How Should I Wear My Hair and Makeup for Cheer Pictures?

Look your best for your cheerleading pictures by doing your hair and makeup. While you might normally wear minimal makeup and pull your hair into a ponytail, it is OK to go one step further and apply a little more gloss or add some curl. Cheerleading pictures are done inside or outside, which will make a difference in your makeup application. Natural lighting is more forgiving, while faux lighting is harsher on your appearance.

  1. Indoor Makeup Application

    • Apply a primer to freshly moisturized face to ensure your foundation glides on smooth and flawless. While you wait for your primer to settle on your face, go ahead and apply a highlighting eyeshadow under your brow bones. In addition, layer your eyelids with shadow that makes your natural eye color pop. Wait to apply mascara until the end. Spread a foundation, one shade darker than your natural color, over your face. Dab concealer, also one shade darker, under your eyes and around your nostrils. Faux lighting will cause your face to look white in pictures. Unless you are extremely tan or have dark skin, always go one shade darker with your foundation and concealer and blend with the rest of your skin. Apply a light blusher, light-stain lip gloss and complete the look with two coats of mascara.

    Outdoor Makeup Application

    • Slather a moisturizer on your freshly washed face and follow up with a tinted foundation. Heavy foundation might not show well in outdoor photos because of the natural lighting combined with the photographic filter of the camera. A tinted moisturizer, in addition to concealer, will give your look a more natural appearance while still appearing flawless. Skip heavy eyeliner for outdoor photographs and opt for a highlighting stick. Apply the highlighter under your brow bones and around your eyes. This will make your eyes pop regardless of your natural color. Sweep a bronzer over your T-zone and along your cheeks to add additional color to the outdoor photo. Finish the look with mascara and lip gloss.

    High Ponytail

    • Pull your hair into a traditional high ponytail for your pictures. The ponytail is pulled taut to the crown of your head and secured. In addition, you can wrap a ribbon around the base of the ponytail to show your school pride. Take your ponytail one step further by adding details such as long curls in the tail of your hair or adding a poof to the top of your head. In addition, cheerleaders with long hair can braid a small section of the front or side of the head and weave the braid so it ends at the ponytail.

    Curly Hair

    • Skip the standard ponytail and keep your short or long hair down and curled. Girls with short hair can add volume and waves with a medium-size curling iron and mousse. In addition, girls with short hair can add a small French braid along the bang line of their hair and ending just beyond the ear. Girls with long hair can roll their hair in large curlers to get lots of volume or use a curling iron to create small ringlets or large waves.