One of the main questions I am asked, as a make up artist is “why do I have to wear stage make-up?” The idea of a “special” stage make-up can be very intimidating. I remember the days when stage make up meant grease paint and a thick layer goop on the face. I don’t blame women and men for not wanting to go through that process. It was very hard to remove and the face usually broke out the next day. Fortunately, times have changed. Technology is helping us by designing products that are more user-friendly, both in application and removal.

The purpose of stage make-up is to make us more visible from a distance. Our face is a crucial part of this dance. Expressions need to be seen. The face continues what the body begins. As the mood of the dance changes, so does the facial expression, and if we cannot see the features, part of the dance is lost. I often see a wonderful dancer in a wonderful costume with no face. From 20 to 30 feet away, all that can be seen is the contrast of color, which means the hair and costume show against the skin. If the facial features are not accented enough, they literally disappear.

It is this principle of contrast, using light and dark to accent and outline the features that is the basis of good stage make-up. We use highlights and shadows to create bone structure and enlarge the features so they are visible to the audience. The further away you are, the less details will show. This means you have to make features appear larger to compensate. When you apply your stage make-up, stand back across the room and look in the mirror, or stand 20 feet from a friend and check your features. Can your eyes be seen? Do you have eyebrows? Do you have lips, even when you smile? You will start to get the idea using this distance trick. You will see how colors like red on the lips and black on the eyes look quite natural on stage. Try some different colors. Think of it as rehearsal or practice. See for yourself how different colors are seen from a distance. You will find that too much up close is quite normal on stage.

It is always best to check the lighting situation where you will be performing. This is not always possible, so use these guidelines to help determine your method of application. Lighting and distance combine to create a variety of effects on make up. Distance dissolves the effect of make up. You will lose 20% for every 10 feet approximately. Sunlight enhances make up and costuming, making any color appear brighter. Evening light diffuses make up by 30-40%. Dim restaurant lighting diffuses make up by 50-60%. Basic stage lighting erases make up by 60-80%. Spotlights enhance make up, showing contrast and color, but lighten the skin tone by two shades.

This does not mean you have to look painted. The colorful, painted doll face looks tacky, in my opinion. I much prefer the elegant, classy look. If you want to look natural, use dark earth tones with black as an overlay to outline the eyes. Try not to match your eye shadow to your costume. Use off white, champagne, light peach or yellow as a highlighter. Use a deep clay colored blush just under the cheekbone to enhance the bone structure. Try a wine shade on the lips, or a light nude outlined with a deep rust/coffee liner. Avoid using brown on the lips; it looks muddy on stage.

Then experiment with some color. Deep purple, wine, moss and navy all look terrific on stage. Note that these are all rich colors with deep undertones. The bright colors are the ones that produce a garish look. Take a look at a bright blue or light green and you will see what I mean. Under brow highlights can be versions of white, cream, or rose. Lips can be red, scarlet, wine, raspberry, or cranberry. Try to use a color that accents the costume and accents your hair. Blush can be a deep mauve or rust. As you experiment with different colors, you will begin to see which colors hold up from a distance plus make you feel good about how you look. Eye colors with a brown base look the most natural. Colors with a gray base provide the most contrast. Medium tones and bright tones do not generally hold up from a distance. Dark lips tones will make the mouth appear smaller, light or bright lip tones will enlarge the mouth. Eyebrows should be as dark as the hair, or darker than the hair if you are a blonde.

The shape or outline you create for stage is also important. Features need to be bigger than real life by about 30%, beginning with the brow, which forms a frame around the eye. Extend the length of the brow ¼ to ½ inch to make the eye appear larger and raise the arch the same to open up the eye. When applying eye shadow, raise the crease of the eye to just under the brow. Leave a highlight space of about ¼ to 3/8 of an inch above for best results. This is accomplished by applying the crease color with the eyes open.

Eye shadow should also be extended out past the corners of the eye. You can extend into the temple area with a line or shadow blend. You may go all the way to the hairline on a large stage. False eyelashes, either individual or strip, will make the eyes appear larger to the audience.

Make the lips appear fuller by outlining just outside your natural lip line. Use a lip liner two shades darker than the lip tone. On a very large stage with lighting, a deep brown lip liner can be used. Use a white or silver shimmer eye shadow in the center of the top and bottom lips to create dimension.

Contrast is crucial on stage. The lighting and distance combine to wash out medium tones and cut your make up in half. Blending dark and light tones together creates medium tones. It is the contrast of tones that holds up on stage. You must learn how to produce enough contrast with less blending. Apply dark and light shadows next to each other and resist the urge to blend them. Apply the highlight tone right next to the crease tone almost like a stripe. It will look like too much up close and be perfect for stage.

Cheeks show more from a distance when they are contoured just under the bone. Apply a deep tone just under the cheekbone in a “C” shape. Do not blend, stand back and see how it chisels the bone structure.

This will get you started on the right track. Remember, the distance from the audience and the lighting will determine how dramatic you need to go. Practice and you will start to have fun as soon as you develop a comfort level.