Stage Makeup “Carnival Fantasy”

Using bright colors to create a makeup look for Carnival, Circus, Show Girl or any fantasy face requires using bright rich color pigments.  This tutorial will show you how to use these special makeup products for the best results. Here are the pigments used in this tutorial. Mode Dion Pigment Paints.

Carnival Fantasy

Nature has a way of mixing bright color and combing shades that go perfectly together.  Find your inspiration in nature but remember colors affect your look differently.  Bold color can pop looking fresh or overpower your eyes, cheeks and lips.  Application and placement is the key.

Here are a few basic rules:

Highlight/Lift shades: Bright bold colors like bright yellow, red, orange, neon green or pink, aqua, light blue or lavender, like shimmer shades, lift and pull the area they’re applied to forward so they are Highlighting shades.

Define/Contour shades: Deep vibrant, rich colors like deep navy/indigo, emerald/forest green, royal purple/plum and brownish orange, pull in or define the area they’re applied to. These are Defining shades.

Basic Rules: Be sure to use these colors remembering the effect they have on your look. For instance you would not want to apply a bright color into the crease area where defining is usually called upon.

EYES– Add a pop of color to the eye lids with bold bright colors that wouldn’t work on the eye bone, crease or under the eye brow. Best are blue, green, yellow, pink or purple. Pink, yellow and orange can look great on the eye bone as long as they are not sparkly (sparkles and shimmer pull forward and can make eyes look puffy when on the eye bone). Highlight inner eye corner and below brow with highlighting shades like bright yellow as well as shimmer colors in white gold or silver, light lavender or pink depending on the theme. Shimmer colors can be great to help soften and blend the look together.  Defining shades are used at the outer eye corner or just above the crease to add lift to the eye and define. The best colors for here are best kept deep and more neutral.  Use Brows Pencil to enhance, fill in, extend, frame and balance eyes . Bold eyes need bold lashes. Mode Dion Cabaret False Lashes help to bring out the eyes and prevent the eye color from overpowering.

CHEEKS– Wear bright cheek colors up high on the apples like our Stage Red Cheek color. Avoid following the cheekbone line as from a distance this can appear like a bright stripe of color across the face. Use rich, neutral colors to define features like cheekbones and nose lines not bright colors if you would like those areas contoured. Mode Dion Contour Cheek is good for that.  Highlight light with shimmer high on the cheekbone up to the eye temple using Shimmer Pots.

LIPS- Brights look great on the lips but can be very one dimensional easily overpowering the shape of the mouth. A lip liner that’s one shade darker or has a little bit of brown can help define and pull lips down so the color can pop forward. Example: bright pink lips like the pink in our Pretty N Pink compact  with a pink/brown lip liner like our Natural Lip Pencil shade. Be sure to blend in the color so the lip liner has a fade out and doesn’t show. Another way to bring lips forward for dimension is to use a lipstick highlighter. Any complimenting color that is lighter or has shimmer will do the trick. Be sure to apply a lipstick highlighter to the center of the upper and lower lip to create a round effect to the mouth. Mode Dion Lip Sparkle Highlighter is beautiful and long lasting.

Have fun with color: Using colors that fade into each other can create a very dramatic look. Don’t be afraid to layer colors especially when lining the eyes. Try shades of blue or mix pink, yellow and orange. Even rainbow eyes for whimsy! Stencils can be used (find these at your local craft store) to create fun color designs on the face and body. Click here for Stencil tricks and tips. Paint right into the stencil by wetting your color pigment until it’s a creamy texture that’s easy to spread.

Glitter, Rhinestones and Stencils add dimension.  Mode Dion Glitter pots is a stage grade glitter for ultimate sparkle. Be sure to secure glitter with Spirit Gum like Mode Dion’s Diva Glue.  Diva Glue painted into stencils or used to draw designs with glitter patted on top can add more drama and fun to your look. Click here for Glitter Application Tips. 

Rhinestones in bright colors can add drama too! Click here for Rhinestone application tips.

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