Thread: How do you re-glam between back-to-back gigs?

When you have to go from one gig straight to another, how to you make yourself presentable again, in between? I don't often have back-to-back gigs, but when I do, I feel totally disgusting by the second one.

Last week I had two gigs, and I sweat so much at the first that I pretty much wiped half my makeup off cleaning it up. I seriously keep sweating for about 10 mins after (especially on my face), so I'm re-applying powder while I'm still sweating. Ugh! My hairpiece gets all tattered, my chest goes blotchy from heat, my arms have expanded so that I can't get my gauntlets off, and I somehow have to get back into clothes and drive to the next gig.

One thing I find really awkward in general is hanging around at someone's house post-gig waiting for the sweat to stop, stretching out so I don't get an injury, and making myself presentable for those annoying guests who follow you back to the change room demanding to speak to you RIGHT NOW, while you're still gasping for air and looking like you've come through a jet engine backwards. Ugh! I always feel self-conscious that they're going to wonder if I'm spending all that time stuffing their jewellery in my purse.

What are your tips for restoring yourself to a sightly state in limited time?

The one thing that I do do right is bring a small towel with me everywhere. Learnt that after emerging from the bathroom with bits of tissue stuck to my sweaty face.

Damn, woman, I WISH I had that problem!

Dry shampoo is a gift from the Hair Gods, if you suffer from the greasies. I often apply a little puff of dry shampoo after my gigs so I'm not completely disgusting when I make my grand exit. It fights grease and gives you volume like magic. Fekkai makes an excellent dry shampoo.

I also like to get any type of spray-on toner/mist for my skin, whether it's rosewater or something more decadent, like MyChelle's fruit enzyme mist. This is a good way to freshen up, especially if you're re-applying powder.

Hmmmm....it also sounds like you need to relax. I find that Bach Rescue Remedy is amazing to calm me on the spot. It's these all-natural drops you apply under your tongue. You can get it at the health food store and it's great for stage fright. People even give it to their pets when they're afraid of thunderstorms or going to the vet!

I don't have this problem, not being a gigging dancer, but Meleah's makeup video had some very good-seeming tips.

First of all she powdered like a mofo, paying particular attention to the sweatier parts of her face like hairline and upper lip. Rolled and pressed into foundation. Then, when she had finished a set, she did this:

First of all, no touching the face, as the makeup is at its most delicate. Instead she fanned herself with a paper/silk fan to bring down her facial temperature and help evaporate the moisture of the sweat. She would then gently dab at any noticeably moist bits with a towel, and then touch up.

You've probably got way better rapid cool down techniques than me, being an Aussie, but when I was a young nighclubbing chick I found that the best way to cool off fast is stick your wrists under the cold tap. Or in a sink of cold water if running water wastage is not a good idea, which it isn't in AU.

I find that Bach Rescue Remedy is amazing to calm me on the spot. It's these all-natural drops you apply under your tongue. You can get it at the health food store and it's great for stage fright. People even give it to their pets when they're afraid of thunderstorms or going to the vet!

I went through a Rescue Remedy phase long ago. As somebody observant pointed out, the flower essences *could* have been helping, or it could have just been the *highly alcoholic base*. (I know you can get booze free RR now!)

Now, a fan is an excellent idea. I even have one. <<going off to place in gig back now>> I sweat so much it drips off my head and my fringe actually needs drying. Perhaps I need one of those motorised fans!!

I like the idea of a spritz of rosewater, too, especially to feel less 'ack' on my hot, heaving bosom (!!!).

Other post-performance fix-it tips?

Don't wipe your face after your performace.

Pack your gig bag accordingly. A can of hair-spray, a small water mister, those rice paper face blotters, and a mini make-up kit.

First after your set, go to the restroom and "de-glow" by blotting your skin with paper towels. Then put on your cover up. Next examine the hair damage. If I'm working a lot I'll go with an up do (or fauxny tail) because its easier to fix. Use the water mister and hair-spray to re-do the hair-do. Once all that is done blot your face with the rice paper sheets and re-apply your makeup. Start with the eyes and then re-powder the skin. Wait to do the face until the sweat had dried. For the eyes, often times a simple swipe of the original color with the highlight on the brow bone will do, then fix the eye-liner and if needed a little more mascara (not too much or it will clump and bleed at your next show.) I wouldn't re-apply foundation or concealer because it will melt off, just go libral with the face powder and it should be okay. Brush your eyebrows back into shape and a little lipstick.

I keep a mini deoderant in my gig bag just in case (invisible solid only.)

Once you get the hang of this it's really easy to do in less then 10 minutes. Sometimes I do the face in my car on the road to the next gig. But if you can freshen up at the first place before heading out you'll look glam coming or going.

I'm a fan of baby powder and wipes for the body. Just mopping up the sweat with a hand towel and using the baby powder makes it so much easier to get back into my clothes!

