Stage Makeup

The stage is like a second a home to me. Ever since I started dancing when I was 3, I have fallen in love with the feeling of performing. Today, I'm actively performing in show choir, speech, theatre productions, one acts, and pageants, and I love every second of it. Being onstage for so much of my life, I have learned how to my makeup to ensure I not only feel, but also look great onstage!


On a stage, bright stage lights are lit to brighten the stage and the performers. Due to these extremely bright stage lights, a performer can look washed out wearing their day makeup, so they must apply heavy stage makeup. If I'm ever in a theatre production, I use stage foundation as a base to ensure my face won't look washed out. The stage foundation is much more thick and creamy, almost like a concealer as a foundation. By wearing stage foundation, a performer won't look washed out and have an even skin complexion. I also recommend applying a slightly darker foundation shade because the stage lights will make your complexion look whiter than usual.


For blush and bronzer, I recommend to apply a lot more than you're used to. Stage lights can easily whiten your face, so you need brush and bronzer to outline your face shape. Bronzer is especially important because you can completely change your face structure using bronzer. When I apply bronzer or blush for a stage performance, I was have the mind set of, "If you don't look like Kim Kardashian yet, you need more."


For eye shadow, it really just depends on what event you’re performing on stage for. If you’re in a big, flashy musical like “Chicago,” the more eye shadow the better. But if you’re performing a musical like “Spring Awakening,” it’s best you keep the eye shadow at a minimum. On the other hand, I think that anyone who is going to perform on stage needs eyeliner and mascara. Eyeliner and mascara can outline and emphasize the shape of your eye, so you need these makeup items when you’re performing. I also recommend wearing fake lashes, especially if you have short lashes like me, to open your eyes more.


All in all, just be sure to apply more makeup for performances than you usually would for a daytime makeup. You want to look alive in your performance, not dead!