Instead of doing dishes and laundry tonight, wouldn't it be nice to hear that your homework is a night of pampering?

Well that's just what you need to do leading up to a photo shoot.

Pamper Time - You're Welcome

Love, your PHOTOG.

- THE WEEK BEFORE -

1. Freshen up that HAIR. 

Touch up your roots, and consider a light trim. Trimming your ends can really perk up your hairdoo without changing your look.

2. Whiten that SMILE. 

I'm not a big fan of teeth-whitening, but I also know there are a lot of ways you can go about it... see a professional, buy a product, or make your own.

3. Love on Your HANDS & TOES. 💅

Get a manicure or DIY those nails. Fresh paint, or no paint, we want your fingers looking glorious. Moisturize your cuticles and your hands, and then again.

- THE NIGHT BEFORE -

4. Pluck (don't wax) those STRAY HAIRS.

I'm one of those lucky gals who has an eyebrow - that's right guys, I'm confessing to the uno-brow. I pluck that middle-ground, and around. A cleaned up and defined brow-line looks fabulous, so make sure to clean yours up the night or two before depending on your skin sensitivity level. Guys, you can clean up that brow-line too... and the nose and ear hairs while you are at it. ;-)

5. Shave (or ... wax... ouch!) 🛀

Freshly shave, whatever you typically shave. But if you are going the waxing route, make sure you give your skin more time than just overnight to heal.

6. Exfoliate. Then MOISTURIZE, Moisturize, & MOISTURIZE.

Exfoliate that bare skin. You can make your own exfoliant for your face (2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp coconut oil) and your body (the same as for your face, or you can go for something more coarse like Epsom salts). Pat that sexy body dry, and then grab the lotion. Legs, hands, arms face... moisturize everything. A moisturized face looks more radiant, (and for the ladies, it helps your make-up application go smoother). And when you are done moisturizing everything, moisturize your hands again... and bring that lotion with you tomorrow, because hands dry out quick!

7. Plan Your WARDROBE. 👚👙👖👗

Pick out your clothing choices (multiple pieces are often recommended depending on your photo shoot needs), those cute shoes, and jewelry (polish your jewels!!) and other accessories.

Pick out your undergarments too, paying particular attention to three things... #1 - garments that will be well hidden, #2 - garments that will not leave lines or other indentations in skin that will be visible at some point, and #3 - garments that make you feel sexier.

Bring a nude or other color undershirt if your photo shoot will involve studio lights. A tank top, for example, can be a life saver in case any of your clothing choices react poorly to flash or studio strobes (I've had an embarrassing direct-flash "translucent top" experience... on someone else's camera).

8. Glug... glug... glug... 

Have you been drinking enough water? Probably not. Make sure to have a full glass of water before bedtime (and no alcohol). Moisturizing from the inside out.

9. Get ALL that Sleep. 

Time to get some shut eye. Turn off the TV. Plug that cell phone in over there, not at your night stand. Read a book. Get to sleep early. 

- THE DAY OF -

10. No PICKING!

Most every adult in the universe wakes up to a pimple the morning of a very important day. DON'T BE TEMPTED TO PICK AT IT!! First, it's easier to cover up a pimple with make-up than a bleeding wound. Second, your photographer has this magical thing called Photoshop.

11. Leave LOADS of Spare Time. 🚙

For me, this is a HUGE tip. I get very anxious when I fear being late, or I can't find where I'm going. Always give yourself plenty of time for delays... delays at home, and on the drive, especially if this is a whole family thing and not just about getting YOU from Point A to Point B.

12. Give Yourself that LOVE Talk that you've needed FOR-like-EVER. ♥️

We are way too hard on ourselves just about ALL THE TIME. Watch this video for some rewire-your-brain-training:

You are AWESOME. You are INTELLIGENT. You are BRAVE. You are WONDERFUL.

What else can I say?

13. Sing-A-Long Time! 🎶

Listen to some fun tunes this morning, or on the car ride over... even during your photo shoot. The right music can get anyone in the mood for photo fun!

14. Pump some IRON.

Want those arms or legs to look just a bit more buff? Drop and give your photographer 10, or 20 (be careful to keep your attire, hair, and make-up in check). Your muscles will activate and appear more defined.

15. ROCK IT, 100%.

There's no need to show up and tell your photographer that, "I hate having my picture taken.". Throw that garbage thinking in the trash, and ROCK THAT SHOOT! The worst thing you can do is decide you don't wanna. Enjoy this experience, learn from it, and let go a little. Sometimes, it's all about trust, and that little bit of release can really show in your photos.

Is your head spinning?

This is your sweet check-list to keep in mind for that next photo shoot.

Questions? Please, ask below!

What's vital to your pampering routine?