How to Prep for a Test the Week Before

Once a test is booked, a little prep in the days leading up makes a real difference in the images. None of it is complicated. Here's the week.

Skin

Keep your normal routine — the week before a shoot is the worst time to try new products. Don't book a facial, peel, or anything that can leave you red or breaking out; give that kind of thing at least a week to settle. Stay out of a fresh burn or a new tan, and watch for tan lines that'll show in the frames.

Rest and water

The two nights before matter most. Sleep, and drink water — both show up in your skin and around your eyes in a way no edit fully fixes.

Hair and nails

Clean hair, but you don't need it salon-fresh that morning. Hold off on a dramatic new cut or color right before a test unless your agency asked for it — bookings come off what they last saw. Nails clean and neutral or bare; chipped polish reads on camera.

Wardrobe

Sort your options ahead of time so it isn't a scramble. Wash and press what you're bringing, try it on so you know it fits, and pack seamless nude undergarments and a pair of heels. If we talked through references, bring them.

Don't make big changes

This is the one people get wrong. Agencies book you off what they've already seen. A drastic change right before a test — new color, new length, anything major — can quietly work against you. If a change is coming, tell your agency first.

Come as you are

A test exists to capture an accurate version of you, not a temporary one. Don't crash-prep or try to become a different person for the camera the week before — it never reads as real, and real is the whole point. Show up rested and yourself.

The day before

Bag packed and wardrobe in it. Confirm the call time and the studio address, and plan your route so you're not rushing. Eat something before you come — long shoots on an empty stomach show in your face. Then get a good night's sleep.

That's it. Prep is mostly about removing surprises so you can show up relaxed. Booked a test and want a prep list specific to your look? Reach out through the contact page.