The Complete Handbook of Costume & Stage Makeup

Chapter 1: Understanding Costume & Stage Makeup

Costume and stage makeup is not merely a stronger version of the makeup you find at a drugstore counter. It is a distinct class of material, engineered for conditions that everyday cosmetics are never expected to survive. A retail foundation is designed to look good for a few hours in ambient light, on skin that is relatively static. Costume makeup is designed to hold a character illusion under 50,000 watts of stage lighting, through an hour of high-energy dance, on a face that is sweating, moving, and possibly covered in another layer of prosthetics. Understanding this difference at a material level is the first thing a professional learns, and the last thing a beginner wants to hear. This chapter will show you exactly what that difference means in practice.

Consider a specific example. A stage actor playing the Wicked Witch of the West in a regional theatre production needs a green face, a witch's nose, and that makeup must survive three performances a day, eight shows a week. The room temperature backstage can reach 35°C. The sweat from the lights and choreography is constant. The makeup must not run into the actor's eyes, must not crack when she sneers, must photograph correctly for promotional stills, and must come off cleanly without ruining her skin for the next show. Everything in this scenario is different from a consumer buying a green eyeshadow for a costume party. The materials, the application time, the quantity used,