The magic of makeup

Where do you find inspiration for the looks you create on stage?

I work closely with the set and costume designer to develop the hair and makeup looks for each production. Every design process can be different but, mostly, to start, we rely on a character breakdown, which will help me gauge not only practical things like the character’s age but any characteristics they may have, e.g. are they a comedy character, a strict parent, the villain, etc. I will then create mood-boards for the characters to get inspiration. These can be digital, but I will also cut from magazines, do research if the show is set during a particular historical period, draw up make-up design sheets – anything that helps form a fully rounded idea of who the character is.

I will then develop looks through hair, makeup, or wig trials and liaise with the designer to ensure it honors the vision that they have for the show. Once a look is confirmed, I relay the information to the dancers, who will get the opportunity to try any wigs or specific hairstyles in rehearsals so they can give us guidance on what works within the choreography and highlight any issues. It’s such a collaborative experience and it helps the dancers get into the character they are playing.

What are your favourite products to use when you’re creating a make-up look?

Due to the nature of what the dancers are doing on stage, we often can’t use make-up you would pick up in a normal shop, so I get a lot of our products from specialist suppliers. For a make-up look like the Beast, we need to use products that will withstand sweating and transferring, and will last for over a two-hour show. Generally, for big character makeup like this, we use a product called grease paint and set it heavily with translucent powder. This works better than water-based paints as it warms with the dancer’s face and body, and doesn’t run when they sweat. Makeup still gets checked by Lizzie throughout the show and will be touched up if required, but it’s better to use something stronger initially to give it the best chance of staying on the face.

It varies from project to project though. For Merlin the design didn’t call for strong makeup looks, so I used softer products like eye-shadow pigments and body shimmers as some characters were playing Gods who needed to look otherworldly and ephemeral. For Dracula, the character Old Dracula needed to be ancient and decrepit, and his body was painted fully white complete with a bald cap. But this character also had a lot of contact with other dancers on stage, so I had to source a special SFX body paint to ensure it was transfer-proof – the same products they would use on things like the Marvel films!

Next month, Northern Ballet’s Beauty & the Beast comes to Leeds Grand Theatre; what should audiences look out for?

Look out for the Goblins – they appear during the castle scenes and scurry around the stage getting into all sorts of mischief! I really enjoy the sisters and their friends from the early scenes. The dancers have so much fun in these roles and their wigs are really OTT and great fun to style.

What are some of your favourite looks from the production and why?

I really like the contrasting looks between the main Fairy characters, Luminaire and Manifique. Their styles are complete opposites but equally dramatic.

I loved updating a few things for this revival. For example, I remade the Beast wigs and used products such as silicone, liquid latex, and paint to add different skin textures and make him even more creature-like.

I also made little updates like remaking new Beauty tiaras and Sprite headdresses. It’s the little details that really bring a show together.