Applying Base Make-Up for the Stage

By Salome

"Oriental dance is the physical and emotional interpretation of a piece of music and how that music makes the individual dancer respond or feel". A’isha Azar

Distance and light obliterate facial features, relating as lack of emotional response to the music. To avoid this a performer can, and should, wear stage make-up. While many of us are familiar with applying everyday cosmetics, few are taught stage make-up techniques as a matter of course. The principal is thus - specific application of dark (illusion of smaller) and light (illusion of larger) colors exaggerate facial features making them more visible.

You need a well lit area to work in and clothes that tolerate make-up spills. You don't want to smudge your make-up as you change, so a robe, button up or wide neck top are good choices. Start by preparing your 'canvas'. Pull your hair into a ponytail or bun using a headband to keep bangs or fine hairs off of your face. Wash your face free of existing make-up and impurities. If prone to flaky skin, gently exfoliate with a scrub, wash cloth or loofah. Use a toner and (light) moisturizer as desired. Shape brows.

Concealer is the first paint applied. Its purpose is to neutralize undesirable colors, in a spot treatment, that foundation alone will not cover. Concealer comes in a variety of shades to match skin color however it's important to note that it comes in three distinct hues; green, yellow and white. Green covers red - think pimples and scars. Yellow covers blue - bruises and darkness under the eyes. White offsets shadows and acts as a highlighter.

Using a concealer brush (this is a firm, flat, slightly tapered brush) dab the concealer onto the problem area(s). Apply enough concealer to cover the undesirable color then gently feather the edges of the application outward. The cardinal rule in make-up application is blend, blend, blend. If you don’t have a concealer brush you might try substituting with the corner of a clean make-up sponge.

The purpose of foundation is to create a flawless, even looking complexion and to minimize the effects of shadow casting. Foundation comes in liquid, cream, stick and mousse form. Generally, liquid and mousse foundations are more light weight and better suited to regular cosmetic wear while creams, and sticks give the kind of coverage necessary for the stresses of performance. I prefer the versatility of a cream based foundation. It can wear dense but also be thinned out by mixing the foundation with face lotion (before application).

Stage make-up foundation should be a close match to your skin color, but slightly darker is preferable. When testing colors, dab a bead onto your face and blend in. A good color match will almost disappear. I like to squeeze the foundation cream I’m going to use onto one hand and work with it from there. It brings the creme to body temperature, allowing for smoother application.

Foundation will set up during application so it’s best to apply it in one area at a time. For example separate the 'canvas' into 1/3's, start in the center of each 1/3 and work the sponge outward in short strokes to the hair line, under the jaw and down the neck, respectively.

If you have fine hair on your face, stroke the sponge in the direction the hair lays. Inspect all the angles and area’s of your face, and use your make-up sponge to blend and smooth where needed.

In even strokes, apply a white based concealer or cream pencil under the eyebrow, under the eye, down the length of the nose, on the chin under the lip and along the top of the cheekbones. Blend every edge so there is absolutely no discernable line of white. In lieu of white concealer you can use a lighter color foundation. Be aware that it takes more skill to expertly blend this with the skin toned foundation you already applied.

After the concealer, foundation and highlighter have been blended down, dust your entire face, and neck with translucent or neutral powder to set. Don't skip this step! Further into the process flecks of eyeshadow powder may fall on your face during application. If you’ve set your face in powder it will easily dust off without leaving streaks or upsetting foundation coverage.

The tools we use impact what the final result looks like. Use clean make-up sponges. Oil, dead skin, and different colors from previous make-up applications take away from the effectiveness of the sponge. You can wash them out with a gentle shampoo but as soon as the foam is compromised throw it away.

Product Brands

You may already have a product line that works well for you. If you need suggestions I can share brands that I like; Arbonne for concealer, Clinique for cream foundations and Mac for powders. If you want to try working with theatrical make-up, you might check out Ben Nye, Kryolan, or Mehron. I’ve not found any difference in make-up sponges, the drug store variety suffice. Concealer and powder brushes need to be of fine quality. Channel and Mac both produce excellent brush sets.

Toning it down

The intensity of stage-make up should be adjusted in consideration of the venue. You don’t want to look like you're wearing villainous Kabuki make-up when it's up close and personal and there's plenty of light. Use a cream concealer for blemishes as prescribed above. If you already have an even complexion you can skip foundation, though you will want ample powder to cut shine and even out spot treatments. If foundation is worn it must match your skin tone exactly, unlike the slightly darker tone that can be worn for the stage. Instead of a heavy cream highlighter use a white matte eyeshadow as prescribed above. Blend the edges of the white shadow down with a clean make-up brush. Dust your entire face, and neck with translucent or neutral powder to set.