Hydrate, moisturize, and exfoliate! Drink lots of water, moisturize your skin daily, and exfoliate twice a week! Beyond just feeling great, these help your skin look extra luminous in pictures and actually helps makeup look more natural too.

Stretch! Boudoir posing involves a lot of stretching - a bit like a yoga class, my clients often find that their hips, legs, and especially their back muscles are a bit sore after their session. I encourage stretching in the days before your session and the morning of your photoshoot!

Be kind to your body: In the weeks before your session eat well, get plenty of sleep, do things that feel grounding/good to you.

When it comes to body hair: Do what you normally do! If you have a lot of body hair, that’s amazing — no need to change yourself for your session. If you’re someone who loves to shave or get a wax, go for it! That’s also amazing.

The morning of your session: Remember to eat breakfast! Take a deep breath - you got this :)

For more tips, check out this blog post all about how to prepare your mind and body for a boudoir session.

My biggest tip: try outfits on ahead of time and pack early so you don’t forget anything or feel rushed on your session day!Here’s what to bring:

Your outfits. Make sure you have all the pieces together, cut off any visible/distracting tags, steam out wrinkles, and hang everything in a garment bag so it’s ready to go. Feel free to bring extra outfits if you can’t pare it down - I’ll be able to help :)

Accessories (optional). If you’re planning to bring other outfit accessories like jewelry, jackets, shoes, hair pieces, a wedding veil, etc - remember to bring those as well. The majority of my clients are pretty minimal with accessories so if you don’t have anything in this category, that’s normal too.

Think about what you'll wear to the studio. I always recommend comfy, loose clothes that won’t leave imprints on your skin.

Don’t do any intensive skin treatments the week before your session. Cupping, tanning, facials - avoid anything that might irritate your skin in the week before your session.

Don’t try any brand new skin/hair/body treatments right before your session either! I’ve had clients who dyed their hair or tried waxing for the first time the day before their photoshoot, and then felt really self-conscious if it didn’t turn out how they expected. You’re gorgeous as you are! Right before your session, focus on celebrating yourself, not changing yourself :)

Don’t show up with brand new outfits that you’ve never tried on! Lingerie can be hard to fit, and I always encourage you to try things on at home (long before your session) so that you know you feel confident and like yourself.

To prep for hair/makeup styling: Arrive with a clean face and clean, dry hair. I also have makeup remover and facewash in my studio if you'd prefer to wear makeup here.

Gather inspiration photos: Collect 1-2 photos of yourself where you like how your hair/makeup looks (it could be a fancy vibe or an everyday look - just for reference of what you like to look like), and a photo or two of hair/makeup ideas for how you want to be styled for your session. 

If you have any allergies or sensitivities to hair/makeup products please be sure to let the stylist know.

This might impact what you’ll wear to the studio. You may want to wear a top that will be easy to change out of after hair/makeup styling, like a flannel.

Choose a look that feels natural to you! Go for your everyday look, a totally natural no-makeup look, or your going-out fancy look. I always say don’t worry about trying new techniques — just do what you like and what feels like you!

Plan to arrive to your session ready to go. You’re welcome to bring extra hair or makeup supplies if you want the option to touch up during your session.

Consider how you'll change outfits. Some outdoor spots have an inside location/restroom where you can change outfits, others require more creativity or dressing in a car. One outdoor boudoir client I worked with brought an oversized dress that she wore while changing underneath; others have brought a blanket or sheet to change under in their cars. Consider your own comfort level and feel free to ask if you'd like to talk through ideas/logistics.

Consider what else you’ll want to bring to be comfortable during the photoshoot. It all can vary depending on our location and the time of year! Past clients have brought bug spray, sunscreen, slip-on sandals or sturdy hiking shoes to wear between locations, cozy layers or coats to warm up if it’ll be chilly, a towel to dry off if we'll be in/near water, a water bottle and snacks... I recommend bringing along a backpack with those items as well as your outfits!

For more tips, check out this blog post all about how to pack for outdoor boudoir.