos might be allll about the outfit (we have a guide for that, too!).

If you want your dress to steal the spotlight, this makeup will pair well with your red carpet look.

What She Did:

Fake eyelashes
Bold lip
Foundation and setting spray
Light skin-tone glitter eyeshadow

If you’re a Tampa Bay senior and loved these photos, let’s chat! We’ll help you plan everything, including hair, makeup, outfits, and location scouting!

September 1, 2023

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Find Inspiration for Your Session

Prepping for an engagement, maternity, newborn, family, or senior portrait session can make you feel excited, anxious, a smidge stressed … and of course, making a giant mess in your closet as you search for the perfect outfit. Inside our blog, we’re serving up all the inspo, tips, and tricks you need to have a stress-free photo session, from how to pose without feeling super awkward to what you and your family should wear. Reap the benefits of our 30 years of photography experience and wisdom, or just enjoy looking at the pretty pictures.