CHAPTER 8 Applying Makeup

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Choosing the appropriate makeup, applicators, and application techniques for the various types of makeups can be a challenging process. Which type of makeup you choose will likely depend on one or more of the following:

 

1. Performance medium: television, film, theater, opera, dance

2. Skin type: dry, normal, oily

3. Surface to be painted: skin, latex, foam latex, silicone, gelatin

4. Personal preference

Once the makeup has been acquired, choosing the appropriate applicator for each type of makeup or makeup product will assist you in applying that product successfully. A full range of sponge applicators and makeup brushes is available for applying specific products to specific parts of the face and body. It is not necessary to acquire every product on the market, but professional makeup artists will argue that an assortment of quality brushes is a necessity. Good quality brushes are made with natural fibers (sable, squirrel, and camel) as well as from synthetic fibers (usually nylon) and come in a variety of shapes and sizes (see FIGURE 8-1). Sponge applicators are available in foam rubber and polyurethane in a variety of densities and textures (see FIGURE 10-2). Techniques for using sponges are discussed in Chapter 10.

Liquid Makeup

FOUNDATIONS   This type of makeup is available in opaque, transparent, powder, and airbrush formulas and can be used in all performance venues. The amount of coverage, surface texture, and sheen required will determine how it is used and which formulation is chosen.

Greaseless foundation in regular or matte formulas can be used on both the face and the body and applied with a sponge, a brush, an airbrush, or your fingers. It can be used on its own (does not need setting powder) or in combination with creme foundations for greater coverage (creme applied over liquid).

Liquid body makeup foundations move well over the skin and are formulated to cover a greater surface area of the body evenly and with relative speed. The foundations dry quickly and are often water resistant. Quality brands do not rub off on clothing. Creme and dry contour and accent colors can be used over liquid foundations.

BODY PAINTS   Liquid body paints used to decorate the face and body are available in a full rainbow of colors. Decorative and fantastical designs can be seen in theater and dance performances (see FIGURE 8-2), makeup competitions (see FIGURE 8-3), public festivals, and in commercial advertisements (see FIGURE 8-4). They can be mixed with water or setting liquids to produce a smudge-proof, water-proof surface that is easily removed with soap and water. They can also be applied with a sponge, brush, and airbrush.

Creme Makeup

FOUNDATIONS   When this type of makeup is applied to the face, it is usually transferred from the stick or the flat container with the fingers, with a brush, or with a foam-rubber sponge (see FIGURE 8-5B), any of which can also be used for blending. When used as the foundation color, the stick form of creme makeup can also be applied directly with the stick, then blended out with the fingers. If you need to mix colors in order to obtain the desired shade, that can be done on the back of the hand, in a palette box, or on a mixing palette or tile. When applying creme foundations, use only enough to color the skin and conceal minor blemishes. Then powder the makeup and go over it lightly with a damp sponge. This removes excess powder and sets the makeup.

  1. Crease—For creating soft lines around the eye.

  2. Camouflage/concealer—For applying dense foundations and coverups.

  3. Flat liner—For creating sharp lines.

  4. Brow—Angled brush for shaping the eyebrows.

  5. Fan—For blending; Lash—Spiral lash brush for applying mascara.

  6. Eyeliner—Small, round, tapered brush for creating fine lines.

  7. Lip—Beveled sides allow for accurate application of lip color.

  8. Firm shadow—For applying eyeshadow.

  9. Soft shadow—Soft and fluffy eyeshadow or used as a small powder brush.

10. (Very favorite) All-around—Foundation application, dry eyeshadow, soft eyeliner, contouring, dry shadows, also used wet for applying Aquacolor.

