HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST IN HOLIDAY PHOTOS

*This is a guest blog post by Amy Mia Goldsmith

Holiday photos are hilarious! All those drunken people at parties with funny grimaces and poses, looking like some cartoon versions of themselves are really great. Oh, how you laugh as you scroll through your Facebook feed. You laugh, that is, until you stumble upon the photo of yourself from last night that you had no idea your friend took.

Oh lord. Oh no. Why are your cheeks so red? Why does your forehead look like it was used as a substitute for a disco ball? Did you gain weight? Oh my god, do you always resemble a duck when you’re trying to give a sexy pout? Well, that’s it, the only way to avoid these kinds of incidents is to move to a village in the mountains and live with goats who will never take any photos of you, ever. Or! You could try out some of our awesome tips, that works too.

Strike a pose

Take a look at your favourite celebrity magazine and do a little research. What kind of poses do they always take? You’ll notice how, for example, they rarely face the camera head-on, because it’s not a very flattering angle for anyone. Turn your face slightly to the side, keep your shoulder straight, and push your hips a little forward.

When smiling, either give a big, honest grin, or do a subtle, Mona Lisa-like smile where you lift the corners of your lips only a little. Since you can’t really control most things in holiday pictures, and there’s about zero chance you’ll get to take your photo in natural lighting, try to at least find a softly lit area. Anything harsh might cast some weird shadows over you that will emphasize pretty much everything you don’t want to emphasize.

Pick the right clothes

Structured, well-fitted clothing that you feel comfortable in should be your choice. Who cares that your sexy new red dress is Valentino and that your high heels are Jimmy Choo if you look strained, tense, and like you’d really like to just sit down. Metallic  dresses look really good in photos, and heels can elongate your legs, but pick the ones that don’t make you ache. Baggy clothes can make you look shapeless, but this can be resolved by cinching them at the waist with a belt. Just wear something that gives you some shape, and don’t try to squeeze yourself into a dress two sizes too small because you think it will make you look skinnier – it won’t.

Makeup hacks and personalized details

You really need to pay attention to your foundation, because even if the color is only slightly off, it will show in pictures. Since photos can wash us out, contouring can really help give us some much-needed definition, but you really have to be careful and keep everything soft and blended out. Go easy on the highlighter too, especially because it can make some of your features look bigger than they are. Highlight the points which you want to bring out, like your cheekbones, and also be careful about the kind of setting powder you use. A lot of translucent, high-definition powders give flashback, so it’s good to test your makeup before you head out by taking a selfie with the flash on.

Also, bring some blotting sheets with you, and set your T-zone with a good matte powder, especially if you have oily skin. Little details like this seem meaningless, yet they make all the difference. Keep your nails in mind as well – you don’t want people to see chipped, chewed down nails and dry hands. You’ll instantly look untidy. Besides, neat nails and a signature nail color make you look oh so glamorous. Imagine, you could be wearing your own personalized nail polish in some fun, gorgeous color and have everyone who looks at the photo wonder who’s your nail artist. The devil is in the details, darling.

It’s all in the attitude

A forced smile looks terrible. The best way to look like you’re having fun? Is by actually having fun. Relax, give a lazy grin. You’re here to have a good time, you’re an international A-list superstar, a gorgeous celebrity. You suppose you’ll make some time for these annoying paparazzi to take a picture of your beautiful self. Blow them a kiss, you’re too sexy, too important to look worried in your photos.

Hey, if you’re worried about your holiday photographs, why not organize a fun little photoshoot of your own? Invite your girlfriends over, take a bunch of pictures of each other, and practice poses, smiles, makeup skills. This is ridiculously fun (especially when you add wine to the mix), and it preps you for any upcoming events.