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STAGE MAKEUP TIPS

COLORS

  • Use stronger colors, not more, in eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick as stage lights will fade the colors.
  • Always match your makeup to your skin tone; if you have a pink undertone, pick a foundation with a touch of pink to it.
Patricia Lane, Stage Makeup Tricks, The Crescent Moon magazine, 1994.

FOUNDATION

  • Use loose powder to set your foundation as pressed powder can streak it. After dotting loose powder all over the face and neck, with a large makeup brush or cotton ball, brush the excess powder off with a downward motion as the fine facial hairs grow in that direction.
  • Remember your complextion does not stop at your chin. Blend your makeup down on to your neck and powder your neck as well as your face.
Patricia Lane, Stage Makeup Tricks, The Crescent Moon magazine, 1994.

BLUSH

  • Avoid frosted blush if at all possible because, like frosted shadows, the stage lights will fade the color while intensifying the frost.
  • If you normally wear cream blush, try applying blush over your foundation with an exexpensive makeup sponge that is moist, not damp. Apply powder and check teh effect under as strong a light as possible. If more color is needed, use a light dusting of powdered blush.
  • The rule is: cream on cream, powder on powder.
Patricia Lane, Stage Makeup Tricks, The Crescent Moon magazine, 1994.

EYES

  • If using a frosted shadow, use only as a highlighter on the brow bone. The frost will be intensified under the stage lights.
  • A deeper matte shadow can be used as a simple eye contouring technique. Using a fine brush and a deep neutral color (like deep plum) make a sideways V at the outer corner of the eye, working it in the crease to just over 1/2 way. Sweep the color under the lower lashes to just short of of 1/2 way. Fill in the outer edge of eye lid. This can also be done with an eyeshadow pencil, but be sure it is sharpened. Depending on your skin tone, use a pale pink or pale beige over the entire upper lid and crease. As this will soften the look use a matte white on brow bone.
  • Placing a small red, or deep rose, dot on the inner corner of the eye lide, not in the eye, will make the eyes brigher and the whites whiter. (This is a trick used by every stage actor and actress world wide).
  • By placing a few single false lashes at the outer corner of the eye lid you not only open the eye, but will give the eye added shape and definition. If using a full lid of lashes, pick the ones that are not the solid line. If the lashes are very longyou maywant to trimthem a bit with a manicuring scissor.
  • While sticking to deep neutrals in your eyeshadows, especially for contouring, (deep brown, dark grey, soft black, strong taupe) do not hesitate to try the newer ones; navy blue and plum.
Patricia Lane, Stage Makeup Tricks, The Crescent Moon magazine, 1994.

LIPS

  • The lips should not only be defined with a sharp, non-waxy lip pencil, but filled in with the same. A clear true color is best whether using red, plum, pink, or brown. Then apply lipstick over the pencil. To customize your own look try using a slightly lighter shade of lipstick than the pencil, being sure to keept it in the same color group. No pink with red liner, please!!
Patricia Lane, Stage Makeup Tricks, The Crescent Moon magazine, 1994.

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