Stage Make-up - Eyes
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Probably the most important and most difficult aspect of makeup application, eye makeup requires care and practice. The purpose is to exaggerate the eye and make it stand out and appear larger to the audience.
General principles apply to all eye makeup and then modifications may be made to accommodate individual eye shape and features.
Begin by applying false eyelashes (#107) with eyelash glue. This takes practice! Toothpicks may be helpful in applying the adhesive. Be sure the outer edges are securely fastened to avoid “poking” during performance.
Cover the entire eyelid and shadow crease (the area between the eye lid and the eyebrow) with a light colored shadow (beige or light pink from the kit). This provides a base for the other shadows to adhere to.
Black eyeliner should be applied under the eye. Begin about half a centimeter from the corner of the eye and extend just past the outer corner. Liner should enhance the natural eye shape in the middle, but the edges should fan away from the eye. Drawing the line up at the edges (an incorrect technique) closes the eye makes it look smaller. The eyeliner should get thicker towards the outside of the eye. If false eyelashes are not being used, then black eyeliner should be applied on the top lid. Eyeliner can start 1/3 of the way out from the center and moving outwards. It should get thicker on the way out and fan away from the eye at the outside edge. White eyeliner should be used below the black eyeliner on the bottom on the outer half of the eye.
Dark Shadow is now applied to the shadow crease only (dark brown or dark plum from the kit). Leave the eyelid with only the base color as the highlight or lighter color will help open up the eye. Follow the line of the shadow crease on the inside portion of the eye with darker shadow. On the outside, do not follow the bone down but rather keep the dark color moving up and out. Exact placement of this dark shadow is dependant on eye shape. The narrow eye may appear more open when the darker color does not extend all the way down to the eyelid (leaving more “white” or highlight space). A small eye requires a saturation of dark shadow to exaggerate the line of the eyes. You may also use a medium shade between the dark shadow and the white eyeliner (to be explained in the following section). This gives the eye an extra highlight and is good for recessed or deep-set eyes. White eyeliner should be applied in a thick line right under the eyebrow to enhance the arch. Eye makeup requires practice and patience!
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