Your driver's license may never look great, but every other lens you smile for can do you justice. Here's how.

There are 3 types of portraits you can have taken: professional portrait studios such as Glamour Shots, individually arranged photo sessions with a private professional photographer, and home portraits.

Portrait Studios

The portrait studios include a makeup application and hair styling by a trained beautician. If you choose to go this route, know that if you don't like the outcome, you can always ask courteously for changes. The makeup artists are usually happy to re-do anything you don't like. And they'll always talk to you first to see what your needs are.

If you're not confident in your own makeup abilities, work with these lovely people.

On the other hand, I suspect many of my readers already know a lot about makeup application. If you have a unique look, strong preferences, or prefer to use non-animal tested or vegan cosmetics, you should do your makeup before going to the portrait studio.

To do your own makeup beforehand, remember that the lights will wash you out. So everything you apply needs to be a little more exaggerated. Use a slightly darker color blush and lipstick. If you don't already use lip liner, you could use it now - but keep it subtle and blended. Don't change your usual foundation color, though. It's too radical, and could cause all your other face colors to need re-vamping.

The fabulous thing is: They will offer (for an extra fee, usually) to cyber-erase any wrinkles, discolorations, eye bags, or flyaway hair.

Professional Photo Sessions or Actors' Headshots

Unless you know the makeup artist the photographer will recommend, do your own hair and makeup. Or have your hair done at your usual place, do your own makeup, and arrive at the studio portrait-ready. It's too risky to let a stranger work on you before an expensive photo session.

As with the portrait studios, ask your photographer to airbrush away whatever you don't like.

Home Portraits

The main problem with home portraits is usually the lighting. If you or your friends are not familiar with portrait lighting, try having the picture taken outdoors on a beautiful day. The genius of home portraits is that you get to run the pictures through Photoshop yourself and get it exactly the way you want it.

Makeup for home portraits can be slightly less exaggerated than makeup in a highly-lit studio. As long as the lighting is right and you're in focus, you can fix everything else on your computer. You can add eyeliner, shorten your hair, add more blush, erase the red veins in your eyes. It's fun and you can end up with a fabulous picture of yourself.

The Key to Flawless: Setting Powder

However you choose to have your portrait taken, but sure to have setting powder on hand at all times to take down shine. You might check in the mirror every 30 minutes or so to see if your nose needs a dusting of powder. I've found the Afterglow setting powder in Translucent works well, as does Burt's Bees Vanishing Facial Powder and Paula Dorf Loose Powder. For a more complete listing of non-animal tested setting powders, see Product Reviews: Face Powders.