So you have earned yourself a spot on a television show, pretty cool right? Well, that is until you start thinking of all the people who will be watching and listening to you, for maybe just a few moments, but still that is quite a big deal isn’t it? Well, it is time to take a deeeep breath and relax, follow each of these steps and you will be ready to host the Today Show with Matt Lauer.
First of all, you are an expert in whatever topic that is to be discussed on the show, remember that! This will be the base of your prepping because if you aren’t confident and sure of yourself then chances of you getting nervous on set are quite likely. Review your material and content for the segment often enough that you could recite it under extreme pressures, but don’t memorize it word for word, you want to come off natural as you explain it on the camera.
Now that you are mentally prepared, the next step is appearance, but most importantly your make-up. You may know the content by the back of your hand, but if you don’t look the part then there is a chance that you will not be taken seriously as the expert that you are.
Of course everyone will be looking at your face while you talk, making make-up an essential when appearing on TV, even if you don’t normally wear it, as the oils in your skin look dramatically different when on camera.
Always wash your face thoroughly to start, then apply a primer, concealer and foundation. I use an airbrush machine because I feel it has more even, lightweight coverage, but many foundations on the market now offer similar advantages. Then apply a highlighter to the upper part of your cheeks [when you smile this part sticks out on top] and follow that with a rosy blush. I also add a bronzer to thin out my face, but of course that is optional.
Now that your face is prepped you can move onto the details. I love to wear a primer with a little shimmer to it as an eyeshadow because it isn’t too sparkly but it adds a little more than just skin color. Next up is the eyeliner, which I use the liquid mousse and a thin brush to create the fine lines across my eyelids, of course I love to add a small wing to give it a little flair! I then brush a sliver of shimmer under my eyebrows to brighten and open up my eyes. After, use a small brush to apply a light brown shadow lightly underneath your bottom eyelashes, starting at the outside corner and dragging slightly inwards.
The mascara is the frosting of the eye. Some people may think to wear false eyelashes since they will be on TV, but I strongly disagree, well at least to a full set. I bought a pair of cheap ones from the drug store and I cut them into about 1 centimeter pieces, apply one piece on each eye at the outer corner for a little added volume. If needed, double check your eyeliner to make sure no glue is showing, but they now make black and clear eyelash glue, which is great! Then apply your mascara slowly to avoid clumps. I also just quickly brush some onto my bottom lashes, just enough for a little color but not enough to be extremely dramatic!
Perhaps the most important part of your make-up are your lips. Now I feel that since the eyes are nice and subtle, a bold lip is perfect to add just the right amount of drama to your face, but a neutral lip is also a great look for the camera. I recommend matte lips either way, because the if you have a glossy lip it tends to shine a little too vibrantly on the camera. First I line by lips with a color similar to that of my lipstick color. Then I put on a smooth coat on both my top and bottom lips. I kiss a tissue a few times then add a second, thinner application of the color. Finally one more blotting and the matte look should be a perfect tone and also be thick enough to last quite a while. Make sure to always double check your teeth after, nothing is worse and lipstick on teeth!
Of course your own unique flairs can be added to enhance your make-up, but remember to keep it simple. Natural enhancements to bring out your inner charm can really boost your confidence and of course make you look fabulous!
