Dance Extravaganza
Makeup Tutorial
Knowing how to apply stage makeup is essential for all dancers. Without it, it is impossible to see a person's face on stage. It is important to understand why performers of all ages need to wear stage makeup. As we all already know, no child needs makeup to look beautiful. Wearing makeup on stage is NOT about trying to improve your looks. It is about being seen under bright lights from a far distance. Stage lights are extremely bright and will wash out any and all facial features if no makeup is applied.
It is not necessary for hair and makeup to be done for any rehearsals leading up to the show.
Students do not require makeup for the Theatre Rehearsal however they will need makeup for the actual Shows. It is up to you whether they come already made up for their Theatre rehearsal on the morning of the show and just need a touch up or you take them away and put makeup on after their rehearsal ready for the show.
Makeup is the same for all students.
The Ballet Academy provides the unique lipstick that is used for the students and this is applied with brushes that are cleaned between students. Jazz Silver Star/Gold Medal students will be required to provide their own Kryolan LC008 lipstick, This can be purchased from Minifies online store only (https://minifies.co.nz/collections/lips/products/kryolan-classic-lipsticks?variant=8894437916787).
Tips for Makeup Application:
- Place a mirror in front of your child so they can see what is happening step-by-step, this keeps them still for longer.
- 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.
- 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.
STEP ONE: (Moisturiser and Foundation)
Apply moisturiser all over the face then Foundation all over face blending into the neck line to leave no visible line.
STEP TWO: (Powder and Blusher)
Apply Powder over whole face to set foundation and stop the face from shining.
Apply Blusher along the cheekbones, especially the apple of the cheek.
Tips:
- Blusher can sometimes be tricky to apply to young children who don't have pronounced cheekbones.
- One way is to ask the child to suck their cheeks in, that way highlighting the cheek bone.
STEP THREE: (Eyeshadows)
Apply white eyeshadow on curve under eyebrows and on eyelids.
Apply dark brown eyeshadow in the crease of the eye and slightly above to make the eye appear larger from a distance.
Blend the white eyeshadow to the dark brown eyeshadow either with a light brown eyeshadow or with careful blending of the white and the dark to make a soft changing of colour between dark and white eyeshadows.
STEP FOUR: (Eyeliner and Mascara)
Using Dark Brown Eyeshadow or Brown Eye pencil, apply a line underneath and on eyelid next to eyelashes.
Apply black mascara to upper and lower eyelashes.
Tips:
- To apply Mascara - place brush in the middle of the eye and ask children to blink gently.
- At first the Mascara application 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).
- Try to keep the child from blinking hard until the mascara has dried.
STEP FIVE: (Lipstick)
Apply Lipstick, making sure there is none on teeth.
Please Note: This is applied at the Theatre after the students are dressed in their costumes. You do not need to supply this lipstick unless you would like your own one or are Jazz Silver Star/Gold Medal.
These are available for Minifies online store only (see link at top of this page). It is the Kryolan Brand and it is LC008 - $24.50. Please make sure it is named!