Passport photography is notoriously unforgiving. But the secret to taking a good photo—one that will stand the test of time for a decade—may just be the “passport makeup” trend. The hashtag currently has a whopping 385.3 million views on TikTok and shows no signs of stopping.
The secret to mastering the perfect passport photo is all down to a soft, glamorous ‘symmetry’ look, according to the beauty content creator. Georgia Barratt, who went viral with her videos detailing how to achieve the look (one of which currently has 25.3 million views). To successfully bypass the one-dimensional lighting of the booth and shine through the dullness – a little extra time, effort and product is required on photo day. The result? An elevated, elevated makeup look that is completely glamorous, yet exudes an air of effortlessness. Once you follow these steps, you’ll have a passport photo that you can be proud of for the next decade, but that will still make you recognizable on your makeup-free travels.
Here, Fashion examines the main elements of the trend and how best to achieve this look with the help of a well-known make-up artist, Mata Marielle.
Start with a light, flawless foundation
“My favorite products for creating the perfect passport photo glamor are products that are light, but immediately give the skin a lift,” says Mariélle. When it comes to creating the perfect base, Mariélle prefers a lighter formula that lets the skin’s natural glow shine through. “A tinted foundation like the Rose Inc tinted serum foundation is key,” she shares. “If you want flawless-looking skin that still has glow and dewiness, then this foundation is perfect for you.”
Then add a dimension
Mimicking light and shadows helps maintain the dimension that passport booth lighting often takes away. Contouring is essential when defining the jawline, temples, above the cheek, nose and chin, as are illuminating powders when it comes to “lifting” the face. “Prisme Libre setting powder from Givenchy is gold: it suits every skin color and you don’t get a flashback,” says Mariélle. “The Hourglass mood lighting highlight is also super light and natural looking, making it a nice finishing touch for the cheeks and brow bone.”
Natural, but well-groomed eyebrows
Groomed brows are the key to this polished makeup look. “The best eyebrow product for this would be the Too Faced super fine eyebrow pencilwhich is perfect for creating natural feather-type eyebrows,” Mariélle recommends.
Then extend the eyes
Creating the illusion of elongated eyes, applying eyeliners in combination with corner lashes is an indispensable step when it comes to achieving this trend. The feathered one Ardell nude eyelashes and the fluttering Eyelure ¾ length eyelashes will help you achieve this effect.
Add lip liner and then apply lots of gloss
When it comes to lips, it’s important to have a defined liner and keep the color as close to your natural color as possible. Nourishing lip balms, glossy glosses and tinted lip oils are great to start with. Mariélle’s favorite product for her customers? The Clarins Lip Oil. “It comes in so many shades,” she says. “It’s great for the lips, but it can also be used as a highlighter for all the highlights of your face. You can even apply some of this to your eyelids. I just love the natural finish it gives.”
The final touches
You want this makeup look to stay firmly in place in the photo, which is why it’s important to apply a setting spray, spritzing it before and after your base to ensure it really doesn’t move.
