Thread: ghostly!

we had a video party at my instructors house last night (one of our girls is moving to georgia ..cr.:) and we watched a lot of our performance footage. i noticed that i usually looked ok at the outdoor festivals, but the shows we did indoors (especially under a bright spotlight) i looked like a ghost! i mean i had no color in my face at all. i am a rather pink person, rosy undertones and prone to turning into a tomato from the slightest exertion. so, i've never worn blush, don't own blush, don't know what to do. is blush the answer? how do you know what color is best for you? should i try to match my natural blushy color? please help! we have another studio taping at the end of the month and i don't want to be a ghost again! and azhia's dvd doesn't come out till september@!!!!

As a fellow ghost, I am interested to hear the answer to this. I to get nice and red with any type of exercise and have only used blush once in my life and that was in the sixth grade and it looked awful!

you not only need blush, but the full complement.......

what kind of eyes do you do? foundation?

anytime you perform, it's not a time to skimp on make-up....you can go lighter outdoors, but still need the full face........on stage or under lights, it has to be strong and features need to be played up and bold

eyes need to be lined, mascara'd n played up (or they look like dots, or disappear entirely) cheeks need to be prominent with blush (some even highlight and contour), and lips prominent, usually red, tho not a rule)

the best thing to do since we can't see you in person is go to a really good make-up counter (MAC, Bobbi brown, smashbox) that deals in great, long-wearing colors and ask the agent there....and TELL them what you want it for.........they'll be more likely to give you the best choices since it's not 'run of the mill/look natural' that they get daily, and tell them it's for stage lights.....even if it's for a restaurant, it'll still be dramatic, beautiful and suitable to your coloring..........

oh, and foundation foundation foundation

a new 'pro' in the area wondered why she always looked flushed in pics, i asked her what foundation she used, and she said 'i dont, should i be?'

and now, i'm sure azhia will come in soon, so i just put my 2 cents in, and bow to her fabulousness in color choices........

aaaaaazhiaaaaaaaa! (that's my 'bow to the goddess of beauty genuflection :D)

thanks ruta! my eyes were fine, i think 'drag queen' when doing my eyes. it was just that the rest of my face was all one color. i do use foundation and powder, a shade more pale than my natural skin tone because some one told me that would counteract the rosey-ness.

yes please, where's azhia?

linnyg-glad to know i'm not the only ghost/tomato!..l;,

Originally Posted by emtink

thanks ruta! my eyes were fine, i think 'drag queen' when doing my eyes. ..

..l;, yyyyep, that's about right..l;,

i'm eastern european-ish and as pale as pale can be so i can relate

thats out troupe joke/saying "go for drag queen... then add some more!"

its so hard to put on that much eye make up when you're close to a mirror. you think it looks insane, but from faraway its just right! now if i could get the blush thing down...

A rule of thumb we like to use in my troupe: if you don't look like a streetwalker, then you need more makeup. :)

Originally Posted by khalisah

A rule of thumb we like to use in my troupe: if you don't look like a streetwalker, then you need more makeup. :)

LOL!!! I call it my "ho face"!! ..l;,..l;,..l;,

Originally Posted by damiena

LOL!!! I call it my "ho face"!! ..l;,..l;,..l;,

..l;, Well put!

More than any clear red,soft red and bright pink-
I like Thrrrob by Benefit and Pink Rose by Rimmel.

Really ghost pale girl here too,as you can see on my profile pic(NC20 in MAC)

emma and ruta-do you change your blush color to coordinate with rest of makeup/costume, or do you pretty much use the same color all the time?

also ruta-you mentioned 'contouring'... wha???

(if you haven't noticed yet, i am not a makeup girl)

Originally Posted by emtink

emma and ruta-do you change your blush color to coordinate with rest of makeup/costume, or do you pretty much use the same color all the time?

also ruta-you mentioned 'contouring'... wha???

(if you haven't noticed yet, i am not a makeup girl)

sometimes, i'll use a 'cooler' blush when i wear jewel tones, and 'warmer' ones with the earthier ones....

contouring............i rarely use it, usually for big stages with alot of stage lighting.....it's usually a darker shade right below the cheekbone, to enhance them, or make them higher, or create them if you have a round face.

if you run a finger along your cheekbone, and bring it down and inch or so, you'll feel the cheekbone go 'in', and that's where you'd put the contouring color......azhia can probably explain it better............i also contour sometimes to make my nose less prominent, on the sides and a highlighter (very light color) on top (do that for cheeks too, right above where blush is placed, that sharpens and shapes the cheekbone too), but again, only for big theater stages where the lights REALLY was people out........or for film/television....you almost never need it for more intimate shows

thanks for explaining! i think i'll need to experiment this weekend...

Yup! Blush! And Foundation! And RED or PINK lips (nothing with a brown or dark undertone - it looks black on stage).

And darken eyebrows for stage lighting. Even if you have dark eyebrows, darken them some more.

Also: I've been told that foundation with SPF protection in it is BAD for stage lights - it glows! Not good when you want your dancing and costume to shine.

Originally Posted by emtink

emma and ruta-do you change your blush color to coordinate with rest of makeup/costume, or do you pretty much use the same color all the time?

also ruta-you mentioned 'contouring'... wha???

(if you haven't noticed yet, i am not a makeup girl)

I have no warm color costumes or day clothes,
only neutral/clear/cool because these are "my colors"i.e. makes me look better.
However,I change intensity/brightness for daylight/big stage makeup/resturant performance.

