The Complete Handbook of Body Makeup

Chapter 1: Understanding Body Makeup

Body makeup, at its core, is a pigment-based product designed to color, enhance, or disguise the skin of the body. It is distinct from facial makeup in its performance requirements. The skin of the body has different characteristics than the face. It is typically thicker, has larger pores, and produces less oil, but it is also subject to more movement, friction from clothing, and exposure to the elements. A product designed for the face, which must contend with sebum and small, expressive muscles, is often inadequate for the torso, arms, or legs. Body makeup must be engineered to deal with the unique challenges of a flexible, constantly moving surface that frequently comes into contact with fabric, water, and light.

To understand how body makeup works, you must first understand its fundamental components. Just like its facial counterparts, body makeup is generally a suspension of pigments, binders, and fillers, but the ratio and chemical nature of these components are often different. The pigment provides the color and coverage. The binder is the ingredient that holds the pigment together, attaches it to the skin, and controls its eventual removal. The filler gives the product the right texture, whether it needs to be a flowable liquid, a thick cream, or a solid stick. Body makeup specifications often hinge on the specific polymer system used as the binder. This is the ingredient that determines whether a product will smear when you run your hand down a client's arm or