For those of you that follow me on Instagram you will have seen these photos.
It was all done in preparation for a Day of the Dead party that I’m attending.
When you’re older and wiser you figure out that these types of things need a “test drive” so you aren’t panicking on the day of the party risking a #HUGEFAIL and a mental breakdown.
My Makeup Tolerance Diminishes With Age
I’m glad I tried this out in advance. The makeup was a nightmare and took ninety minutes to apply. Turns out I was using the wrong products.
After doing research online after I’d removed this makeup I found out that the professionals use actual water based paint on their faces, none of this Dollar Store grease paint which is the equivalent of scraping butter onto your face and then trying to mash in more colours on top of that. Just getting the white base took four applications. My face was like a skating rink covered in vegetable oil. And of course…it’s guaranteed that as soon as you’ve applied it then you’ll need to scratch your nose.
Back when I was a kid I used to love Halloween. Once I won the prize for the best costume at my school when I went as an accident victim wearing my brother’s old full leg cast. I did my own makeup with gashes and blood back in the days when you had to make your own, not just go and buy it at Value Village. I didn’t mind doing hours of preparation and experimenting with the makeup and then piling it on until it was so thick I could barely lift my head.
My tolerance for heavy makeup diminishes the older I get.
I don’t have the stamina to wear this kind of heavy makeup for hours on end.
My face won’t let me. It seemed that after only thirty minutes all of the colour on my eyelids disappeared. I’ve always wondered, where the heck does that makeup go? Does my body eat it?
The area below my eyes had turned scaly like I was a reptile about to shed my skin. My eyes had gone red, not bad for the outfit but darn uncomfortable for me.
Overall it just didn’t feel remotely pleasant and I was beginning to worry if I had to have this garbage clogging my pores for over six hours I might lose my mind and try to tear off my own face a couple of hours in.
I had to laugh when Shelley, the gal I’m going to the party with, exclaimed that on Halloween night while handing out candy to the kids after only an hour or so her wig had given her a headache and her face paint had cracked. Turns out we won’t be wearing our Day of the Dead makeup on our night out.
It’s a bit of a shame because I would have enjoyed the reactions that this would have provoked but I’m unwilling to sacrifice comfort for shock value at this stage in the game.
I’m debating on wearing the rest of the outfit sans the makeup. The rest of it is very doable although the floral crown I made by hand is quite large. The great thing is it makes me look taller! Always a bonus.
I’m wearing a wig, thus why my hair suddenly looks fuller and has some body to it. The great thing is that the wig’s colour matches so closely to my own hair that I just leave my hair down and let it hang out the bottom of the wig.
I can’t decide if I will just look odd with the whole outfit and no makeup or I’ll be able to pull it off and say,
“What? This old thing?”
…and hopefully not be talking about myself but my outfit. Ha!
Do you find that you have less tolerance for heavy makeup as you age?
Linking up with Judith for some fun over at Hat Attack
Terrific look, with or without the makeup. Your costuming skills are the best.
Now that I’m experimenting with (ordinary) makeup at a late age, I wonder how much easier it would have been for me to play with makeup when I had younger, unwrinkled skin. I still want to use makeup as a gender-marker but feel slightly bad about its poor appearance. Then again, practice may help that. I don’t think I’ve ever looked (and felt) better than when you applied makeup on me. I cherish the memory of that night as one of my fondest experiences. 🙂
The wrinkles definitely make makeup application more challenging. No doubt about it.
I highly recommend watching some You Tube videos for makeup application. They are free and they really do explain it all.
I enjoyed being your personal makeup artist : ) It was a new experience for me as well.
I’d say go for it… but since it’s Nov. 2 it’s probably already too late to vote. That dress looks stunning on you, Suzanne. But I’m with you on the heavy make-up. Ickkk… can’t stand it anymore. Feel like I’m smothering
I did wear it out and it was a big success : ) We went to a party that the AGO put on Thursday night, Nov 3rd. It was quite the party. Lots of nakedness walking about and performing. I’m glad I went though. It opened up my naive eyes. I’ll be writing about it.
I’m really a fan of the blog, and I know it’s too late to remark on the costume choice, but Day of the Dead is not Halloween. I love the dress and the flower crown but the skull makeup is a little bit borderline for me.
🙂 Oh, Suzanne, I love your costume and your make-up as well! You are such an artist!
I had to laugh when I red your comment about having to scratch your nose after putting on the make-up for ages.
I’d go crazy if I’d have to put all that stuff in my face.
Have a very HAPPY week
and greetings from Vienna,
Claudia xo 🙂
Yes, the nose scratching is inevitable once you can’t touch your face.
Thanks for popping by Claudia!
Utterly brilliant look! Well done on such complex makeup. But no, I wouldn’t like to wear it for long either. Xx
Wow, that makeup! I’m not surprised it took you 90 minutes. I would have given up in frustration long before. I’m not sure I would have the stamina to bear such heavy makeup for long either. The dress, of course, is fabulous and I can’t get over the fact you made that stunning floral crown by hand. The wig is very clever too. xxx
I’m really pleased with how the crown turned out. I’ve made others previously and they weren’t as stable. This one I put on a small plastic headband and I think it worked much better than the felt fabric I’ve used in the past.
