If you’ve performed on stage, you’ve probably (hopefully) worn “stage makeup.” But if you’ve never applied your own stage makeup, consider these tips before picking up the eyeliner and blush.

The Science of Stage Makeup

Stage makeup does wonders to correct some of the problems of on-stage performing. And without stage makeup, your audience’s view of you might not be very flattering.

Distance

The most obvious reason for wearing special makeup on stage is that you’re far away from the audience.

If you’ve never worn stage makeup, then the first time you apply it, you might feel like you’re wearing too much. Don’t worry. Remember that you’ll perform for people who are sitting far away. What looks overdone to you will look just fine to someone watching you from the middle of the theater.

Lighting

Some small theaters don’t have the resources to consult great lighting artists. As a result, many of these stages end up with lighting that includes too much blue and too much red. These colors make your features disappear on stage. But, with the right makeup, you can correct this problem and make sure that the audience sees your face.

Makeup also helps you correct the effects of stage lighting on the shadows of your face. Stage lights can erase the natural contours of your nose, cheekbones, and brow. But with stage makeup, you can re-create, and enhance, the shadows that normally define your face.

The Complete Make-up Artist by Penny Delamar gives tips for using makeup in combination with lighting. She explained:

• White makeup looks blue under stage lights, and to compensate, you should use cream colors.
• Blue and purple often look black, so try using brown instead.
• Yellow makeup often looks like white, and you can substitute orange, red, or pink for yellow.

Stage Makeup for Men

The guidelines for makeup on male dancers are much like the guidelines for makeup on female dancers. The

makeup isn’t designed to enhance or complement an individual dancer’s appearance–it just allows the audience to see the dancer’s face.

Male dancers will use many of the same colors as female dancers, because stage lights will affect their facial features in the same ways. It’s important to emphasize eyebrows, eyes, and lips. Male dancers need to apply the same techniques as female dancers when contouring the face and cheekbones also.

There are, however, a few ways in which stage makeup for men is different than stage makeup for women. First, men normally don’t wear false eyelashes. Second, male dancers often use lip colors that are not as vivid as the bright reds for female dancers.

Makeup Mistakes

ModeDion, a site with beauty tips for recitals and competitions, warns about errors that will cause your stage makeup to look amateur. These include:

• Undefined brows
• Eyes lined in solid black liner
• Oily, shiny foundation
• Foundation that is too dark
• Heavy blush on the apples of the cheeks

Read all of ModeDion’s stage makeup tips at this link.

Special Makeup Situations

When applying your stage makeup, consider the following points. These situations might call for special techniques and products.

Sweating

If you sweat heavily when performing, take extra care when choosing and applying your makeup. Many

makeups are water-based, and these will begin to run as soon as you start sweating. You should choose products that are water-resistant. Some people refer to these as “greasepaints.”

If necessary, you can use products to “set” your makeup. Water-proof liquids, like Ben Nye’s LiquiSet, are used when mixing and applying makeup. And products like FinalSeal can be used as a water-proof base coat and a top coat.

Character Makeup

If you’re applying stage makeup for a character role, then much of your planning will depend on the needs of your character. Use your knowledge of colors and lighting to create your character makeup.

Buying Makeup

Many dancers want to know if they should invest in professional “stage makeup” kits. One advantage to

owning these kits is that they’re formulated to include the most stage-friendly colors and combinations. And, these professional products are made to withstand sweat and movement.

Before buying makeup, find out what brushes, sponges, and makeup removers you’ll need. Using the right makeup tools allows for much easier application.

Test Out Your Look

If you’re doing makeup for a solo performance or for a school theater project, test out your makeup during a dress rehearsal. Make sure that your colors and designs look right under the stage lights. If you’re performing solo, ask someone to sit halfway back in the theater and observe you on stage. If your features don’t look washed out and if they don’t look too harsh, you’ve done well!

Makeup Tutorials

For some videos and resources on stage makeup, visit the following links:

• Stage makeup application and techniques from Expert Village.
• Makeup for Nutcracker Dancers
• Makeup for Jazz/Competition
• Makeup for Modern Dancers
• Makeup for Young Dancers
• Makeup for Hip-Hop Dancers

Image Sources:

• Figure 7.29 - Eye Make-up for ballerinas from page 79 of The Technique of the Professional Make-up Artist by Vincent J-R. Kehoe.
• Still shot of “Shading the Cheeks” tutorial from Expert Village