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When I just started my blog and Instagram, there was not much information on how to get going as a beauty blogger. I was overwhelmed by all the beautiful photos from beauty bloggers. It made me so curious to know what the best equipment for serious beauty bloggers is.
I was adamant about figuring out what cameras beauty bloggers use to take such great photos. It ended up with me making a big investment in a mirrorless camera and a macro lens. Taking good photos is a combination of the right equipment—a good camera, good lighting and knowing how to edit a photo.
Access to good blogging equipment is so much easier and more affordable. A big expensive camera is not necessary anymore, because smartphones have excellent cameras. So please don’t take this slightly clickbait title too seriously 😉 You definitely don’t need all this equipment to get started!
Are you looking for the best equipment for a beauty blogger? This list will help you to get started and to see what is possible! Every blogger out there can use this list of blogging equipment!
Ring light
The ring light I have been using for years is the Neewer Ring Light. It’s my most use equipment as a beauty blogger together with my camera. I love using my ring light! If you’re looking to invest in lighting, get yourself a proper ring light to start with.
This set comes with a bag, a light stand, a white filter and a hot shoe compatible with most cameras or smartphone holders. This ring light is dimmable and mimics daylight, being 5500K. You can also adjust the brightness according to your liking.
If this ring light is not what you’re looking for, check out all these other top-rated ring lights.
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Tripod
A proper tripod is a must-have when taking photos by yourself. It will make your life so much easier! Even though a ring light does come with a hot shoe, sometimes you need to adjust the distance between your camera and the ring light to get a better shot.
When looking for a tripod, always make sure that it is tall and sturdy enough to carry your camera’s weight. You don’t want your tripod tripping over when it holds an expensive camera.
This Torjim Tripod has a great minimum and maximum height, is stable and sturdy, carries a weight of 5kg, and comes with a phone holder and a Bluetooth clicker. The best thing is that it comes in these cute colours like this baby blue one!
If this tripod is too expensive, check out these top-rated cheaper tripods.
Mirrorless camera
It’s already a given that you don’t need an expensive camera to take good photos or videos in general. Smartphones have amazing quality and can even shoot videos in 4K. Many take amazing photos with just their iPhones as must-have equipment for beauty bloggers.
But.
I never regretted having invested in my Sony Mirrorless Camera. Yes, it was a big splurge, but if you’re serious about your photography game, it’s absolutely worth looking into. I still use my mirrorless camera until this day for beauty and travel photos.
The overall quality when using my Sony is fantastic. Shooting in RAW (one of the main benefits of a professional camera) gives you more possibilities in editing your photos. If you’re investing in a big girl camera, it’s necessary to learn the basics of photo editing in Photoshop or Lightroom. This way, you’ll get the most out of the pictures this camera takes.
But don’t sweat it if you don’t know how yet. Even using the ‘intelligent auto’ setting of this camera will make your photos look amazing.
A mirrorless camera’s benefits are that it’s small, lightweight, has a flip-up screen, you can change the lens, and it can be connected with a Bluetooth clicker. It’s the best option if you don’t want to carry around a heavy DSLR camera.
>> Check out this post on must-have apps for an amazing Instagram feed! <<
Video LED light
A Video LED Light is the latest addition to the best equipment for beauty bloggers. Instead of using a ring light, lots of beauty bloggers choose a video led light. These led lights give an enormous amount of light that is easily aimed at the subject.
The reflectors on the side reflect and bundle the light even more. Using a ring light will create a circle effect in the eyes of the subject. When using a video led light, you won’t see that anymore. I’ve seen many beauty bloggers using a video light when recording videos.
Video LED Lights are also ideal to light up a background. Famous beauty vlogger Carli Bybel uses a video light for all her Youtube videos, similar to this one.
Softboxes
If you like to take photos when it’s dark outside or there isn’t much light indoors, softboxes are a great addition to a ring light. You buy the softboxes in a set and position each softbox and each side.
Combined with a ring light as your main light source, you can create a photo set-up that mimics a brightly lit room. I have used this set-up myself in my previous flat where natural light wasn’t that great.
The Emart Softbox Lighting Kit seem very big, but they are actually easily folded and set up. If you’re shooting beauty videos and you need more light, these softboxes can be a great addition.
White screen
If you need to create a clear background for your photos or videos and don’t have the right space in your house, you can use this Collapsible Black and White Backdrop. This backdrop is huge but folds up small and comes in this handy bag.
Using this backdrop comes in handy when shooting in a cluttered or when you prefer a clear white background. If you don’t have a clear white wall, this is your lifesaver. I’ve seen a screen like this being used by many beauty bloggers on Instagram!
Gorilla tripod
Sometimes we don’t want to walk around with a big chunky tripod. But if you still want to take makeup or lifestyle photos when on the road or travelling, you kind of have to.
A Joby Gorilla Pod is a smaller sized tripod that is lightweight, and it comes with these wrappable legs. You can wrap the gorilla tripod on a chair or even a three-branch. However, the heavier your camera, the more difficult it will be to have it wrapped around something and keep it balanced.
I use this Joby Gorilla Pod mostly with my iPhone and a BlueTooth clicker.
Bluetooth remote
The latest edition to the best equipment for beauty bloggers in my collection is a Bluetooth Remote or clicker. I was a little late to the party because I thought the self-timer worked fine. But this little affordable little clicker changes everything.
It’s easy to connect with your camera and you can stay in the shot instead of running into it every time. This Smartphone Camera Remote Shutter comes in a pack of two and includes a wrist wrap. It’s super cheap and worth every penny if you’re taking photos by yourself.
Laptop
You can’t become an amazing beauty blogger or beauty content creator without a fantastic laptop that makes it easy to get work done. Those amazing articles full of helpful content are not going to write themselves.
You need a laptop that can take on different programs simultaneously, is fast and not heavy so you can carry it around. But you also don’t want to spend a months worth of salary to get that perfect laptop. I got you!
A few years ago, I bought a similar version to this HP Pavillion 14″ Laptop, and I absolutely love it until this day on. I use it at home and bring it along when I’m travelling.
This laptop is fast when working in programs like Lightroom or editing videos in Adobe Premiere Pro. It has USB ports and an SD card reader, making it very easy to transfer photos from your camera to your laptop. It’s a perfect size and not too heavy to carry around. Watching Netflix in full HD is also a great bonus.
All the equipment listed are products I have purchased or tried myself. If I wanted, I could create a whole photo studio in my flat. I bought it all because I had no clue where to start. The worst thing about it all is that I barely use all the products at the same time. So please, don’t blow your monthly budget on everything on this list.
This list gives you an idea of where to start, how to start and what is possible to use as equipment for beauty bloggers. Taking good photos requires not only good equipment but also editing and photography skills. And your iPhone is a great way to start if you don’t have the budget yet to take it to another level.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about the gear in this list of the best equipment for serious beauty bloggers!