11. Angle blush—For applying contour and cheek colors.

12. Flat blush—Powder and dry colors.

13. Powder dome—Large powder brush.

14. Foundation brush—For brushing on foundations.

15. Small blush.

16. Small powder.

  1. Big stomper—Foam dome for pressing powder into appliance edges.

  2. Little stomper—Small foam dome for delicate spaces.

  3. Lace cleaner—For removing adhesive from wig lace and facial hair.

  4. Smash me—Used as a speckling tool by tapping against the counter.

  5. Glue/PAX brush—For applying adhesives, PAX colors, and aquacolors.

  6. Take off—For use with adhesive removers, adhesive, and makeup.

  7. Paintbrush—For painting large areas with all foundations, from RMGP to aquacolor.

  8. Character—All-purpose brush.

  9. Crew cut—Used for blending powders and creme colors.

10. Large vein—Used for painting in veins and other discolorations.

11. Capillary vein—Used for tiny veins, eyeliner, and gluing edges.

12. Small round glue—Used for applying medical adhesive and Pros-Aide.

13. Stipple—Slightly stiff bristled brush used for texturing rubber appliances.

14. Large round—Used for applying medical adhesive and Pros-Aide.

15. Dye brush—Used for applying hair graying products and for adding scratches in bruise makeups.

16. Powder dome—Made from fine white goat hair. For setting character and creature makeups.

Highlights and shadows can be applied either before or after the makeup has been powdered. They can be applied under the base for subtle modeling effects or for covering heavy beards. Or you may wish to apply shadows under the base and highlights over. That helps to emphasize the highlights and minimize the shadows. When creme rouge, eye color, and/or highlights are applied over the base, they must, of course, be powdered. Creme rouge is usually applied with a foam-rubber sponge or with the fingers; contour colors, with a wide, flat brush, a foam-rubber sponge, or the fingers. (In general, makeup artists tend to use foam-rubber sponges for applying creme makeup, whereas actors are more likely to use their fingers.)

Face Powder

Although appropriate shades of face powder may, on occasion, serve as a foundation color for “natural” makeup applications, powder is most often used to set makeup (to keep it from moving) and to remove any undesirable shine. Face powder comes in two forms: pressed and loose. Pressed powder, which looks similar to cake makeup, is applied with a puff and pressed into, not wiped onto, the makeup. Loose powder can be applied with either a puff or a large powder brush (many professionals prefer using a puff). When applying loose powder, first distribute a small amount onto the surface of the puff, fold the puff in half, and rub the powder into the fibers, then open the puff and tap off any excess powder. When using a puff, you should first fold it in half around the forefinger (powder side out) and press it firmly into the makeup (see FIGURE 8-5C). Powder applied with a brush should be lightly tapped onto the surface of the face. Excess powder is removed with a very soft powder brush or sometimes—especially for small areas—with a clean rouge brush. Face powder comes in no-color, translucent, and pigmented formulas. Experience and personal preference will help determine when to use which type.

Cake Makeup

FOUNDATION   Cake makeup—dry such as Mehron’s Star Blend or moist such as Kryolan’s Aquacolor—is applied with a sponge (see FIGURE 8-6) for large areas and with a brush for small ones. A natural silk sponge is best for the foundation color. The sponge should be damp but not wet. If the makeup does not come off on the sponge easily, you are not using enough water; if it seems thin and runs on the face, you are using too much water. If the paint seems to be thick and heavy, too much water may have soaked into the cake, or the sponge may have been rubbed too hard on the cake. In some brands of dry cake makeup the color comes off the cake much more readily than in others. If you use more than one brand of makeup, this difference may require some adjustment. If you have difficulty in getting color off the cake, simply use another brand of makeup.

After the makeup has been taken up on the sponge, stroke the sponge lightly across the face until the whole area is covered smoothly with a thin film of color. Cake makeup requires no powder. Performers with dry skin should, however, choose a creme formula foundation to help the skin retain moisture.

The wet formulas are glycerin-based and can also be used as eyeliner and for defining the eyebrow (see FIGURE 8-5H, I, J). A pointed, round brush dipped in water and stroked across the surface is very useful in accomplishing this technique. As a face and body paint, Kryolan Aquacolor resists smudging and holds up well to perspiration.

HIGHLIGHTS AND SHADOWS   These are normally applied over the foundation. It is possible, however, to apply them under the foundation for subtle modeling effects or for lightening a heavy beard. A combination of both methods can also be used. When the base is applied over shadows and highlights, it should be pressed on lightly with the sponge to avoid smearing the paint underneath and to allow the highlights and shadows to show through.

