How to Look Good on Zoom: A Step-by-Step Guide

Zoom became a sensation overnight during the COVID-19 pandemic. From businesspeople to teachers and students, Zoom allows people from different backgrounds to interact with each other while being apart. Did you know that the app was developed in 2012? Yes, that’s right!

Whether a student or an employee, you must know how to use Zoom and look polished in meetings. Of course, you’re free to wear whatever you want on your bottom half since it isn’t visible on the Zoom screen! But what about your face and the upper body?

Before starting your Zoom meeting, taking time to enhance your appearance pays off. You can get help from a few factors, including the lighting in your room, camera quality, and your background. Luckily, the latest Zoom version offers many options to add touch-ups to your face and back-drop. 

From blurring out your facial imperfections to turning your camera into HD, you can look good on Zoom in many ways. Let’s go through the entire process step-by-step. 

Step 1: Get Dressed

Many people think they don’t have to dress up for Zoom meetings. However, that should not be the case. If you want to look professional and presentable, you have to dress nicely and appropriately. The best way to dress to look good on Zoom is by pretending that you are attending an in-person session. 

Take your regular morning shower and wear an outfit you usually wear for work. This could be a sleek polo shirt or a dress shirt paired with a coat or blazer. The most important thing is to choose the color that appears good on the camera. Typically, bright, solid-colored clothes are the best choices for Zoom meetings. 

So, pick a nice red, blue, or green colored outfit and avoid dark colors like black or navy blue. You should also avoid distracting patterns, such as floral designs, leopard prints, or stripes, as they won’t look good on camera. 

Remember, you can’t look ready for work in your PJs! But if you’re not in the mood to dress up completely, you can do it just for the waist-up. Yes, you can wear a nice dress shirt over your favorite pajamas and attend a Zoom call. However, this will only work if you won’t have to stand up during the meeting. 

Step 2: Apply Lip Balm To Avoid Distraction

If the weather is dry in your area, you should apply lip balm before attending the meeting. It’s common for people to lick their lips when they become dried and chapped. That’s considered unprofessional, especially when you do it frequently during the meeting. It causes distraction not just for the other members but for you as well. 

Of course, dried and chapped lips won’t also make you look good on Zoom. The best way is to find a transparent lip balm that will give you the desired smoothness. Alternatively, you can also opt for a lip balm with natural color. Lick your lips to check if they need moisture.

You can also apply lipstick or lip gloss to add a hint of color to your face. We all know how pale our skin becomes when we don’t take care of it! Luckily, the lipstick will make you look presentable.

Step 3: Add Touch-Ups to Your Face

If you still think the lipstick didn’t work, you can take the matter into your hand now. First, observe your skin deeply and see if it has any signs of oil. If there is oil, soak it up with a tissue or blotting paper until your skin stops looking shiny on camera. 

You can also apply a tinted moisturizer on your face to make the skin look even. Remember not to overdo it and only use a pea-sized amount. Another thing to focus on is correctly blending the product into your skin, so it doesn’t look “cakey” on camera. 

If your face still looks sweaty or oily,  you can set it with a powder that matches your skin complexion. This way, your skin will have a natural, even texture. 

If you do not want to make any of these efforts to look good, you can simply choose the Touch up my appearance option in the Zoom app. For that:

• Open the Settings menu in the app.
• Then, click on the Video option. 
• Check the box next to Touch up my appearance, and see all your blemishes and marks fade away. 

This is the easiest option to look good on Zoom!

For a helpful walkthrough of these steps, you can also refer to this video:

Step 4: Choose the Best Seating Arrangement

Once you finish your makeover, choose the ideal seating arrangement to look good on Zoom. Make sure you face the window, as natural light makes you look way better than artificial light. Also, ensure the window is right in front of you, so the sunlight will equally fall on both sides of your face.

If you sit opposite the window, especially in the morning, the sunlight will make you look quite dark. So, invest some time in choosing the appropriate seating arrangement that makes you look good the entire time.

Step 5: Enhance the Lightning in Your Room

If your room doesn’t welcome natural light, you can improve the lighting in multiple ways. For example, you can place a few lamps in front and sides of your face or behind your laptop. The best placements include the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock angles from your face. This position ensures your eyes won’t have any glare on them.

If your face seems too bright because of the lamps, you can paste a yellow sticky note over them to appear more natural. It is best to use smaller lights during your Zoom meeting.

Step 6: Set Your Camera

Now, it’s time to set your camera to look good on Zoom. The ideal placement of the camera is your eye level. So, whether you’re using a tablet, laptop, or phone, ensure it is in line with your eyes. 

Too low of a camera position won’t display a good view of your face for the other meeting members. Unfortunately, it will show your double chin on the camera. So instead, stack thick items or books underneath your laptop to make the camera reach your eye level. You can do the same with your other devices too. 

Step 7: Choose the Best Background

Caption: Choose a virtual background instead of clearing up the mess in your room

After setting up your camera, the next step is to take care of your Zoom background. Search for a space with minimal distractions (piles of clothes or other junk), preferably a plain wall with simple patterns, art, a TV, or a bookshelf. Simple backgrounds look more professional for Zoom meetings.

You can also choose a virtual background on the Zoom app if your room is too cluttered or messy. To do this, open Settings on the app and click Virtual Background. Choose any generic stock photo from the available options and upload your picture to change your background. 

Choose a simple background like an office or a living area to look professional on the Zoom call. Alternatively, you can make a garden or park your Zoom background instead of a busy city center.

Step 8: Position Yourself in Front of the Camera

Now, position yourself correctly in front of the camera. Some cameras have a comparatively wide-angle lens, which may make you look like you’re sitting closer than you actually are. The rule of thumb is to measure the difference between you and your camera with your arm. Simply put, the distance should be one arm. 

Sit in the camera’s center without looking too zoomed in. You should also sit straight so the camera will capture your entire face. Your eyes must be positioned in your laptop screen’s top-third area. Leave a little room above your head and keep your armpits at the screen’s bottom.

Step 9: Ensure You Look Good on Zoom Screen

Finally, it’s time to preview how you look on Zoom’s camera before participating in the meeting. You can also see yourself in the Zoom app. If you think you need the last touch-up,  do it immediately. You should also see if your outfit looks appropriate for the meeting you’re attending.

Just be confident and feel good about your appearance on the preview screen. That’s the key to looking good in Zoom meetings. Take a minute or two to adjust your camera’s position, seating arrangement, light, and outfit, and finally, join the meeting!

Final Thoughts

Zoom brings people closer on a single platform from different parts of the world. You can not only talk on audio but also see other people’s faces in the app, making you feel like you’re interacting with them in person. However, if you do not know how to look good on Zoom, your experience may get spoiled.

To look good on Zoom, you must wear your work clothes and add touch-ups to your face. The easiest way is to select the Touch up my appearance option on Zoom and enjoy looking fantastic at the meeting. That, too, without making much effort!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Ground Picture/Shutterstock.com.