How to Prepare for Your Upcoming Boudoir Session
A boudoir session is so much more than taking beautiful photos; it’s an experience designed to help you reconnect with yourself, celebrate your body, and feel confident in your own skin.
If you’re feeling nervous before your first boudoir photoshoot, you’re not alone. Many clients walk into the session feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, wondering what they should do beforehand to prepare.
The good news? You don’t need to transform yourself before your session. You don’t need a spray tan, a drastic beauty routine, or to look like someone else. The most stunning boudoir images come from feeling comfortable, confident, and authentically you.
To help you feel fully prepared, here are my best boudoir session preparation tips so you can walk into your shoot feeling relaxed, radiant, and ready to create magic.
What to Do Before Your Boudoir Session
Avoid Waxing Right Before Your Photoshoot
If waxing is not already part of your regular beauty routine, I recommend avoiding it before your boudoir session.
Waxing close to your shoot date can sometimes cause:
Skin irritation
Redness
Bumps
Sensitivity
These are things you’ll want to avoid when you’re showing more skin during your session.
If waxing is something you regularly do, plan to wax about 3–5 days before your boudoir photoshoot to allow your skin enough time to calm down.
The same advice applies to shaving - avoid trying anything new right before your session. Stick with what your skin already knows and loves.
Skip the Spray Tan Before Your Boudoir Shoot
One of the biggest questions clients ask is whether they should get a spray tan before their boudoir session.
My answer? Usually, no.
While it can feel tempting to want a deeper tan before being photographed, spray tans often create more stress than confidence. They can sometimes:
Appear uneven or streaky
Transfer onto sheets, furniture, or studio props
Create a color that doesn’t look natural in photos
Uneven skin tones caused by spray tans can be difficult to correct during editing.
Your natural skin tone is beautiful, and trust me, you will not look “too pale” in your final images. Professional lighting, posing, and expert editing are all designed to highlight your natural beauty.
Come exactly as you are.
The Day Before Your Boudoir Session
Pack Your Bag Ahead of Time
The night before your session, take a few minutes to prepare everything you need.
Packing your bag ahead of time helps you avoid the last-minute rush and allows you to arrive feeling calm and excited instead of stressed.
Consider bringing:
Your lingerie outfits
Any sentimental pieces you want photographed
Accessories or jewelry
Water and a snack
Any inspiration photos or ideas you want to share
Your only job on shoot day is to show up and enjoy the experience.
Hydrate, Moisturize, and Relax
It’s completely normal to feel nervous before your boudoir session.
Many clients tell me they are anxious beforehand, but once they arrive, get comfortable, and start the process, those nerves quickly turn into confidence.
A few things you can do the night before:
Drink plenty of water
Moisturize your skin
Get a good night’s sleep
Take time to relax and care for yourself
Try to avoid alcohol before your session if possible. Staying hydrated will help your skin look its best and will help you feel energized during your shoot.
And remember: you are never expected to know how to pose.
I will guide you through every movement, every expression, and every pose. You don’t need modeling experience. You just need to show up.
What to Wear to Your Boudoir Session
Arrive With Clean Hair and Skin
On the day of your boudoir photoshoot, arrive with clean hair and clean skin unless we have discussed something different ahead of time.
This gives your professional hair and makeup artist the best canvas to create your desired look.
Whether you want soft and natural or full glam, your beauty experience will be customized to help you feel like the best version of yourself.
Wear Loose Clothing Before Your Shoot
When heading to your session, choose comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
Avoid tight clothing that can leave marks or lines on your skin before your photoshoot. Since you’ll spend time in the hair and makeup chair before we begin shooting, you want to arrive feeling comfortable and relaxed.
A cozy outfit, robe, button-down shirt, or loose dress is always a great choice.
What to Expect During Your Boudoir Session
Your boudoir experience is about celebrating you.
You don’t need to know how to pose. You don’t need to know what angles look best. You don’t need to feel perfectly confident when you walk through the door.
That’s what I’m here for.
From the moment you arrive, I’ll guide you through the entire experience - from hair and makeup to posing and creating images that feel elegant, empowering, and authentic.
We will never do anything you aren’t comfortable with. Your boundaries, comfort, and confidence always come first.
Final Boudoir Session Tip: Trust the Process
The best thing you can bring to your boudoir session is an open mind.
Come ready to celebrate yourself, embrace your beauty, and experience something completely dedicated to you.
You are already enough exactly as you are.
I cannot wait to create beautiful, empowering images with you.