Cake foundations are also useful as highlights and shadows. When using appropriate light and dark cake colors, highlights and shadows can be applied with flat, sable brushes or with an angled brush or medium shadow brushes (see FIGURE 8-5D, E, F). Although a sponge can be used for larger areas, it is easier to control the paint with brushes. For smaller areas, including most wrinkles, 3/16-inch, ¼-inch, and ⅛-inch brushes can be used. Pointed Chinese brushes, ⅛-inch round, and eyeliner brushes are useful for small details such as applying eyeliner, punctuating the eye crease, and shaping eyebrows (see FIGURE 8-5H, I, J). In general, it is best to use the largest size brush suitable for the particular job you’re doing. Small brushes used for large areas are inefficient and may produce ineffective results.

 

If you are using a sponge to apply highlights and shadows, hold it so that only a small section of it touches the face. Apply the color directly to the face only in the area that is to be most strongly highlighted or shadowed. Then with a clean section of the dampened sponge, using a very light touch, blend the color out over the entire area to be covered, letting it fade out as you go until it blends into the foundation color. It may be helpful to run a clean section of the sponge very lightly over the edge of the shadow or the highlight where it meets the foundation in order to help merge the two.

In working with brushes, the general technique is to lay on color in the darkest area of the shadow or the lightest area of the highlight, then clean the brush and blend the edges of the shadow or the highlight with the damp brush until they blend imperceptibly into the foundation. To save time, use separate brushes for highlights and shadows.

Whether you are using a sponge or a brush, it is always best to build up a highlight or a shadow with several applications rather than trying to get just the right amount the first time. It is much easier to add color than it is to subtract it. If a shadow does become too dark, it should be lightened by lifting the color with a clean damp sponge. Never try to lighten a shadow by brushing a highlight over it! Shadows and highlights can, however, be toned down or softened by stippling with a sponge, using lighter colors for shadows, darker colors for highlights, or foundation for toning down both at the same time. (For more detailed instructions for stippling, see Chapter 10.)

Dry Makeup

This includes all makeup that is applied dry to the skin—cake rouge, brush-on rouge, brush-on eye shadow, and face powder. All are, of course, used only as adjuncts to the various types of non-dry makeup.

BRUSH-ON EYE SHADOW/EYE COLOR   These come in smaller cakes and palettes in a variety of colors and are applied with a small shadow brush (see FIGURE 8-5G) or a tiny sponge on a stick. They can also be applied with a cotton tipped applicator. Natural bristled brushes tend to hold more pigment than synthetic brushes, therefore delivering more product to the face. The choice to use a natural or synthetic brush will be determined by the desired effect and by personal preference. There are excellent quality brushes in both categories from which to choose. Any eyeshadow colors suitable for general shadowing can, of course, be used for that purpose. White and light flesh tints for highlighting are also available—more often in street makeup, however, than in theatrical.

DRY ROUGE/CHEEK COLOR/BRONZERS   Dry (or pressed powder) rouge is best applied with a brush (a rouge brush for larger areas and an eyeshadow brush for small ones), though a rouge puff, a powder puff, or, for small areas, a cotton tipped applicator can be used if a suitable brush is not available. Dry rouge can be applied over cake makeup, liquid makeup, or any creme or grease makeup that has been powdered (see FIGURE 8-5F).

It is possible to do a certain amount of shadowing with dry rouges and brushes, especially with dry rouges available in brown, gray and various shades of red.

Mascara

Mascara comes in two basic formats: the cake variety applied with a dampened brush and the tube style with a wand applicator (see FIGURE 8-5K). While the tube and wand variety are convenient and readily available at any cosmetic counter it must be noted that they are not easily cleaned and sterilized and that their use should be limited to personal, rather than group, makeup kits. Mascara also comes in regular and waterproof, and in thickening and lengthening formulas. Waterproof mascara is recommended for performance, but not for daily wear since it tends to dry out the lashes. The lengthening formula applies more evenly and goes on more smoothly than the thickening formula. Try applying several thin coats rather than one thick one.

