By guest blogger Alexandra Carter
The COVID-19 global pandemic changed most things about life. Perhaps one of the most significant changes was the shift from in-person communication to virtual webcam communication. Whether for school, work, or social activities, people came to rely on webcam communication more than ever in the wake of lockdowns and social distancing guidelines.
The only problem is that poor lighting, shoddy camera quality, and slow connection speeds make it hard to look beautiful and glowy on video chat. This led many of us to hit the "camera off" button on Zoom chat after Zoom chat. Let's change that! With some quick and easy adjustments to your skincare routine and video call space, you can ensure you look #flawless on every video chat.
Let's go over some tips to help you put your best face forward.
Lighting Is Everything
Good lighting can make or break your webcam appearance. To put yourself in the best light, set up your camera so you face a window, allowing natural light to shine in on you. Natural light does wonders for brightening the skin and making the eyes pop. Just make sure the natural light hits you straight-on so you avoid dark shadows on your face; these can completely defeat the purpose of sitting in front of the window.
Have you ever wondered why all of those TikTokers always look so perfect? They have a secret weapon called a ring light. Ring lights have also become popular for webcam chats thanks to their ability to provide professional-grade lighting with the click of a button. Ring lights come in various styles and price ranges. Unless you're starting a youtube channel or doing a photoshoot, an inexpensive light will do what you need. You can get one to clip onto your laptop, on a stand that holds your phone, or on a tall stand for more positioning options.
Watch Your Angles
To look good on-cam, you need to listen to Drake and work them angles, girl. Angles can be the difference between looking poised and professional and looking disheveled. First and foremost, try to get the camera at eye level or a bit higher. You never want the camera to be below your chin because that will give you the appearance of a double chin, and it's a highly unflattering angle.
Try tilting your face slightly upward to tighten the jawline and lift the cheeks — this has the same effect as taking a selfie with your phone held high. It can also help you look slim and glamorous. If you can't lift your webcam and don't want to hold your phone or computer above your head for an hour-long Zoom chat, try propping up your laptop by stacking it on top of books. This elevated position can help you achieve the best angle.
Say Goodbye to Red Skin
To avoid constantly looking like the *blushing* emoji, you need to get your redness under control. Add a few redness-reducing products like the Spa Technologies Calming Gel to keep redness from environmental factors and rosacea at bay. For extra help with reducing redness on video calls, apply some tinted moisturizer before your video chat. This will cover up imperfections and redness without looking too cakey like a full-coverage foundation will.
Exfoliate
You can't glow if you don't have proper exfoliation creating a smooth surface. Try products like the Spa Technologies Micro Pearl Exfoliator, a gentle exfoliating cream that contains pearl and fine pumice microparticles. These microparticles work by refining surface skin, encouraging cellular turnover, and stimulating circulation — the perfect recipe for healthy, glowing skin.
Moisturize
If you want to look dewy and fresh, you need to make sure you don't skip the moisturizer. Proper moisturizing is another vital step on your journey to glowing, webcam-ready skin. You can achieve this with face oil to revive lackluster skin or traditional moisturizing cream to rejuvenate dull, dead skin and bring it back to life.
Plump
Plumping the skin fades the appearance of wrinkles and pores and can also help diminish discoloration. The Spa Technologies Antioxidant Recovery Cream recovers youthful and supple skin by injecting moisture into the skin which expands everything like a wet sponge. The initial smoothing effect is temporary but with regular use, plumping products can make a lasting difference by inhibiting the formation of new wrinkles and keeping the wrinkles you do have from getting worse. Shea butter, olive oil, and anti-inflammatory seaweed extracts enrich this emollient balm with repairing enzymes that calm and balance sensitive and dehydrated skin, leaving you with red-carpet-ready, glowing skin.
Don't forget to test out how your webcam picture looks before others hop on the call. This gives you time to adjust your position, lighting, and angles so you feel confident enough to crush your Zoom calls.
Try our webcam-ready skin tips before your next Zoom call to leave people awestruck by your gorgeous glow, and don't forget to tell us your favorite skincare tips and tricks!
