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**Reflecting on Passport Photo Prep: Then and Now**

The photo above was taken hurriedly in 2015 when I was deep in the mothering trenches. Back then, a solo loo trip was a luxury, so there was zero time to primp. Fast-forward to 2025, and I’m not going to make the same mistake. I’m investing time and effort to get it right.

In good news, you can now take your passport photo at home, so retakes are an option. But you’re still challenged by a compulsory stark background and a no smiling/filters rule. You also have to be facing straight on (pictures 1 and 3), not looking away (4), with or without hair tucked behind your ears.

Like Victoria Beckham, my preferred angle is the head tilt (2). It makes me look like a head-twitching pigeon but does flatter an ageing jaw. Sadly, that’s not allowed either.

To get a photo that looks more model than murderer, I asked industry experts—a photographer, make-up artist, and hairdresser—for their advice. Here it is.

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### Photography Tips

“Try smizing, i.e., smiling with your eyes,” says photographer Natasha Pszenicki.

To lengthen your neck, pull your shoulders back (resetting every five shots as they creep back up). To define the jaw, try the tongue-on-the-roof-of-your-mouth model trick, then push your chin forward a bit and hold an imaginary peach under it to minimise a double chin.

Lighting is the difference between Shrek and Sienna Miller. Hold a white sheet of A4 paper at chest height to flatter your face and make your eyes twinkle.

Buy a ring light on Amazon — it bathes you in soft light (ask the person taking the shot to do so through the middle of the ring). Alternatively, stand opposite a big window with your back close to a white wall.

**Avoid standing underneath a spotlight** as it creates unflattering shadows.

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### Make-up Tips

Passport photo pages have a laminate coating that fades your features. To counter this, amp up definition on brows and eyes, going 20% darker and bolder than usual.

For extra oomph, make-up artist Aimee Adams suggests using:

– **Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumising Eyebrow Gel** (£26, boots.com)
– **Got2b Glued 2in1 Gel for Brows & Edges** (£5.50, superdrug.com) to increase hold and fullness
– To de-piggify eyes, smudge an eye pencil like **Hildun Beauty Silk To Set Kajal Liner in Emerald** (£16, hildunbeauty.co.uk) into the lash line and wing it out.
– **No7 Age Defying All-In-One Serum Mascara** (£11.96, boots.com)

The lamination can also make glowy skin look greasy, so use translucent powder to avoid this.

While strong light can flatten faces, a subtle contour adds dimension. Dust **Revolution Ultra Sculpt & Contour Kit** (£3.50, revolutionbeauty.com) on the cheekbones, under the jaw, and down the sides of the nose.

Lips tend to disappear too, so over-line a little with **Sculpted By Aimee HydraLip Duo** (£17, sculptedbyaimee.co.uk) and use **Primark PS Gloss Lip Stain** (£3, primark.com).

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### Hair Tips

Try a side parting—it’s flattering and makes you look younger.

A pre-photo salon visit for colour streaks adds brightness and helps avoid the helmet look, while a layered cut defines cheekbones and jawlines.

For styling, sleek is best. Finish with a texturising product such as **Lee Stafford Texturising 3-in-1 Spray** (£7.99, leestafford.com).

To go all out, get someone to waft a stiff card in front of you—this will give your hair movement.

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### Biggest Passport Photo No-Nos

1. Loading up on highlighter. In this scenario, glowy translates to greasy.
2. Tilting your chin down. Instant jowls.
3. Slicking back your hair. Unflattering on everyone except supermodels.
4. Forgetting to define your brows or mascara your lashes. Definition is essential.
5. Dialing up contour with blush and bronzer to counteract the feature-fading flash.

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*Hair: John Katsikiotis*
*Make-up: Aimee Adams*
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-15114585/A-beauty-editors-make-hair-hacks-glowing-passport-photo-you-wont-embarrassed-security.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490