Only after I treated clothing care as part of my craft did the camera start to take me seriously.
Over the past few years of doing content creation, my life has been in a constant cycle of packing, unpacking, changing outfits, rushing to shoot, and then packing again.
People assume we beauty creators care most about looks, lighting, and filters.
Those who've worked in this field know the real enemy isn't your face — it's the creases in your clothes.
You’ve probably seen this: your makeup and hair are flawless, but once the camera zooms in, a long crease ruins the shot.
I've been undone by this wrinkle problem more times than I can count.
Until one day, I finally admitted that...
Clothing care became as essential to my work as applying base makeup.
From then on, a clothes steamer joined my essential kit.
No matter where I go, a lightweight, quick-steaming device comes with me.
I have tried the travel model of Nesugar a few times.
The lightweight design is really suitable for someone like me who is constantly on the go.
However, I won't recommend it.
I will only share my real experience and the methods I have accumulated from my professional scenarios.
These tips come from countless on-set emergency fixes—no theories, just what actually worked while I was steaming with shaky hands.
My job made me obsessively aware of wrinkles.
Do you know what is the most likely to ruin the quality of a video?
Guess what can wreck a video more than lighting or skin texture?
Fabric reflections and wrinkles.
Especially in these situations, they can turn into nightmares:
① When lighting is applied, the wrinkles on the clothes will be blown up on camera.
A dozen beauty lights. Any lines on the shirt would be as clear as high-resolution detail.
I once made a tutorial about eye makeup.
Because the lighting was so good, the camera magnified one of the pleats on my silk shirt to the point where it looked like a shadow.
You could even see that the wrinkled area was more eye-catching than the eye makeup.
That day I learned: no matter how pricey the garment, wrinkles make it look cheap.
② Behind the scenes of the brand event, there's no time for taking your time ironing.
Brands place great importance on the speed of on-site photo shooting.
Just as you were changing clothes backstage a moment ago, the staff would call you to head onstage immediately.
There was no ironing board in the back room, and sometimes there weren't even any sockets.
At such times, the only thing that could save the day was:
A lightweight one
Can produce steam within 15 seconds
Works at any angle
Can be moved around while steaming
A portable clothes steamer proves its worth in those tight spots.
③ During exterior shooting, wrinkles are even more difficult to handle than the sun.
Outdoor shooting is the most challenging as it involves dealing with strong winds, dampness, and the risk that the backpack could press the fabric flat like a board.
When I was shooting a perfume commercial by the seaside, a gust of sea breeze could make my clothes become as dry as those from a dryer.
Every two shots, I had to carry the clothes steamer and run into the shade tent to "smooth out my life" again.
④ When shooting on TikTok/Reels, the camera is extremely picky.
The sharpness of the phone camera can magnify the wrinkles on your clothes to an extent that the human eye cannot even detect.
When someone watches your video for just three seconds, they won't care about how perfectly your eyeshadow is applied, but they will definitely notice that sleeve that looks as if it has been scratched by a cat.
So the clothes steamer I need must:
- Steam needs to come out fast.
- Steam quantity is stable.
- Can be moved around while steaming.
- Adapt to various fabrics
- Will not spray water
These are the criteria that I "had to improve" by myself in my work.
When choosing a clothes steamer, I was even more meticulous than when choosing base makeup.
These judgment criteria were all forced upon me through numerous on-site emergency situations.
① The amount of steam determines the efficiency of the shooting.
The models with weak steam function are very time-consuming.
For a single shirt, you might need to steam it for five minutes.
But at the work site, I might only have 40 seconds.
I will make a judgment:
Is the steam "directly surging"?
Is it continuous without interruption?
Not always large or small
Just by pausing for a moment, the fabric will regain its original texture at that moment when it cools down.
② The heating speed is the key parameter determining whether the situation can be salvaged.
The ideal time for steam production is 15 to 30 seconds.
The longer it takes, the less likely it is to succeed.
I once waited in the backstage for an old clothes steamer to preheat for 90 seconds.
During those 90 seconds, I was able to reapply one eyeshadow.
③ The capacity of the water tank is related to "the continuity of the shooting".
When taking photos of the outfits, I need to steam 6 to 8 sets of clothes at a time.
If the water tank is too small, I will be forced to keep adding water on the spot, which will seriously disrupt the shooting rhythm.
The experience I finally gained is that:
200 – 300 ml is the minimum amount required for professional use.
④ Weight affects your "shooting hand".
Washing clothes is just like doing makeup — both require steady hands.
When a clothes steamer is used for a long time, the hands will tremble —
When the hands tremble, the nozzle will touch the fabric, and a magical water mark will appear on it.
I am fully aware of this problem, especially with silk clothes.
That watermark can directly render your video for the day unusable.
⑤ The design of the nozzle determines the "overall texture" of the piece.
Some nozzles are too sharp and thus cause excessive condensation in certain areas;
Some are too round and fail to form a straight line.
The best option is the one that is a bit flatter.
It can be "brushed" along the fabric lines, and while steaming, the fabric will naturally fall down.
I saw some flat-panel slim models in the Nesugar product list.
