Make-up Tips by: Leonard Engelman

Color can be separated into two categories.


1.) Skin Tone - Stays the same unless you become tanner or paler. Skin tone is enhanced by: Foundation, Base, Concealer, Powder, Shading or Contouring.


2.) Accessories - Change with your wardrobe and include: Eyeshadow, Mascara, Blush and Lip Color.


A commonly asked question is, "What color should I wear?" Color is an accessory. If you are wearing a red shirt, find something with a red tone. If you are wearing purple, you'll want to find something with a mauve tone.


Which do I apply first, concealer or foundation?


Apply foundation and then concealer. By applying the foundation first, you see exactly where you still need more coverage. And as you apply the concealer, you will see if more or less is required.


How do I select the proper foundation shade for my skin?

The best place to test match your skin tone is on the chin and lower jaw area. To test a color, apply a small amount of foundation and feather out the blend. If the shade isn't quite right select the next shade up or down in tone. Expect that the foundation chosen in mid-summer may be too dark in mid-winter. The objective o foundation is to smooth and blend skin tone and color differences to a natural healthy look of natural skin. If it looks like a mask, (or feels that way) than too much has been applied. If you see no difference, you have applied too little. Remember foundation should help you look simply beautiful.




Sometimes I need a lot more coverage than my regular foundation can give me. What do you suggest I use?


When a great deal of coverage is needed in a specific area, don't apply heavy foundation to compensate. Use a concealer which should be applied easier, faster and with better results.


How do I find the right concealer?


Forget all the rules on concealer: green covers red, yellow covers red and brown, orange covers blue. This doesn't seem simple. Many companies have developed concealers that match the skin tone. They are formulated with a great deal of pigment so a thin application will actually conceal or hide the various undertones. This makes the choice and application much easier and the results flawless. Simply pick the shade that best matches the skin tone at the lower eyelid.


Application Tip: Apply concealer with a small brush. This way you can apply the product in the same exact size and shape necessary. If you use your finger, the size of the area you cover is dependent on the size of your finger.


Where can I apply concealer for the best coverage?


Under the eyes where discoloration is prominent. Between the inner eye and the nose often shows discoloration that can pinch the nose area, making one look tired, and can give the appearance of changing the eyelid shape. At the outer eye, where the upper and lower lid join, there is often a dark line of discoloration that draws down that can be concealed. You can also apply concealer to cover broken blood vessels and skin irregularities.


What is translucent powder used for?


Translucent powders are designed to "set" makeup. The powder absorbs the oil or moisture in the makeup to create a dry surface on the skin. Translucent powders should not add color to your makeup. (Powders that incorporate foundations are used for coverage as a foundation and are not recommended for setting makeup.)


Application Tip: A powder puff or large brush may be used to apply the powder as well as brush away any excess.


I tend to crease under the eyes when I apply powder, what am I doing wrong?


You should smooth the area underneath the eyes before powdering to insure your application is flawless before setting. If you have applied concealer thinly under the eyes, you will avoid creases. Powder does not create a crease or accentuate lines- thick makeup on the thin tissue under the eye does.


Various companies have perfected shading or contouring powders. These brush on easily with a blush brush and are almost fool-proof. If the shading is applied too heavy, you can minimize it with a little translucent powder.


I always hear about "shading" and "contouring" but what exactly are they used for?


Most makeup artists use shading or contouring to minimize fullness under the jaw area, emphasize the cheek bones, or give the appearance of narrowing the width of the nose.


How do I choose the perfect lip color?

Observe yourself but remember color is an accessory. What color is your wardrobe and what color are you currently wearing? Select three colors in the same range - light, medium and dark. Try on each color and pick the one you feel most comfortable wearing.


I could really use some lipstick tips - any suggestions?


