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Top 10 High Performance Makeup Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Time and time again, as a former professional dancer in New York City, I witnessed attractive young girls do poor makeup before performances. In my 10 years of dancing, I’ve seen how ugly and bad makeup skills can be backstage. Makeup can help create the best possible version of ourselves. As a makeup artist I learned to highlight our best aspects with makeup.

This is my list of the top 10 performance makeup mistakes in no particular order.

1) MISTAKE: Missing Eyebrows! BECAUSE? When there are no eyebrows we lose the emotional expression of the face.

SET IT: To create a more natural look than a brow pencil, use a pressed mineral eyeshadow powder. Use a color that matches or is slightly darker than your hair color. To accentuate and frame the eyes, use an angled eyeliner makeup brush to fill in the natural shape of the brows.

2) MISTAKE: Inside the lower lash line using a black eyeliner pencil. BECAUSE? This is a great makeup method for fashion shows, print ads, television, and in person, but not for stage performances. During a stage performance, it makes the eyes look smaller.

FIX: A WHITE Highlighter Pencil on the outer corner of the eyes and on the inner lower lash line will make the eyes look bigger and brighter.

3) MISTAKE: Apply black eyeliner under the eye and on the far inner corner of the eye. BECAUSE? It gives the eye a very round appearance, you want more of an almond shape. It can sometimes give the dancer the appearance of being cross-eyed.

SET IT: To achieve the most desirable shape, use a darker brown eyeshadow with an eyeliner brush as an under-eye liner. Start under the pupil and apply following the natural curve of the eye.
DO NOT mix the upper lash liner and the lower lash liner together. Not connecting these lines will give you the illusion that the whites of the eyes are very large.

4) MISTAKE: The darker eyeshadow contour color that is too close to the nose and too high in the crease of the eye (up to the eyebrows). BECAUSE? It takes all the emotion out of the eyes. It gives the appearance of large black holes. For the same reason, the “smoky eye look” does NOT work in stage performances.

FIX: Make sure the dark outline color is stopped before it gets anywhere near the brows. Apply the shadow with a small, angled eyeshadow brush. When adding a darker contour color to the crease area of ​​the eye, focus on the outer half of the eye and do not carry the dark color too far towards the nose.

5) ERROR: No basis applies for theatrical performances. BECAUSE? Wearing makeup without a foundation won’t lift when you’re sweating. It will look smudged and won’t touch up well.

SET IT: Creating a clean, matte surface for makeup requires foundation. When choosing a foundation, use a lightweight, mineral oil-free/non-comedogenic, water-resistant foundation. This will keep your makeup smooth and clean throughout the day!

6) MISTAKE: Using false eyelashes that are too big or too thick. BECAUSE? Since the stage lighting descends from the top, the large lashes form a shadow under the eyes. This can make your eyes appear closed, sleepy, or heavy.

SOLUTION: If the lashes are half or half lashes, they will not need to be trimmed to fit the eye; otherwise, cut them to fit. Always trim from the outside edge. False lashes that are longest at the outer edge and shorten as they move towards the inside of the eye are the best option. Avoid excessively large lashes and choose those that are concentrated in the outer third of the eye.

7) MISTAKE: Bad makeup color choices used for stage makeup. BECAUSE? Just because we see a makeup color on TV doesn’t mean it will work for a stage performance. On TV, when the makeup is done, the colors can match the outfits, be more understated, and have a more “on-trend” look. Our main goal on stage is to make sure that the facial expression and features can be seen and that the dancer looks striking under harsh stage lighting.

FIX IT: Use neutral tones to bring out the innate beauty of the dancer’s face. There are also lipsticks in neutral pink shades that look gorgeous. Bright red is no better! If bright red lipstick distracts the audience from the performance, then it’s not serving its purpose.

8) ERROR: A line marked by blush or too much blush. BECAUSE? Too much blush or a harsh line can make artists look harsh or old.

FIX IT: Colors in neutral shades of pink or pink/peach. The other benefit is that these colors will work on all skin tones, from the lightest to the darkest. To create a soft line, place your brush at the hairline and brush forward, blending upwards around the apples of the cheeks. It is important not to allow the blush to sink below the lip line.

9) MISTAKE: Using too much glitter. BECAUSE? When she uses glitter on every part of her face, body, and wardrobe, it is very distracting to the audience and the judges.

ARRANGEMENT: Pick a part where you will use glitter. Use glitter in your hair, or use shimmery white to highlight your cheekbones, or try a bright red lip. The important part is choosing ONE body part, not all parts for your “glitter-fitti”.

10) MISTAKE: Need more makeup. BECAUSE? Due to the strength of the stage lights and the distance between the performer and the audience, facial features tend to lose their dimension. Facial features “flatten” when you don’t have enough makeup.

FIX IT: Apply makeup so it’s dark enough to see your features without tension from the 8th to 10th row. Stage lighting makes it necessary to wear makeup if you have a natural look on stage. Again, just because you saw a dancer’s look on TV, doesn’t mean it will work on stage.

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