Stage Make-up question

[DancerEnL'air]

Since it's Nutcracker season, and there will be a lot of putting on and taking off of stage make-up-- I figure maybe I could get some advice here:

 

Stage make-up has ALWAYS irritated my face. It gets dry and itchy, probably from dry skin. I've noticed an improvement since switching from Maybelline and Revlon- type brands to MAC make-up, and adding a primer lotion before the foundation..... However my eyelids are still a problem! they tend to get very dry and itchy... right now performances are on the weekends, so in between the irritation has time to die down but once daily performances begin, I don't know how to survive!!! any suggestions, tips, or products I should be adding???

 

Thanks!!

[Mel Johnson]

Have you considered using baby wipes to remove your makeup? There are kinds that have emollients in the wetting formula that prevent chafing and irritation.

[blaise]

MAC is considerably more expensive than Revlon or Maybelline and it isn't just about snobbery. Their cosmetics are typically made with better quality products with different formulas. I have very sensitive skin and the area around my eyes tends to get very dry and easily irritated. Of course, everyone's skin is different but it would probably be a good idea to use a really good moisturizer before putting makeup on (like Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion - not gel - that's for oily skin or Aveeno's dry skin formula . . . Vaseline intensive care is really good for dry skin too) and applying a cream base to your eye area so your makeup binds to that instead of directly to your skin (something like this). Clinique also makes really good makeup remover that moisturizes your skin, but I find vaseline works almost just as well. I have similar problems and it's really important that I moisturize more than I need to and use high quality cosmetics. I strongly recommend Clinique as all their eye products are opthamologist tested and work pretty well with sensitive, dry skin.

[Taradriver]

Knock, knock, medical mod here. You could have an allergy to the makeup you are using. Dry and itchy eyelids are a tip off. I strongly suggest you use only hypoallergenic products; there are several cosmetic lines available. As for your eyes, use only your own hypoallergenic eye makeup and applicators and throw out that mascara after a couple of months.

 

Cosmetic wipes/baby wipes are great, but be sure to cleanse your face afterwards. Moisturize as needed.

 

Sounds funny, but make sure to drink lots of water, too. Hydration helps to keep the skin supple and moist.

[DancerEnL'air]

[edited by moderator to remove full quote of a prior post]

 

thanks for the tips! I tried the moisturizer tip today, didn't put any foundation on my eyelids but put moisturizer on and then the eyeshadows... and will definetly be investing in some eye products from clinique.

 

hadn't heard of the vaseline make-up removers.... i've found wipes (like olay and baby wipes) to be most convenient, but have a feeling that's a culprit in extra dry skin.... even makeup remover wipes aren't a help..

 

[edited by moderator to remove full quote of immediately preceding post]

 

taradriver-- double checked and all make-up products are hypo-allergenic, aside from my eye shadows and eyelash glue.... will be investing in new eyeshadows most definetly, but having trouble in the eyelash glue category. and stage make-up with out eyelashes, is like peanut butter and jelly with out the peanut butter.... IMO. Thank you!

Edited December 3, 2007 by dancemaven

[Taradriver]

You could be allergic to the eyelash glue, check to see if it is hypoallergenic.

[Mel Johnson]

Speaking of peanut butter, it makes a pretty good makeup remover by itself, if you don't mind smelling like a peanut afterwards. You will be very popular with pigeons. But for adhesives, you should try the kinds that are used to keep ostomy bags in place. And you get a real big tube. Because they are used near an opening to a body cavity, they are so hypoallergenic as to be nearly NONallergenic.

[dancemaven]

I have removed the last two posts because they were by parents. I know everyone is trying to be helpful, but please do take a moment to make sure you aren't on a restricted forum.

[Mel Johnson]

Let me tell you what I was up to this morning with regard to the peanut butter: It's true, as long as you aren't allergic to peanuts, but here's the key. When you choose an emollient with which to remove makeup, make sure that it's relatively low in water content, or even worse, alcohol. If you have oily skin, OK, that latter may actually help you, but a great number of "moisturizers" actually end up drying your skin because so much of the product is water. Peanut butter, weird as it may sound, has a lot of oil in it, and relatively little water. It also makes a pretty fair shaving cream. So READ THE INGREDIENTS! If you can't find a breakdown by percentage, try the product's informational website. You may even want to look up the stuff's Material Safety Data Sheet, which is known in the safety business as the "MSDS" for obvious reasons. There will be an ingredients breakdown there.

[DancerEnL'air]

not sure if I want to smell like Peanut Butter,but thank you mr johnson.... although that would aid in finding a quick snack after the show....

[blaise]

hadn't heard of the vaseline make-up removers.... i've found wipes (like olay and baby wipes) to be most convenient, but have a feeling that's a culprit in extra dry skin.... even makeup remover wipes aren't a help..

 

I meant straight up Vaseline (as in petroleum jelly). You can use a q-tip or your finger to apply it to your makeup and then wipe it off with a super soft tissue or another q-tip. The makeup comes off with the jelly but doesn't dry out your skin.

[DancerEnL'air]

So now that Nutcracker is over, I can say I survived! i still had some irritating moments: including an eyelid flare-up due to Loreal "pigment" shadow.... NEVER doing that again.

 

but I discovered Aveeno (dermatologist recommended ) and used their facial cleanser and overnight moisturizing cream when removing make-up. (the moisturizer has oatmeal in it( ) to help with dry skin from washing often. That plus cleaning my make-up brushes often got me through a long run.

 

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!