Lip Color

This product comes in a variety of formats: traditional lipsticks, color palettes, individual flat containers, lip color pencils, lip liners, and professional tube concentrates (see FIGURE 8-7). Other products including lip gloss, lip stains, lip balm, long lasting, matte finish, and those containing sunblock are also available. Lip colors can be applied directly to the mouth by using a traditional lipstick, by drawing them on with a lip pencil, and by painting them on with a brush (see FIGURE 8-5). When using long-lasting or matte formulas or for actors with dry, cracked lips, hydrate the lips first with a thin layer of moisturizer, lip balm, or petroleum jelly.

For a longer lasting lip color try one of the following techniques: (1) apply lip color, powder, then apply a second layer; (2) apply lip color, blot using a singleply tissue (kiss the tissue rather than pressing it between your lips), then apply a second layer; (3) outline and then fill in entire lip with a lip pencil, then apply lip color with a brush to the edge of the lip line; (4) or use a combination of these three methods.

Concealers, Neutralizers,
and Tattoo Covers

Also called cover-up or camouflage, concealers are used to hide or minimize unwanted facial discoloration, blemishes, birthmarks, beard shadow, and tattoos (see FIGURES G-19 and G-20). They range in consistency from highly pigmented opaque cremes to relatively transparent liquids. Nearly every makeup manufacturer produces some form of concealer (see FIGURE 8-8). The transparent formulas are generally used as a neutralizer. The neutralizing effect is accomplished when an unwanted discoloration is covered with a concealer containing the complimentary color to the discoloration. Heavy beardlines on men, for example, tend to appear in the blue color range. Applying a “beard cover” containing orange pigment (the compliment of blue) will, theoretically, neutralize the beardline, bringing it closer to the natural skin tone. This is how it works: when light hits the skin, it reveals the bluish cast of the beardline. When the blue reflects back through the orange-toned concealer it is neutralized and appears skin-toned. Dark circles under the eyes, often appearing purple in color, are neutralized with a yellow or golden-toned formula. Creme formulations must be powdered with translucent, no-color, or lightly pigmented powders. Carefully brush away excess powder and wipe lightly using a damp sponge.

The highly pigmented opaque creme formula concealers and the new airbrush concealers were developed to color correct by means of camouflaging skin imperfections such as acne blemishes and scars, scars caused by injury, birthmarks, tattoos, and extremely dark circles under the eyes. After choosing or mixing a color one or two shades lighter than the skin tone, apply to the skin with a brush or finger until the discoloration is no longer visible. Careful blending into the surrounding skin is essential. If the covered area appears slightly greyer than the surrounding skin, warm it up a little with a blush, foundation, or cheek color that matches the skin’s undertone (red, orange, or yellow).

Moist or creme colors can be blended into the concealer, then powdered in order to set the makeup and remove the shine. Dry colors cannot be applied until the makeup has been powdered.

TATTOOS   Should the script call for the addition rather than the elimination of a tattoo for a given character, one of the following techniques can be used:

  1. Using a fine-pointed, ⅛-inch round sable brush, paint the tattoo design directly onto the skin surface using Reel Creation’s Body Art Inks or Temptu’s Body Art paints. The products, available in liquid and solid formulas, use 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol as the solvent.

  2. Place temporary tattoo paper transfers available from the same manufacturers against the skin, then paint with alcohol to reveal a smudge-proof, water-resistant tattoo. After adding the appropriate colors, simply set the design with talcum powder. (Both manufacturers will reproduce your original design on a paper transfer.)

  3. Have the design sculpted into a rubber stamp. Using a brayer, transfer fabric paint evenly onto the surface of the stamp. Press the stamp onto the skin. Using fabric paint or makeup, paint in additional colors, then stipple with skin-toned foundation for a more natural appearance and powder. (See FIGURES 8-9 and G-16.)

