5 Pro Makeup Tips For Your Next Big Zoom Meeting

In just a few months' time, COVID-19 has completely transformed life as we knew it — particularly in the United States, where coronavirus shows no sign of slowing down. Remote work is poised to become the new normal, with leading companies like Twitter announcing that its employees can work from home indefinitely. Virtual dates have taken the place of dinner and a movie for those who wish to be safe rather than sorry. With this new reality comes more virtual camera time, and for some beauty enthusiasts, that means figuring out which makeup looks best pixelated.

Choosing to wear makeup on video calls is entirely your choice, and we get that it can feel trivial to pull out your cosmetics bag just to stay indoors. But for many, dabbing on concealer or swiping on a red lipstick provides a much-needed sense of normalcy; in some cases, it can even help boost productivity. Regardless, there's just something about the digital display that isn't true to life. You can beat your face to the gods, but then you toggle on your camera to see shadows in all the wrong places.

That's why we asked celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta, who works with Gigi Hadid and Camila Cabello, to share his pro-approved wisdom for making sure makeup looks its best on camera. Check out his top tips and tricks, ahead.

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Fix Washed Out Makeup With Gel Blush

Webcams often dull color, so you'll want to pop on some extra blush to make sure it's visible on-screen. In this case, a gel or cream formula looks more vibrant vs. a powder that tends to mattify. Ta recommends dabbing on this gel-balm hybrid with a dense brush to give you a glowy pop of color that's easily buildable. "The color looks like it's coming from within, rather than sitting on top of your skin," he says.

Ciate London Dewy Blush, $, available at Sephora

Get Ready In Seconds With Filled-In Brows

Woke up five minutes before your meeting? Brows can make all the difference. Grooming and filling them in with a light, natural touch can make you look ready to go in moments, given that your eyebrows frame your face.

PATRICK TA Major Brow Shaping Wax, $, available at Sephora

Look Wide Awake With Highlighter

There's something about video calls that just makes everyone look tired. Even if the state of the world has rendered you sleepless, you can still look fresh-faced by adding some highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes. "It opens them up more, so that you don't have to layer on mascara," Ta advises. The makeup pro also recommends using an eyelash curler to give tired eyes even more of a boost.

Beauty Bakerie Milk & Honey Highlighting Palette, $, available at Ulta Beauty

Liven Up Your Look With The Right Lighting

Ta stresses that skin-care and lighting are both key to brightening up your entire face. He suggests taking your calls by a window, and if it's a gloomy day, don't be afraid to use a lamp to stage the scene. You can get instantly more radiant skin while also protecting your complexion from UV rays with this hydrating, glow-imparting sunscreen.

Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40, $, available at Sephora

Achieve Soft Dimensions With Cream Bronzer

If you feel like your face loses all definition the second you get on camera, use cream bronzer to create a soft, natural-looking contour. "Start off with a little, and then you can just blend it away to make sure you don't add too much," Ta says.

Tower 28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer, $, available at Tower 28

from refinery29