So impressed with this look Suzanne! Very professional, spooky and cool..in a scary, eek sort of way!
I am glad you did not wear it long, heaven knows what ingredients were in that stuff being absorbed into your skin.
Very cool that you won the award as a child, and I am not surprised ! Your brother’s cast… you never cease to amaze…
Next year, keep the wig, dress, and floral crown… and add a mask please…
❤️❤️
Elle
https://theellediaries.com
My husband also suggested a mask. I’ve worn them before and found them difficult to properly see out of.
When I took off that make up the next day the whole area under my nose peeled off. I guess it is a cheap way of getting a chemical peel!
You look absolutely wonderful, the dress, the headpiece and the make-up are utterly magnificent.
I’ve never worn foundation, the mere thought of having my face caked in gunky stuff makes me a bit panick-y. If only I’d known your plan – the 11 year old daughter of trader friends gave me a handful of Dead of the Dead facial transfers she bought from Mexico City – I’d have sent you a couple – a bit less claustrophobic, I’m sure.
Whether you stay clean faced or not you’ll have a fab time with Shelley! xxx
Oh what a shame! A transfer would have been so much easier! Oh well : )
I’m not a fan of foundation either, as you can tell.
We did go out and have a great time. I decided to leave the makeup off but did go with the whole outfit and it was a success.
You look amazing!
http://chicglamstyle.com
Thanks Rachel : )
So impressed with the cheekbones and the shading. You totally changed your face shape. The chin detail was magical and so you! You should apply it to others who have more tolerance as it would be a shame to see this talent go to waste!
The flower crown is of course stunning.
I’m really impressed! Xo Jazzy Jack
My cheekbones look really cut right? Ha ha! I should probably learn how to contour my face regularly.
I know I will be wearing the crown again for sure. I wore it out to the party but noticed last week that all of Dolce Gabbana’s models were wearing flower crowns as their recent Spring 2018 shows.
I’ve never tried this kind of makeup before Suzanne. But I have to admit, it’s amazing. And you did it yourself??? That’s quite the feat!!
I used to wear a wig almost every weekend, and I loved them. Luckily they didn’t bug me, but I know people who complain about them. I may have to pull mine out again!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Okay…I’d love to know what you wore a wig out every weekend.
HAhaha!! Love this post. No wonder your skin fell off if you bought that stuff at the dollar store! Heh. You have to use MAC water-based body paint!!! I like how you did the research AFTER. Just like me!
You look STUNNING! I’m so glad you guys went for it at the show. I can’t wait to read about it. Every detail of your look is spot-on, love the flower crown you made and the wig.
I can’t stand foundation either. My pores are pissed off for days after. I bet face primer would really help your colour stay and make it easier to wash off. Of course I don’t have any. Heh.
Halloween makeup is the worst! I tried to do a black and white film star look a few years ago- wearing all black and white clothes and makeup. But, while it looked OK in the picture, in real life I looked like I had a disease that was making my skin pasty, lumpy and falling off.
I think that your outfit here, would look amazing even without the makeup- and that headdress is GORGEOUS!!!
You did a great job with the makeup – it’s too bad that it was the wrong stuff! You looked smashing in the dress and flower crown without the makeup. I usually wear a little bit of foundation/concealer on a daily basis, but I don’t wear eye makeup, so that was the part that felt weird for me. We women with oily eyelids need to invent an eye makeup base that holds the makeup on your eye, but doesn’t change the texture or emphasize the lines on your lids.
Your make up looks fantastic and so do you! The outfit is fabulous. How clever you are to make that rather gorgeous crown – I’m all for things to make you/me look taller!
bisous
I presume that you didn’t try the water based make-up to see whether that would feel better? Or is this that make-up you are wearing in the photos?
It looks soooo good, it is a shame your skin cannot stand it. But if you feel like this after half an hour, you will never last all evening.
I cannot advise you on whether to go without make-up. Perhaps one big scar on one side? Which will be an unexpected shock?
Greetje
I am utterly stunned at your artistic skills despite using the wrong kind of face paint. WOW! I’ll bet you were incredibly focused during those 90 minutes. The result is just amazing!!
We are not worthy!!! (assuming you were motivated to look amazing for this post) You are quite memorable my dear girl!!! I know it’s not a key point, but in my view, this is so much more impressive than smearing blue paint on your ass!
I never had much tolerance for make up, although the products have definitely improved. I did see this look on IG and was so impressed with every single thing. It’s fun to hear the story behind the makeup – I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but I’m with you on the comfort vs. makeup thing.
Suzanne, you never cease to amaze me with your many talents. It sounds like this is nothing new, and you’ve been creative since you were a kid. The make up job is magnificent! And the flower crown just as amazing. Thank you so much for sharing with Hat Attack.
I recognise your experience with cheap makeup for Halloween and how much time and effort it takes to apply.
Having said that, kudos to you for this makeup. You really did an amazing job. I have seen many Day of the Dead faces before and yours truly belongs to the best ones.