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AUDITION MAKEUP FOR TV, FILM AND STAGE

by Alex Dejdarova, Professional Makeup Artist

In the past, there were strict rules for the type of make up you would wear for film, TV or stage auditions.  Many of these rules have blended together, now there are similar makeup rules for all types of auditions with a few exceptions.

First Rule:  Makeup should look natural and you must look as much like your headshot as possible.  The casting person initially used this headshot to select you for a call back after all. Be careful of applying too much makeup, it will make you look older than you are.  Although some casting people prefer a person auditioning to be in character from the time they walk into the audition space, be careful, many casting people prefer to see “the real you.”  Try to find out prior to audition what the casting people actually want.

Skincare  – Have a good daily cleaning, exfoliating and moisturizing routine which will produce healthy and glowing skin.  When going outdoors even for 5 minutes be sure to wear a good sunscreen to help delay wrinkles and/or skin cancer.  Also, drink lots of water which is great for your skin and you will save you lots of money on beauty products.

Primer – Apply primer prior to foundation which give you a much smoother look and the foundation will last longer.

Foundation – Apply foundation with either a damp sponge, foundation brush or CLEAN fingers.  Apply to face and neck and blend well to prevent streaks.  Foundation must match your skin tone. Do the color test on your jaw line with natural day light.  Cream base foundation is great for stage/dance auditions but not good for camera auditions when all make up needs to be as matte as possible.  Remember to use a setting powder and a finishing spray as final step.

Concealer ...no more than one shade lighter then your complexion…make sure it’s not an obliviously different shade than your foundation.  Concealer can be used to cover any imperfections on your face such as acne and rosacea or to lighten dark skin spots and dark circles under eyes.

Colorless blotting loose powder – Use after applying your foundation for a matte look if you don’t want a dewy/shiny look.

Blush – Use a pink or peach or bronzer matte shade for camera and cream base if a dance/stage audition.

Eye Brows – Apply a clear gel to your eyebrows then comb eyebrow hair upwards.  Eyebrows should be same color or slightly lighter than your hair to bring out your eyes.

Eye Shadow – Avoid smoky or overly dramatic eye makeup.  Before applying eye shadow use long lasting shadow base coat. The easiest way to apply eye makeup is to use 3 color palette. Under eyebrow and inner eyelid corner apply light color…not too pale.  Apply medium color over main part of lid and darker color apply just on the outer corner of the eye and slightly up to create more open and younger looking eyes.

Brown eyes:  use beige, tan, bronze, gold or violet 

Blue eyes:  pastel shades of purple/blue, or bronze

Green eyes:  all colors work with green eye color 

Try to avoid gray and colors with too much pearl shine or sparkle. 

Eyeliner – Avoid using black eyeliner. For a better, less dramatic look use dark brown or dark gray eyeliner depending on shadow color. 

Mascara and False Eyelashes – Curl your eyelashes then put on a lash primer and then your mascara. Make sure mascara is waterproof as some auditions might require you to cry or you might perspire during a dance number.   On camera, you can wear false eyelashes but make sure they are applied correctly and not too long…a fuller, shorter lash works best for that natural look.  Do not wear false eyelashes for stage/dance auditions

Lipstick – Always use a lip liner pencil or brush for a clear outline.  Lip liner needs to be the same color as your lipstick.  Lipstick can be a shiny lip gloss with slight color or regular lipstick. Just be sure that the color is not as bold/dramatic as your eyes.  When your eyes are dramatic, your lipstick must be light and less dramatic.  Remember draw attention to your eyes OR mouth but not both.

Hair – Hair should be clean and shiny with bangs away face.  During a dance audition, your hair needs be tied back.  Hair should never be a distraction from your face.

Clothing – Business casual….avoid prints of any kind…..wear bright colors that match well with your complexion  …avoid wearing jewelry.   Clothing/shoes should be comfortable and must match the type of character you are auditioning for.