They are quite suitable for professional scenarios where a smooth and silky finish is highly desired.
"Professional-grade steaming methods" for various materials
I have dealt with various materials at the shooting site, and the difficulties of each material were completely different.
Below are the "professional smooth shooting techniques" that I finally mastered through repeated trial and error.
Silk (The most challenging champion in the shooting)
Silk is expensive in front of the camera, but in front of the clothes steamer, it is as delicate as a princess.
My approach:
Don't attach the shower head too tightly.
Brush gently along the natural fall direction of the fabric
Move slowly, but don't stop for too long.
A single water mark on the silk fabric will immediately turn into a "patch".
I'd rather re-shoot the scene than look at that dark water stain.
Wool and cashmere (after steaming, they look as if they have been filtered with a soft light effect)
After being steamed, this type of fabric really comes to life.
Key points:
The coat must be hung on a sturdy hanger.
Starting from the shoulder line and going downwards
Don't remove it immediately after steaming; let it cool down naturally.
The cooling effect will significantly enhance the momentum in the shot.
Cotton and linen (The photos look great, but the wrinkles never give in)
When the fabric has a deep crease, steam alone is not sufficient.
I will:
Spray a small amount of water first
Re-vaporize
At the same time, gently straighten it with the other hand.
This step is quite similar to applying foundation for me:
first moisturize, then press down, and finally set it.
Synthetic fibers (The most picky about light for appearance)
This type of material tends to reflect light, so the steam temperature should not be too high.
I adopt:
Pass through the low-temperature steam once
Carry out local and precise treatment of deep folds
As long as it is handled properly, it will keep a clean, crisp look when exposed to light.
These are all real situations that occur in the industry, which will help you better understand why I am so dedicated to the clothes steamer.
① Washing clothes in the back seat of the car
The driver was in a hurry, the assistant was looking for hairpins, and I was in the back seat holding a portable clothes steamer to "revive" a dress.
The steam escaped and made the car look like a sauna.
If it weren't for that timely removal of the wrinkles on my chest, my promotional advertisement would have been delayed by two weeks.
② There were no sockets in the hotel. So I stood under the coffee table and did my steaming.
Some hotel sockets are always in the strangest places.
I was wearing my pajamas and squatting under the coffee table to dry my coat.
That scene looked more dramatic than the steam itself.
③ At the event's backstage, more than ten people shared one clothes steamer.
That scene was so chaotic it was like a disaster movie.
Once I was at the very end of the queue.
The model in front took too long, and my clothes were already wrinkled before I could even unfold them.
Since then, I no longer expect to find "ready-made machines" in the background.
④ During the outdoor shooting, it suddenly started to drizzle. My clothes got completely soaked on one side.
I used the hotel hair dryer to blow it, and after that the wrinkles became even more obvious;
In the end, it was the clothes steamer that reset the fabric's texture.
⑤ The shooting was non-stop. After putting on the costumes, they looked as if they had been pressed overnight.
That indentation is almost permanent.
Only steam can bring it back to "normal".
These experiences made me fully understand that:
The clothes steamer is not a household tool; for me, it is one of my professional equipment.
My "5-minute ironing routine before going out" is even more reliable than my makeup routine.
This is the routine that I follow every day:
- All the clothes have been hung up.
- First, use a cloth brush to remove the dust.
- Clothes steamer preheating
- The shoulder line begins to be processed.
- And then to the chest and sleeves
- At the bottom hem
- Let the clothes cool for about a minute after steaming.
No matter what I wear on that day, as long as the clothes are neat, my mood will immediately "take off".
The Laundry Strategy During Business Trips: Hotels Aren't Homes, And This Tests Your Skills Even More
I have visited almost all the hotels in various places and have come up with three truths:
① As soon as the clothes enter the room, they are hung up.
The longer it is left to wrinkle, the harder it is to fix.
② Using moisture in the bathroom to "relax clothes" doesn't work.
Instead, it will make certain fabrics even more difficult to handle.
The clothes steamer is the right solution.
③ The travel model must be lightweight, stable and fast.
Especially for someone like me who might have to change into four different sets of clothes in a single day.
The lightweight travel device like Nesugar that my previous stylist had also used, has a more comfortable feel compared to traditional portable devices.
Maintenance and repairs: I have done a lot of repairs on my own.
Cosmetics creators are actually quite like DIY engineers, because we have to find solutions to all kinds of unexpected problems every day.
① Flow out of the water
90% of it is scale.
I will dilute it with white vinegar in a certain ratio and clean it once.
② The steam fluctuates in intensity.
It is usually due to overheating protection.
Just wait for a few minutes after powering off.
③ Water stains and spots
Mostly because of the water quality, I only use filtered water now.
Why do I insist on steaming my clothes myself? Because it's not for others, but for "my own condition".
Makeup can change the face, and ironing clothes can change the aura.
This is the intuitive experience I've gained over many years in front of the camera.
For any shoot or any scene, as long as the clothes are neatly arranged, I can quickly get into the role.
It's like a switch for a professional state.
When it's turned on, you will immediately "log in" as the character.