• Fay Summerfield


Hey ! Welcome to, 'The Headshot Blog' - where I will share my thoughts, tips and everything to do headshots.

I wanted to start off my blog journey with a topic I get asked a lot about - SKIN.

This blog may be useful to you if you're looking for hints and tips on how to get your skin looking headshot ready. Just want to add a disclaimer here, I am not a medical professional , these are just my opinions.

So some facts to start us off...Skin accounts for 16% of your body weight; it is the largest organ on your body. And yet most people don't know how to properly look after it. Adverts and marketing are constantly telling us what to buy and what to use for our skin to look it's best. But I truly believe that the biggest secret to skin success is something so simple you won't believe it. I know I didn't . The secret ? Water! H20 baby. Not only are our bodies made up of 60% water, but our skin itself contains 64% water !! Whattttt!! So it kind of makes sense that to properly care for our skin, we have to make sure we're drinking enough water throughout the day. So, Top Tip 1- WATER - if you have a headshot booking coming up, maybe start upping your water intake if you typically aren't that great at drinking water. Don't go crazy, but make sure you're getting in your recommend daily allowance. There are lots of articles about how much water you should drink, but I usually make sure I have a large glass with every meal and one in between meals aswell. Also, drink one before bed - it's annoying because you might need to pee but there's nothing better than water to aid skin rejuvenation over night. Especially before your headshot session!

Top Tip 2- CAFFEINE. Ahh coffee, you daylight dream. Alas, I don't drink coffee and haven't had a cup in about a year (with one or two hiccups along the way). I was pushed into this devastating decision due to medical reasons but honestly, it was the best thing to ever happen to me. Ok, that's a bit dramatic but you get my drift. I am more alert, less tired and my skin is forever grateful. Caffeine dries out your skin, so it would make sense to lower your intake a few days/ week before your session. I'm not saying stop drinking it , as I know coffee is some people's lifelines but definitely think about reducing your intake before your session. Hey, just replace that cup of coffee with a nice, refreshing glass of water ;)

Top tip 3 - SLEEP . We need 7-9 hours a night to function properly - and lack of sleep affects your skin too. So make sure you're getting in your zzzz's before your headshot session. It will also help get rid of any puffiness under your eyes - which are less than ideal for your headshots ! But don't panic, most great headshot photographers will be able to edit any dark circles, so don't worry.

Top tip 4- DIET . Ok, so I'm vegan and haven't eaten meat since I was 15 ...apart from a few months while I was in drama school and having a mid life crisis ....BUT I saw the light thankfully and have never looked back. People often comment on my skin and my automatic response is, 'it's that vegan life'. I'm sure there's a scientific reason for this somewhere but I like to think of it as nature thanking me. So if you're a meat eater reading this and thinking, 'What! No way I can't give up eating animals'...well maybe just try cutting out milk from your daily tea and skip that double cheese melt from PRET a few days before your headshot session. "Dairy contains components related to the hormone testosterone that may stimulate oil glands in the skin, setting the stage for acne." So who knows, it may help you !

Top tip 5 - STRESS . Headshot session coming up ? Chillll. I know that getting your headshots taken can be a daunting experience. The butterflies kick in , you're praying your skin stays clear....but noooo a damn spot shows up the day before your session, *face palm*. Sometimes I think our skin knows when we need it to be clear and does this just to spite us ! So, what I'd say is, don't stress. Drink water, wash and moisturise your skin, sleep, try not to eat chocolate before the session....but if you've done everything you can and a pesky spot still makes it through- DO. NOT. PRESS. IT. Leave that bugger alone and get on with your day. Temporary spots are usually very easy to get rid of in post production. What's harder to edit, is inflamed, irritated skin that's been picked and prodded the night before! So, what should we do? Leave the spot and think to yourself , 'It's ok, they can fix it'.

Oh and also, one last tip - don't decide to become a beauty influencer the day before by trying a ton of new and different products on your face ! Do not do this!! Keep to your usual routine and don't add anything new. You're just going to confuse your skin and who knows what it will do...

This leads me nicely to my next topic which will be on The Headshot Blog - What Not To Do The Day Before Your Headshot Session. Coming soon...

I hope you've enjoyed this and it might help you in some way ! Feel free to like and share with your friends :)


Fay x

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