LADIES’ COLUMN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2951, 24 November 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

LADIES’ COLUMN.

+ HOW ACTRESSES “ MAKE UP.” ( adieu Home Journal.) It is a mistaken idea that actresses are, as a general rule, handsomer on the stage than off. Nevertheless, all theatrical faces have /to be painted. It may be assumed) safely that none of the complexion is genuine. An exceptionally clear and pink skin may require no falsity. A dark one may chance to suit the character to be assumed. But these exceptions to the rule are rare. The glare of artificial light would make most faces ghastly white or unpleasantly sallow if briglrt hues were not laid on. The art of colouring a pretty face just enough, and not overdoing it, is one which all -actresses should learn.

There are two distinct processes of mak-ing-up. One makes use of coloured powders applied dry. The other mixes the some powders with grease, making a substance called grease paint. It comes in sticks varying in size from a stick of shaving soap to a lead-pencil. It adheres like paint until washed off with vaseline or alcohol. The colours range in the flesh hues from the palest pink of a baby’s face to the copper brown of an American jndian. The actress first covers her face with cold cream. This is nibbed into the pores in order that none of the paint may get into them and injure her complexion. Next she takes a stick of grease paint of the flesh colour which she has selected and dabs it on in four or five places. From these spots she rubs the stuff over the face until it presents an Evenly coloured skin. It is with the reds, the blues, and the black pencils that attempts to vary the features are made. The second step is usually to apply the red. If she is a brunette with dark hair and eyes the tint is likely to be carmine. If she is a blonde it will have more of a brick-dust hue. The stick is applied to the cheeks about the top of the cheekbone. There the colour is deepest. Then with the fingers it is spread over the first layer of grease paint. It is made lighter and lighter down to the jaws. Under each eye a blue line an eighth of an inch wide_ is drawn with a dark stick of the grease paint. This throws the eyes into relief. In the glare of the footlights they are dulled and lustreless. The eyelashes are emphasized by blackening them with paint soft enough to adhere. If the eyebrows are not strongly marked it is .customary to darken them also. Close to the corners of the eyes small drops of bright red give an appearance of freshness and health. The ears are brushed with a hare’s-foot filled with dark flesh-coloured powder. * The majority of the younger actresses use dry’ powders instead of grease paints. In this process the face is first rubbed all oyer with vaseline to protect the skin from injury. The powders are in various colours corresponding to those of the paints. They are applied with a puff and blended w.th a hare’s-foot. »

The effect obtained is so similar to the one above described that to audiences there is no discernible difference. But tbe actress with grease on her face will say that the colours' are deeper and more mellow than can be produced with powder. It is certain, that an appearance of youthfnlness can be obtained by it, and age concealed. If an actress's features are irregular she has to treat them specifically. If her nose is a png or a turn-up she draws a white line down As centre to ,the very tip end. On each side of this line she lays on a light, bluish-grey tint. The effect of that is to lengthen the nose when the full face is seen. Of course the illusion is lost when the profile is presented. If the cheeks a,re too plump the lower halves of them are darkened. An imitation of youthfulness .s helped by making the colour very light just below the eyes. If the cheekbones are high and the cheeks fall in below th£m, the former arc whitened and the latter reddened. Whenever an actress finds that she is called upon to “ make up for a, character part,” which means preparing herself to represent an old or eccentric woman, hei methods are much the same that men use under the same circumstances. Few young women on the stage like to look old. Stage managers have to struggle to make them conceal their youth even when the oharacteis require it. They aye apt to lose years as soon as his vigilance .s relaxed.