Makeup, what is good?

[Louis Loprinzi]

I was wondering what kind of make-up people out there use and would swear by. The stiff I have been using for white in whiteface looks ok, but it's just terrible in regards to skin. Any suggestions?

[Peter Voice]

"Kryolin" (German made) is about as good as you can get. It also helps if you put on a "barrier cream" about an hour prior to application for added skin protection.

[Cybele]

Louis-

I had to fiddle around awhile before I hit on the makeup that worked for me. Got that? For me. So, with the proviso that everyone's skin is different and that what works for one won't work for everyone, I have learned a few things in the past couple of decades.

Be aware of your name brands. Stein's is well known, as are Ben Nye, Krylon and Mehron. Those are the biggies (Corporate sponsors, if I'm leaving any of you out, sue me. Oh, wait; this is Performers.Net; we don't have corporate sponsors, never mind.)

I find Stein's to be stiff, and it breaks up around the eyes and nose. It also smells weird to me. I tried Ben Nye for awhile, but it made me itch. I haven't tried Krylon's clown white, because I discovered Mehron, which I love. They make a version of the stuff in a twist-up stick that I find quick to use, but it gives uneven coverage, and since my relative talent is perceived to be commensurate with how good I look, I can't afford it, no matter how much of a timesaver it is. I use the cream base clown white in the tub.

Now you need to be aware of your technique. No matter which brand of makeup you wind up using, the first thing is to start with a perfectly clean face, free of goopy moisturizers, pimple creams or sweat. Then, rather than applying your makeup directly to your face, put it in the palm of your "other" hand and rub it around awhile until it's very creamy and soft. This will make application easier, as you avoid pulling at your skin with a stiff and gloppy product. You will also get thinner, more even coverage, which may be beneficial if your skin is suffering from an overly thick layer of makeup.

And please, try not to use hand-me-down makeup (a common pitfall). You don't know how old it is, or who all has used it, and it may be full of bacteria and whatall. If someone near you is using something you'd like to try, ask if you can dip your plastic knife in and put it on your palette; if you like it, buy your own. Makeup is the cheapest of our resources, so I hate to see anybody skimp on their face.

Smooth it on evenly, then pat firmly with the fingertips into your pores, all over your face. This should give you a nice smooth layer under which you can still see the texture of your skin. Now you powder, and if you've done it right, you'll be able to swim in your makeup. (I never have, but I have showered in it, with only minor touch-ups needed.)

A word about powder: you can buy the powder that they'll try to sell you with the makeup, but I wouldn't bother. Baby powder works just fine. Now, for years, I swore by Johnson&Johnson's baby powder, but over the summer, my partner had a reaction to it. They may have changed their formula. I have been buying whatever's cheap, usually the Wal-Mart house label of baby powder. Baby talcum powder, not baby cornstarch- be sure to look at the label. And whether you use a sock or not is entirely your choice.

If you're using baby oil to remove your makeup, this may be another point of irritation for your skin. Not the baby oil itself, but leaving it on the skin, even traces of it. Wash that baby oil off as quickly as you can. Or use something else entirely. Some of the foaming facial cleansers work really well pulling the clown white off the skin, as long as you have access to a sink and towel, which may not always be the case. Pond's makes one that I like, called Deep Pore Foaming Cleanser, currently sold in a blue bottle. Not to endorse anybody. Especially without compensation.

Finally, no matter how careful you are with application and removal, being in makeup day in and day out may make your skin misbehave. It does mine, anyway. If I'm in makeup six days out of seven, my skin is pissed off, and not shy about showing it. Fortunately, ugly blemishes covered by white makeup somehow manage not to be offensive, or even noticeable.

Good luck to you!

xox, Cybele

[Steven Ragatz]

For white-face, I used Ben Nye's theatrical series "Clown White" for many years quite happily, though I am not prone to skin irritations. Cybele says that she uses baby powder, but for white-face, I find that Ben Nye's "Super White" powder helps produce a brighter white base. Lots of powder for the base! Also, if you spray "Final Seal" on after you have all of your makeup in place, the sweat won't smear it as much, and the spray will even enhance any color.

Steven Ragatz

[Stretch]

In the summer I start with Proface NoSweat. Running around on stilts gets pretty drippy otherwise. I use the Proface White with the Proface White powder if I have it, othewise any talcum powder works.

Be sure and pat (or slap, smack, beat, bludgen or pummel!) the make up into your skin before you powder. I like to wait a few minutes after powdering before brushing off the powder for even better results.

Most folks put their white on first. I find it easier to put my base on first since it covers such a large area. Then the white, and other colors. Good luck!

Walking tall, and stretching imaginations!

Bill "Stretch" Coleman

http://Stiltwalker.com/

[Humanoid Gone Mad]

Mostly I do living statue work with matalics also some white face and colours sometimes.

For the white face I use Kryolan white in the tub or TV stick though I don't powder, just rub the paint off onto a small foam latex sponge then I apply a very thin even layer to my whole face covering ares where other makeup is going to go like the lips etc... then wipe those areas off.

Oh and Peter made a good point about barrier cream, although I apply it just a few minutes before I put the makeup on and let it set.

I dont mind using the grease paints but generally the remover products are horrible and can be more irritating than the paint. So I got onto using Johnson&johnson baby whipes or wet towels to remove paint and then just wash my face with water to get rid of the soapy residue the towels leave behind. This does however really clean out your pores and if you are doing it every day or a couple of times a day it can really dry your face out .Its worth investing in a really good moisturising cream and also somesort of nice facial scrub... personally I am into things that are as natural as possible some sort of herbal thing to keep your skin in a healthy condition all the time.

Just an observation have you noticed how white face always makes people teeth look yellow?


I think you just have to try all sorts of things out until you find what is going to work for you!

Good luck.

Toby.

<img src="graemlins/haha.gif" border="0" alt="[ha ha]" />

www.humanoidgonema.com

[ 11-19-2002: Message edited by: Humanoid Gone Mad ]</p>

[JodiArts]

What is "barrier cream" and how do you apply it?

Does it work with skin tone clown makeup as well as the white face clown makeup? I use several different skin tones for a very young kid-like look.

Thank you!

-Jodi Crump Beatty

hi, Cybele! I'm getting more pregnant every day!!! <img src="graemlins/haha.gif" border="0" alt="[ha ha]" />