That depends on what you're going for. For a natural lip look- cover the entire lip area with a pencil close to your lips natural shade. for intensified color - apply pencil over the entire lip area followed by a coordinating lipstick For fuller lips- outline lips slightly outside the lip line and fill in with lipstick. In most cases you will want a pencil slightly darker than the lipstick. (Remember the lips have more color then the surrounding skin. Therefore the darker pencil is necessary to compensate). To correct uneven lips - simply even the lips with the lip pencil and fill with lipstick. To minimize lipstick bleeding- outline the lips with a broad line using a lip pencil. Powder the pencil line. Fill in the lips with lipstick, but carry the lipstick just up to the lip pencil. This helps set a barrier for the more emollient lipstick.


How do I know which shade of blush to wear?


Once the lipstick and lip pencil have been selected, simply choose a blush in the same color family.

Leonard Engelman

Director of Education, Cinema Makeup School

Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Branch Governor for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Masterfully Bring Facial Hair to Life...With The Curling Iron by: Leonard Engelman

The art of facial hair by a makeup artist can instantly take an audience from the present to the past. Take for example the film "Topsy Turvey" which won an Oscar for makeup a few years ago; or this year's mini-series "John Adams," which won an Emmy for makeup. In both cases the actors are subtly transformed into absolutely believable characters of the past.

But facial hair is not just for period films. For the past ten years men have been sporting facial hair in various fashions: goatees, "soul patches," mustaches, longer sideburns, and beards. You are hard pressed to walk two blocks on a busy street and not see men with some sort of facial hair.

Be careful of the little film or television project you are about to do that is just going to have "straight" makeup. You may find your actor with his own goatee and a scene where his stuntman is hit by a car, later has a photo double because of two units working at once, and now your "straight" makeup is into hair and curling irons.

It is often said that even a poorly laid beard can look believable because of great dressing. The use of curling irons (tongs in Europe) can add great realism to what would otherwise just be straight hair. Curling the laid facial hair to form to the face, and work smoothly into the sideburns is the most realistic answer to hair laying.

Let's discuss the curling iron. The iron is composed of a lip (the long curved portion), the tongue (the long round portion that fits into the lip), and the two handles on the ends.

The process starts with a curling iron stove and various size curling irons. The curling iron (lip and tongue) is placed into the opening (throat) of the stove to heat the iron to the proper temperature. After becoming experienced with your curling iron and stove you will be able to know when the iron is "not hot enough," or "too hot," by the amount of heat radiating from the iron.

If you are just starting off with a curling iron, I suggest testing the heated iron on a small amount of hair from your table. Place the hair between the lip and the tongue and lightly close the iron. The hair should bend in the shape of the iron and remain that way when you open the iron. However, if the hair remains straight, the iron is not hot enough...if the hair sizzles, smokes and turns yellow it is too hot. Another way of testing for proper heat is using a tissue. Following the same process, if the tissue shows a bend you are probably about right, if the tissue turns brown you are too hot, and if the tissue bursts into flames you are way too hot.

To hold the iron properly, lay the handles of the iron in the palm of your hand with the lip at the top. Your little finger will control the lower handle and your thumb will control the upper handle. Now by moving the remaining three fingers up and down, you can open and close the iron.

Once the iron is to the proper temperature you are ready to start curling. In almost all cases, you will open the curling iron a small amount and then place the tongue of the iron under the hair to be curled. By bringing the lip down over the hair and onto the tongue you will begin causing the hair to bend and curl. At this point it is very important that you do not just clamp the iron completely, or you will end up with a solid hook - not realistic. Instead, keep opening and slightly closing the iron, constantly moving it; while at the same time rolling your hand under to rotate the curling iron in the direction you want the hair to curl. When you have completed the rotation of your hand, slightly open and remove the iron from the hair. Repeat the process. Every time you curl the hair, make sure you are turning the chin area your iron will usually be horizontal; when working on the sides of the face the iron will be more of a partial vertical direction.