I hope this will help you and encourage you to be confident with your personal presentation. Getting your look right and feeling good about it will help you so much. You want everything to support your talent and nothing to get in the way of an audience or a casting director from seeing it.

Mascara

You had me at Mascara

I am sure you have heard time and time again, “ The eyes are windows to the soul”

If this is true, then your lashes are the blinds/curtains so it is important to dress them accordingly. Since mascara is the most commonly worn piece of makeup between makeup pros and non makeup wearers alike, I thought it was important we get down to business with mascara! Here is a basic breakdown of the different types of mascara and what they will do for your lashes. I also included some of our favorites so that your walk down the makeup aisle doesn’t have to be a complicated one.

WATERPROOF 

Everyone needs a good waterproof mascara for all that life has to throw at us. From pool parties to your best friend’s wedding and every fancy event in between. Waterproof is an absolute must for performers, weddings and walking the red carpet. Avoid looking like a smudged streaky mess and tuck that waterproof mascara into your bag before you leave the house.

At the top of our list is eyeko beach waterproof mascara. Not only does it have lasting power but it also has spf to protect your lashes and ingredients like coconut oil to nourish them. We also love the tube packaging! $24

VOLUMIZING

I love a good volumizing mascara for some added depth and drama. Volumizing mascara adds more thickness to your lash giving the illusion of false eyelashes without the glue! 

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous mascara made our top pick for a few reasons. It is super affordable and has ingredients like panthenol and ceramide-R to build and thicken lashes for healthy and supple lashes. Bonus, it comes in carbon black (blacker than black) for stand out lashes! $9-12

LENGTHENING

If long, silky lashes are what you are looking for then look no further than lengthening mascara. It makes your lashes look elongated and stretched out. A lengthening mascara will evenly coat your lashes and dramatically improve the length without adding clumps. 

Why we love Benefit they’re real mascara. This mascara is a lengthening mascara that also curls, volumizes and separates lashes for that flawless lash  finish every time. I was astonished the first time I used this mascara. It really does everything! It also comes in a mini travel size too which is super convenient and really cute too.  $14 (mini) – $27 (full size)

CURLING 

Curling mascara can be your best friend if you have eyelashes that are straight or point downward. What curling mascara does is pull your eyelashes upward making your lashes appear longer and your eyes more open and awake. Combine this mascara with an eyelash curler for maximum results.

The MAC extended play perm me up lash made it into our favorites because it has an extended curl time of 16 hours of curl volume and lengthening combined. It is also smudge proof, humidity resistant, clump free and safe for contact lense wearers. $26

SENSITIVE/HYPOALLERGENIC 

If you have sensitive eyes that are easily irritated or wear contact lenses then please know there are mascaras out there for you. Hypoallergenic and sensitive are two different things that can oftentimes be confused. Let me do my best to help clarify. Hypoallergenic in a mascara means it is usually free of any irritants that may cause redness or itchiness. They usually tend to flake less making it ideal for contact lens wearers. Mascara for sensitive eyes can have similar qualities but not necessarily be labeled “hypoallergenic” 

Mascara for sensitive eyes is usually fragrance free, flake free and easy to wash off. Also ideal for contact lense wearers and people with sensitive eyes.

Which brings me to my next favorite, Essence lash princess false lash effect mascara. Let me start off with the fact that although this mascara is not labeled “hypoallergenic” it popped up in so many good reviews it had me curious! With much research I discovered that this mascara is truly amazing. It is cruelty free, ophthalmologist tested, free of alcohol, oil, parabens and fragrance. Just when you thought I wasn’t finished, it comes in at a whopping price tag of $4.99

Thank you for taking this mascara flight with me. I hope you enjoyed your trip. Cheers to finding the right mascara and remember the only drama you need in your life is in your lashes. Xoxo 💋 

 Red Lip Ink 

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Getting ready for your performance 🎭

