The Client:
Skween foundation balm photography for online store launch
I photographed Skween's foundation balm line for their online store launch. Skween creates a serum-boosted skin tint balm formulated specifically for melanin-rich complexions, merging makeup coverage with skincare benefits. The project centered on delivering product photography that showed accurate shade representation and texture detail for their website.
The Challenge:
Maintaining true-to-life color without gray cast or undertone distortion
The challenge with photographing foundation products for deeper skin tones is maintaining true-to-life color without introducing gray cast or undertone distortion. Standard beauty photography often misses the mark on shade accuracy, creating confusion for customers trying to match their skin. I needed to create images where a shopper could look at the product and confidently judge whether the shade would work for their complexion.
The Execution:
Melanin shade-accurate product photography built around controlled color fidelity
I approached this as a melanin shade-accurate product photography project built around controlled color fidelity. The deliverables included straightforward product photos showing the balm stick from clean angles, swatch photography demonstrating texture and tone, and five creative images designed for both e-commerce and social use. Every shot required precision in lighting and exposure to preserve undertone accuracy and show the product's creamy, hydrating finish without making it look heavy or opaque.
Lighting setup and diffusion control
Working from Vancouver, I built the lighting setup around soft, evenly diffused light sources that eliminated harsh reflections and shadow bias. Foundation products are particularly susceptible to glare that obscures label details and texture, so I used diffusion techniques to control specular highlights while maintaining enough contrast to show the balm's sheen and structure. The goal was clinical clarity without sacrificing the premium aesthetic Skween needed to compete in the skincare-makeup hybrid category.
Calibrated exposure and white balance consistency
I used calibrated exposure and white balance settings to ensure consistent color across every frame. For complexion products, even small shifts in color temperature can make shades look mismatched between images, creating doubt for customers. I photographed each shade under locked lighting ratios and used neutral backgrounds that eliminated color cast. This consistency meant the same shade would look identical whether a customer viewed it in a product grid, zoomed detail, or social post.
Swatch photography showing finish and slip behavior
The swatch photography required particular attention to finish and slip. I captured close-up studies showing how the balm diffuses on application, the creamy texture at the swatch edge, and the skin-like result without harsh lines or cakey buildup. These were not stylized beauty shots but foundation swatch close-ups designed to give shoppers visual proof of coverage level and undertone behavior. I framed each swatch with enough detail to show micro-texture and highlight behavior while keeping the composition clean and distraction-free.
Product photos revealing branding and mechanism
For the product photos, I used front-facing angles that revealed both the branding and the stick mechanism. Customers needed to understand the twist-up format and see the label clearly to distinguish between shades. I maintained crisp focus across the frame and used high-resolution capture to preserve detail even when images were cropped for different placements. Retouching stayed minimal, prioritizing realism over gloss to match Skween's positioning around authentic, breathable coverage.
Creative images for e-commerce and social flexibility
The creative images extended the same color-controlled approach into more compositional setups. I photographed the balm sticks in arrangements that showed the shade range and communicated the skincare-makeup hybrid positioning through minimal styling and clean surfaces. These images needed to perform on both the website and social channels, so I framed them with flexibility for different formats while keeping the product legible and the color accurate in every crop.
The Result:
Photo library designed for immediate e-commerce use with accurate shade representation
The final collection gave Skween a photo library designed for immediate e-commerce use. The straightforward product shots anchored their product pages with clarity and consistency. The swatch photography provided zoomable detail for customers evaluating finish and undertone. The creative images offered flexibility for homepage banners, email campaigns, and social content without losing the color fidelity that is essential for complexion products serving melanin-rich skin tones.
As a Vancouver product photographer, this project reinforced how important technical precision is when photographing foundation and complexion products. Accurate shade representation is not just an aesthetic preference, it is functional product photography that reduces returns and builds confidence at the point of purchase. The combination of controlled lighting, calibrated color workflow, and restrained retouching created images that work across platforms while maintaining the undertone accuracy Skween's customers need to make informed shade choices.
If you are launching a beauty or skincare line and need product photography that performs across e-commerce and social channels, reach out to discuss how we can build a visual system around color accuracy and detail clarity.
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