When the curling iron is heated to the proper temperature it is very, very hot! If not careful, will it burn the skin? You bet...and blister! Therefore, when learning to use a curling iron start with an artificial head. (These heads are usually referred to as "Tuffy heads," even though they haven't been made from "Tuffy" for years). You can either lay hair on the head and then use your curling iron, or use a lace (ventilated) piece pinned to the "Tuffy Head." I prefer a lace piece because you can practice curling over and over on the same piece. After curling, dampen the hair and comb out the curl, dry, and start practicing again. (Purchase a ventilated piece that is inexpensive. Possibly something that is made for Halloween sales, but has a realistic shape and density of hair).

WAYS TO PROTECT THE SKIN WHEN CURLING HAIR

Always, always make sure when placing the tongue of the iron into the hair that you can see exactly where the tongue is and that there is a safe distance from the skin. The tongue and lip must always be visible and safe.

A wide tooth comb can be a very helpful partner tool when curling (dressing) facial hair:

1.) Use the comb to pick up the hair always from the face so you can see between the comb and the face. Carefully move the tongue of the iron in place remaining a safe distance from the skin and begin curling. At all times, the tongue and lip must be completely visible to you.

2.) Slide the teeth of the wide tooth comb through the hair and hold the comb against the skin. This will keep the iron from touching the skin as long as you keep the iron in line with the comb.

TIPS I HAVE LEARNED:

1.) After laying a beard, curling underneath the chin is difficult because you have to contort your body and arms, and still insure safety. Instead, I curl the hair first. Using my iron, I marcel the hair. Hold the hair at one end and starting at the other end: clamp the hot curling iron lip-down over the hair and bend the hair around the iron. Remove the iron. Now reverse the iron and clamp the iron lip-up over the hair and bend the hair around the iron. Continuing this will create a very strong wave. Attempt to keep a similar wave all the way to the end. After the group of hair is completely marceled, blend the hair by pulling the hair from each side, trying to keep the hair all the same length.

Now you are ready to lay the hair. Cut the bundle in half and apply under the chin in the normal manner. When the beard is completely laid and curled you will probably not have to do any curling under the chin - just final shaping with the scissors.

2.) Set the curl in facial  hair by using paraffin when dressing. As you curl the hair, run the tongue of the curling iron over a small block of paraffin. AS the paraffin cools on the hair it will hold the beard in place. This is especially good when curling mustaches.

3.) For a spray that will hold facial hair and not suffocate everyone in the trailer, try "Whiskers" by Reel Creations. Just spray this water-based formulation and wait for it to dry.

4.) A trick I was privileged to learn from Perc Westmore, a master of hair and just about everything makeup: when dressing a large character mustache to look rugged and not manicured, complete the iron dressing and then take an item, like a cigarette or a too hot curling iron, and burn/singe the hair into shape above the lip line. (I suggest doing this before applying the mustache to the actor.) This gives a wonderful finish look of broken, worn, gnarly hair and completes your character.

You can create magic with your curling iron!

Leonard Engelman

Director of Education, Cinema Makeup School

Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Branch Governor for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Do Appliance Effects Have to be Expensive? by Leonard Engelman

You can make appliances out of your kit for about 85 cents and a tube of Duo Adhesive.

While working on "Cat People" one night in the swamps of Louisiana, the first assistant director said "Tonight we have one character hanging from a tree who is to have a chunk bitten out of his face and we forgot to mention that when you were given the appliance requirements." I quickly turned to my ever ready "Gum Eraser" This is a great, inexpensive way to make various types of wounds and effects.

The actor had about a one week beard growth, so I shaved an area a little larger than the open wound I was planning. I made a good size mound of gum eraser residue (see prepared gum eraser below) and  Duo Adhesive on my work space. Using an appropriate size makeup sponge, I applied Duo Adhesive to the wound area leaving about a half inch space away from the bard. I then dipped the same sponge into my mound of gum eraser, and transferred the mixture to the Duo on the face. With the same sponge, I followed hat with another coating of Duo and then the gum eraser residue. I continued this until I had an irregular "meaty" looking surface.