For my face, I like to use a damp cloth to dab it, then once it's dry, I reapply mineral foundation and blush as needed. I also carry Qtips and lotion in an old contact lens case - lotion on one side, baby oil on the other. I use lotion/Qtip to run under my eyes to clean up any transfered mascara or eyeliner.

I use the rock crystal spray deodorant under my arms and on my feet.

I also do the wrists under cold water to cool down fast.

Dry shampoo is also a great idea! I use cornstarch the same way.

My favorite towel for gigging is a flour sack type kitchen towel. It absorbs waaaaaaay better than terrycloth, is really big, doesn't catch on costumes, and doesn't take up much space in my bag. I usually have one of those and a white cotton hanky to pat my face. Between my mineral foundation, Colorstay concealer, waterproof mascara, and fixative with mineral shadow for eyeliner, I don't lose any of my make-up.

the few times i have multiple gigs i do use a face wipe and reapply foundation and powder, just working around the eyes. those usually stay MAC-put all day anyway. then re do lipstick, done.

i do have a lot of gigs with more than one set, if i have some time: as above, if no time, just blotting the face, then powder, then reapplying lipstick. if the hair is a mess, i'll do the first set with loose, long hair, and the second set with hair up with a fancy hair stick/clip, tie it up or back somehow.

First off, I use Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel under my foundation. It supposedly has the same ingrediants as the really expensive face primers. I've found that my foundation stays on better through the sweating.
Also, Urban Decay's Primer Potion is simply a miracle worker. And HIP Cream Eyeliner is amazing.
This past Saturday I had 4 outside gigs. I danced at 1:00 with my troupe for a 20 minute performance. I then had to practically run to the car to get to the next gig by 2:00 for a 15-20 minute performance that I danced two numbers alternating with a troupe mate who danced two numbers. I then had a 3 hour break. So I had time to really check my make-up and hair and change costumes (again). About the only thing I needed to reapply was the eyeliner under my eyes. I then danced off and on for about 30-45 minutes with a band. Then, instead of having a 15 minute break before having a solo 20 minute performance, the next act had cancelled so I went out immediately. This was all for festivals and was all outside. After all that, all the dancers went to watch the band perform at a restaurant and do some open dancing. I initially put my make-up on around 10 AM that morning. No touch-ups needed for my eye lids at all. At midnight, there was no creasing, no smudges on the side of my face, and it hadn't faded at all! Needless to say, I'm very impressed with both Urban Decay and HIP.

Sorry for the long story but I wanted to make it clear that this was a true test of how well these products worked. I'm convinced that if I hadn't taken it all off Saturday night, it would have looked the same when I woke up Sunday morning. ..l;,

As for supplies I take with me, I always have Q-tips for getting rid of the undereye smudges. (Anyone have any advice for those? That's the one problem I always have!) A towel that I pat my face with. No rubbing. And extra powder and lipstick. I always wait until my face is completely dry before putting on more powder. I've also heard that Mary Kay oil blotter sheets work really well for taking off the shine.
And if I have multiple gigs, my hair is always up. It's just too hard trying to maintain it if it's down.

Rya touched on an important point: have a superb application to begin with and your touch ups should be minimal.

I've shot with dancers who profusely sweat but because their foundation is set very well, all I do is blot and do a quick and gentle swipe under the eyes to get rid of raccoon (not too much you can do about that, except to set as best as you can; i.e., powder on top of cream or pencil). Some of our dancers even posed under downspouts and their makeup stayed put.

Set the foundation well. Doesn't matter what type of product you use (cream, liquid, or powder). Set with powder in clockwise and counterclockwise circles or same motion with a kabuki brush w/o powder. Set all shadows with powder, if not already used.

Line just outside lipline with a wax eyebrow pencil to create a barrier that prevents lip color from bleeding.

Fan is fine, but sometimes you need to remove sweat quickly. Just BLOT with a clean paper towel or dry terry towel. I rarely need to reapply powder after blotting, and if needed, I do so with a TINY amount of powder, applied in aforementioned circles with a small round brush.

I found that I sweat less now than when I first started dancing, and now I dance longer. I work on my condition during the week like taking classes/teaching and/or work on my leg and upper body muscles like lunges, harmstrings, bottocks, pushups, crunches in more pilates/yoga style.
I dont do much weight lifting just some for my arms cause I condition myself playing finger cymbals a lot, so my forearms need some extra muscles strengthening...
So basically now I am stronger I sweat less.
Also I use headdress because I sweat a lot in my head/neck/forehead.
I use foundation brush to apply liquid Channel mat foundation I use. I found this method look better and cover better and stay longer.
I used to use Mineral foundation but I found it not to stay long during my back to back gigs.
I like Smashbox Photo Finish for base, also use moistrizer before put my foundation.
I use Dr Hauschka compact powder I love it.
I use water proof eyeliner/mascara, that helps as well...
I use Dr Hauschka eyeliner and Lancome mascara but now I am going to try different brand to see any difference.
Also I have long hair...after my show I put my hair up, I gently dab my face with towel and put powder/blush/lipstick before my next show
Also I like to use baby wipes to wipe my extra sweat from my body like especially under arms and refresh my deodarant and light parfume or body mist .

