3
Foundation
Why Use Foundation?
There are several reasons for wearing foundation while on stage. One reason is to alter your natural skin tone. You might do this to portray someone, of a different age, someone who is ill or is healthier than you are, someone who has spent more or less time in the sun or other natural elements, or someone who is of a different ethnic background. You might just be very pale and wish to avoid reflecting too much light on stage. Foundation can also help to even out uneven skin tones, including ruddiness, acne, or sun damage.
Another reason to use makeup in general on stage is that strong theatrical lighting can cause your features to appear flat. Makeup, specifically highlight and shadow used for contouring, will restore the appearance of three-dimensionality. If you are using makeup for this reason, you must apply foundation before applying the highlights and shadows that define the features. The base coat of foundation is a necessary underlayer that helps when blending for a smooth and natural look.
Preparing the Face
When applying foundation your skin should be clean. Do not wear street makeup unless you are using an undercoat of hypoallergenic makeup, which is discussed below. Men should be clean-shaven unless their own facial hair is being used as part of the makeup design. Use either toner or cool water to close your pores. Apply an oil-free moisturizer before the makeup, leaving enough time for it to soak in. Also make sure that your hands are clean before applying your makeup. Use anti-bacterial soap or hand sanitizer.
If you have acne or skin allergies, check with a dermatologist before using theatrical makeup. You may want to apply a hypoallergenic foundation before the theatrical foundation. If you have any fresh, unhealed facial piercings, which is not a smart choice for an actor, avoid those areas. Apply an anti-bacterial ointment to those areas for safety. If you sweat profusely, you may prepare your face with a sweat-blocker, which is sold by the major theatrical makeup manufacturers.
Choosing the Right Foundation
Depending on whether you are performing in a small or large theatre, or whether you want to look more natural or theatrically stylized, you might choose between a liquid foundation (cosmetic) and a heavier, cream-based foundation (theatrical). If you are responsible for providing your own makeup, it is a good idea to check with the costume or makeup designer for his or her preference. If there is no costume or makeup designer, try to be consistent with the other actors in your production.
Dry or pancake foundation is used less frequently than liquid and cream foundation. It is often used for body makeup or for performers with extremely oily skin or who sweat a lot.
Choosing a foundation color will depend on the character you are playing. For a basic corrective (your own age, ethnicity, looking your healthy best) you will choose a color close to your own skin tone, unless you are extremely pale, In that case you may need a foundation that is a little darker.
Most theatrical makeup companies now carry an assortment of foundation colors for an assortment of ethnic backgrounds. When testing for the correct color, try the foundation on your face after you have tested it for a reaction as described in Chapter 2. Do not test for color on your hand because your hand will tend to be darker, or even a different tone (i.e., yellower or redder) than your face.
If you can't find the exact color foundation you need, you can blend two together, either on a palette or directly on your face.
Application of Theatrical Foundation
When using a cream-based foundation, use your middle finger to dot the makeup onto your face leaving spaces in between. If you are blending two colors on your face, dot them on, alternately, at the same time.
To avoid the transfer of bacteria from your face to the makeup container, scoop out the amount you will need using a palette knife or the end of a makeup brush and place it on a palette or the back of your hand.
BLENDING TWO FOUNDATION COLORS ON A PALETTE
NOTE: IF THE FOUNDATION FEELS TOO FIRM TO APPLY OR SPREAD, WARM IT BY RUBBING THE CAPPED CONTAINER BETWEEN YOUR HANDS OR HOLDING IT NEAR A LIGHT BULB.
After applying the foundation, use a latex-free sponge to smooth the makeup across your face, covering every part of it. Do not rub the makeup into your pores. Glide the makeup just up to your hairline, out to the beginning of your ears and down past your jawline onto your neck.
Remember to apply makeup around your eyes. Depending on whether or not you neck is paler or redder than your face, you can either fade out the foundation or continue it down to the base of your neck. Take into consideration the height or depth of the neckline of the costume you will be wearing, so you do not dirty it with makeup from your neck.
APPLY DOTS OF MAKEUP TO YOUR FACE USING YOUR FINGERTIPS
Work towards a smooth, even finish with no visible edge. The intention is to create a seamless coverage and to avoid the look of a mask.
BLENDING TWO FOUNDATION COLORS ON YOUR FACE. Model, Manuela Stephanie Lopez
If you are using a dry pancake foundation, wet your application sponge with fresh, lukewarm water and squeeze out most, but not all, of the water. Rub it against the dry makeup to liquefy it; glide it across the face without grinding it into your pores. Repeat until you have a smooth, even finish.
Using Concealer
You may want to cover dark spots or areas (moles, birthmarks, blemishes, etc.) Many people have dark circles under their eyes that can make them look tired or older than they are or want to appear. To cover a dark area you must apply makeup that is lighter than the foundation you have chosen. Your highlight color (see Chapter 4) often works best.
PANCAKE MAKEUP APPLICATION. Model, Angela Horchem
If you have dark circles under your eyes they will very likely have a purplish tone to them. The opposite of purple on the color wheel is yellow, therefore, mix some yellow in to your concealer. This Will help to neutralize the purple tone.
NOTE: TO HIDE DARK AREAS YOU MUST USE A COLOR THAT IS LIGHTER THAN YOUR SKIN TONE.
If you are concealing acne, rosacea, or ruddiness, those skin conditions have a red tone; add a small amount of green, which is the opposite of red, to your concealer.
GREEN AND YELLOW BLENDED INTO HIGHLIGHT
Use a brush to apply and smooth out the lighter color. Then dot on some of the foundation and blend it out beyond the edges of the dark spot, using a latex-free sponge.
CONCEALER BLENDED
BEFORE CONCEALER
GREEN-TINTED HIGHLIGHT USED AS CONCEALER
CONCEALER BLENDED OUT
FOUNDATION OVER CONCEALER
Application of Cosmetics Foundation and Concealer
Your face should be clean and prepared in the same manner as you would for theatrical makeup. Apply concealer first; you can buy yellow- or green-tinted concealer at a health and beauty retailer. Using either a flat brush or an applicator if one comes with it, smooth out the edges.
Pour or pump some of the liquid foundation into your hand or onto a palette. Dot it on to your face, with your finger and spread it lightly across your face with a latex-free sponge in the same manner as you would for theatrical makeup.
APPLYING STREET MAKEUP FOUNDATION. Model, Jessica Rogers
Setting the Cosmetic Foundation with Powder
Set your cosmetic foundation with powder before contouring. Set your theatrical foundation with powder after contouring and any other technique that uses cream makeup.
Pressed setting powder is usually sold with a velour or velvet application pad. Rub the pad on the powder and then press it evenly all over your face.
When using a loose powder, press the powder puff into the loose powder. Fold the powder puff together and rub the powder in. Open the puff and flick the bottom, loosening the powder. Press the powder into the foundation on your face. If the powder looks cakey, go over the spot, lifting some off and redistributing it. To loosen more powder, flick the back of the puff again. Once you have powder on your entire face, wet a latex-free cosmetic sponge. Wring all the water from the sponge and press it over the powder so that it seems to disappear.
NOTE: WHEN YOU ARE DONE APPLYING YOUR MAKEUP, THROW YOUR APPLICATION SPONGE AWAY—DO NOT SAVE IT. IT CAN BECOME A BREEDING GROUND FOR BACTERIA.