Oh my eyes! - Stage make-up tips

Here is a review type post about a couple of my favourite products for getting that Arabic eyes look.

In my make up bag I've a few favourites from make up forever who do a great variety of professional make up, including waterproof, which I find works great for performaning.  To line my eyes, there are two products I really like, both from their Aqua range.

The first of these is the Aqua Eyes waterproof eyeliner pencil.  I've got this in shade 0L-Matte Black.  It's nice and smooth to apply, can be smudged easily for a nice effect, or built up to a harder line.  And once it's on, it stays exactly in place, all night, through performing, night driving, everything.  I find it a very versatile product, not only for stage, but also for teaching and everyday wear. If you find it hard to shape your eyeliner, a smudgeable one like this can be drawn on first for the outline shape, then for more drama draw over the top with liquid liner. 

The second product I rely on is Aqua Black Waterproof Creme Eyeshadow.  This is a pot of black boot polish looking colour.  It can be used as a base for smokey eyes stage look, but I like it as a matte eyeliner, applied to my upper lid with a small brush.

I make sure to brush it on really close to the top lashes, almost to the lash line, opening up the eyes so as not to leave any gaps.  This is the best way to disguise any mistakes or gaps from glueing on lashes - as long as the liner goes on first, then the lashes.  A nice angled eyeliner brush would make application pretty easy and help with winging out the liner, although I've been using a discarded lip brush which works okay.  I like this product better than other brand gel liners as it doesn't tend to gloop or clump, and once it's on it's not going to slide around or budge for anything.  It's also easy to wipe off the brush afterwards.  Lastly, the packaging is a compact plastic tub, good for squeezing into my make up bag, and there's no risk of dropping a heavy sphere of glass encased gel liner onto my foot...

Waterproof make up shouldn't be used in inside or waterline of my eyes.  The Aqua Black especially should also be applied extra carefully away from contact lenses, as it's got so much staying power, it'd stick to the lense too given half a chance.  

Finally, something that often comes up in dressing room chat is how stubborn it this kind of make up can be to take off at the end of the night.  My method is to always use a good quality waterproof eye make up remover.  There's quite a few brands that'll work, the trick is to look out for bottle that contains both water based and oil based solvent - you'll recognise this in a bottle which has two liquids inside, one floating on top of the other.  You need to shake to mix the two, put some on a cotton wool pad and then hold this to your eye a count of 10 - long enough for the liquid to soak into the make up.  Then a gentle wipe should take everything off with no rubbing.  I then finish the eye by turning the pad over and wiping clean with the reverse side.  It's quick, gentle and very easy.

Make up forever is a niche brand in the UK, although has a wider distribution in certain countries around the world.  In the UK there are currently two stockists that I know, the PAM store near Shepherds Bush in London (who also do mail order), and Guru in Fulham.

I'd love to know, what are your favourite make up products for stage?  

Kate's Baladi

Kate Deacon is a Scottish teacher of Raqs Sharqi style Egyptian Dance.  She runs several classes in the Borders and Lanarkshire.  She originally trained with my teacher Lorne McCall and I think she's a beautiful dancer.

Kate doesn't perform so often these days, but Susan Tonner of Katra and Twisted Tails posted this video of her dancing in Edinburgh a few weeks ago, in a special event featuring Carolena Nericcio of Fat Chance Belly Dance.  This is a lovely example of the Raqs Sharqi Society style of Baladi - simple, sweet and melodic; with patterns in space and geometric motifs.