Wait till you stop sweating before you blot!!! Never wipe! Use a good base and then powder to set your makeup. I do sometimes 3 sets in a row on hot summer nights, I sweat a lot and I have oily skin, but if I start out with good make up, and make sure to blot and powder, and employ some AC, I am fine. I always keep an eyeliner, some q tips for repairing any under eye smears, and lipstick at the ready in my car to touch up en route.

I know ppl baby wipe their skin between sets to feel fresher. Running your wrists under cold water can help with the sweating too. But I find a bottle of water and deep breathing is really the best way to relax. Don't fight the sweating - it will stop on its own.

And you'd be surprised how 5 minutes in a car with AC can help you feel refreshed! Just don't get yourself sick!!

Do be careful about wrapping yourself in a veil with sequin trim. I have arrived at gig 2 only to discover that my pink sequins left a pink trail along my underarms where I had tucked my veil into my straps :0

You do not have to wait to stop perspiring to blot. Blot with a dry paper towel. Sometimes there just isn't time.

if you are able to, take a tip from the competitive equestrian world and toss on a light cover and walk yourself until you are cool. I used to work at this turkish restaurant that was soooooo hot, but they had a big back parking lot that nobody used, so I'd grab a light coverup and walk in circles until my surface temp dropped. :)

that's not always possible, though. as others have stated, number one rule is blot, don't wipe. I keep a small non-linty hand towel (actually, I steal bar mops from the restaurants I work at! just the right size) and a folding hand fan in my gig bag.

product and application is key. I use a good primer, waterproof foundation and mascara, and highly pigmented makeup (MAC). but my secret weopon is sealers. I run a thin line of SheLaq around my lip line to keep my lipstick from bleeding, and I mist my face with Ben Nye Final Seal. this stuff is the SH*T!!! I can't even tell you! I often do two gigs a night, and lately danced 11 acts in a pretty intense two hour show and never had to touch up my makeup! if you haven't tried it, I really can't recommend it enough.

unless you're blessed with hair that you can just brush out and pop into a bun that you can shake out into waves at your next gig, a hairpiece is great. you can brush them out and they will hold their volume and shape. I will sometimes take mine all the way off to let my head cool and brush it out.

nadira - I totally forgot about the running wrists under cold water! I used to do that years ago at a restaurant where the dancers had their own bathroom. GREAT trick for hot summer night gigs! once I got so ridiculously sweaty at a private party that I stripped down and took a quick cold shower in their bathroom. lol!! the party was outside so nobody knew. ;)

Everyone has great tips.
Somewhere recently (most likely through Yahoo news) I read that one of the fastest ways to cool your core body temp was to drink COLD water. Before I dance I get some ice water and put it back with my bags (only if I have a private safe place). Alternatively have your own cold bottle with you. I always have a few small hand towels in my gig bag.
Someone mentioned towels getting caught on costumes. Dish towels are a great idea, but finer spun terry cloth (not ones with big loops) also are a good option. Sometimes I also bring a washcloth or two. Hand towels are easy to wave around in front of you to create a little cooling breeze if you don't want to also carry a fan (which is a great idea!).
Anyway- yes, it takes a few to stop sweating. As long as I have a secure place the first thing I do is take off my costume and jewelry- to not sweat in it as much. Like everyone else, I pat dry. I keep travel things of baby wipes, baby powder, perfume and deodorant in my bag.
Curly hair is pretty "durable", yet long hair is rather hot. I sometimes have a clip with me- I loosely twist it up in a (very sloppy) French twist just for the time I am changing. Getting hair off your neck helps a lot with cooling down.
After I've stopped sweating and I am ready to go to my next gig (travel-able parts of next costume and jewelry on and cover up on) is when I'll make sure my eye makeup has not strayed too much. I'll also use blotting paper. My lipstick stays pretty well (thank you MAC lip primer) but I still re-apply when I arrive at my next destination.

I heard from another dancer (I wish I could remember who) that those papery toilet seat covers make for excellent emergency blotting papers and boy is that true! During our winter time heating wars at work, I use those from our bathroom to de-shine my face and my underarms!

Originally Posted by LeylaFahada

I heard from another dancer (I wish I could remember who) that those papery toilet seat covers make for excellent emergency blotting papers and boy is that true! During our winter time heating wars at work, I use those from our bathroom to de-shine my face and my underarms!

I believe that was your dance partner!