Boudoir Prep: 5 Tips for Your Upcoming Session

One of the most asked questions I get is all about boudoir prep. And that’s with good reason. Most of you aren’t professional models. How would you know what to bring or how to get ready for your upcoming boudoir session?
I’m glad you’re worried about what to bring and how to prep for your session though. There’s nothing worse than showing up unprepared! Kind of like in showing up without your pencil for a test in school that you haven’t studied for. That gives me anxiety just thinking about it.
AND THAT’S WHY I BRING TO YOU TODAY, 5 BOUDOIR PREP TIPS TO PREP FOR YOUR UPCOMING SESSION.
MAKE SURE TO DRINK YOUR WATER.
Drink plenty of water the week of your session. Remove those toxins. You and I both know your skin looks so much better when you’ve drank lots of water and avoided sugar.
Water will help your skin glow AND it will remove the bloat.
Plus don’t you just FEEL better when you’ve been drinking water?

SHAVE 2 OR MORE DAYS BEFORE YOUR SESSION (not day of).
Don’t worry if you have stubble or if your hair grows back fast. hair is easily missed in professional photos if minimal. If you shave the day of or even the day before your shoot, you have the risk of coming in with a bad rash that is harder to hide.
Don’t worry about your bikini area not being as smooth as a baby’s bottom, I wont be taking crotch shots anyway.

COME WITH A CLEAN FACE AND CLEAN, DRY HAIR AT YOUR SCHEDULED TIME.
Hair & makeup are always included in my full sessions. Hair & makeup are always first so that you can arrive all natural in loose comfortable clothing and ready for the pampering to begin. As far as your face, just go through your normal routine, minus your makeup. You want to come with a fresh, clean face.
Hair on the other hand kind of depends on the person and their hair type. Does your style and hold better first or second day? Mine is best right after I’ve blow dried it. Second day hair for me is not ideal, but that totally depends on the person. I like to recommended washing the night before or morning of if you prefer but arrive with it 100% dry for styling.

BRING MORE OUTFITS THAN YOU THINK.
It’s always better to bring too much than not enough. If you book my full boudoir session, which includes 4 outfits, bring 6-7 for a couple of reasons. I always provide a wardrobe consultation or a “what to wear” prep guide for all my clients so you will have more than enough ideas to play with.
- Maybe you are like me and you have a really hard time narrowing down and committing to your 4 favorites. Don’t worry, bring them with you and I will help you select the best of the best.
- You know how sometimes you feel so hot in an outfit and then the next day you put it on and you’re like what the heck? Yeah, you don’t want that to happen at your boudoir session. Bring a few extra!
- If we have time, we will keep shooting.

PLAN TO BE IN THE STUDIO 2.5 HOURS.
Between hair and makeup and the session time, you will be in the studio 2.5 hours so if you need to find an excuse or make arrangements, be sure to do so! I want you to be able to 100% enjoy your session without worrying about getting back to real life. This is YOUR time!
Most of the time, the hardest part of planning for the day is planning what you will say to your significant other (if one is involved) when they see you all dolled up perfectly. My favorite excuse to tell my clients is to say you stopped by the mall and Nordstrom was having a makeup trial. Most men have no idea that they are not this good hahah.
DO YOU FEEL READY AFTER THESE 5 BOUDOIR PREP TIPS?
Let’s get to planning your very own boudoir session.

Hi, I’m Chelsey Dorr! I’ve been a boudoir photographer for six years and there’s nothing I love more than seeing shy, timid women transform in front of the camera and leave the studio confident, empowered, and ready to take on the world. Ready to celebrate yourself? Book your boudoir photography shoot today!
