The Amanda Holloway Blog

As you’re counting down the days until your senior session, there are three appointments that you’ll want to make before your big day. These appointments will ensure that you are portrait ready for your session and will help take a lot of the stress out of preparing. 

MANI/PEDI

Get your manicure and pedicure done a day or two before your senior session. This will ensure your polish and cuticles are fresh and ready to frame your face. Want to go the extra mile to make sure your nails are session ready? Follow these quick tips: 

1. Keep it neutral. Getting trendy with nail color can date your senior pictures and you want to remain classic and timeless with beautifully polished neutral nails. Go for shimmery nudes or subtle shades of blush. Our top 3 favorite polish tones are OPI’s Substantially Tan (a blush tinted neutral beige), Cosmo-Not Tonight Honey (a shimmery pale champagne), and Bare My Soul (a very natural nude).

2. Keep your hands moisturized. Moisturize for the entire week before your session. Use a heavy moisturizer on your hands, cuticles and nails to help heal any cracked skin or broken nail beds. Sometimes your mani/pedi appt can be a bit harsh on the sides of your nail beds, so make sure to use a salve like O’Keefe’s Working Hands Cream or Aquafor Healing Ointment.

3. Don’t destroy your nails. Try not to bite your nails or pick at your fingers for several weeks before your session. Red, flaky, and peeling skin around your nail beds can be unsightly in your photos so do whatever you have to do to make sure that you keep your nails and fingers damage free.

HYDRATING FACIAL

Exfoliation and moisturization are important for a smooth makeup application, so why not let the professionals handle it? Book a facial with your fave esthetician a week before your session to ensure that your skin is makeup ready on your big day.

Here’s 5 things to remember to tell you esthetician when booking your appt: 

1. Stay away from peel treatments. This is not the time for a chemical peel or any other harsh exfoliant peels that will leave you with red, inflamed, and peeling skin. Opt for a super gentle exfoliant (as explained below) and then an ultra-hydrating treatment that will leave your skin beautifully supple and moisturized. 

2. Don’t allow any extractions for this specific appointment. Picking at the skin should be avoided at all costs and that includes professional extractions as these can leave your pores red, inflamed, and even scabbed in days time. 

3. Avoid salicylic acid. Try to avoid using products containing salicylic acid at least a week before your senior session. It can leave your skin red and extremely dry which can look patchy and textured. This will also be problematic when applying makeup as it can settle in the patches. 

4. Ask for gentle exfoliation. Exfoliate with a gentle physical exfoliator at least 4 days prior to your application session. It will help reduce dry patches and texturing. It will also smooth your skin which will make your airbrush foundation apply smoothly to your face.

5. Now is the time to groom your brows. Please groom your brows so they look clean! If you wax or tweeze your brows, do this at least a week before your session, usually at the same time of your facial. Brow waxing can cause a lot of redness and swelling, in some cases even some scabbing, which is why it’s smart to have it done a week before to ensure they have time to heal if necessary.

HAIR REFRESH

Book a trim and color session with your stylist a week before your portrait session. Here are 5 things to remember when booking this appointment: 

1. Avoid drastic changes: now is not the time to change your hair color or opt for a big chop. If you hate it, it will be forever immortalized in your senior pictures. Yikes! 

2. Touch up your roots: if you dye your hair, this is the perfect time to color your roots so that they’re cohesive with the rest of your hair. Please don’t expect your photographer to handle that in Photoshop – that specific editing process is time consuming (multiplied by every single image in your gallery) and may cause your photographer to charge you extra for the unexpected time spent fixing this issue.

3. Maintain your highlights: if you have highlights, now is the time to have them refreshed. Make sure to use a salon grade shampoo and conditioner that won’t turn your highlights brassy by the time your session takes place. 

4. Get a fresh trim: get rid of any and all dried and split ends so that your hair looks flawless for your big day. Subtle, long layers photograph beautifully if you’re itching to change it up a bit.

5. Don’t forget your extensions: if you are wearing extensions for your senior pictures, they will need to have the same treatment (color and/or highlights) as the rest of your hair to ensure they seamlessly blend in. 

Before you book all these other appointments, you’ll need to book your senior session date first! Complete our contact form and we’ll send you our available dates as well as our senior magazine with details of our sessions, prices, and booking process!