Boudoir blog for women in Maryland, Virginia & DC who are interested in booking a boudoir photoshoot near them. Products, clients, tips and tricks are a few of the things you’ll find on the Lavish Boudoir Blog.

Leslie Cersovski 5/21/26 Leslie Cersovski 5/21/26

What Happens During a Boudoir Session? A First-Timer's Guide

When you’re a boudoir first-timer, you may not know exactly what to expect during your intimate photoshoot. Let me break down what you can expect to experience with Lavish Boudoir in our Southern Maryland studio.

I’ve been photographing boudoir for so long, that sometimes I forget that most women don’t live in the world of boudoir! You’re probably a total newbie, which is actually my specialty. The most important part of your experience is having a guide who is there to help you every step of the way. But let me give you a breakdown of what to expect during your session:

1) You arrive at the studio in your comfy cozy clothes with a clean moisturized face, clean and dry hair, and ready to be pampered. I love these pants from Cozy Earth paired with a loose tank or tee.

2) I’ll show you around, introduce you to your makeup artist, and let you settle your belongings into the dressing area. You’ll be given a satin robe so that we don’t have to worry about seam lines on your body.

3) The makeup artist will go over your preferred styling and your wardrobe to see what suits your vibe. See our post about 5 different makeup looks for boudoir here.

4) After she’s completed your makeover, you get to look in the mirror that usually leads to an exclaim of “Oh my god! That’s me? It’s amazing.”

5) Then we start with my demo. I show you “the turtle,” what an air heel is vs. pointing, what to watch out for (wandering pinkies) and all my little tips and tricks.

6) For about 90 minutes, we go through your wardrobe choices (what you brought and what you borrow) and I carefully pose you from head to toe. I will not point a camera at you and wait. That would be terrifying for you.

7) After your photoshoot wraps up, you’ll be invigorated but tired and hungry. So pick up those snacks I left in your dressing area.

8) Woohoo! You did it! You looked amazing! Your photos will be fabulous! I can’t wait for your reveal.

Leslie Cersovski 5/19/26 Leslie Cersovski 5/19/26

Boudoir Makeup Ideas: 5 Looks for Every Style and Comfort Level

Not sure what makeup to wear for your boudoir session? Here are 5 boudoir makeup styles — from natural glow to full glam — and how to choose the right look for your photos.

The Makeup That Makes you Feel Like Yourself — and Why That's the Whole Point

You've booked your session. Your sitting in the makeup chair and the makeup artist says, “How would you like your makeup done?'“

Most of our clients say… “I have no idea.'“ — and it makes sense. Boudoir photography is intimate, close-up, and personal. You want to look amazing in these photos, but the last thing you want is to look in your album and feel like a stranger is staring back at you.

The good news? There's no single "right" boudoir makeup look and our makeup artists tailor it just for you. The best look is the one that makes you feel like the most confident, beautiful version of yourself. To help you figure out what that is, here's a breakdown of the five most popular boudoir makeup styles — what they look like, who they're best for, and how to pull them off.

Natural Glam

**The look:** Skin-first makeup that enhances without covering. Think dewy foundation, soft lashes, a hint of liner, and a sheer lip. The goal is "I woke up like this — but better."
**Best for:** Women who rarely wear heavy makeup in daily life and want to feel like themselves in their photos.

Vintage Glam

**The look:** Full-coverage foundation, contoured cheekbones, a bold lip (red or berry) and lashes. This is the look most people picture when they imagine a pinup session — timeless, dramatic, and undeniably glamorous.
**Best for:** Women who love a full face in everyday life, or anyone who wants their photos to feel like an old Hollywood shoot.

Bold Glam

**The look:** A sultry, blended eye — usually in espresso or deep plum — paired with neutral skin and a nude or barely-there lip. All the drama lives in the eyes.
**Best for:** Women who want an edgy, moody, or sensual vibe in their photos.

Feminine Glam

**The look:** Rosy cheeks, soft pink or peach lips, fluttery lashes, and a light shimmer on the lid. This look is romantic, bright, and quietly beautiful — like a garden party version of glam.
**Best for:** Women who want to feel soft, feminine, and approachable in their photos rather than dramatic or high-fashion.

Editorial Glam

**The look:** Unexpected, intentional, and fashion-forward. Think graphic liner, super smokey eyes, cut creases, or skin that's been highlighted and contoured to an almost surreal glow. This isn't everyday makeup — it's art.
**Best for:** Women who use makeup as creative expression and want their boudoir session to feel like a fashion editorial or fine art shoot.

The One Rule That Always Applies

Whatever look you choose, it should feel like you — amplified. The women who love their boudoir photos the most aren't the ones who wore a specific look. They're the ones who looked in the mirror before their session and thought, holy shit! That’s me? I love it.

That's what we're here to help you find.

