When dancers are on stage, they need to be focused on their dancing – not distracted by the uneasy feeling of foundation melting off their faces. Dance competition makeup might need to be applied hours before dancers take to the stage, and to perform at their best they need makeup that has just as much endurance as they do. Ensure your dancers’ makeup lasts from the dressing room back to the bathroom at home at the end of the night with these dance competition makeup tips!

Prep the Skin

Just like an artist needs a smooth canvas to paint his masterpiece on, you need to prepare the face before applying makeup. Foundation will adhere better if skin is free of all the grime and oil that’s been collected during the day, so first wash your face with a mild cleanser, advised Paula’s Choice Skincare. Follow up with a gentle exfoliating product to buff away any dry flakes that make the surface of the skin uneven, and finally finish with a light application of moisturizer. Now you’re ready to layer on the cosmetics.

Primer, Everywhere

Primer seals in the glow from your freshly buffed skin, conceals pores and provides a smooth and uniform base for foundation and concealer, making your makeup last longer. You can also choose primers made with antioxidants and nutrients, which is great for keeping skin healthy throughout competition season.

Primer is especially vital, though, in the eye area. Eyeshadows, eyeliner and mascara are notoriously flaky, and you’ve probably applied your eye makeup before only to sigh when you see that the product has migrated under your eyes after just an hour. A primer will make sure that your eye look lasts all day, even under performance pressure.

You can use your face primer on your eyes, but it’s more effective to use a specially made eye primer, since the skin of the eye is oiler and more delicate than that of the rest of the face, noted The Secret Diary of a Makeup Artist.

Foundation and Powder: An Inseparable Bond

The golden rule of stage makeup: Always top foundation with powder. A powder sets foundation and helps it last longer and helps ward off the makeup-ruining effects of sweat and heat. Mode Dion recommended choosing loose powder over pressed and applying it with a large sponge – not a brush – for the strongest set. In addition to helping make your look last, powder also gives you a beautiful glow under harsh lights. Dust on the powder before dabbing on blush, though, because of the next tip …

Primer is also a Blush Booster

A handy little tip from XOVain is to dab a little primer onto cheeks and then rub the blush on top of that. This technique not only makes the color of the blush more intense, but makes it last longer.

Define the Eyes

When it’s time to apply your eye makeup, opt for gel liner instead of liquid or crayon, as it lasts a lot longer and is less likely to smear. Fake lashes will make your eyes pop, too, but don’t hurry the process. For fluffy fake lashes that won’t flutter away mid-pirouette, let the glue sit on your lash line for at least one minute, recommended Mode Dion.

Lips that Last

A bright red pout looks fantastic on stage, but if you don’t use a matching lip liner, there’s no way the color will stay put throughout your competition. Trace the outside of your lips with the liner and then fill in with color – the liner adheres better than lipstick and acts as a sort of protective barrier that keeps the color in place. Avoid treating the audience to a red-stained smile by smearing petroleum jelly on your teeth before applying the liner and lip stick, too.

Don’t Forget the Setting Spray

You’ve finished your makeup and are looking positively fabulous. Before you step away from the mirror, though, lightly mist a setting spray over your face. The product helps your makeup last through temperature changes and nerves and keeps it from cracking and flaking off. You can find setting spray at any major cosmetics store.