Description
The hair and makeup designer is responsible for designing the hair and makeup looks for the show, and buying hair and makeup supplies. If there are complicated looks, they are responsible for trying things out on the actors prior to tech week, and showing the director for feedback. They are also responsible for matching actors' foundation colors, and teaching actors how to apply their stage makeup. Finally, the hair and makeup designer is responsible for setting up the dressing room(s).
Prior to the show, the hair and makeup designer should attend prod meetings to determine what special hair and makeup looks the director wants, and do an inventory of the supplies the ensemble owns. They may order sponges, makeup wipes, or other basic supplies if needed. During put-in, they should set up the makeup rooms. If in Sala, set up tables and lights in West Lounge, and put newspaper on the windows. If in Kresge Little Theater, split up the actors alphabetically, and assign each group to a dressing room or put all makeup stuff in the women's dressing room. For both performance spaces, they should tape out and label grids on a table to keep everything organized (see photo below). They should also tape out locations for each actor to store their backpacks/other items. The hair and makeup designer should be present at the beginning of every dress rehearsal and show if possible, to teach and correct actors on their hair and makeup application. If there is a very complicated look, they may also be required to apply that look themselves every night.
General Hair and Makeup
Characters' hair will vary depending on the show and director. In general, making sure that an actor's hair doesn't obscure their face is a must. Also, realistic wigs are expensive and somewhat difficult to maintain. Non-jokey wig use should be avoided if possible, unless a great one can be borrowed from another theater group.
Random note that is neither hair nor makeup: usually, the hair and makeup designer reminds actors to remove their nail polish for shows. Even if a production is set in a time period when nail polish would have been invented, it's usually impossible to keep nail color looking consistent and non-chipped for the entire run.
Each actor needs makeup, regardless of their gender or their character's gender. At minimum, they need base, highlight, lowlight, eyeliner, and setting powder/spray. The hair and makeup designer should send out an email around put-in time requesting that actors bring in their own eyeliner if possible, to prevent the spread of pink eye! Actors probably also need blush, bronzer, and lipstick. Some characters may also need eyeshadow, eyebrow pencil, or lipliner.
It is very helpful to put up a chart outlining basic makeup in the dressing room(s):
Specialty Makeup
Age
Have the actor scrunch up their face, and use an angled brush and a foundation a few shades darker than their skin tone to line the places that their face naturally folds (especially on the forehead, between the eyebrows, under the eyes, around the nose and mouth, and on the chin). Line on top of those lines with white or a pale shade, then blend. For greying hair, use Ben Nye Hair White/Grey or similar.
Facial Hair
Real: If you want an actor to grow a mustache or beard, tell them early to stop shaving.
Fake: Amazon has a decent selection of fake facial hair. Apply with liquid latex, which is much gentler than spirit gum or other adhesives.
Injuries and Scars
Scars can be formed with scar wax, then painted to match the skin. If the wound is fresh, discoloration can be added with a bruise wheel. (Purples for newer bruises, and yellows for older bruises.) Ben Nye Scab Blood is a good product that will stick to an actor's skin, and won't drip down onto costumes. Creamy brown or red lipstick can also be added into a wound as blood.
Products
Where to Buy
Two good places for makeup and hair products are Dorothy's Costume (on Mass Ave in Boston by the Christian Science Center) and Boston Costume (near Kendall T stop and in the Garment District store). Drugstores are also a good bet for cheaper items.
Mehron foundation sticks can be found at Boston Costume, though some foundation shades in the ensemble makeup box are no longer available, such as Ivory and many of the more yellow/orange shades. Similar foundation shades can be found at drugstores like CVS for around the same price.
Setting spray can be found at Boston Costume, but CVS has setting spray for about half the price.
These are the cheapest makeup wipes on Amazon (as of 08/2019). It's also cheapest and most convenient to get mascara brushes, lipstick applicators, and makeup sponges from amazon. Other stores may not sell these items either at all or at reasonable prices...
Makeup
Mehron makeup sticks are the best base, highlight, and lowlight for lighter-skinned actors. (Med-light olive tends to be a common base color.) Note that there is no foundation shade between Ivory Bisque and Alabaster :C Darker foundation shades are unfortunately harder to find, but the Covergirl Queen collection and L'Oreal True Match liquid foundations are a good bet. Match actors' foundation colors on their jawline, and be sure it blends nicely into their neck/chest color. Their highlight and lowlight should be the same hue in a lighter and darker shade, respectively. Note that actors may tan, so you may end up having to use darker colors for the actual show than expected, especially in the summer. (It helps to have makeup "office hours" to make actors come to you to get their colors matched. You can give them prod hours for this.)
As mentioned earlier, it would be best if all actors had their own eyeliner, but usually that isn't the case. Pencil eyeliners that don't need to be sharpened (i.e. have a twist up mechanism) are good to have, in both black and brown. Make sure that the actors spray shared eyeliner with alcohol both before and after use! Some actors may need to use ensemble mascara as well. If this is the case, then have actors apply it with disposable mascara wands.
Some actors will need blush and bronzer. Teach them how to sweep it on subtly, with a big fluffy brush. Although it's nice if all actors wear lipstick, finding neutral lipstick for everyone can be a pain, and more effort than it's worth. If a character needs non-neutral lipstick, then bluer tones tend to be more flattering - they make the actor's teeth look whiter! Lipliner in a similar shade can be used to prevent the color bleeding into the surrounding skin.
Teach actors how to set their makeup (particularly eye makeup) with setting spray (less effective) or Ben Nye Neutral Set (more effective).
Tools
- Sponges - replace actor sponges after every show. Buy in bulk if the budget allows, since we always need these.
- Hand sanitizer - buy a big bottle and encourage actors to use it before eating or touching their face. No one enjoys a tech week plague.
- Makeup removal wipes - sensitive baby wipes work, although actual makeup wipes are gentler on the skin. Keep in mind that you will need a minimum of 1 wipe per actor per show.
- Moisturizer - not necessary, but it'll help keep actors' skin happy.
- Bobby pins
- Hair spray/gel
- Brushes/combs
- Makeup brushes - large fluffy brushes for blush/bronzer/setting powder, and smaller blending brushes for eyeshadow.
Organize all of the makeup and tools in the dressing room(s) with masking tape:
Cleanup
- Rubbing alcohol diluted with water - before and after every show, spray down everything (lipsticks, sponges, pressed powder, stick foundations, brushes/combs) with this and let dry.
- Brush cleaner - wash brushes before the show, after opening night, between weekends, and at strike