How to camoflauge a pimple for a portrait

July 8, 2005 9:06 AM

My friend is supposed to have her engagement portraits done tonight and of course she has a nasty huge pimple on the side of her nose.

She's already popped it (twice) says it's red and the size and shape of a pea. Her makeup artist said he can camo the color but not the texture and she can't get ahold of the photographer to see if she can airbrush it out.

What can she do right now to help or should she reschedule her portraits?

posted by hollygoheavy to health & fitness (18 comments total)

I've heard a drematologist can give cortizone shots directly the pimple for this sort of thing, if she can get an appointment.
posted by duck at 9:08 AM on July 8, 2005

A bread poultice may help slightly - wet a small piece of bread, apply firmly to the area and let it dry. Will hopefully take away the redness and reduce any swelling.
posted by fire&wings at 9:14 AM on July 8, 2005

Couldn't you just have someone photoshop the zit out of the finished picture? Even a novice can do that quite easily nowadays.
posted by gfrobe at 9:19 AM on July 8, 2005

The photographer will be able to fix it.
posted by orange swan at 9:20 AM on July 8, 2005

Yeah, this is pretty easy to correct in photoshop or, more difficultly but still possible, using traditional spotting techniques. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Any halfway decent portrait photographer should have no problem eliminating it (and that unsightly third eye on her forehead).
posted by luriete at 9:45 AM on July 8, 2005

You could photoshop it, but if you can, at least try to reduce it -- cortisone style baby.
posted by geoff. at 10:23 AM on July 8, 2005

Stop worrying about it. If the photographer cannot fix this for you, then you have more to worry about than the pimple. Fixing things like this is a tool of the trade - like having a flash.
posted by pwb503 at 11:05 AM on July 8, 2005

What is an engagement portrait? Is that some extension of wedding pictures?
posted by sic at 11:29 AM on July 8, 2005

What is an engagement portrait? Is that some extension of wedding pictures?

Engagement portraits are typically taken prior to any wedding pictures, and are used for invitations and wedding announcements in the local newspaper, or on a website the couple has set up with info about the wedding.
posted by tweak at 11:31 AM on July 8, 2005

I read in a magazine that putting toothpaste on it could be helpful. I have also heard the same thing for Preparation H.
posted by matildaben at 11:35 AM on July 8, 2005

It'll take 2 minutes in photoshop. No need to worry about it. Get the makeup artist to cover up the redness and the rest will be a no brainer for any photographer worth his fees. When I've worked on shots for advertising campaigns, we've taken care of much, much worse in no time flat.
posted by Salmonberry at 11:47 AM on July 8, 2005

Ice will help the immediate swelling and redness.

Queen Helen's Mint Julep Clay Mask does a pretty good job in the same vein as toothpaste.
posted by jennyb at 12:55 PM on July 8, 2005

My friend swears by Aspercreme for zits.
posted by tristeza at 12:58 PM on July 8, 2005

Queen Helen's Mint Julep Clay Mask. Word.
posted by Medieval Maven at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2005

windex.
posted by quadrinary at 1:57 PM on July 8, 2005

Tea tree oil = excellent zit killer. Better if it has a chance to work overnight, though, so probably not as helpful.
posted by Vervain at 2:00 PM on July 8, 2005

A conservative topical application of photoshop will clear that up, yes.
posted by plexiwatt at 4:09 PM on July 8, 2005

I'd say go ahead and have the pictures taken au naturel, as it were. That way, she's sure to look better in her wedding shots!
posted by rob511 at 9:00 PM on July 10, 2005