History of Makeup - Native Americans

Makeup has come a long way through the ages, and in different cultures people used different techniques and materials to achieve their looks. The majority of early products were made from natural ingredients, such as berries, beeswax, egg, ash, flower petals and even animal blood. Some people - most famously, Queen Elizabeth I - would even use dangerous materials such as lead to make their skin pale, which would pose serious dangers to their health. Other toxic materials used included mercury and arsenic, and in 16th Century Europe, women even bled themselves in order to make their skin pale. Beauty really was pain for them!

However, for a lot of cultures, makeup was used to define social/military status or even to assert their ferocity. This is mirrored in nature - animals use the markings on their skin to their advantage, whether it is for hunting purposes or to defend themselves against predators.
For Native American tribes, cultural face painting was used since ancient times and each tribe had different patterns and designs which were unique to them. It is an important tradition which allows the people to connect with their heritage, tell stories and to assert their social standing and power. They used all natural products to create their looks - a common tradition for Native Americans, as they worshipped and appreciated nature - and a variety of items such as roots, berries and tree barks were used to make dye. They also used clay, mud, plants, copper ore and even duck droppings, and these were chosen because of the variety of colours they provided. The artists would simply add warm water to the products and apply them to the face and body using brushes, again made from natural materials such as willow sticks, chewed cottonwood or even buffalo bone.

Colour was a very important element when it came to face painting - each colour had a symbolic purpose, and their placement on the face helped tell the story. Red was the colour of aggression, danger and war. White, as you may guess, symbolised peace. Black was the colour of living, and was worn during war preparations. Green was worn under the eyes and was believed to give the person night vision. Yellow, interestingly, was the colour of death and was worn when a person was in mourning, and on men it conveyed that the man had lived a long life and would fight to the end.
These colours would be applied in a variety of patterns, which would range from a few lines to the whole face being covered.

To us, makeup may seem like something which is used to make the wearer look beautiful, but across different cultures it holds varied meanings. I am really interested in Native American culture, art and literature, and to them makeup holds something which lies beneath the surface - it tells the story of their lives and the lives of their ancestors. This is really inspiring to me :)

Gill x

Class Rep!

Today I volunteered to be Class Representative for the A group alongside Debbie. If there's anything you guys need to talk about - any issues, problems, suggestions, etc - then drop me a message or have a quiet word with either of us after class :)

Gill x

Top 5 Makeup Products

1.) Urban Decay's Naked Palette

The Naked Palette has become one of the most sought-after products in the beauty industry. It is always in constant demand because it is a high quality palette and sold for a very reasonable price. There are 12 shades in an attractive faux-velvet case, complete with mirror and a brush, and prices range from £28 to £35. The palette is available from Debenhams and House of Fraser (occasionally you're required to go on a waiting list to buy it), however it is sometimes available on eBay for much higher prices - and people will pay them!

The shades are a highly pigmented mixture of shimmery and matte, and they range from natural, nude shades to dark browns and greys. Many looks can be created with the palette - it does everything from barely-there to work-appropriate to dramatic smoky looks for Friday nights!

This is one of the best products I've ever used - I've had mine for 4 months and I use it every day, so far I've barely made a dent in it! Definitely the best £30 I've ever spent.

2.) Soap & Glory Hocus Focus Visual Flaw Softening Lotion

Soap & Glory's Hocus Focus is described as an "instant flaw softening lotion with long-wearing lightscramble lumishperes". In everyday terms, it is essentially a lightly shimmery lotion which can be applied either straight on to the face or mixed with foundation/tinted moisturiser to add a subtle glow to the skin. The texture is lovely - soft and creamy with a pearlised effect, and it has a nice fragrance. When applied to the skin it illuminates as well as softens, and makes the skin look dewy and glowing. It also evens out skin tone and hides any blemishes or minor flaws. Sold at stores such as Boots and asos.com at £13 for 30ml, this product is also really good value for money - a little goes a long way so the bottle lasts a good while, and looks great on my dressing table!

3.) MAC Russian Red Lipstick

MAC is my all-time favourite brand for lipstick. I have quite dry skin and lips, so I always find these lipsticks really nourishing as well as highly-pigmented and long-lasting. Russian Red is the perfect red lipstick, in my opinion - it is a classic pillar box red, so it has a timeless quality and the ability to suit all skin tones. I've tried my fair share of red lipsticks, but I had never been able to find a true red; I usually end up with shades that are either too dark, such as brick reds, or too pale. Russian Red is exactly what I've been looking for, and at £13.50 for 3g - which, again, lasts ages! - it is a great product and excellent value.

