> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://cotovan.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Touch Up Your Appearance in Riverside Studio - URL: https://cotovan.com/post/touch-up-your-appearance-in-riverside-studio/ - Published: 2026-06-26T16:05:38.000Z - Updated: 2026-06-26T19:00:05.000Z - Author: Cristi Cotovan - Tags: Riverside.FM Articles Riverside added a control inside the recording studio that helps you smooth your skin, improve your lighting, and generally look more polished before you ever press record. If you've ever missed the appearance and skin-smoothing options you had in Zoom, this closes that gap — a lot of that same polish now lives right inside [Riverside](https://cotovan.com/riverside), and it's one less reason to record anywhere else. One thing to know up front: these Appearance effects currently live **only in the recording studio** — on the setup screen and inside the live session. They aren't part of post-production yet, though that may well change. For now, you apply them before or during recording. ## Open the recording studio Open one of your projects and click **Record** to launch the studio. You'll land on the redesigned entry screen — the "Let's check your devices" page where you confirm your camera, microphone, and headphones. The new appearance controls are already available right here, before you even join the studio, so you can dial in your look while you're checking your gear. It's a good moment to review the rest of your [studio settings](https://cotovan.com/post/optimize-riverside-studio-settings/) at the same time. ![Riverside studio device-check setup screen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-studio-device-check.jpg) The redesigned “Let’s check your devices” screen — your appearance controls are available here before you join. ## Open the Effects panel In the top-right corner of your video preview, click **Effects**. That opens the side panel you may already recognize from background settings. On the **Background** tab you can blur your background or swap it for an image — even one you upload yourself. The appearance controls sit one tab over, so switch to **Appearance** next. ![Riverside Background and effects panel open on the Background tab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-effects-background-panel.jpg) Click Effects in the top-right of the preview to open the panel. Background blur and custom backgrounds live on the first tab. ## Touch Up: smooth your skin On the **Appearance** tab, the first control is **Touch Up**, which smooths your skin on camera. It has two strengths in a dropdown — **Subtle** and **Smooth** — with Smooth being the stronger of the two. When you turn it on you might notice a slight delay in the preview; that's just the effect processing, and it's normal. ![Riverside Appearance tab with Touch Up enabled on the Subtle setting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-appearance-touch-up.jpg) Touch Up smooths your skin on camera. Use the dropdown to choose Subtle for a light pass or Smooth for a stronger result. ## Face Lighting The next control is **Face Lighting**. It relights your face and gently darkens the area around you, so your features stand out more. Even in a reasonably well-lit room the difference is visible — the background drops back a touch and the focus shifts onto your face. ![Riverside Face Lighting effect enabled in the Appearance tab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-appearance-face-lighting.jpg) Face Lighting brightens your face and lets the background fall away slightly, drawing attention to you. ## Studio Lighting Finally there's **Studio Lighting**, which works on a slider rather than a simple on/off toggle. Slide it up and it's almost like turning your lights up — the whole scene brightens. Slide it down and everything dims (go too far and it gets too dark). Find the point that looks natural for your room and camera. ![Riverside Studio Lighting slider in the Appearance tab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-appearance-studio-lighting.jpg) Studio Lighting is a slider: drag toward “Increase light” to brighten the scene or “Reduce light” to pull it back. ## Adjust the effects inside the studio If you set these on the device-check screen and then click **Join studio**, your effects carry straight over and are already applied. You can also change them mid-session: hover over your own video tile and click the same **Effects** button. The Appearance tab opens right there, so you can toggle Touch Up, Face Lighting, and Studio Lighting on the fly without leaving the recording. ![Riverside Appearance effects panel open inside the live recording studio](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/06/riverside-effects-inside-studio.jpg) Inside the studio, hover your video tile and click Effects to adjust Touch Up, Face Lighting, and Studio Lighting at any time. ## When these effects help most None of this is dramatic, and that's the point — it's a natural touch-up, not a heavy filter. You'll notice it most when you're working with a lower-resolution camera or less-than-ideal lighting, where a little skin smoothing and some extra light make the biggest difference. For me the skin looks a touch smoother and the lighting a bit cleaner, without ever looking artificial. If your footage still comes out darker or more off-color than you'd like, you can [fix it afterward with color adjustments](https://cotovan.com/post/quick-color-adjustments-fixes-riverside/) in the editor. And if you're shooting with a webcam, it helps to [record in the highest resolution your setup supports](https://cotovan.com/post/how-to-record-in-high-resolution-in-riverside/) so these effects have more detail to work with. ## Related guides [Best Settings for Your Riverside Studio: A Feature-by-Feature GuideThe best settings for your Riverside recording studio to ensure your podcasts, livestreams, and recordings are of the highest quality.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/icon/Cristi-2-31.jpeg)Cristi CotovanCristi Cotovan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2025/09/155_optimize-riverside-studio-settings-1.jpg)](https://cotovan.com/post/optimize-riverside-studio-settings/) [How to Use Color Adjustments in Riverside to Fix Dark or Off-Color FootageA new feature to adjust colors has been added in Riverside and it could save a lot of back and forth in color correcting.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/icon/Cristi-2-31.jpeg)Cristi CotovanCristi Cotovan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2025/12/c8a6c58e-597a-4aab-b5b7-12ab8ae4f34d.jpg)](https://cotovan.com/post/quick-color-adjustments-fixes-riverside/) [How to Record in High Resolution in RiversideBy default, Riverside records in 720p. But if your camera supports it, you can bump the recording quality up to 1080p or even 4K HD. Here's how to change the resolution setting. Find the Recording Settings Go to Settings in the Riverside sidebar, then click Studio settings. Select the Recording tab at the top. Change Video Resolution Scroll down to the Advanced section. You'll see a toggle to switch between: \* Up to 1080p — Full HD recording, good balance of quality and file size \* Up t![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/icon/Cristi-2-31.jpeg)Cristi CotovanCristi Cotovan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2026/02/High-Res-Recording.jpg)](https://cotovan.com/post/how-to-record-in-high-resolution-in-riverside/) [All Riverside.fm Features: The Complete Review and How to Use ThemRiverside.fm features have evolved rapidly over the last couple of years. What started as a recording-first tool is now a full end-to-end production platform for podcasters, YouTubers, course creators, coaches and teams.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/icon/Cristi-2-31.jpeg)Cristi CotovanCristi Cotovan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/aa/5baa4306-14e9-442c-8242-49463a36912f/content/images/2025/11/4ab5a9ea-c3dd-44ba-aeec-5915e90750b8.jpg)](https://cotovan.com/post/riverside-features-complete-review-for-podcasters-creators/) If you're eager to learn more about Riverside and wish to have a one-on-one Riverside coaching session, feel free to book a call with me. I'm here to help you with any questions you have and to guide you through the best workflows, tips, workarounds, or just answer any questions you may have! [Book a session ](https://cotovan.com/coaching) ## Free Riverside Tips, Tricks, and Training in Your Inbox I create regular training content on [Riverside.fm](https://cotovan.com/riverside) \- if you're trying to learn the platform, I intend to teach all the ins and outs. Subscribe here and when a new article or video goes live, you'll be the first to know! Subscribe for free Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.