Ask Amy: I Have Trouble Doing My Stage Makeup

April 26, 2018
I have trouble doing my stage makeup. My eyes look like black holes and my foundation just makes me look tan. Do you have any advice? —Helena

Perfecting the art of stage makeup is tricky business—I could show you some scary photos from my teenage years! But it’s easy once you get the hang of it. First, find the right foundation—a creamy base that leaves a smooth, matte finish works best. If you have trouble finding the proper shade at the drugstore, try a cosmetics store that allows you to test different products.

The eyes require a little more precision and artistry. The key to making them look more open is to go outside of their natural boundaries a bit and play with light and shadow. Use black liquid eyeliner to line the upper lid, extending just beyond the outer edge on a slight upward diagonal (emphasis on slight!). Then, using a sharp, dark pencil, draw a line just below the lower lash, extending straight out beyond the edge. There should be space between the upper and lower lines—do not connect or crisscross them. Fill in the space between the two lines using a white pencil.

Make sure you have at least three eye shadow colors to contour your eye: white to highlight your browbone, a pink or peach shade for the lid and crease, and a dark shade (think chocolate brown, charcoal or smoky blue) for the outside corner. Lastly, apply false eyelashes to the upper lashline.

Try a few practice runs at home until you get the hang of things. For additional help, check out S2S Makeup Studio, a stage makeup website that caters specifically to dancers. They offer helpful tips and how-to videos at s2smakeupstudio.com.