Oh my eyes! - Stage make-up tips

Here is a review type post about a couple of my favourite products for getting that Arabic eyes look.

In my make up bag I've a few favourites from make up forever who do a great variety of professional make up, including waterproof, which I find works great for performaning.  To line my eyes, there are two products I really like, both from their Aqua range.

The first of these is the Aqua Eyes waterproof eyeliner pencil.  I've got this in shade 0L-Matte Black.  It's nice and smooth to apply, can be smudged easily for a nice effect, or built up to a harder line.  And once it's on, it stays exactly in place, all night, through performing, night driving, everything.  I find it a very versatile product, not only for stage, but also for teaching and everyday wear. If you find it hard to shape your eyeliner, a smudgeable one like this can be drawn on first for the outline shape, then for more drama draw over the top with liquid liner. 

The second product I rely on is Aqua Black Waterproof Creme Eyeshadow.  This is a pot of black boot polish looking colour.  It can be used as a base for smokey eyes stage look, but I like it as a matte eyeliner, applied to my upper lid with a small brush.

I make sure to brush it on really close to the top lashes, almost to the lash line, opening up the eyes so as not to leave any gaps.  This is the best way to disguise any mistakes or gaps from glueing on lashes - as long as the liner goes on first, then the lashes.  A nice angled eyeliner brush would make application pretty easy and help with winging out the liner, although I've been using a discarded lip brush which works okay.  I like this product better than other brand gel liners as it doesn't tend to gloop or clump, and once it's on it's not going to slide around or budge for anything.  It's also easy to wipe off the brush afterwards.  Lastly, the packaging is a compact plastic tub, good for squeezing into my make up bag, and there's no risk of dropping a heavy sphere of glass encased gel liner onto my foot...

Waterproof make up shouldn't be used in inside or waterline of my eyes.  The Aqua Black especially should also be applied extra carefully away from contact lenses, as it's got so much staying power, it'd stick to the lense too given half a chance.  

Finally, something that often comes up in dressing room chat is how stubborn it this kind of make up can be to take off at the end of the night.  My method is to always use a good quality waterproof eye make up remover.  There's quite a few brands that'll work, the trick is to look out for bottle that contains both water based and oil based solvent - you'll recognise this in a bottle which has two liquids inside, one floating on top of the other.  You need to shake to mix the two, put some on a cotton wool pad and then hold this to your eye a count of 10 - long enough for the liquid to soak into the make up.  Then a gentle wipe should take everything off with no rubbing.  I then finish the eye by turning the pad over and wiping clean with the reverse side.  It's quick, gentle and very easy.

Make up forever is a niche brand in the UK, although has a wider distribution in certain countries around the world.  In the UK there are currently two stockists that I know, the PAM store near Shepherds Bush in London (who also do mail order), and Guru in Fulham.

I'd love to know, what are your favourite make up products for stage?  

Kate's Baladi

Kate Deacon is a Scottish teacher of Raqs Sharqi style Egyptian Dance.  She runs several classes in the Borders and Lanarkshire.  She originally trained with my teacher Lorne McCall and I think she's a beautiful dancer.

Kate doesn't perform so often these days, but Susan Tonner of Katra and Twisted Tails posted this video of her dancing in Edinburgh a few weeks ago, in a special event featuring Carolena Nericcio of Fat Chance Belly Dance.  This is a lovely example of the Raqs Sharqi Society style of Baladi - simple, sweet and melodic; with patterns in space and geometric motifs. 

More dance from Morocco

I've added a couple of new clips of traditional Moroccan dance to my YouTube channel.  I filmed these during my trip to Marrakesh last year.  You can read my previous post for a collection of some of the other videos, including Berber dancing and an unexpected surprise during a beauty cooperative tour.

First of all here is the candle tray dance filmed at the beautiful Palais Chahramane restaurant.  I loved watching this dancer for her sense of spectacle without skill.  Possibly even an insight into what might have been the low class street entertainment of days gone by.



The second video is of fun and athletic Gnawa musicians and dancers.  This was part of a brilliant afternoon of entertainment aimed at Moroccan people rather than tourists, in an unlikely location - an outdoor restaurant, behind a service station on the road to Casablanca.  I have still have some unpublished video of the different acts that featured, so either watch this space or feel free to leave me a note if you would like to see more.

Keeping it all together

This is my new zills pouch.

It's sturdy, compact, and it's also my new bargain as it cost me just £1.50 from a textile/crafts store on Nicholson Street in Edinburgh.

How do you store your zills?

Big Dance Edinburgh and Bellydance Flashmob

I've had a fantastic dancey weekend.  I previously blogged about the Big Dance weekend of dance, in Edinburgh Saturday 30th June to Sunday 1st July, connected to the London 2012 festivities around the country.

After Saturday night's eventful gig, I felt spurred to head down to the National Museum of Scotland on Sunday to take part in the bellydance flashmob, organised by Elspeth Swishandhips, as part of Big Dance Edinburgh.  Months of careful and planning and organisation went into this and Elspeth even filmed and uploaded tutorials of all the choreography so that as many people as possible could take part. 

There were about 50 dancers, with Egyptian, ATS and Tribal Fusion styles all featuring.  With so many old and new faces, there was a fantastic buzz about the place and a huge crowd cheering us on - although I suspect not all of them were so unsuspecting.  Congratulations Elspeth, it was a fantastic event and thank you for all your hard work! And well done to all the dancers who took part!

Here we all are dancing in the Museum's spectacular surroundings (thanks to Norma for the photo): 

Big Dance events were taking place all over the city.  Here's my shot of Fife based ATS teacher Elaine giving a taster in the Museum, a bit later on:

And here's my shot of amazing double sword dancer Briar from Edinburgh troupe Twisted Tails under the shadow of Edinburgh castle.

At the end of the day, I even found myself chatting to someone in the crowd who felt inspired to start a new dance class.  Well how about that then for a successful way end to a weekend aimed at getting people dancing?

Here is Emma's video of the flashmob in all its glory: