No-make-up Mom begs for help with stage make-up

[Pegasus]

Ack! Instructions just came today from DD8's dance class for the year-end recital. Here's the part that has me freaking out:

Make-up: The dancers need to wear make-up for the dress rehearsal and performance. Stage lighting washes out the skin. Make-up should consist of base, powder, natural shades of eye shadow, mascara, lots of blush, and RED lipstick.

Normally, I'm against little girls wearing make-up but I'm not opposed to stage make-up for performances (although the instructions seem a bit extreme, that's a LOT of make-up). I don't wear make-up and haven't the slightest clue on what to buy or how to apply it.

Please help! DD has sensitive skin and we use a dye and scent free laundry detergent for her as well as very mild soaps, etc. I don't want to spend a fortune for make-up that will be worn once a year. Any tips on if I can skip any of the make-up suggested (base AND powder?!?).

Many thanks.
Clueless Pegasus

[my2kidsmom]

What? No glitter? J/K
I would ask one of the other dance moms. I would think someone would help you out. My dd takes dance and we use all the things you listed. I apply them. I use a base color that is tan. We have very fair skin and she is too pale in the pictures and on stage with the lights. I even use false eyelashes because they are easier to put on than mascarra IMO. For the Red lips, I used a body crayon (from a holloween kit) because it doesn't smear like lipstick does.

Also, we wash our faces and then put on a moisturizer after the recitle (we don't have to put on faces for rehearsal). DD's skin is sensative too, but the make up is only on for a short period of time and we've not had any problems with just Cover Girl (and other cheap brands).

good luck

[Dana in OR]

The most important things are mascara, blush, lipstick. It's awful to see your little girl so made-up but stage lights really do make kids look like their heads are bright white blobs (at least for my kids). The makeup just helps them look more normal on stage.

[Antonia]

Yikes, that's a lot of makeup for littles. My dd is 15, and doesn't wear all that for professional performances. I would say you could skip the base and just do the powder and blush. My dd doesn't wear the base because her skin is so sensitive. She always breaks out after performance from the powder and blush and the wipes they use to take it off. You can buy good makeup cheaply at Wal-mart, etc. NYC is one brand I've used that's inexpensive.

[Ravin]

This is one of those things I'll foist off on DH when the time comes. He did dance and drama in high school and knows how to do stage makeup, etc.

[tess in the burbs]

my dd is only 4, so allowing the makeup was hard for me, but I understand stage lighting....

so the teacher said the basics are a must. powder to avoid shiny faces in pictures. lots of blush on the cheekbone so you can see a face. RED lipstick to see lips(and I have no bought several that when on are more hot pink and not red, so buy before the day comes). neutral eyeshadow. For mascara have them close their eyes and put some cardstock under the eyelashes(against the skin) and put it on the back of the lashes. it avoids the problems that happen when you have a small child open their eye and you come at them with a wand of black ;-)

we did a test run the other day and dh(who opposes makeup on myself) did not notice dd's powder, eyes and cheeks. so obviously I didn't put enough on, lol.

enjoy your dd's show!

[Pegasus]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'm thinking that we need to go ahead and buy a few things so we have time to practice. I really WISH I could dump this particular chore on DH. His eyes went blank and disbelieving when he read the part about dancers are NOT to wear underwear under their costumes. :001_huh:

Pegasus

[dalynnrmc]

I have an aunt who is a licensed and practicing cosmotologist, and also a dance/cheer mom for YEARS now. (Her oldest daughter is now 23, and she has one still in high school that does both school cheer and extra-curricular cheer and dance. These girls have been involved since they were old enough to join.)

If you'd like, I can call her and ask about sensitive skin products for dancers on a budget. I'm positive she'll have an answer, but don't want to butt in if I'm being presumptuous. :)

[Pegasus]

I have an aunt who is a licensed and practicing cosmotologist, and also a dance/cheer mom for YEARS now. (Her oldest daughter is now 23, and she has one still in high school that does both school cheer and extra-curricular cheer and dance. These girls have been involved since they were old enough to join.)

If you'd like, I can call her and ask about sensitive skin products for dancers on a budget. I'm positive she'll have an answer, but don't want to butt in if I'm being presumptuous. :)

That would be awesome. thank you!
Pegasus

[dalynnrmc]

Okay, sorry - we've had a crazy week!! Hope it's not too late.... Here's what she said!

Almay has some really good hypo-allergenic products; this is what they use to prevent break-outs. She said that Neutro-Gena (sp?) is generally a little cheaper and probably also has some. You can try those out before the day (if you have time still, obviously), and/or you can use some sort of lotion or moisturizer or something similar that you KNOW she is okay with and apply a thick coating and apply the makeup on top of it. This is also what she'd recommend if you weren't able to find any of the rest of it. (She wasn't really sure of price, she gets a huge discount and doesn't really look anyway. LOL So, also if these end up being expensive she said you could try this.)

I'm going to PM you to make sure you see this! :) HTH....

[Pegasus]

Thank you! It's not too late. We have several more weeks, actually, before the big event. I'll look for those products and see what I can find. I'll remember the tip about using a moisturizer as well.

Pegasus