We talk to video producer James Howard-Vyse, director at Wizzard, on how to look good when you're conference-calling on Zoom, filming an Insta Live or FaceTiming your friends – along with the must-have prettifying products to ensure you're ready for your close-up
Culture Whisper: 'When conference-calling or using tech like Zoom, where do you need to place your camera or laptop?'
James Howard-Vyse: 'Lighting is super important. If it’s behind you, people can’t see you.
'Above and you create shadows under your eyes (never good).
'The best lighting is natural or soft lighting from behind the camera source.'
CW: 'What is the best position for the camera?'
JH-V: 'We all know that camera angles can be highly unflattering. The best position to look at your best is straight in front and at eye level.
'The most common problem is people have their camera positioned too low, which gives the impression you are looking down on the other people on the call and, as we all know, it’s never a favourable angle.'
CW: 'What is the best backdrop?'
JH-V: 'Always consider your background. People will be intrigued to see where you are and it can say a lot about you. Messy beds? Dirty laundry in the spare room? Kids' toys? It’s probably safest to keep it simple and use a plain wall as the backdrop and have a strategically placed plant or flowers to add interest.'
CW: 'Any styling advice?'
JH-V: 'Clothes, if possible, should reflect the tone of the call. Avoid stripes as these can strobe the camera, which can be off-putting. It is best to wear solid colours as opposed to patterns, as these are generally easier on the eye.
'You should treat the call like a regular face-to-face meeting and ensure you are comfortable with your make-up. A light dusting of powder for both men and women will ensure you look cool, calm and collected if the virtual meeting is going to make you stressed and sweaty.'
These are the products to help you hone, tone and make you camera-ready.
A day of back-to-back conference calls? Don’t keep applying powder – try these blotting sheets instead to mop up sweat and shine.
Chanel Papier Matifiant de Chanel Oil Control Tissues, £26 – buy here
Avoid too much shimmer and, instead, opt for skin-flattering matte shades.
Viseart Eyeshadow Palette Matte Finish, £69 – buy here
Make-up artist Mary Phillips uses this on clients like Chrissy Teigen and Jennifer Lopez to get them camera ready. It not only covers blemishes but also dark circles with ease.
La Mer The Concealer, £65 – buy here
Even though you haven’t seen sunshine in a while, give yourself a healthy dose of colour with this super easy, quick stick formulation. It's perfect if you only have five minutes to prep for Zoom and it adds a realistic flush of colour to cheeks and lips.
Milk Make-up Lip + Cheek, £20.50 – buy here
This is one of the easiest matte lipsticks to apply and wear. It instantly brightens up a dull complexion and makes you appear more polished even if your bottom half is still in your PJs.
Gucci Rouge à Levres Mat Matte Lipstick, £34 – buy here
Hair out of control? Try this to help tame the frizz, boost shine, add texture and define curls in seconds. It’s been made for every hair type – from ultra-fine to maxed-out frizzy – and can be used as a finisher on dry hair or post-shower wet hair.
Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, £10 – buy here
This skin-friendly formulation not only blurs lines and imperfections, but also acne scarring and large pores too.
Miracle Blur Lip and Line Filler, £26 – Buy here
There’s always the Touch Up My Appearance option in the 'video settings' on Zoom.
This ingenious concept retouches your video display with a soft focus, thus helping to smooth out the skin tone and to present a more polished look when live-streaming to the team.
Plus, check out the brilliant accessories you can buy to update your look instantly – click here.
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