Whether you’ve already booked a boudoir session or plan to, here’s what you should do before the session date.
1) Clear Out a Few Days
My boudoir sessions are meant to be part of a sexual vacation where you will embark on a journey to self-love & sexual empowerment. Like any vacation, it is wise to have some buffer days. I recommend you clear out a minimum of three days, one before & one after your main session day. This ensures you won’t feel rushed or stressed during your session & makes timing more flexible. So for your work, make sure you get everything that needs to be done beforehand to avoid stressing about all the things you will need to catch up on when you return to work. If you have a family or kids, get them ready for your little getaway and find a reliable person to care of them. Same thing for pets. The point being to make sure things move with some normalcy while you’re away.
2) Prepare Your Body
First things first, if you’re not already on a fitness routine, now may be a suitable time to start, no you don’t have to work out till you have a super model body, but you will need stamina and flexibility to hold various poses. Working out and sweating also has the added benefit of removing toxins and giving your skin some glow. At the very least I highly recommend walking and stretching, if you have more time add yoga or Pilates.
Skin
Let’s start this off with a reminder to stay hydrated!! Water is the most critical factor in healthy skin; drink plenty of it. Limit your processed food intake because it can cause inflammation and acne. Get those antioxidants in and eat lots of vegetables & fruits. Let’s not forget sleep! Get your beauty sleep.
If you want to get a tan, please do so at least a week before your shoot. We want to avoid tan lines and sunburnt or irritated skin. Please be careful, and only get a natural or professional tan. Self-tanners and spray tans tend to come out as overly orange and fake which will look unappealing. They can stain bedding and clothing as well.
As an alternative, I can create the illusion of tanner skin with lighting and grading techniques, many women love the tan I create, and you don’t have to go through the troubles and risks of tanning.
If your skin is dry, moisturize your skin as needed. I recommend you exfoliate your skin as well. Do so a few days before your session to avoid redness.
Face
If you are on a skincare kit or routine, continue it. Get a facial if you can! A Spa might be best to help you relax, but there are many options for at-home facials out there. Also, get your eyebrows done, again, keeping in mind the redness after.
If you have tired eyes you may want to reduce those. There are plenty of ways to do so from creams to more natural remedies such as putting a mixture of water and coffee grounds under your eyes
Unless it is a no-makeup session, remember to get your makeup done in the morning. If you are not much of a makeup user and don’t have much experience doing your own makeup, I highly recommend you book a professional makeup artist.
Hair
Maintain a good hair care routine. Talk to your hairstylist if you need help, they’ll know what is best for you. Get your hair done in the morning on the day of our session.
Now let’s discuss body hair. Most clients opt for a full-body wax, which I also highly recommend. Make sure to also wax days before so your skin isn’t red and irritated. There are women who like having some hair down there, which is also fine. However, when wearing lingerie, it is ideal to be waxed or at least trimmed to avoid hairs from awkwardly sticking out from the sides.
Nails
Your hands & feet will be used in very sensual and creative ways, so they must be looking their best. Get a manicure & pedicure done. Regarding polish, I recommend white, black, red, or natural colors. At a minimum, wear clear nail polish so your nails don’t look dull. However, if your nails are dry & brittle, make sure you are getting plenty of vitamins & nutrients and look into the nail polish alternative: shellac.
Get Your Outfits Ready
Pick outfits that match the mood you are going for. Make sure they fit well, not too loose & not too tight, just right. But being a bit towards one side is fine and is common when purchasing lingerie online. Do remember that it is not only about lingerie, depending on the mood again, warm & comfortable shoots that are playful for example can also include things like sweaters, knee-high socks, etc. Also, keep in mind the accessories, jewelry especially. If you need help picking outfits, I offer video call reviews, I can accompany you on a shopping session, or I can even purchase the outfits for you.
I know that this experience can be daunting & you might be feeling anxious yet excited, but this only means you are doing something outside your normal routine. We tend to worry too much so going back to the first recommendation of clearing out at least a day before so that you can loosen up, listen to music, meditate & practice breathwork, etc. You will be spending a lot of time & resources for this special moment so plan well but relax; everything will be fine.
Common Concerns
Don’t worry about last minute acne or breakouts, that’s taken care of during editing.
If you don’t already keep track of it, do so and schedule your session accordingly. If you are having unpredictable periods and your period happens the day of the session it will be completely up to you if you want to continue or take a break. As you probably know by now, I have a lot of leeway with breaks & rescheduling since I only book a few sessions per week.