How to Make Your Makeup Look Good on Camera, Celebrity Makeup Artist Advice

What lasts longer than your makeup at an event? The photos and videos that capture it from every angle. That means your glam isn’t just about how it looks in the mirror, but how it performs on camera, under harsh lighting and unforgiving flashes.

To break it down, E! spoke to celebrity makeup artist Elaine Offers, the artist behind Lisa Kudrow’s glam on Season 3 of The Comeback, as well as looks for Sarah Jessica Parker and Julianne Moore. She shared the makeup essentials you’ll need, plus how to look really, really good in photos.

If you’ve got a big event coming up like a graduation, wedding, party, or yes, even the Met Gala (hey, it could happen!)—you’ll want to keep these on-camera makeup tips in mind.

Offers explains: “Camera lighting tends to flatten features and wash out dimension. The goal is more makeup, applied strategically, so it still reads fresh and natural on screen.”