4.) L'Oreal True Match Foundation

As with lipstick, it took me a while to find a foundation which both suited my skin tone and nourished my dry, sensitive skin. L'Oreal's True Match is a liquid foundation which claims to work with your natural skin tone to achieve a shade that's personal to you. I definitely think it works for me - I use one of the palest shades and it glides on easily and blends really well. I like to go for a matte effect on my skin, and True Match does this, while still giving my skin a radiance which I have never had with any other foundation. Prices range from £8 to £9.99 for 30g, it doesn't break the bank, and I'm always willing to pay extra for a product that really works!

5.) Maybelline Falsies Mascara

Mascara is always a tricky product to judge when buying. Many brands promise different things, and, because everyone's lashes are different, finding the right one for you can be a long and expensive process! However, Maybelline's Falsies Mascara is the perfect mascara for me. It promises length and volume, with high colour payoff, and it definitely delivers on all of these. At £8 it is about average for a high street brand mascara, but for me this is a bargain because it suits my lashes and is adaptable for both everyday wear and nights out. I use the waterproof version in Black, and my only criticism would be that it isn't the easiest mascara to shift at night, although this might be down to my makeup remover rather than the mascara. I have naturally long lashes anyway, but with 2 layers they are noticeably larger and thicker, without clumps or flaking. The product lasts all day and the waterproof version is especially good value for money because it also prevents the mascara from running. A great product which I will buy again!

Gill :) 

Character Makeup - Straight TV 3

This week I did my Straight TV (female) assessment and passed! Just need to do Straight TV and Theater (male) and Straight Theater (female) now. It went really well, on my face sheet Bella commented that it was good work and that I completed it in a commercially viable time, which is great!

Take a look at the finished product:

I used really natural shades on Kirsty, and managed to get the right amount of product on her eyes so it didn't look too overdone. As you can see, I highlighted her eyelids and brow bone with a lighter shade, and blended the brown shade upwards and outwards from the crease to really open her eyes. I lined her upper lashline with a small amount of dark brown (almost black) eyeshadow, which turned out really pretty and subtle, the way I wanted. I also blended the multitonal effect on her lips better this time and managed to mix the right colour to line them with. Her blusher turned out really well also - I went for a more pink shade rather than the peachy ones I had been using, and I feel it really brings out her cheekbones as well as warming her skin. The foundation I used was a bit greasy on her skin initially, but I managed to blend it really well and I toned down the shine with some translucent powder, which gives her a nice glow.

I'm really happy with the outcome, I just need to practise my theater makeup now and hopefully I'll be ready to get assessed in a couple of weeks!

Gill :)

Wig Making - Wig Wraps

This is my first ever post about Wig Making class, because we've really just been practising over the last few weeks! But I did my Wig Wrap assessment on Monday and I passed :) More good news!

Wig wraps are essentially a mould of the head which are passed to wig makers, and they are made so the actor's wig fits them perfectly.
We start by pin curling the entire head, using kirby grips. We use kirby grips because they act as an achor for the wig, and they must always face towards the back of the head so as not to damage the lining of the wig. The hair at the front of the head is pin curled away from the hairline, so we can properly measure the hairline and so the hair at the front is pulled out of the way.

Once this is finished, we lay a large sheet of cling film over the head - usually the client helps hold it in place - and secure it at the nape of the neck and forehead with sellotape to hold it in place. From there, the process of moulding begins. The head is essentially taped all over so the shape of the head can be created. This is done by applying a few layers of tape. At the end, the shape of the head should be clearly defined, and there should be some excess cling film at the forehead, nape and ears - if, when applying tape, the cling film shrinks back and stops covering the hairline, then a larger sheet is required over the top.

Finally, we use marker pen to draw round the hairline. This process has to be exact, so that the wig will fit accurately and cover the original hair properly. From there, the excess cling film is cut off and we are left with a head-shaped mould which should fit the head, cover all hair and be tight enough to stay on.

Here's my wig wrap I did on John:

As you can see, the entire hairline is covered at the front to hide his natural hair. The wrap was done quite tightly, but not enough to be uncomfortable - this is seen in the top picture, the wrap fits snugly on his head.

I'm happy I passed the assessment, especially because I had been off and missed the demonstration!

More to come soon :)

Gill