The tricks to great stage makeup

It is so easy for us to get caught up in what looks good in our daily routines but stage makeup requires us to think outside of the box! Stage lights can be hot, bright and unforgiving, but with the right makeup you can overcome these obstacles and shine like a pro for your performance. Here are some simple and effective tips to stage makeup from our experts at Red Lip Ink

  • Do use foundation and concealer
  • Always set with powder
  • Waterproof your look
  • Blush and bronze
  • False eyelashes are a must
  • Opt for a brighter lip
  • Don’t treat it like everyday makeup

Using foundation and concealer

Foundation and concealer are used to even out the skin tone, hide blemishes and reduce harsh shadows from stage lights. While there are different levels to performance and different foundations required, applying foundation is always necessary for looking flawless on stage.

Make sure you choose a color that blends seamlessly into your neck. Any differences in color will show even more under stage lights.

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Always set with powder

Setting your foundation with powder is so important for several reasons. Not only does setting your makeup with powder help fill in pores and hide blemishes  it also helps to hold all of your makeup in place during your performance. Whether you are singing, dancing or standing on a stage it’s important that your makeup stays in place. Stage lights can be hot and setting your face with powder helps prevent you from looking like a melted candle on stage. So don’t forget to set your makeup in with powder.

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Waterproof your eyes

Now that you have done your foundation and set it in place with powder, let’s not ruin your hard work by forgetting to waterproof your eyes. Stage lights ( I know I have said this before) are hot and bright meaning

  1. There is a high chance you are going to sweat and smudge your eyeliner and mascara all over your face.
  2. The bright lights will show your makeup running down your face which is not flattering for anyone. Unless that is the look you are going for ( horror theme) ?

It’s ok though not to panic! The easy fix for this is to make sure you choose waterproof eyeliners and mascaras. It sounds like simple enough advice but it’s easier to forget about this than you think. This is your reminder.

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Blush and Bronze

Between the bright lights of the stage and the distance between you and the audience, believe me when I say you NEED to put a little extra color onto your face. Have some fun and bronze and blush your face to perfection. Bronzer and blush will both add color and dimension to your face. This is so important to give depth to your face and prevent you from looking sickly or like a ghost. Bronzer is used to give a sun kissed look to the skin and also adds dimension and depth to your face so the audience can better see you from a distance. Blush is typically applied to the apples of the cheeks and adds a rosy glow to your skin that really freshens and brightens up your look. You cannot omit this step if you want to look your best on stage.

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False eyelashes are a must!

As a performer you need to accept that false eyelashes are just a natural part of performing on stage. Wearing false eyelashes will elevate  your performance to the next level. False eyelashes open up the eyes making you more visible from a distance. When the audience can see your eyes that means they can also more easily read your facial expressions which is essential for a performer who is trying to reach their audience. Even if you have naturally thick and long lashes, you still need to apply lashes to compensate for lights and distance.

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Brighten up your lip

Wearing a pop of color on your lips is such an easy and effective way to stand out and get noticed on stage. Your everyday perfect nude may be beautiful for daily wear but under the lights will disappear and can make your skin appear washed out. When you don’t wear enough color on your lips it makes it hard to see from a distance and when your audience can’t read your facial expressions your performance can get lost. Remember to look for long lasting, smudge proof lipstick that won’t smear during your performance.

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Don’t treat it like everyday makeup

This is probably the best advice I can give you. When you are getting ready for the performance of your lifetime your beauty routine needs to match the energy you want to portray. This means go for it! Give it your all! The night of your performance is the time to wear the primer, foundations, powders, lashes, color, lips glamour! Don’t be afraid to step into your best and boldest self. Pick the brighter lip, add the extra blush and most of all have fun! You are a star!

Hair and Makeup on model by Kristina from Red Lip Ink http://www.dripbook.com/Kristinamakeup/
Photo by Shelli Wright https://www.shelliwrightphotoworks.com/
Model Maya Pauline from https://www.exmodeltalent.com