The power of YOU

The Importance of Including Yourself in Your Brand

We're probably not the first to tell you, but actually putting a face to your brand will be the game changer for your business. It will change the nature of your biz by humanizing what you do and change how clients think and feel about you immensely. Showing your face and personalizing your business is crucially beneficial to building trust around your brand, and showing your community the face behind your service offering. This is the one mistake we see freelance makeup artists, hair stylists, and creative entrepreneurs making over and over again. People fail to show their face and have a personal brand!!

Have you ever wondered what’s going to set you apart from an oversaturated market?!

IT’S YOU BOO, IT’S YOU!!!

That is us! Kimm & Hollie, the Co-Founders of ALCHEMY BEAUTY ACADEMY

Why It’s Important to Put a Face to Your Brand

Being the face of your brand allows you to build that connection with your audience; more so, it makes your company more familiar, approachable and authentic.

But WHY? Showing your face is a great way to build trust within your community. When potential customers feel a stronger emotional connection to you, they’re more likely to convert into a paying customer! Okay, but HOW? The easiest way to put a face to your brand is to change your Instagram icon from your logo to a photo of you. As beautiful and cool as your logo is, your face is more inviting! And you better have a picture of yourself somewhere on your website. People don't want to send an inquiry to some mysterious stranger. You are not the Wizard of Oz- so stop hiding behind the curtain!

No, a selfie isn't going to cut it

Okay, let's just cut to the chase… you may be thinking you have a great selfie you love, so why not just use that? Don't! Not if you are serious about your career. There is no such thing as a professional selfie. But there is such thing as a professional headshot. But why is getting a headshot professionally done important? While we do recommend including pictures of yourself on social media where a selfie can absolutely be appropriate, when it comes to your website and branding, just say no. If you put your selfie out there to be compared with truly professional headshots, you have failed to meet an important benchmark of making a good first impression. Which was the whole point in the first place! Here are some other quick reasons to avoid selfies and to use a pro instead… Approximately 88 percent of clients said that they felt a selfie on an artist's website was unprofessional. And, from the same survey, 58 percent also said they would not hire someone who had specifically used a selfie on their About page.

Getting a professional headshot done demonstrates self-confidence, a desirable trait that your potential clients will seek.

Ok, hopefully we have convinced you. Now let's dive into some tips & tricks to help you get a great headshot!

1. AVOID BUSY PATTERNS AND STRIPES.

While bold patterns and stripes might look great day to day, for headshots you definitely want to stick to solid colors and non-distracting fabrics. Some patterns will distract the eye away from the most important part of the photo: you! The key here is to keep things tidy and simple so that the attention is on your face, not on what you’re wearing.

2. FOR A SLIMMER LOOK, CHOOSE FORM-FITTING & FIGURE-HUGGING CLOTHING.

It might seem counter intuitive, but in order to look slimmer in photos, you’ll want to select tighter-fitting clothing. The problem with a loose shirt is that it will definitely make you look larger than you are. While in real life, we can see how fabric moves around a body, in a still photograph, you are only seeing the outer shape. This is also why arm placement and empty space around the torso is so important when creating a flattering and slimming pose in portraits - without that space, the person will appear bigger than they really are. Remember this: loose= bulk.

3. SELECT SLEEVES THAT ARE FLATTERING.

Most people have concerns about the way their arms look. The rule of thumb is to avoid cap sleeves as they will make your shoulders look wider in pictures. If you have toned arms, sleeveless shirts and dresses can work, or choose the universally flattering 3/4-length sleeves. Once again, you’ll want to make sure that the sleeves are form-fitting and not puffy as that will make your arms look larger.

4. BRING A VARIETY OF NECKLINES TO MIX UP YOUR LOOKS.

If you can't decide between a few different options for your outfit select your top 2-3 picks and bring them with you to your headshot session. Your photographer may be able to help decide what would be best for you based on the way the neckline frames your face. A V-neck always works well on female presenting folks, as well as, a scoop neckline or a bateau. The one neckline we would suggest staying away from is a turtleneck, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule as we've definitely seen some women who were able to pull it off successfully - it just doesn’t always look great on everyone.

5. DON'T OVER ACCESSORIZE

When it comes to jewelry or watches, keeping things simple is key. Unless you have a specific style that you’re known for, go for dainty necklaces and bracelets that won’t distract from your face in a portrait. It’s also important for any accessory you decide to wear to go with your outfit, and necklaces must specifically work with the neckline. Often it’s best to bring several options that are your favorite or have a special meaning to the Studio and we can put your full outfit together on-site for your session.

6. CHOOSE A COLOR YOU ENJOY WEARING & WILL WORK WITH YOUR BRAND.

Once you’ve eliminated any clothing options with distracting patterns or stripes, you’ll need to select what color you will wear in your headshot. Certain colors always look good Blue, navy, and dark gray, jewel tones or some light-colored neutrals.

Many photographers will say to stay away from pure black or pure white, but in the end, it’s all about how you wear it and what background you pair the outfit with.

The other thing to consider when it comes to color is if you have a specific signature color that you always wear. If that’s the case, you should definitely consider weaving your signature color into your headshot as well.

7. ANYTHING THAT SHOWS OFF YOUR PERSONAL STYLE IS BEST.

One of the biggest things to remember when it comes to selecting what to wear for your headshot is that anything that represents your personal style will be better than a piece of clothing that follows all the rules. Your headshot doesn’t have to be boring or typical if you don’t fit into that description yourself. Showing off your personality will make your headshot memorable and personal, too.

8. YOU'RE A BEAUTY PRO, SO YOU ALREADY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPECCABLE HAIR & MAKEUP

We get it, for many of us in the industry doing our own hair & makeup can feel a bit like a chore. It is so much more enjoyable to get to work on other people right?! But for your headshot, it is time to treat yourself like a client. Take your time and really treat yourself to the full pampering experience you normally provide for others. The one tip we will give when it comes to your makeup... make sure you don't pick colors that clash with your branding! Maybe your signature is a bright coral lip, but if your branding is a bold red just imagine how much impact the image could have if you rocked a red lip for your headshots. If you’re using your headshots for your website, social media pages, or brochures, (and you absolutely should be) choose colors that match your brand.

We know what a game changer this can be for artist's so we include a headshot session in our Business Program

As a part of our Business Alchemist & Master Beauty Alchemist certificate programs we include a PROFESSIONAL ARTIST HEADSHOT. Receive a professionally edited image of yourself for use on your website, social media, & branding. Graduates can sign up for this each year to keep their headshots up to date.

(INCLUDED COMPLIMENTARY FOR THOSE ENROLLED IN OUR BUSINESS ALCHEMIST & MASTER BEAUTY ALCHEMIST PROGRAMS CAN BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY FOR OTHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED)

So take a look at your current headshot (if you have one).

Is it doing you and your business justice? If not, it’s time to invest in yourself and give your business a little upgrade.

You owe it to yourself to become everything you dream of