The new dance season is underway, and you’re managing classes, teaching classes, being a mom, studio owner, and all the other jobs that come with it.
You’ve ordered costumes, and the final piece of your onstage look is makeup! Like most women, you probably never learned how to apply makeup or what colors work best; and you definitely don’t know how to teach the girls how to apply it.
Now’s the time to leave this part of your competition/onstage look to the pros! Here are 10 performance makeup tips to ease your onstage look this year:
#1. Makeup is fun! Follow 5 simple steps
Don’t stress about your onstage look, and don’t save your performance makeup kits for just performance. Wear the makeup! Have fun with it! Makeup is fun! We like to equate this to having a big diamond ring and not wearing it! Tell your dancers to wear their makeup kits, and gain confidence with practice.
Nothing feels better than walking out the door the best version of yourself. A little makeup can do just that.
Follow these 5 steps when applying your makeup:
Step 1: face – foundation, concealer, powder – in that order
Step 2: eyes
Step 3: cheeks
Step 4: lips
Step 5: highlights
Think of prepping your face first, then moving top down to apply the rest.
(Now, we at LOVER Cosmetics want to stress age appropriateness when it comes to wearing makeup, too! Be a kid! If you’re a teen dancer, enjoy the makeup kit your parents gifted to you. But maybe apply a little less for school and Friday night lights!)
#2. Start with a primer
Makeup primer goes a long way for longevity and boldness of pigment.
Apply an all-over primer or tinted primer before applying your matte foundation (if you use one!) If you use a concealer, wait until you have applied that tinted primer or foundation, then go in with concealer. You often need less – and less is more when it comes to makeup layers.
Also – don’t forget an eye primer. We don’t like using one for everyday, but performance makeup gets a boost with a good eye primer. It levels out the lid and gives the shadow something to stick to. Apply shadow immediately after the primer, and use a tapping method when applying shadow to get a bolder pigment.
#3. Set it and forget it
Setting sprays are all the rage right now! But you can use them throughout your makeup application, not just at the end.
Have a creamy contour stick? Apply it to the back of your hand, spritz your brush or contour with a little setting spray, then apply the cream contour. You will get a much bolder application and a little more staying power.
Then, give your makeup a final set when finished with your entire look.
#4. Don’t set the crease!
Eyes are a focal point when it comes to performance makeup. Before you start applying your shadows and color, be sure to blend by tapping any primer, foundation, or product on your lid and under eye. If you apply powder to a crease that’s not blended well, you’ve just set the crease!
#5. Lashes like a pro
Lashes get easier with practice, and the key is to hide that lash line. Here’s how:
1. Apply a thin coat of liner as close to your lash line as possible.
2. Let the glue dry/get a little tacky, then apply a thin layer to your lash strip.
3. Use a lash clip and slide the lashes up your natural lashes so they blend seamlessly with your real lashes.
4. Finally, apply another coat of liner on top of the lash strip to hide any glue and blend in completely! Pro tip: We love using powder liner – it’s easier to apply!
#6. Don’t forget the brows.
In addition to a bold lip and gorgeous eyes, brows give a ton of expression onstage. Don’t forget to fill them in – lightly – to get the most of your onstage acting!
Pro tip: Choose a color that is not super dark, and has no red in it – think of a taupe/gray color. And choose a color a few shades LIGHTER than your hair color. This looks the most natural on brows. Apply your first strokes to the top of the brow, defining the shape, then fill in as needed!
#7. Why are you blushing?
Ever wonder where to apply your blush?
Think of a line that runs from the bottom of your nose to the top of your ear. This is where you want to apply your blush. Also, keep the blush toward the back of your face, not on the apple of your cheek. This will give a lifted look onstage and not the clown-look we want to avoid!
#8. Save your shower towel
A few tricks can help your lipstick last! First, take your shower towel or a damp washcloth and give your lips a scrub. Makeup wipes, primers, moisturizer can all have oils in them and lead to your lipstick coming off.
Second, smile! This gets your long-wear lip formulas in all the cracks. And don’t forget the outer corners of your lip. When you’re using expression on stage, we want to see a full circle of lipstick on those beautiful lips.
Third, take a one-ply tissue or toilet paper. Set it over your lips and take your powder brush and loose powder to set your lipstick for an even longer wear and no transfer on those expensive costumes.
#9. Keep it clean
It is really important to keep your brushes and your makeup clean. This helps prevent bacteria transfer back and forth from one to the other. You should wash your brushes at least once a month and your foundation brushes and sponges at least once a week or after each use.
There are some fabulous makeup and brush sanitizer products. Our favorites are the Beauty So Clean products.
#10. Post-performance skin
We’ve given you all these tips on how to get your makeup to stay. Now, be sure you take it off!
An oil cleanser is a great way to remove long-wear formulas gently. On these teen, tween and baby faces, we also like to double cleanse with a gentle foaming cleanser to get the oil and any extra makeup off. Don’t forget the neck!
Lastly, moisturize before you go to bed. A light moisturizer and Aquaphor or a lip mask are perfect to wear to bed so you’re ready for the next day of competition. Along with these moisturizers, don’t forget the water!
By Ashley Maurin Rodden, CEO, LOVER® Cosmetics.
Ashley Maurin Rodden is the owner of LOVER® Cosmetics and is one of the nation’s leading performance makeup providers with clients nationwide, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. Her line touts USA-made, clean beauty products, customized kits and education. She trained in Paris, France, at the renowned Christian Chauveau makeup school and loves teaching women how to apply makeup in five simple steps. ashley@lover-cosmetics.com
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