6.1 how can I learn makeup application tricks?

From: Thessaly
Check out Kevyn Aucoin's book Making Faces at any decent-size local bookstore... that will give you some ideas of how to apply things and what you can use. Also check your local library for some books on theatrical makeup: you don't want to actually walk around *wearing* theatrical makeup all the time, but it might give you some ideas for "gothing" (I think that the standard goth-girl makeup application face is really almost identical to the standard application used on silent movie actresses; if you check out books on film history and take a look at men from about 1915-1930, you will also see plenty of men whose makeup looks almost goth). One problem that a lot of kids seem to have is that goth makeup is even harder to apply, maintain, and wear than "normal" makeup: it takes very precise application, must be powdered and checked for smears and things more often than "natural" makeup, and does not look good on everybody (it almost automatically looks bad on everyone who does not apply and maintain it well, and it also looks bad on a certain percentage of people who *can* put it on properly and keep it looking fresh all day).

From: Trystan L. Bass
Many department store makeup brands have corrective prebase or concealers that are designed to even out the undertones in your skin. For example: green prebase evens out red tones in skin, violet/lavender evens out yellow, blue evens out orange, etc. Experienced makeup salespeople will know what color you should get to go with your own skin tone. MAC, Sheseido, and even Manic Panic has this stuff, and it looks really good -- myself, I use The Body Shop's Colourings Corrective Prebase in green underneath a pale ivory foundation and it gives a very good, very pale, porcelain finish.

From: Rowan
How to get a pale look if you're lousy with foundation -- get a pale under-eye concealer (preferably in a cream cake, not a stick), then use a makeup sponge to blend it onto your face and lightly powder... you'll be amazed!

From: Thessaly
But, if you must wear whiteface, the rule is that you wear it on ALL exposed skin: face, neck, cleavage, etc. And you powder it well and keep powdering it all day.

Most people here, however, would just tell you to either mix a little white in with your normal foundation or to wear a foundation a shade or two lighter than normal in the same skintone, if possible.

Either way, you have to blend, blend, blend. You can get a "mask" with any foundation if you don't, just from the texture differences.

From: Heather Holder
One trick I've learned (thanks to 16 years of theater experience!) is to apply a layer of foundation, a layer of powder, a layer of liner, and then your lippie. Then blot with a Kleenex until you are able to kiss the back of your hand without leaving a huge red mark. That way, you can still keep your color and not leave much lippie on your boi.

From: Dementia
A word to the wise... to those fellow Goths who have sensitive skin that not even the powers of a vampire can correct, anything listed as a natural cosmetic beware. Many natural cosmetics contain ingredients from flora and fauna that you may be allergic to... stick to unscented and irritant-free, but always read the label. We want to stay pale, not blotchy.

From: Zevaluz
A handy rule of thumb to see if a non-lip-area designed thing can be used around the lips: If it's purple, pink or green, probably not. In general. If the packaging says May Contain Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide Greens or Ferric Ferrocyanide, call the manufacturer if you want to be sure. You won't die if you still use them, but the FDA's said that those are a no-no on the lips.

back to 5.9 make clip-on hair extensions and fake hair pieces or
on to 6.2 make my skin paler

back to the table.of.contents or
back to the front page