My Top 5 Product/Gadget Recommendations To Have You Camera Ready!
1. Light it Up!
Lighting, lighting, lighting! The first step to being camera ready is to have good lighting! While there are definitely some great Amazon finds to help with this (and I'll let you know what they are!), before we get to that step let's work with something easy—natural light! Always make sure that your light source is in front of you. This means sitting in front of a window, and letting Mother Nature work her magic!
If you don't have access to natural lighting, then there are some great products on the market to do the trick! My recommendation is to invest in a ring light (like this one). It doesn't need to be anything fancy, but ideally something that is multi-functional (read: to use for everything from Zoom calls to Facetime dates and Insta selfies). Between the natural lighting and some extra lighting tools, you're ready to put the LIGHT into lights, camera, Zoom!
2. (Lip Colour) is a Girl's Best Friend
Nothing makes a bigger difference to someone's look than lip colour (in a sans-mask world of course!). Whether you're #TeamLipstick, #TeamLipGloss or even #TeamChapstick, lip colour makes a world of a difference to your on-camera appearance. My personal preference for a virtual presence is to apply a darker colour than I usually would. Most neutral/nude shades go invisible on camera, so it's important to choose a colour that packs a punch. While I'm usually a nude-y pink lipstick kinda gal, I've learned to opt for darker browns instead. This may feel out of the ordinary, but as soon as you turn on that camera it'll give you a "your-lips-but-better" kind of look. My faves are Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipsticks, Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain, Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lip Color.
Tip: if you'd still rather use your favourite lighter shades, opt for a dark nude lipliner. This will help darken each lip colour and thus, make it show on camera!
3. The Higher the Camera, the Closer to (Perfection)!
When it comes to photography (or videography in this case), angles are everything! My absolute go-to has been a tripod. My recommendation is to find a tripod that holds a phone. This is super useful when having conversations that may be away from your workspace (i.e. FaceTime chats with the BFFs or virtual happy hour). Tip: be sure to choose a tripod that has an adjustable height feature (i.e. not just desk-mode type of tripod. Here are a few of my recommendations: a basic phone tripod, a tripod with a remote (perfect for your next selfie-taking sesh), a tripod with a ring light and remote (talk about a triple threat!).
4. The Eyes Tell A Thousand Words!
When it comes to a quarantine-friendly makeup look, the eyes go SUCH a long way! My personal favourite makeup product to make the eyes pop is a good mascara! It's super quick to use and easy to apply, and all while producing maximum results! So here are favourite mascara recommendations: L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise, Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes.
5. It's Called "Nerdy Chic"!
My new favourite accessory has been glasses! While I've worn glasses while working/reading/studying for the better part of my life, I've never really tapped into the endless fashion potential that lies within this simple accessory! It's also a great way to distract from the lack of makeup (read: endless makeup-free days for the win!).
And if you're so lucky to not have to wear prescription glasses, a great alternative is blue light glasses! This is also a great way for prescription glasses wearers to swap out different styles for a cheaper price tag. My absolute favourite shop for blue lights are from Poppy & Peonies! Here are my fave styles (with the cutest names!) from their collection: Side Hustle and Easy On The Eyes.
There you have it! These are my 5 tips and tricks to have you camera ready for your next video call! Happy Chatting!