  4. Design the tattoo on a sheet of clear acetate. Cut out the design with a utility knife. Tape the stencil onto the skin and stipple with fabric paint or spray with airbrush cosmetics. Remove the stencil. (See FIGURE 8-10.)

Appliance Makeup

RUBBER-MASK GREASEPAINT (RMGP)   This is a castor-oil-base greasepaint used primarily over latex (regular and foamed), though it can be used over other three-dimensional makeup, such as derma wax, nose putty, and gelatin. The castor oil in the formula allows the makeup to lie on the surface of the appliance rather than absorbing into the surface like regular foundations. RMGP, also sold as Appliance Foundations by RCMA (Research Council of Makeup Artists), Appliance Make-up by Cinema Secrets, and RMG from Kryolan, applies easily and smoothly to the surface, blends well, and retains its color (see FIGURE 8-11). Unlike regular makeup, it is usually stippled on with a red-rubber sponge. (See FIGURE 8-12.) It is never powdered by rubbing or brushing the puff across the surface of the paint but always by pressing a heavily powdered puff firmly into it. Excess powder is removed by brushing lightly with a soft powder brush. If the makeup is to be stippled with various colors, that should be done after the rubber-mask greasepaint has been powdered.

PAX PAINT   This combination of Pros-Aide medical adhesive and Liquitex acrylic paint was created to color foam latex appliances. It is applied with either a brush or a texture sponge (a sturdy polyurethane foam sponge textured on one side by removing bits of foam with your fingers). (See Chapters 12 and 13.)

Airbrush Cosmetics

Airbrush-grade cosmetics provide an extremely light coverage with a seamless application that balances the natural skin tones. The speed of application is surprising, leaving a natural, sheer, smudge-proof, matte finish. Sprayed on in light layers, they can cover imperfections, broken blood vessels, dark circles, blemishes, and age spots. When used for glamour makeup it takes no more than 5 to 15 drops of base, blush, and eye shadow to complete the entire makeup (see FIGURE 8-13). They can also be used as body makeup (see FIGURE 8-3); as a concealer; to diminish the effects of thinning hair; with stencils for face painting; for making temporary tattoos (see FIGURE 8-10); and for covering foam latex and gelatin prosthetic appliances.

Airbrushing tools include the airbrush, an air compressor, and an air pressure gauge. As the airbrush and cosmetics need only three to six pounds per square inch (psi) of air pressure to distribute the cosmetic evenly across the skin, the smallest air compressors are quite sufficient. Pressurized canisters allow for mobility on a set and for location work and can be stored in a canvas set bag.

Mixed Techniques

If you wish to use cake makeup and creme makeup together, here are some suggestions for ways in which that can be done.

METHOD 1   Use creme highlights and shadows over a cake makeup foundation. Then powder and add dry rouge. (If moist rouge is used, it can be applied after highlighting and shadowing but before powdering.) The use of dry rouge, applied last, is especially advantageous because all of the rouging—cheeks, nose, wrinkles, etc.—can be done at once. Then add whatever stippling you wish. If you are stippling with creme makeup (see Chapter 10), powder after each color of stipple, and keep checking from time to time during the performance to see if additional powder is needed.

METHOD 2   With this method, creme highlights, shadows, and rouge are applied first—much stronger than usual but still well blended. Then cake makeup is patted on with a sponge until the makeup underneath shows through only as much as you want it to, after which rouge for cheeks and shadows can be brushed on. If highlights or shadows require touching up, that can be done over the base, preferably with cake makeup. This method can be used for very subtle aging. It would not be a good choice, however, if you want a strong three-dimensional effect. Nor is it suitable if the makeup is to be stippled (see Chapter 10)—unless, of course, you wish to use a light stipple in highlight areas and a dark stipple in shadow areas.

METHOD 3   Use creme highlights and cake shadows over a powdered creme foundation. This combines the advantage of highlights, which are easily blended, and shadows, which are not likely to develop a shine as the powder wears off. (With highlights, shine doesn’t destroy the desired illusion; with shadows, it does.)

METHOD 4   For greater coverage apply creme foundation over liquid makeup and powder.