Six Things to do the Week Before Your Photo Session

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Hydrated skin is clear and healthy skin. Drinking lots of water the week before your session gives your skin a healthy glow that will translate beautifully on camera. Proper hydration helps flush toxins that age skin on camera and reduces dark spots and blemishes. Try to drink at least 64oz of water a day for a week leading up to your shoot.

2. Get Plenty of Sleep: Like not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep can age you before your time. Make sure to get enough sleep leading up to your session and if possible, schedule extra time to unwind the night before. Turn off devices at least an hour before bed and make sure your room is cool, dark, and quiet to maintain circadian rhythms for the best possible night sleep.

3. Abstain from Alcohol: Now I'm not saying don't have a nice glass of wine or a cocktail, we all know it can do wonders for the soul but doing five shots of tequila the night before your shoot isn't going to do you any favors. Over-indulging in alcohol the week before photos can lead to bloated and discolored skin on film. Even a few drinks can dull your natural shine and make you look sallow. Try to limit your intake the week leading up to your session to allow your skin to maintain a healthy glow.

4. Avoid salty foods: Similar to alcohol, eating fried or heavily salted foods can cause problems for the skin. Salt can cause water retention and may even cause rosacea to flare leaving skin red. Fried foods can cause breakouts and bloat. Try to stick with a healthy diet the week leading up to your session.

5. Stretch: Doing some light stretching the week before is excellent for creating a limber and confident set of poses on the day of your shoot. Not only is stretching excellent for your muscles, but it also helps get you comfortable with your body which will show in your poses. If you can stretch in front of a mirror-even better!

6. Relax and have fun: Remember, this is supposed to make you feel beautiful, so don't stress! Take a nice bath the night before, select some music you'd like to listen to during your session, meditate-do whatever makes you feel the best! Remember the small stuff: eyebrows, nails and toes are going to be in the picture, too! Feeling sexy is as much about mindset as anything else.