My next step was applying wax to create the jagged skin around the wound. The wax can be any brand of what is often referred to as mortician's wax, or nose putty like Naturo Plasto or Ben Nye's product. I took a good amount of wax on a spatula and working from the direction of the edge of the wound toward the skin, I spread the wax blending it off flat to the skin just before the edge of the beard. By doing this all the way around the wound, the wax created a very erratic look to the edge of the wound as if the skin had been torn away. After blending the wax smooth and creating a little pore structure, I sealed the wax heavily with a strong sealer. In this way the wax was not going to move.

Next is coloring the wound. I first used a small amount of cream type makeup to insure the wax matched the actor's skin. Taking a small amount of gel blood on a brush, I laid the gel blood just along the edges of the wax to help create depth to the wound. The major part of the wound was simply colored with Reel Blood. The eraser material absorbed the blood in different coloration. As some of the eraser residue material showed through it gave the appearance of "meat" from the wound showing through.

The next step was to position the actor in the tree and apply enough blood for the appearance of a flow, but not to cover the "very effective" wound.

I first discovered this "cheap" appliance substitute while working on Rod Serling's "Night gallery" television series. The script called for a character to appear at the door who had come out of a grave. The face was to be almost skull like with amounts of flesh. I of several ways to accomplish this that had been done in the past, but I wanted something new. I wanted a different material...knew the look...but had not come up with the exact material. While talking with a makeup artist friend who is also a working artist, Rich Sharp, he said "You know when I use a gum eraser on my artwork the used eraser material sounds like what you are talking about." He was right. (Thank you Rick.)

I asked for a very gaunt actor to be cast and this new process began. I set the actor back in the makeup chair so his head was as horizontal as possible. I then coated areas of his face with Duo adhesive followed by the gum eraser material. I covered the entire area of the face, neck and hands. By using larger amounts of material on the forehead, frontal bone, cheek bones, jaw bone, and chin, I was creating or emphasizing a skull. In the areas I wanted to have the illusion of hollows, I used only one layer of material. As the material built up, I was actually creating a rubber appliance that moved easily and freely with the actor's speech and movement.

Then came the time for coloring this "old meaty skull." The color of the gum eraser residue and Duo had a dull yellowish-gray appearance. Very much like bone!! I used that as my base color and simply dusted the surface with a bit of grayish powder, and where I wanted more depth I sprinkled a blackish-gray powder over those deeper areas. It was a great hit and I was very pleased. I couldn't wait to find more uses for this wonderful, inexpensive material.

GUM ERASER RESIDUE FORMULA: Take one gum eraser and a piece of very coarse sand paper. Now rub the eraser against the sandpaper like crazy for as long as you can. Keep the residue in a closed container. In the beginning I said you can create an effect for 85 cents. That's just the cost of the gum eraser. You will be able to use this material many, many, many, times for only 85 cents.

Leonard Engelman

Director of Education, Cinema Makeup School

Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Branch Governor for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

Recession Proof Your Makeup Kit - Tight budgets require a little creativity by: Leonard Engelman

Today’s economy affects your make-up purchases as much as your grocery purchases. So when your production company presents a laughably small make-up budget for a project, how do you make these purchases, as well as the products in your kit or storage area, meet the demands?

First, ask cosmetic companies if they’d be willing to supply products in return for a film or TV credit. (M.A.C. and Make Up For Ever are among the companies that have done this). Don’t despair when you see magazines list all the expensive products that were used to create a megastar’s beautiful make-up: The actress and the make-up artists probably didn’t pay to use those products. They were most likely supplied by the cosmetic company or paid for by the production company.

Second, find multiple uses for single products. Too often our cases contain several products that will do the same job. You can use products like wax, Naturo Plasto or nose putty for wounds or protrusions, but you can also dab a small amount on a shiny area to diminish the shine- and they all cost less than anti-shine products. Need to simulate tooth decay? Just add a little dark foundation and work it between the teeth for instant ugliness!

Where to Buy Budget Products

Beauty Supply Stores

Many products are discontinued simply to make room for the next season’s colors. Ask store managers for these discontinued products, which can cost 25 to 50 percent less.

