Zoom face

[DIKateFleming]

I really ought to be on top of this by now, I’ve only spent the last 9 months on Zoom, but increasingly I’m conscious about my face. I use Zoom through a laptop, if i don’t wear makeup i look red and blotchy (think Santa rosy cheeks), if I wear makeup despite foundation and bronzer, I look washed out, like I’ve got a white stage paint on. It might be the make up, it might be the lighting. I often turn in the light in my office out as that’s not good, but then the lighting and glare from the laptop washes me out.

I’m speaking at some online conferences soon so it would be good to get this sorted if anyone has tips

Thanks

lights - get a lamp that lights you up from the front. you can get specialist lights for that but a bright reading light would do.

position - prop up the laptop so that the camera is just above your eyes.

make up - avoid anything with a metallic glitter, esp. eye make up, rouge

I use the zoom filter. Makes me look years younger!

You need a lamp with a warm (yellowy) toned lightbulb behind your laptop. Will give your face a nice glow.

If the rest of the room behind you is bright it makes your face look dull in comparison - the lamp in front of you counteracts this.

The zoom filter is the up arrow by stop video, then video settings, then touch up my appearance and move the dot on the the scale to the right.

I think you can get a ring light which clips onto your laptop, similar to the 'selfie' ring lights for phones. I've just had a little search and they're called 'Video conference lighting kit' and they're around £40 from Amazon, might be worth a go if you need to look professional.

The zoom filter makes a massive difference. No main lights above my head and the laptop is up on books. the kids have a ring light, might try that!

Get the ring light and use the “touch up my appearance” setting on Zoom. Make sure you are level or slightly lower than the screen so that you are not looking down at it (double chin). You will be amazed! My ring light is from Amazon, was about £20. Even my husband uses it now when he is speaking at conferences. Good luck.

Right, off the look at ring lights, i like the idea of one i can clip onto the laptop. I’ve got an amazon voucher from Christmas, so this and some books seems like a good thing to get. I’ll also look for “retouch my appearance”, wish I could use it in real life.

Better skin care and losing a lot of weight would help too, but not much i can do about that in the short term

Zoom filter
Ilia Multistick on Ladybird, wee dab the cheeks.
If you’ve longish hair, wear it to one side, offset asymmetry effect means eye lingers less on face.

The best thing for me is sitting right in front of the window (obviously not with the sun shining in my eyes!). It takes years off me! I do wear full make up but I think I could get away with just eyes, eyebrows and lipstick and the light does the rest.

Placemarking as I now have PTSD from looking at myself on endless zoom calls

@Cecily42

Placemarking as I now have PTSD from looking at myself on endless zoom calls

Please don’t trivialise PTSD.

Thanks for this thread and all the tips.

@XazieRose, oh don’t be so precious. Are you doing your morning round policing threads on Mumsnet for inappropriate expressions?

No. I doing prep for a meeting later. I support people with PTSD and C-PTSD, teaching them how to safely manage flashbacks and process emotions.

Today’s group is mostly child abuse survivors. The one on Sunday will be cult survivors. Monday’s is survivors of sexual abuse.

@Cecily42

Zoom face is real. Hate it.

@Cecily42
Come back and speak to me about PTSD when you’ve been up all night four nights in a row supporting someone with flashbacks.

Someone who was sexually abused as a child in a religious cult, who has just moved into a shelter suddenly in the middle of a pandemic, because their violent and abusive ex-partner has convinced other family members to let them back in the house to live.

Now tell me again about being a bit puffy or seeing yourself in an unflattering light.

Zoom face is so real. Some days I look well and healthy. Other days I look a decade older!

Am i dim? Where do I find this Zoom filter?

@scentedgeranium, it is in settings

Are you sure you look worse than anyone else? Have an objective look.

Is there a filter for Teams too?

I thought I was in the S and B thread?

I use this. It's bloody brilliant. It's like a real life filter.

It's not cheap but you only use a little bit so it lasts for ages.