Step by Step Instructions for applying stage makeup.
If you’re not used to applying stage make up, be prepared, it will take some practice.
Pull hair completely off the face with a hairband.
Wash and dry the face.
If the skin is particularly dry you may need to apply a thin layer of moisturizer. Normally
though, young children don't need this.
Foundation
Applying stage makeup - foundation. First dot the foundation over the face. Gently with
circular motions, rub the foundation into the skin, making sure all the face is covered,
including nose and eyelids. Blend it well into the skin around the hair and jaw line so you
don't see a line where the make-up starts.
You can apply foundation with your first 2 fingers, blending and rubbing in a circular
motion, or you can purchase a make-up sponge, dampen very slightly, still apply first to
the face and then use the sponge to blend in. With time and practice you will develop a
preference.
Face Powder
Face powder. After applying the foundation, pat the face powder all over the face. Then,
taking a large brush, gently brush off any excess face powder. This will help set the
foundation and avoid shiny faces on stage, especially noticeable under bright stage lights.
Blusher
Blusher. This can sometimes be tricky to apply to young children who don't have
pronounced cheekbones. A powder blusher with a brush is best. One way is to ask the child
to suck their cheeks in (fish face), that way highlighting the cheek bone. Brush the
blusher from the cheek bone near the ear, running along the bottom edge of the bone (feel
it with your fingers) to end just before the bone ends. Blend in slightly.
Eye Shadow
Eye Shadow. Good eye make up will bring a face to life on stage. Use brown and white,
which looks great on stage, you can always find a nice shimmery brown to add a bit of
sparkle.
Have the child close their eyes, gently closed, not scrunched as this
causes lines. Apply the brown on the bottom half of the lid, using an
eyeshadow applicator. Use smooth strokes starting at the inside
corner of the eye, moving out to the edge. Blend this eyeshadow out
and up to the end of the eyebrow.
On the top part of the lid, apply the white eyeshadow, filling in the rest of the eyelid.
Eyeliner
(This step is optional) Apply white eyeliner just under the eyelashes
on the bottom eyelid. It is very hard to find white liquid eyeliner, but
there is a wide range of pencils, look for a soft pencil. This technique
has an amazing effect of opening the eyes up on stage, making
them appear much larger. Another option is to apply a thin line of
black eyeliner under the white on the bottom lid. Only for stage,
this has an amazing effect of enlarging the eyes on stage, and making
them seem bigger.
Applying Black eyeliner to the top lid, along the line of eyelashes,
as close to the lashes as possible. Some kids don't like this part of
applying stage makeup, they get scared (especially with a sharp
pencil) coming so close to their eye, again a liquid eyeliner with
brush is not so scary or doesn't hurt so much.
If using liquid eye liner, wait until the liquid dries before opening
the eye or it will smudge.
Eyelashes
If you are putting on false eyelashes, (not recommended
for the younger dancers) this is the stage to apply them. We
recommend the Ardel brand #105 (available at most drug
stores, Target, Wal-Mart, etc). The best type are the ones
you apply a thin layer of adhesive to the false lash and then
gently, starting from the inside corner of the eye, press
down as close to the root of the eye lash as possible,
pressing along the line to the end. Do not apply glue directly
to the eye. Open the eye straight away. Adjust to get a
straight line.
If using lashes, you won't really need to apply mascara as well, not on young children.
Teenagers will probably like to still apply mascara.
(To remove false eyelashes, gently pull off from one end to the other.)
Mascara
Mascara. If you are not using false eyelashes, you will need a black mascara. It can be
tricky applying mascara to small children. At first it feels very unnatural to them and their
instinct is to scrunch their eyes, thus smudging the black. One method I have found to work
to compensate this is to hold a folded paper tissue on the cheek, right up to the eye,
under the bottom lashes. If you do smudge, it goes on the tissue. Get your child to hold the
mascara bottle (gives them something to do and think about).
First, coat the top side of the upper lashes with the mascara wand brushing down and
out from lid to outer lash. Then, with their eyes open, hold the wand close to the eye and
have them blink, very gently, making sure each time they blink their lashes catch on the
wand and get a coating of mascara. They only need to do this 3 or 4 times. Any excess
mascara will go onto the tissue - not the skin, and the bottom lashes will get a gentle
coating and won't need doing separately. Try to keep the child from blinking hard until the
mascara has dried.
Lipstick
Lips. Normally a bright red lipstick is used, especially on stage to
show up the lips to the fullest. We recommend the Cover Girl
Outlast in Ever Red-dy shade #507. It is a lip stain, so it will stay
on usually through the whole show. Just be sure if you use the lip
stain that you let the color coat fully dry before applying the sealing
coat. Once dry, it will stay on, smudge free for hours. It normally
comes in a pack with a lip gloss and all you need to do is re apply
the lip gloss through the show. Do be careful when applying the
lipstick that you don't go out of the lip line, as its hard to rub off. If
you have to correct, as with the mascara, cover up with foundation.
One thing you must be careful when applying stage makeup, especially with lipstick on
children if you are changing costumes is not to smudge lipstick or
get it on either their costume or another's. Tips. If you get black
eyeliner, mascara or lipstick smudged on the skin or eyes, do not
try to rub it off, that will only make a bigger mess. Using a Q tip, dip
it into the foundation and dab onto the smudge until it is
completely covered. Leave it to dry and apply another coat of
foundation or eyeshadow over the top.
The full stage makeup, finished. Although at first it may feel
like it takes a long time to do, you will soon become used to
applying stage makeup for kids quickly. We suggest you
practice a few times before the recital to get the hang of it.
Up close, the make up will look a little over whelming, but
under the stage lights, you’ll be able to see the dancer’s
features.