Pancake-type products (such as Ben Nye, Mehron or Max Factor) are great for body make-up, necks, hands and arms. Apply with a sea sponge or a less expensive large synthetic sponge. These products are quick to apply (sometimes even faster than airbrush) and last forever. Pancake also makes a great eye shadow- it dries quickly and gives completely flat coverage, which is great for a natural look.

Alcohol-based color palettes such as Skin Illustrator contain multiple colors, but their cost may exceed your budget. If you need these colors mainly for bruises and wounds, buy the three or four colors you need in the liquid form. If you want to create a dry palette, pour the individual colors into sections of a watercolor wheel (from an art store) and let them dry down. That way, you buy only the shades you need and achieve similar results. Use alcohol-based colors to create discolored teeth, instead of spending money on tooth enamel. Alcohol-based colors require 99 percent alcohol; everything else works well with 70 percent alcohol, which is easier on the skin and cheaper through beauty supply stores or drug stores. You can spend $6 - $60 or more on a foundation. Experiment with RCMA or Ben Nye foundations. They provide good coverage to your sponge as you work the foundation. If you’re looking for complete coverage, Kroylan Dermacolor Palettes are great. Buy the small palette at a much lower cost. When you find that you’re using up one particular color, don’t buy a whole new palette, buy a jar of the color and continue to replace it in your palette. Use a thin amount to make realistic discolorations on the face, especially under the eyes; it also covers tattoos, scratches, bruises, and blemishes. Very few companies make pencils firm enough to create a natural, hair-like look for eyebrows. I like the Ben Nye eyebrow pencils, but another cost-effective choice is the Ebony Jet Black Smooth Pencil from Eberhard Faber (they’re especially inexpensive at the art supply stores).

Loose face powder costs much less than pressed powder in a compact (you’re paying more for the compact than the powder itself). Pour the powder into a two-ounce plastic bottle with a flip-cap, then squeeze out the powder you need. And keep an actor’s puff for several days.

You pay a lot for pre-cut sponges. If you buy and uncut block sponge and use utility scissors to create the shape you want, you’ll see big savings in the long run.

Drug Stores

You can spend from $6 - $25 on mascara, but Maybelline makes several inexpensive types that work well. The company also makes a good eyelash curler for the price. Your budget may also mean you have to forgo the $35 lipstick. Revlon and Clarion cost less and have great colors, and if several artists on your team need the same colors, you can buy one lipstick and divide it among small refillable palettes.

Menthol Blowers work well for creating tears, but they’re also expensive. Instead, poke a good sized hole in the bottom of an inexpensive menthol inhaler. Remove the cap and blow from the bottom through the inhaler toward the actors’ eyes and you have tears for much less. Speaking of tears, you can save on costs per tissue if you buy a bigger box.

Art Supply Stores

Watercolor wax palette paper is great in the trailer or on the set. You can buy it in a beauty supply store or in an art supply store (much cheaper per sheet). Simply remove several sheets and cut them to your desired size. A palette will last you a long time.

Shop Around

Make-up brushes can be expensive. Stock up at the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show, where you can often find discounts on various professional brands.

Avoid using expensive water-misting products like Evian for sweat or eyeliner water. Instead, use tap water in a two – eight ounce bottles with a fine mist sprayer. You’ll get much better results for much less money. If you carry a two ounce water bottle in your case, add a cut-down sprayer that fits your bottle. Now you’re ready at a moment’s notice.

For cheap tattoo transfers, complete or choose your art work and copy the form on a photocopier. Apply the transfer as you would an alcohol-based tattoo transfer, but use acetone instead. And to create a dusty or dirty look, use products already in your case: a dark shadow cream color; a dark pancake or a dark alcohol-based color does the job quickly and easily.

Finally, choose your skin-care products wisely. The better the skin condition, the better your make-up looks and the less work you have to do. There are many products to choose from, although, as you probably expect, I always recommend TaUT Skin Care Products. (In the interest of full disclosure, I’m the owner and a user!)

Leonard Engelman

Director of Education, Cinema Makeup School

Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Branch Governor for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.