MAKEUP IN PHOTOS IS A LIE.

Nothing is real

You put on a little makeup—just enough to feel like a minimalist goddess—snap a selfie, and… it sucks. It’s nothing like your favorite influencer’s “natural makeup” masterpiece.

Well, it’s not just you. The camera loves to play tricks on us, twisting what we see in the mirror into something entirely different on-screen. So, what’s the real difference between your selfie and theirs? Let’s unpack it.

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If you’re excited about this article, go ahead and hit the like button—it does wonders in cheering up the grumpy algorithm!

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The real disconnect lies in how we define natural. The definition varies wildly depending on someone’s experience with makeup. For instance, many of you might think that wearing a lot of makeup only looks like this:

But here’s the kicker—this is also a lot of makeup (just with way better technique, of course).

And believe it or not, this is also a lot of makeup

I want to be clear: nobody needs makeup. You can do whatever you want, and you definitely don’t need it to take a photo. But if you’re aiming for a similar look to those flawless “natural” selfies, here’s the truth: a little concealer, transparent mascara, and a nude lipstick just aren’t going to give you the same result.

And the main reason is because of THE LIGHT!

In photography, there’s a saying: “Light eats makeup.” This becomes especially obvious in the studio, where big lights—whether flash or continuous—tend to wash out even the boldest looks. What seems intense in real life often looks much softer, even muted, on camera. And this doesn’t just happen in a studio.

It happens with natural light, your phone, and your selfies. That’s why we use more makeup, thicker makeup, brighter eyeshadows, or refine our techniques to make it look natural, even when it’s anything but.

I found this Reddit post that dives into how much makeup we really use. It suggests that men are the only ones clueless about how makeup looks, but that’s not entirely accurate. Over and over, I’ve seen people who aren’t in the industry get their makeup professionally done for the first time and feel like it’s way too much. Then they snap a photo, and suddenly—they’re in love.

Some social media influencers use an immense amount of makeup in their videos for entertainment purposes—the idea is more about grabbing views and less about offering genuine, step-by-step tutorials. And just to be clear, that’s not what I’m talking about here.

I’m talking about the art of strategically using light and shadows to enhance features or creating a character through simple, colorful, or dramatic looks.

After years in my studio, photographing all kinds of people, and crafting my own looks for social media, one thing has become clear: makeup doesn’t have to be complicated.

You don’t want to look like a clown in real life but flawless in your selfie, nor do you want to look polished in person and completely washed out in photos. The key is finding balance—using just a bit more makeup, but with a thoughtful strategy.

Some of my makeup looks shared on social media—designed to pop on camera while staying wearable in real life.

This 2025, I’ll be sharing more insights into my photo makeup tricks and testing out viral ones—I’ll be the guinea pig, so you don’t have to.

But most importantly, I’d love to bring on special guests—and for that, I need YOU to tell me what you need. What’s your biggest frustration with makeup? Is it texture, ideas, eye bags, or maybe you’re just craving a good old revenge makeup look (lol)?

If we get more than ten questions, I’ll bring in someone special. So don’t forget to like and comment on this post to keep the ball rolling!

With this I’m going to wrap up this post.

With love,

Bonnie.