What is "age appropriate" stage makeup?

JAMcosmetics | Feb 03, 2008 | 6

Young Dancer Before and After

I was a NYC dancer when I became a makeup artist to supplement my income.  DANCE and MAKEUP became my two favorite things in the world and they paid my rent for 10 years!  

One day, I asked myself...

Why is it that actors are REQUIRED to go through makeup classes, and dancers are not?  And if pre-professional dancers do get stage makeup training, it is as outdated as 70's footlights!    

I decided something had to be done!

SO, I started teaching all I knew about DANCE and MAKEUP to dancers of all ages - kids to professionals.

I designed a makeup line with vibrant colors and healthier ingredients that last through a full day of dancing.  JAM cosmetics was born.  

When I am working with younger dancers, teachers and parents often ask, "What is 'age appropriate makeup' and HOW do we apply it?"

So, for my first blog, THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER when doing stage makeup for a young dancer to keep them looking their youthful selves:  

EYEBROWS: I prefer using an eye shadow color that is the same as or one to two shades darker than the hair color.  An eye brow pencil can leave too severe a line.  Brows definitely need to be darkened but if you darken every little hair growing in the general vicinity of the eyebrow you will literally create a monster!  Go to the center of the brow, and carefully, brush a line of shadow in the CENTER of the existing eyebrow.  I know, you will be tempted to move that brush through the rest of the brow - just a little here, just a little there.  If the urge strikes, I BEG YOU, drop the brush!  A little goes a long way on the eyebrows.  Blend out the center line of shadow that you just applied with a brow brush.  Keep it soft and natural for young dancers.  A thin, defined brow is an older, more sophisticated and dramatic look.  Too thin a brow - older, more sophisticate, dramatic.  

CHEEKS:  Okay, have you ever REALLY seen those bright rouged circles smack dab on the apples of a person's cheeks?  Only if they were a cartoon character or backstage at the local dance recital!  TRY THIS:  Start your blush brush from the hair line blending the blush forward and then up at the apples.  Try not to let the blush dip lower than the lip line.  Then, blend, blend, blend.  BIG NOTE:  A severe blush line will add years to a young girl's face (to anyone's face for that matter!).  

LIPS:  Every artist has there preferences.  My personal artistic lip color preference for a young dancer is a beautiful, natural, deep rose color as opposed to a bright red.  We can see a young dancer's lips on stage even if they do not wear red.  In the ballet, Romeo and Juliet, would Juliet wear red lipstick?  I think not.  She is young and she is innocent.  A rose toned color like my JAM cosmetics "Wild Child" mineral lipstick gives enough color for us to see the expression on the face, which shows the emotion of the dancer.  THAT is what is important.  Red lipsticks are fabulous, amazing...I can't live without them.  But I would tempt you to try something new this year...                                                                

Check out my "Young Dancer" how-to makeup video and see this young girl go easily and simply from street to STAGE...    

Just like a tendu will always be a tendu...stage makeup techniques always come back to the understanding and technical development of the basics!  My blogs will continue to cover the basics until we are ready for more.  There is this assumption that if you are a woman you should know all about makeup.  Let's be real here.  Feel free to ask  ANY question or make any comment about street or stage makeup.  We can learn and share more together!    

Keeping it simple...Jessica from JAM
www.JAMcosmetics.net

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