History:
The use of body art and painting is an ancient practice. Kings
and princes of large and small kingdoms decorated themselves
to show rank. After the guys got tired of it, the women usually
kept the practice and continued with it. During the winning of
the West, women who worked the oldest profession were called
"Painted Ladies" because they were the only ones who
dared wear makeup. A hundred years later, makeup artist Max Factor
had an uphill battle trying to convince the American housewife
that wearing makeup wasn't a sin. Eventually he was successful,
and now it's big business. That's all you need to know, and it's
all I know about the history of makeup.
Kinds of Makeup:
Street makeup is
available everywhere and can sometimes cost less money, just
buy it at any pharmacy or grocery store. When you buy street
makeup it is assumed you will not be singing opera under thousands
of watts of theatrical lighting. Street makeup is designed for
light, personal, and everyday use. It is designed for comfort.
Theatrical makeup is heavily
pigmented so that it doesn't washout under the bright lights
of the stage. Theatrical makeup will holdup under physical stress
such as dancing or singing with sweaty tenors. The style of theatrical
makeup application will vary with the size of the stage and audience.
"Intimate" theater is a small stage, close to a small
audience. Makeup for intimate theater is much more normal looking
compared to makeup for a large theater where facial expressions
must be projected for a thousand feet.
Makeup for film and video
is required to look "Normal" because a person's face
will be magnified on the screen. In the industry, this is called
"Straight" makeup. Makeup for these applications is
very precise because it is assumed a shot can be made weeks apart
from others that will match into the scene. The color must be
consistent. Usually people get into trouble when they try to
do special effects makeup. Personally, I have the tendency to
improve makeup with each application. The result is a scar or
wound that not only gets better with each shot, it also becomes
more dramatic. When edited together the result is a disaster.
Skillful lighting on the part of the DP (Director of Photography)
has more to do with makeup success than does the brand or type
of makeup.
Makeup for still photography
follows the same logic as makeup for film and video, except for
the fact that a flash is often used. Examine the photographer's
test shots before finalizing the makeup. Makeup for black and
white photography is supposed to be very specialized, I don't
know anything about it, so don't ask.
Corrective makeup is for
people who need to hide scares, birthmarks and other skin discoloration.
If you are only trying to hide a few zits, use a "cover-up"
type makeup on the spots rather than overdo it with foundation.
If you have more serious problems to hide, explore Derma Color
by Kryolan. It is a very robust makeup that can be made water
resistant.
Makeup Formulas:
In the olden days makeup was made from pigments and a heavy oil.
It was called grease paint. Today the formulas have been refined
and the new oil based makeups are called "Creme" makeup.
Because creme makeups are oil based they must be powdered to
remove excess oil and to set the makeup. Freshly set creme makeup
can look fantastic, but it does have the tendency to look a little
shiny after a while. Creme makeup is hot to wear. It is most
often applied with latex sponge and brush. Some formulas will
destroy foam latex appliances.
Pancake is makeup powder
pressed into a little tin. It is often called waterbased makeup,
but is more properly referred to as water-activated. You must
wet it like water colors in order to use it. Professionals will
often spritz their entire tray as they begin their work. This
allows some time for the makeup to become saturated. Streaks
in pancake makeup are caused by faulty application. It is lighter
than creme makeup and doesn't require setting power. Make it
sweat-proof by using a Ben Nye product called LiquiSet (BN-LQ4).
Applied with water sponge, latex sponge or brush.
RMGP, or Rubber Mask Grease
Paint is a special formula of cream makeup for use with rubber
prosthetics. Often the base oil is caster oil which is safe on
foam latex. It works great on foam latex, but is heavy to wear
on the skin. It does need to be powdered.
Body or Face Paint is a
water based makeup in liquid form. It is excellent for body art
and coverage of large areas of the body. It can be applied thick
or thin. It can be applied quickly with an air paint gun or airbrush.
If you are completely changing the color of someone's skin, use
liquid body paint. Make it water resistant with Ben Nye LiquiSet
additive. Liquid makeup applied with an airbrush is a new trend.
What to use:
Use what you like. Everyone has a different opinion. Some directors
not only insist on a particular formula, but on a specific brand.
Some artists are frozen in time, not knowing that their type
of makeup has been replaced with a wonderful new formula. Others
are frozen in experimental mode, having tried a few dozen with
only a few hundred to go. Some stay loyal to a brand name, some
to price. Some use pan cake alone and others stick to creme makeup.
Some combine with great success.
I can only say, do what
works for you.
That didn't help much did
it?
About Brand Names:
We carry three major line; Ben Nye, Kryolan, Mehron and we used
to have Bob Kelly, but he stopped making cosmetics. These are
tried, true and proven brands. Each has its own advantages.
Ben Nye: Relatively new,
but a strong product and company. Very good selection, fair prices
and very high quality. The company is operated by a team of perfectionists
and it shows in the product, the catalog and the service we get
from them. BN is rarely out of stock, they ship promptly and
rarely make mistakes on orders. BN is a conservative company
and will not offer any product that is not perfect. They don't
offer any flexibility, so if you want a gallon of body paint,
forget it, because it's not on the price list. Made in USA, wonderful
printed catalog available from them or from us with your order.
Order directly from us.
Kryolan: German made makeup
that has been serving the European market for years. Very large
selection of specialty and hard to find items. Very high quality.
More supportive with books, videos, but it is difficult to get
printed information because the product line far exceeds the
printed catalog. Very large color selection which often is greater
than the stock at hand. Sometimes items are back ordered for
months while a shipment from Germany arrives. Features many items
that are just not available by US makers. Well run company by
people who really know their stuff. Large sizes available. Made
in USA, Germany and some other countries. Official catalog is
$5, but hard to get. Order directly from us.
Mehron: Well established
company with the reputation of having good products at lower
prices. Makeup is well made but might not be as sophisticated
as other brands. Good selection and good catalog. Very popular
especially among high school productions. Makes a popular student
makeup kit. Company structure is sound, but delivery takes a
few extra days because the warehouse is on the East coast. Large
sizes available. Made in USA. Some literature available from
them or from us with an order. Order directly from us.
