Tips for Applying Stage Makeup: Foundation

Fluid Foundation

1. Pour a little fluid foundation into the palm of your hand, then dot it evenly over the face with a fingertip, remembering to put some on the eyelids and jus under the chin. Be careful not to get too close to the hairline. Don’t use too much; you can always add more later.	2. Blend the makeup over the entire face with a slightly damp sponge. There are several types available: wedges, round flat sponges, and natural ones. You can, of course, use your fingers, but a sponge gives a better finish. Avoid the lips unless you need to change their shape later. Fade the makeup away under the jaw line to avoid a hard edge there.	3. If you see any redness, apply a little more fluid with the sponge. With very fair skins and/or red-haired people, avoid getting makeup caught in the hairline or eyebrows where it will look orange. When you have finished, the skin should look even in texture.
Cream Foundation

1. This type of foundation should be applied initially in strokes to the larger planes of the face --- the forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. With a cream stick, you can just roll it up and apply it directly from the container, but this is unwise if you are sharing makeup. Because creams are strongly pigmented, it is always best to apply them as described to avoid using too much.	2. Blend the cream evenly over the face using a slightly damp sponge or your fingertips. A sponge gives a better result. When you have finished, check to see if you need more. If so, take a corner of the sponge and stroke it onto the cream, picking up just a small amount of makeup. Work this over the areas needing more cover.	3. This is how it should look before powder, with the skin smooth and even. It is easy to use too much cream, so test for heaviness. .Finish blending, then run one finger across the forehead. If it leaves a track, you have used too much. To solve the problem, blend further with a clean sponge, then check again. Too much cream can look heavy and flat, and is difficult to keep matte.

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