Learn more

Leslie Cersovski 3/14/26 Leslie Cersovski 3/14/26

beyonce wishes she looked like this

I don’t like to talk about myself and hype myself up too much. I’ve had D do my hair several times and she’s just the sweetest. She's genuinely warm and caring. Her gentle spirit calms me. My last appointment before she went on maternity leave, I knew that I would kick myself if she had this baby and I didn’t get a chance to photograph her first. Working up all the nerve I have (see, you’re not the only scaredy cat), I said that I absolutely had to photograph her with this adorable bump. To sweeten the deal, I told her I’d come to her. Basically she had no reason to say no.

When I showed up with all the lights, multiple lenses and all the different fabrics, and an assistant, she was shocked. Because I don’t like to brag, I think people assume I’m just a MWAC (mom with a camera). I know… I need to work on that. Anyhow, she did her own hair and makeup because I wanted it to look natural and maternal. Something she’d recognize.

Inspired by Lola Melani’s “gown” designs, we created all of these looks with long drapes of fabric and a strapless bra. Fun, right? I think we exhausted poor D, but I know she looked absolutely beautiful with her soon-to-be-born baby.

Leslie Cersovski 3/14/26 Leslie Cersovski 3/14/26

Red hair + red lips = fire

Meet Miss A, who can be credited with my blonde hair. That salon must have a beauty requirement, because everyone who works there is so strong and stunning. I’ll post the maternity session I did for another stylist there next.

She has a personality that is just all fire and joy. Exactly the kind of woman I love to have in the studio. In fact, I’m trying to talk her into going into business as a makeup artist because look at the work she did for herself. STUNNING.

Just like all my clients, she was a little (a lot) nervous. She’s less than 9 months post-partum and was truly worried about her body not looking great. I know…hard to believe. But you know what? Maybe you’re being ridiculous when you criticize yourself, too. She told me that all the women on my site look so confident. She’s right. But what she didn’t see is how they take a huge leap of bravery to book. They want to back out. They show up so nervous that they’re shaking. The magic is what happens when you trust the process and let me show you that the doubts and mean words are all in your head.

Click each image to see the full crop.

Leslie Cersovski 1/20/26 Leslie Cersovski 1/20/26

the new home of lavish boudoir

I am a perfectionist and have been since I was a toddler. Yup, I was a toddler who refused to walk solo and risk falling/failing. I’d nonchalantly hold my mom’s hand even though she knew I was doing it on my own. For 40+ years, I have had the mindset that if I can’t do it perfectly, it’s not worth doing at all.

Here’s the kicker… I’m a perfectionist with ADHD and an impulsive streak. Ha. Talk about getting myself in over my head. I decided that 2026 was going to be the year I stopped expecting perfection from myself. I would be okay with doing things well, and sometimes trying things that I knew I might be terrible at. So far, God’s been throwing all kinds of challenges at me to test this.

“Perfectionism is procrastination dressed in a tuxedo.”

That was a quote I heard from Donald Miller at a photography seminar almost exactly 2 years ago. That was “the year.” I was going to throw myself into Lavish and give it the attention and passion it needed to be right back where I was at my peak in another state. Shockingly, there’s no short cut when you have to build again in a different market. So while I said “open for bookings,” my heart wasn’t really into it because I couldn’t bear the humbling experience of starting again. When I had clients book, I knew exactly what to do. Connection and photography is the easy part for me. But I wasn’t out there building the foundation.

At one of those photoshoots in 2025, I hired a lovely makeup artist Shyanne of Shy Beauty. She and her team were leaving a space available at a cute little boutique in Southern Maryland. And I did nothing about it. I was too afraid of failure.

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A lot of you will have read the email from 2025. The closing it down email. It felt terrible and I said that I reserved the right the change my mind. It took about 3 months to feel like I was missing a core part of me when I couldn’t create these experiences for women.

Flash forward to this fall. An event took me to the Shops at Parker’s Creek. After a series of coincidences, the owner, Shelly, came to me and said, “You mentioned that you didn’t like working from home. Are you looking for a studio? We have a space available that might be perfect for you.” I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. The night before, I told CJ, “I need a studio. I can’t work from home. But nothing is the right fit. Maybe it’s just not meant to be.” When I told this to Shelly, she got goosebumps and I knew it was going to happen. But I reined in my impulsive ADD side and said I wanted to make sure it worked well for boudoir.

Pulling up to the space again… I realized just how much her barn looks like the old Victorian home where Lavish Boudoir was born. Same blue paint with white trim (even though the colors look different here). Same overflowing crepe myrtles. Same time-worn quirks that come with a home that age. It felt like a sign that it’s okay to get back to where I was in 2010, starting again… but this time with the life experience to tell me it’s okay to grow slowly, to serve with my whole heart and to trust that it’s where I’m meant to be.

Welcome to the new home of Lavish Boudoir… it’s been waiting for you.

PS: I did a test shoot with a friend to make sure it worked well and wowza. I cannot wait to share the photos. But she gets to see them first.