The Journal · 5 min read
How to Prepare Your Skin Before a Makeup Appointment
By the Glamr artistry team · Updated 21 July 2026
The short answer
In the week before: hydrate consistently, avoid new products and harsh exfoliation, and don't book facials within 48 hours of your appointment. On the morning: cleanse, moisturise, skip SPF only if your artist asks, and arrive with nothing on your skin.
The week before
Makeup magnifies the skin underneath it, so the real preparation happens in the seven days before. Hydration is the whole game: consistent moisturiser morning and night, and more water than you think you need. This is the week for your boring, trusted routine — never for trying new actives, new masks or anything that might react.
Gentle exfoliation early in the week (not the night before) clears texture so foundation sits evenly. Anything stronger — peels, aggressive facials, new treatments — needs at least 48 hours' buffer, ideally a week.
The morning of
Cleanse and moisturise, then stop. Arrive with nothing else on your skin — no makeup, no leftover mascara — so your artist starts on a clean canvas. If your appointment is early, do your skincare at least 20 minutes before so it absorbs.
Tell your artist everything
Sensitivities, allergies, eczema patches, lash-glue reactions, that one product that made you itch in 2019 — say it all when you book and again in the chair. Professional kits have alternatives for almost everything, but only if the artist knows. For active skin conditions, your dermatologist's advice always outranks anyone's makeup chair.
Questions, answered
- Should I moisturise before a makeup appointment?
- Yes — cleansed and moisturised is the ideal arrival state. Skip everything else unless your artist asks for it.
- Can I get a facial before my event?
- Not within 48 hours of makeup. A good facial a week out is great; a fresh one on the day risks redness and sensitivity under product.
- What about SPF?
- For flash-photographed events, some artists prefer no SPF under makeup (it can cause flashback). Ask when you book.
Ready when you are
Turn reading into a booking.