Again:I think Rimmel´s "Pink Rose" and "Santa Rose"is great:dirt cheap and very wearable colors.


Contouring...where is Azhia?

I use a *very light* taupe color for myself,
since most bronzers does not give the impression of a shadow cast by bone structure on my pale skin.
Others may look great in bronzers,but they are just not for me.

I contour mostly around my jawline and around my nose.
The nose contour is easypeasy made with my forefinger resting on the nose from between my eyes to the tip.
The bridge is covered from the brush by the finger and gets a straight,thinner line of light when the taupe powder goes on around.
Others contour under the cheekbones but I already have a bad case of Howdy Doody cheeks


Some links:
I think this is a great example of stage makeup vs party makeup:
Bellydance by Anthea (Kawakib, Atesh) - Stage Makeup for Dancers

And here is the infamous Asia Carrera makeup pages I posted once before:
Asia Carrera's Makeup Tips!

Alexis Vogels makeup style also works as stage makeup for bellydancers.
Here are some examples of her makeovers:
Makeovers - Hollywood Makeup Artist, Alexis Vogel
Her signature style relies on false lashes,intense smoky eyeshadow and less intense but filled in brows.

wow emma, thanks for all the info! i will definitely check out those links when i get home (blocked at work).

wow, i was thinking 'tia carrera' but she's a completely different person from asia carrera. i don't watch nearly enough porn! her website is awesome though! it will take a lot of trial and even more error to get as good as her... at make up i mean!

i do use foundation and powder, a shade more pale than my natural skin tone because some one told me that would counteract the rosey-ness.

Are you rosey all the time, or only when you exert yourself? Going a shade paler than usual is not the best idea, because your "flush" won't really show through the foundation, and thus you *will* look even more ghostly than normal. Also, it will not match your body at all and you could end up with what I think of as "80s Joan Collins face" - you know, deep tan body, white face. A normal foundation colour is probably better.

If you normally have issues with redness all the time, you might want to look into a green (yes) corrective base. But if it's just from flushing because you're hot, you won't need it.

Rule of thumb for stage is to wear a blusher that is quite red, ie not "tawny" or "bronze".

I am a fellow "ghost" and also turn tomato from the slightest exertion - so I am with you.

For stage shows:
For a foundation: I use Max Factor Pan-cake in a shade darker than my skin and blend it into my face, neck, and chest. helps with the redness: The New MAX Factor: Pan-Cake Water-Activated Foundation

Sounds like to have the eyes good

Blush: Max Factor Lasting Performance works best.

The Pan-cake make-up evens out the skin because of its thickness so then the blush looks more natural

Hope that helps. I would not use the Pan-Cake for anything up close. Stage shows only ;-)

oh - finally - it is rather inexpensive (under $10) and can be purchased at Wal-Mart!!

I am very fair and blush easily with exertion and have mild rosacea that flairs up from time to time. For stage makeup the best I've found is Max Factor Pan Stick in a fair color without pink undertones--the lightest olive I can find. I use three shades of blush--highlight, medium, and quite dark--in a peachy brown rather than pink or rosy shade. And brush a bronzer lightly over the highpoints on my face. Darken your eyebrows, use lip liner and darker lipstick, tart up your eyes. If I don't add a lot of color to my face for stage makeup, my face just washes away.

Souzan

thanks everyone for your input... looks like i'll be spending my saturday in the bathroom with my makeup!

I dab lipstick along my cheekbones and blend it in, do a light powder foundation over that, then powder blush over that. Up close, I look *very* drag queen, but from far away it looks great and it lasts forever! I think you could use a cream blush first for the same effect, but lipstick's a lot cheaper.

Contouring for Idiots, gleaned from several insightful chats I've had with makeup artists and MAC associates. Here goes:

1. Apply a darker matte shade slightly under the cheekbones. I go for "Harmony" from MAC, which is a nice medium buff/beige color, not too brown. You don't want your contour to have the slightest trace of shimmer, because shimmer brings areas "forward." Since you are trying to recede this area, a sparkly finish will confuse the eye and also photograph terribly. Ideally, you want to apply this darker matte shade with an eyeshadow brush or some other small tool, rather than a big blush brush.

2. A nice shimmery pale highlight goes on top of the cheekbone. Ecco Bella's bronzer in Hibiscus is beautiful (pale pinky-beige with nice shimmer), so is MAC's Mineralize in Warmed (a warm golden shimmer), if you're going for the tanned/bronzed look.

3. Blush goes on the "apple" of the cheek, blended outward. NARS "Orgasm" is very nice, a peachy-pink with gold shimmer that looks beautiful on so many skin tones.

4. OPTIONAL: for added "pop" if I want a rosy look, I add a small pop of intense color on top of the powder blush on the apple of the cheek. NARS "Cactus Flower" complements "Orgasm" exquisitely.

And "voila!" Instant cheekbones. Yes, I probably spend more time on my cheeks than any part of the face, but it's sooooooo worth it. You can also apply the same contouring principles to carve out a slimmer nose, a defined jaw, a more oval face, or whatever: sky's the limit.

P.S. - always remember to blend, blend, blend, ad nauseam, ad infinitum.

If you were filmed under a bright spotlight, the video was overexposed and that is why you look "ghostly." I think bad lighting may be the problem, not bad make up.