These Lighting Tips Will Have You Applying Makeup Like a Pro

What Is the Best Makeup Lighting?

Say what you want about influencers, but there’s no denying they always have the best lighting in their shots. Enter: the life-changing ring light (namely, the white light option). Yes, this is what leads to that Hollywood-level content.

“The best lighting for a makeup routine is either a classic ring light or my personal favorite, panel lights,” says makeup artist and content creator Angie Escobar. “Panels light up a room so well. You get an even and accurate makeup application every time.”  

Fellow MUA and content creator Andy Gonzalez also agrees that some form of artificial lighting is most preferred when it comes to makeup application. We often see this in the form of bright light, much different than what you’d see in a light fixture on a wall, for example.

“With artificial lighting you can manipulate the warmth and coolness of the setting you’re in,” he says. “I focus on colorful eyeshadow looks, so I feel like the colors pop out more when I use artificial lighting, and also I can see every detail that goes into the makeup look.” 

What If I Don’t Have Natural Lighting?

While natural daylight lighting has the best reputation for taking photos, no need to worry about it when it comes to makeup application itself. According to our experts, artificial lighting is your best bet for ensuring a smooth, adequate finish.

“Again, panel lights are the best,” Escobar says, with Gonzalez backing up her thoughts. “These panels all have a range of white, warm, and a mix of both warm/white settings. You can essentially have whatever type of lighting you desire.” 

Don’t Make These Makeup Lighting Mistakes

1. Avoid Warm or Dim Settings

Using a dimmer may set the mood, but it’s certainly not helping you set your makeup. 

“I wouldn’t ever use the ‘warm’ setting on a light or dim lighting in a room to do my makeup nor film,” Escobar says. “Warm lights can run the risk of your makeup looking off. Same thing with dim lighting. You just never know what type of look you’ll get walking out into natural lighting.” 

So, that calming bathroom lighting stemming from your light bulbs? Not the vibe for applying makeup.

2. Don’t Ditch Panels

Especially if you’re doing makeup for a photoshoot or major camera moment, you want to ensure your makeup is applied adequately and accurately. 

“You never wanna go light with the makeup in these cases,” Escobar says of her recommendation, which offers a more realistic view of how much makeup has been applied. “You want it to show up on camera, so you need to get some panels and apply a little more product than you normally would to avoid looking washed out.”

Adds Gonzalez, “When it comes to proper lighting when taking a picture, it’s very important because we want to see true tones of makeup, skin tone, and texture.”

If you’re indeed in an instance where you need more makeup to appear on camera, we advise a full-coverage complexion product like the ONE/SIZE Turn up the Base Versatile Powder Foundation, or the KOKIE PROFESSIONAL Full Cover Foundation. You also want to opt for a concealer—we recommend the iconic full-coverage TOO FACED Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer.

3. Don’t Use Too Much Lighting

While yes, ample lighting is key to that money shot, there is too much of a good thing. 

“Too much lighting can become oversaturated and make you look lighter than you actually appear,” Gonzalez explains. “This will wash you out and you won’t be able to showcase your makeup the way you had in mind.” 

4. Don’t Cut Corners If You Care About Good Lighting

Some things are worth an investment, depending on how much you care. If you’re big on lighting for the sake of photos and applying makeup to take good photos, our experts suggest their faves. 

Escobar and Gonzalez both stand by the GVM 2-pack panels for more advanced users. But for anyone else, Escobar loves a good energy efficient, portable LED light. She says the OLRPT selfie light works wonders. We personally clip selfie lights onto a makeup mirror or a vanity mirror if we don’t get the best lighting from the vanity lights alone.

5. Avoid Overhead Light

Plain and simple, Gonzalez says overhead light will create shadows on your face. These will leave you with an unrealistic view of how your makeup actually looks.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, not all lighting is treated equal. We’ve learned through our experts that while natural sunlight is often preferred for capturing content, the same can’t be said for applying makeup. Artificial lighting seems to be the perfect lighting for applying makeup, seeing as you can adjust the settings and pinpoint particular areas of the face. Panels or clippable selfie lights are recommended, so our experts suggest you open up your Amazon tab and purchase as necessary. For both makeup application and taking photos, you’ll want to avoid fluorescent lights and the yellow light that often accompanies them.

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