Improve the Look of On-Camera Guests

[ Read my product review disclaimer here.]

Let me talk about makeup for a minute. While it would be great to bring a makeup artist to every shoot, that’s just not possible. Sometimes it’s hard just to bring a light.

Still, we need our guests to look good on camera.

For years, I recommended Lancôme’s Pure Focus T.Zone mattifying powder gel. It goes on dry and works great. However, it’s no longer available, except from EBay. That’s a shame, I miss it.

Recently, I discovered OC8, from Ferndale Healthcare. This, too, is a mattifying gel. What that means is that it reduces shiny face highlights by applying a matte (non-reflective) clear surface to the skim. In other words, it kills the shine.

Rub this white lotion into the guest’s forehead, nose and cheekbones. It goes on clear and takes about five minutes to dry. After that, it easily lasts for hours, except under extremely damp conditions. At the end of the day, it washes out quickly with water. I purchased this for my own use and like the results.

Website: https://oc8.com

REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE

On larger productions, especially with professional actors, there’s usually a makeup artist lurking about who handles this. On smaller productions, interviews, documentaries and the like, YOU are the makeup artist.

Here’s my advice. Professional actors and women are generally skilled at putting on their own makeup. Hand them the tube, tell them to put it on their foreheads, cheekbones and nose and let them go. (It shouldn’t affect any makeup they are currently wearing.)

Guys, though, are clueless. Put this on them before the interview starts. They will be embarrassed. Rub it up into the hairline, across the forehead, nose and cheekbones. Anywhere the face seems shiny. It doesn’t need to be thick, just spread evenly. While you are doing this, tell them some wild story to distract them. The process takes about a minute.

The key point to remember is this gel takes about 3-5 minutes to dry. Until it does, the skin remains shiny. So give yourself time for this to dry before recording the shot.

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