Wide Face and Narrow Eyes in Photos? These Makeup Tips Will Make You More Photogenic!

Ever wondered why your makeup doesn’t quite hit the mark in photos? It’s not necessarily because you’re not photogenic; there might just be a few hiccups in your makeup routine.

Yep, it turns out you might not be highlighting your features as well as you think! But before you start to panic and rethink your entire makeup routine, no need to worry.

We’ve snagged some easy beauty tips from the Korean YouTuber, 다예 Daily Daye, to guarantee you look picture-perfect in every photo – even with flash and different lighting!

Getting the Base Right for Your Skin Texture

Before jumping into your base makeup, it’s essential to understand your facial features and shape.

There are two main categories: flat features and distinct features. If you’ve got flat features, a glossy and glowy base suits you best. On the other hand, those with distinct features rock a matte, whitish base.

A quick way to figure out your facial type is by identifying any defined line structures, like your nose bridge, eyes, and lips. Under the light, your features will cast more curved and prominent shadows.

If you notice thicker, fleshier features with prominent lines, you lean more towards a distinct facial type. On the other hand, if your features have softer, less noticeable lines, you’ve got flat features.

If you find yourself somewhere in between, consider yourself lucky – you can pull off both matte and glowy makeup!

Products Used:

• Make Up For Ever HD Skin Foundation retails for RM208 at Sephora online.

Highlighting the Right Areas

Once you’ve figured out your facial type, it’s vital to make sure your base makeup shines in different lighting conditions for those picture-perfect moments.

When you’re being photographed, minimising shadows is key because they can affect the way your features come across.

So, aim for a smooth base by using a setting powder and gently buffing it on your smile lines to soften them.

Sometimes, in photos, those fine hairs around your mouth and philtrum area can stand out – not what you want! To tone that down, use a concealer that’s one to two shades lighter than your skin tone and brighten around your mouth.

And don’t forget to highlight your nose bridge and any other areas where you’d usually apply your highlight.

Products Used:

• Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin Caring Concealer retails for RM165 at Sephora online.
• Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder (01 Mousseline Pastel) retails for RM285 at Sephora online.

Sculpting Your Face

Making sure you shine flawlessly in every photo, especially when the light enhances your features, hinges on nailing this crucial step.

The ‘T-zone’ is the focal point of your makeup because it’s the central part of your face.

One common mistake is not layering down the T-zone base thoroughly – applying only a thin coat of product. After a few hours outdoors, that area tends to get darker, making you look more puffy and tired.

To prevent this, opt for a shading stick with an undertone that matches your skin tone. Contour the area between your eyebrows and nose by drawing a connective curved line inwards.

Next, go in with a contour or eyeshadow shade matching your skin’s undertone. Contour the socket between your eyes and eyebrows.

Finally, dab a bit of contour powder between your eyebrows to create a “disconnect” effect, making your nose appear shorter and more distinct – perfect for photos!

Products Used:

• Etude Reborn Maker Shading Multi Stick (Cool) retails for RM59.40 on Shopee.
• Lilybyred Mood Keyboard Eyeshadow Palette (01 Ash Cinnamon) retails for RM94.77 on Shopee.
• Bbia Last Sebum Pact Powder 00 Super Clear retails for RM55 on Shopee.

Enhancing the Mouth Area

In pictures, you’ll want your features to pop with sharpness and definition. To achieve this, contour the philtrum to make it more prominent and give your jaw area a shorter, sharper appearance.

Use a contour pencil to draw a small line, half the length of your philtrum, downward starting from the tip of your nose.

Then, draw an inverted triangular shape and blend it out with your fingers for a natural shadow effect.

For lips that look full and plump, use a lip liner to fill in the upper lip outline. Use your fingers to buff and diffuse any harsh lines.

Products Used:

• Heart Percent Dote On Mood Lip Pencil (03 Oat Beige) retails for RM51.70 on Shopee.
• Heart Percent Dote On Mood Lip Pencil (02 Creamy Pink) retails for RM51.70 on Shopee.

Contouring Sideburns and Hairline

This step, often seen with Korean idols and celebrities, is essential to make your face appear slimmer.

Use a hair cushion or eyeshadow matching your hair colour to fill in your natural sideburns. This creates an effect that reduces the size of your cheek area.

Fill in any sparse areas on your hairline and make sure to blend the product seamlessly by connecting it to your natural hair.

Products Used:

• Ryo Hair Cushion (Dark Brown 4.0) retails for RM83.60 on Shopee.

Drawing Your Eyebrows Correctly

In makeup, your eyebrows can make or break your look since they’re often the first thing people notice.

If you’re scrolling through your photos and wondering why you don’t look as happy and bright, you might be drawing your brows pointing in a lower direction than you think.

To fix this, tilt your head slightly to the side and use a brightening concealer pencil to “erase” the tip that’s pointing downwards.

Products Used:

• WakeMake Hard Brow Pencil (#03 Natural Brown) retails for RM69.56 on Shopee.
• MustaeV Spot Eraser Concealer Pencil (#01 Pure Beige) retails for RM51.07 on Shopee.

Applying Blush for a Pop of Colour

In photos, a flush of colour on your cheeks can make a difference, making you look more lively and fresh.

Using a blush of your choice, dab the pigment on your cheeks, focusing on the areas underneath your eyes. Be careful not to extend the blush outwards too much on your cheeks to avoid disrupting any contouring you did previously.

Products Used:

• Lilybyred luv Beam Cheek Balm Heartbeat (04 Selfie Red) retails for RM51.48 on Shopee.

Achieving a Subtle Rosy, Glossy Lip

If you’ve got a strong jawline, avoid bold lip colours in photos—they can highlight that area too much.

Instead of using multiple lip products that may not blend seamlessly, opt for a melting balm – it gives you a nice wash of colour with a natural shiny finish!

Apply a light rose colour that matches your undertone all over your lips. If you want the colour to be more vibrant, add more layers until you’re happy with the colour payoff.

Products Used:

• Espoir Mega Melting Bomb (04 Night Out) retails for RM78.10 on Shopee.

Adding the Finishing Touches and Shading

Your camera picks up on the smallest details, including those little eyebrow hairs – you don’t want that messy look!

Use a spooly tool to gently brush and lift brow hairs up, following the direction of your natural brow arc.

Then, use a shading or contour shade matching your undertone. Buff it all over your double chin to make it appear slimmer, as well as your hairline.

Products Used:

• Peripera V Shading (#003 Grayish Cool) retails for RM36.10 on Shopee.

Matching the Colour of Your Face to Your Neck

One common mistake is forgetting to match your natural skin tone to your base makeup. In photos, especially with flash, it can pick up on the colour difference between your face and neck – not a pleasant sight.

To fix that, use a tone-up cream and brush it all over your neck to seamlessly diffuse the product.

Products Used:

• Cosnori Whitening Dress Tone-up Cream retails for RM125.28 at Olive Young online.

And there you go! These simple makeup tips will ensure you look picture-perfect all the time.

So, give them a shot and see the difference for yourself!

Featured image credits: @davly0y/Instagram.