Back Stage Beauty Tips

Stage makeup for the theatre works primarily on the premise of audience perception. Human eyes are trained from birth to translate the pattern of light and shadow as it falls across the face to provide clues for things like the age, facial texture, and the expression of the person they are viewing. Stage makeup is all about manipulating viewer expectations and perceptions with various techniques of applying makeup. Knowing when to simplify, how to conceal and reveal certain aspects of the face, and which brands to use can mean the difference between a lackluster makeup job and one that shows a true transformation into character.

Start with a Good Foundation
If you're going to look good you need a good basic foundation. On the stage, very thick foundation serves to keep an actor's face from being washed out by bright stage lights. Daily foundation serves to even out discoloration, cover blemishes and more. The key to either one is to do a thorough job when identifying your skin tone. The two toned look isn't desirable, even on stage. You'll want to blend foundation into the jaw line for the best effect. Use a shade darker than the foundation to add contours to the face, and a shade lighter than the foundation on areas you want to highlight. And always use powder to set the makeup.

Less is More
Unless your day job involves being a clown, when it comes to makeup, less is more. As a general rule, stage makeup is applied with a much heavier hand than daily makeup. However, the folks who paid top dollar for front row seats, don't want to see garish makeup. How heavy you apply eye shadow, eyeliner, blush, and lipstick says a lot about who you are as a person. An overdone face carries the implication that the wearer is over compensating for something else, perhaps a lack of self-confidence. Do yourself a favor and use a lighter hand which will highlight your natural beauty and maybe even score a few points in the 'I feel good about myself' perception department.

Be Mindful of the Eyes
As windows to the soul, your lovely eyes should have special attention. Here's a short list of things to be mindful of:

• Use eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara to make the eyes stand out.
• Avoid the Tammy Faye look—trying to make your eyes "pop" with lots of mascara. This can actually make the eyes look smaller. You'd do better to invest in a good set of false lashes.
• Keep your eyebrows clean and groomed. It's more important than you think, as it not only frames your face but can open up your facial expressions.
• Use quality products. This applies to all makeup, but the eyes in particular since that is where the mind is first drawn and focuses through the day.