It's that time of year again when we dive into our treasure trove of make up and get our little darlings looking gorgeous for the stage! Why do we need to put make up on the kids? Well, though your little dancer may look like a mini drag queen off stage, I can assure you that on stage, they will just look like their sweet little self (with just a touch more pizzazz.) The lighting used can wipe them out and make it very hard for them to dazzle us with their brightest smiles so they need a little help to highlight their features PLUS IT'S FUN! Little girls love make up!
Mums, I feel your pain....it's hard to get animated, excited little faces still long enough to weave your magic wand. And then there is the liquid eye liner....oh and the tears, you forget how easily and often little faces can crumple into tears until you spy your pain stakingly applied handi work sliding down their faces. BUT know this, it does get easier and quicker. A little bit of practise before the big day and you are good to go. Remember, children, like animals smell fear! Go into the application with confidence and assertiveness. You are a make up magician.
Big Love & Sparkles,
Miss Rikki xxx
- Moisturise that morning – (Plus cleanse and exfoliate for teens.) Use anything except sunscreen, as this makes their face go white under flash/bright light. You want the face as smooth as a babies bottom! Dry skin will never give you a flawless finish as the makeup will stick to spots you don’t want it to, and won’t stick to the spots you want it to! Basically you need to prepare the “canvas.” You don’t just paint a wall without any prep work – the face is the same.
- Primer – This stops the skin absorbing the makeup, therefore making it last. It provides a really smooth surface for a flawless finish. Avoid primers that have shimmer as they can leave you looking like a mirror ball.
- Foundation – Good quality foundation has a high pigment (colour) – so more colour/bang for your buck – ie. you don’t need to use much of it, especially if the face has been prepared properly as in step 1 & 2, so it will last longer and won’t look thick. Apply with a foundation brush for a flawless finish, to get in every crevice, and to blend it into the hairline, ears, and down the neck. Do not use one with SPF (Those who bought foundation through me don’t panic! The spf in it won’t go white as it’s designed not to.)
- Setting Powder – Dust this over with the big brush for a long-lasting flawless finish. Use the lid to circle the brush in the powder and tap the excess off before you apply. Concentrate on the T-zone as this is where most oil and shine comes through. Take it all the way down to the chest.
- Eyebrows – SO IMPORTANT!!! They create the frame for your face and allow the audience to see emotion. If we can’t see them you look expressionless or permanently shocked or sick. Comb first with the end of the pencil, then shade the whole brow filling in any gaps and creating an arch and a nice length. Basically draw on a dream set of brows! Don’t just draw over what they’ve already got. Comb through after as well. The colour should be 1 or 2 shades darker than your hair. *See diagrams
- Eye base – a MUST! This not only acts as a concealer for the eyelid, but makes the eye shadows last and deepens the colour!!!! I never, ever do a makeup without it. It provides thebest canvas to work on, holds everything in place so that it won’t sweat off with the dancing, or melt off (as eyelids are oily.)
- Eye shadow – At least 2 colours. I prefer to start with the darker colour, then use the lighter colour to blend and smooth. Use a small brush and work from the outside corner of the eyelid and follow the brow bone around. How far towards the nose you shade depends on how far apart your eyes are. Close set eyes benefit from keeping the shadows to the outsides, and the opposite for eyes set wide apart. Then use the light colour and start from the inside corner and sweep out, basically covering every other part of the lid up to the eyebrow. Make sure the very centre is this colour.
- Eyeliner – Black pencil or liquid - Make sure it isn’t too blunt. Liquid or gel with a brush is great if you’re confident enough. Start about 1/3 away from the inside corner of the eye, follow the line of the eye and out towards the tip of the eyebrow. Practise makes perfect! Then use a little eye liner on the bottom lash line, just on the outer corner, then smudge it towards the centre with a cotton bud.
- Mascara – Black. Always.
- Lashes – Keep it simple! No sparkles, not too thick or too long. Remember to enhance your features, not hide them. I use “Lash Grip” glue from Priceline, it’s cheap and way better than the glue in the lashes pack. Make sure you trim the false lashes from the outside end to fit the eye. I’ve never not cut some down. Apply with tweezers and cotton buds. Don’t use too much glue!
- Under eyes – Use a concealer that is lighter than their foundation, and either dab it with your fingertips, or sweep under the eyes with the foundation brush and set it again with a little setting powder.
- Blush – UNDER the cheek bones to imitate a shadow, and therefore the cheek bone stands out, giving the face structure from the stage. Apply in stages as it’s too hard to remove if you put too much on the brush! Work it up into the hair, upwards along the hair line, and dab into the temple. If you have a highlighter (or just the white eye shadow) run this along the cheek bones to bring them out.
- Lip Liner – a MUST! Not only does it deepen the colour, prevent the lipstick feathering and bleeding, it makes the lipstick stay on so much longer! It also defines the lips, creates shape, either enhancing or correcting the lip line....which otherwise we can’t see from the stage. See pic for working out best way to start.
- Lipstick – Using a brush helps to keep the lips a really nice shape because you can target exactly where you want the product to go. Then they can use it straight on their lips to layer it on carefully. Use a tissue to close the mouth on to get excess off and therefore less likely to end up on their costume, and they can use a clean finger to put in their mouth, close their mouth, then pull their finger out (wipe off what lipstick is left on the finger) ......graphic I know, but this stops it from getting on their teeth!
- Eye shadow – At least 2 colours. I prefer to start with the darker colour, then use the lighter colour to blend and smooth. Use a small brush and work from the outside corner of the eyelid and follow the brow bone around. How far towards the nose you shade depends on how far apart your eyes are. Close set eyes benefit from keeping the shadows to the outsides, and the opposite for eyes set wide apart. Then use the light colour and start from the inside corner and sweep out, basically covering every other part of the lid up to the eyebrow. Make sure the very centre is this colour.
