Friday, March 11, 2011

Transports of Delight

Following on from last week’s experimentation with grease bases, we found ourselves once again face to face with new challenges. We were to apply the same grease bases but to different features, to create different period make-ups for films, and to change skin colour to achieve a classic desirable beauty.

We boarded our Shuttle and travelled back to Ancient Egypt, where we were transformed into Cleopatra and Pharaoh, via very dark brown cream bases. It was difficult achieving a flawless even texture from face to arms, but we were eventually the stuff of legends! Filled with power, glory and mystery, our eyes sparkled with shimmery gold, and iconic greens and blues. Eye make-up was decorative and ornamental and we outlined different shapes with thick black liner to reveal our class status. Terracotta cheeks and lips, the application of a cropped black wig, white linen dress and the adornment of gold jewellery and amulets, completed our journey.

Next stop was to an era which marked the epitome of glamour, extravagance and the façade – the Eighteenth Century. We were to achieve a lustrous pale complexion: desirable to the aristocrats, by applying our white base densely to disguise original skin colour. The girls enticed with their with rosy apple cheeks, irresistible rouge lips, pastel shadows, defined brows, and beauty marks drawn onto the face and neck. The ultimate look was finished with big white wigs ornamented with pearls, butterflies, ribbons and feathers, and a seductive black satin corset! Even Zeb looked simply ravishing with his pale complexion, beauty-marked face, terracotta checks and lips, and equipped with a neatly curled white wig, satin shirt and tights!

Our final destination was to The Golden Age where we became the popular Queen Elizabeth I. This time we applied our white base delicately to achieve a fine, even, pastel texture, with the faint glow of the natural skin beneath. The look was subtle and sophisticated and highlighted with red powdered eyebrows, brown shadow on the eyelids and red brown cheeks and lips. We felt very regal with a red curly cropped wig adorned with pearls and diamantes.

As our traveller brought us back to the Twenty-First Century, we were full of ancient history, knowledge of classic aristocratic looks, and definitely much more familiar with the application of cream bases. It was certainly a majestic week, my favourite so far!

Natalie Rose - Student