If you’ve been around my blog or follow me on social media, you know how much fun I have with belly dance makeup. I’ve taken makeup challenges, recorded step-by-step video demos, and am always happy to share the products that work for me.
When I’m discussing belly dance appearance, makeup represents one of the five essential layers. Along with hair and skin, makeup fits into layer 2, Grooming. These layers are discussed in my book “Becoming a Belly Dancer, From Student to Stage.” (Also available direct from me here)
However, if you haven’t run across this Five Layer system, it includes:
- The Body
- Grooming
- Costuming
- Accessories
- Props
Take my free class: 5 Layers of Belly Dance Appearance
5 top Makeup Tips
I’ve recently been asked, “If you could only give five belly dance makeup tips, what would they be?” I found this question helped me focus on the key essentials that allow me to transform from an ordinary person into a belly dance performer.
Use a Primer: This is something that I recommend to everyone. Although I use a pore-filling, wrinkle smoothing primer by L’Oreal for my over 50 complexion, you should choose a primer suitable for your skin type. A primer will help create the illusion of perfect skin and make your makeup last longer.- Create one Look then Practice It: The truth is, you don’t have to be good at doing makeup for everyone, or even every style on your own face. Instead, focus on mastering one complete look. If you focus on one set of skills to practice and perfect, you will be able to up your makeup game quickly. For example, if you want to embrace the “smokey eye,” then make that your look until the style becomes effortless. Then once that’s perfected, perhaps move on to a “cut crease,” or “Arabic eye.”
- Embrace False Eyelashes: The last technique I added to my repertoire is false eyelashes. Until latex free glues were widely available, I simply couldn’t wear false lashes. Now that there are many more formulas of glue available, I have embraced the lash lifestyle. If you are new to lashes, I recommend reading Poppy Maya’s extensive eyelash tutorial in our book “Becoming a Belly Dancer.” If you are new to lashes, you might want to start by wearing accent lashes that are easier to apply. They fit on the outer corner of the eye, and you don’t have to wrestle them over the curve of your lash line. I recommend trying this pair or this pair.
- Layer Eyeliner: One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that dramatic eyeliner is intrinsic to the belly dancer look. I’ve personally found that using a variety of different styles of eyeliner helps me achieve the best results. I keep a pot of gel liner, a liquid liner in pen form, and several different sharpening pencils in my makeup kit. I use them all or in various combinations to achieve different eyeliner effects.
- Choose the Right Red: Bright red lipstick is a classic. However, there are many to different colors and formulas to choose from. They key is to know the undertone of your skin. Red comes in warm, neutral, and cool variations so you can select the color that works best for your complexion. Check out the tips in this article on “Lip Cocktails” in Amabella Magazine.
Face Paint: The Story of Makeup
My favorite book on the history of makeup is “Face Paint: The Story of Makeup,” by Lisa Eldridge. She is a London based professional makeup artist who has built an international reputation working in the fashion and cosmetics industries. She makes highly informative YouTube tutorials, and most recently, has become an author and jewelry designer.
This lavishly illustrated and well-researched coffee table book is filled with intriguing images that inspire and delight. I love just picking up this book and thumbing through it! If you are shopping for a gift for the makeup lover in your life.
Beauty In a Jar – Documentary
From Elizabeth Arden to Max Factor, from Revlon to today’s massive makeup industry, this is a great documentary about the birth and development of the cosmetics industry. This video is about an hour and a half long, so grab a snack and beverage and enjoy this fascinating look at the makeup.
Belly Dance Makeup Playlist
Over the past two years, I took on a makeup challenge to help me share my own journey in perfecting my own belly dance makeup application technique. I am no makeup artist! However, I’ve taken a lot of classes from makeup pros, have had dozens of “makeovers” and have enjoyed playing with cosmetics for many years. I love the transformative properties of makeup that take nerdy egghead Dawn and turns her into the glamorous belly dance performer Davina. If you are interested in learning more about how I put on makeup, I recommend checking out my YouTube playlist. I’m looking forward to tackling this challenge again in 2019.
The holidays are coming up, and now is the time that big makeup brands put out holiday kits, offer deep discounts, and make it more affordable to pick up new cosmetics.
Best of luck in your makeup adventures!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
November 15, 2018