Join Dr. Stacey Naito National Bikini Champion as she shares her secrets to perfect stage makeup. Here she takes you through the basic steps necessary to stand out on stage.
Introduction: General Guidelines
I am not a fully professionally trained makeup artist (yes, I have taken some professional courses), but in my years of pageant involvement, modeling and competing I have learned a great deal by trial and error. Stage makeup proved to be the biggest challenge since it can be difficult to determine how strong the stage lights will be if you have never stepped onto a competition stage before. Trust me, those lights are BRIGHT, so if you apply makeup like you are going for a nice evening out, you will look washed out onstage. With that being said, try not to have such a heavy hand that you end up looking clownish.
I STRONGLY encourage female competitors to write down EVERY SINGLE THING that they need for their makeup sessions. I have a master list which I use as a reference when I pack for a trip, and I also have notes on my list so that I can keep track of little details while I apply my makeup. Make sure to include items like cotton swabs, brushes, primer, moisturizer, foundation sponges, scissors, lash glue, tweezers, and a hand mirror. Whenever you embark on a makeup application session, it is advisable to separate related items in piles. For example, you can line up eye shadows in one pile, false lashes, tweezers, scissors, lash glue and a mirror in another, etc.
Another thing I highly recommend is PRACTICING FREQUENTLY until you feel comfortable with the application process. You need to be so comfortable with the process that when you are a bundle of nerves on contest day, you will at least feel confident that your makeup application will be relatively easy. I move pretty quickly during the video segments, but it is important that you take your time when you apply your makeup. On contest day, the entire process will take at least an hour. I allot an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half for my makeup application so I am not rushing. It is also important to make sure that everything is even on both sides. You can keep adjusting from side to side until you achieve symmetry.
Whenever you do your makeup, make sure the lighting is bright enough so that you are able to see what you are doing. Since lighting can vary widely from hotel room to hotel room, I think it is a wise investment to purchase a lighted makeup mirror. I make sure to put my lighted mirror in my carry-on bag and I leave it in the box in which it came so that it is protected from damage during travel.
The makeup application sequence I demonstrate in this series is split up into eight segments which
I recommend you follow in the order in which they are presented. They are:
1. Eye Shadow
2. False Lashes
3. Mascara and Eyeliner
4. Foundation
5. Contour
6. Blush
7. Highlighter and finishing touches
8. Lips
Certain makeup shades work best onstage:
Eyeshadows – Pale matte shade, close to skin tone. Light to medium brown matte. Medium brown matte. Very dark brown matte shade. Pale champagne/gold/pearl shade with gentle frost or satin finish (a pretty platinum also looks really pretty as long as it isn’t too cool or frosty). Pale pink satin shade. Black matte. Avoid bright blues, greens, reds, purples and oranges.
Foundation – Many competitors use MAC Studio Tech NC45, but I do not like this foundation for a couple of reasons. First of all, it causes breakouts in many women including myself. Secondly, I find it a tad too dark for most women and it is certainly too dark on me. Thirdly, it dries out very quickly in the compact. I vastly prefer Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation in Warm Walnut, which is a shade that my dear friend and National NPC Figure Competitor Mystra Tillotson suggested and used on me at the NPC USA in 2010.
Contour – I used to use MAC Mineralized SkinFinish in Deep Dark, but have found that it is not dark enough on its own, so I now mix it with MAC Matte Blush in Blunt. Be careful if you choose to do this, because Blunt is VERY dark when applied with a heavy hand.
Blush – My favorite blush shade for the apples of the cheeks is MAC Dollymix, but Raizin also shows up nicely. I have also used NARS Taos Blush on the apples of the cheeks with a lovely glowing result.
Lips – Red and berry shades work best. Avoid oranges and corals as they translate poorly onstage. Choose matte shades instead of frosts.
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