Mmm.. makeup!! ^_^  While I’m not the kind of girl who wears makeup daily at home, I -adore- all the possibility makeup can have in the bellydance world. ^_^  You can be dark, elegant, sparkly, vibrant, peacock-ish, subtle, natural, futuristic, tribal, vixen-y, coquettish, angelic to all-out terrifying, and I adore that! :D  With just a few strokes of the brush, a great makeup job can take a dancer from tigress to vampire, with no particular costume change at all.  Got a black bedlah and skirt set?  There you go.  You’ve already got 2 looks, and with some color variation and a little inner narrative, your choices can be nearly endless. :)  Wanna be a dark elf or a naga?  How about a traditional Cabaret dancer?  With that same bedlah, you can still obtain -all- of these looks- using makeup. :)  How amazing is that?? ^_^

Alongside the right music, costume & inspiration, makeup can be that last (or first) step into becoming -anything- or -anyone- at all. :)  Whether you’re portraying a goddess, a warrior, a courtesan, a pussycat, a priestess, a mermaid or a bird, makeup can help you and your audience make that final leap of imagination & spirit; transporting you from simple earthbound dancer to awe-inspiring, mythical creature. :)

I’ve seen makeup transform dancers into Borg soldiers, demons, medicine women, wood sprites, jubilant spirits from faraway villages and SO many other incredible things that it nearly boggles the mind. ^_^  The possibilities really and truly are only limited by your imagination, and to some extent, your means. :)  (But you by NO means need everything to be super-expensive to create a wonderful look!) 

My only suggestion/request is that dancers just THINK FIRST about their venue, music, character, storyline, or whatever outfit inspires them, and THEN get down to the nuts & bolts of creating their pieces.  (And yes, that means even if it’s fictional- but ESPECIALLY if you’re dealing w/peoples’ cultures, religions, heritages or personal paths!!)  But seriously- all it takes is a little logic.  Chunky glitter near the eyes?  Yeah.. bits of sharp metal near my softest inny bits.. not such a good idea. ;)  Going to “La Marakesh” family restaurant with grey skin & tubes coming out of your face..?  Mm.. perhaps a Borg dance may not go off so well at a traditional Moroccan establishment. :)  Wanna be a vintage fan-dancer?  Sure!  Just add a little blood or spooky makeup, and THEN go to the horror-themed Halloween show. ;D 

In essence, I guess my biggest thing is always; please, try to be mindful of your audience, and don’t censor yourself necessarily, but try to at least stay respectful of your chosen venue and the event in which you’re performing.  ’Cause even with certain rules & guidelines (like some restaurants do not permit dancers to have tattoos), and even around the bases of some themes, you can still do a LOT!   For instance; how many MILLIONS of looks can you do with the directive of “tribal???” ;D

So sit back, relax, HAVE FUN, crack open a book or do a little research online if you need, but most of all; ENJOY yourself!  All you need is a little imagination, a little practice, a few colorful pigments (and maybe a visit to the hardware, thrift or craft stores ;)), et voila!  (Ooh, but a relatively steady hand never hurts, either. :))  

Hope you enjoy!
Ylluria 

Images Courtesy of:
TemplaSimpina on DeviantArt.com
vintageortacky.com
Serafaery and http://sanderfeinberg.com/sdf/events/fun/morefun/vampire-ball-2012-5.shtml  
And for more costume, hair & makeup inspirations that have to do with bellydance, you can find my Pinterest board here. :)  

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(Please Note:  If you or someone you know is the creator or subject of any of these images and you’d like me to either credit or remove anything, please let me know.  I always try to give credit where it’s due, ‘cause I respect the people and works I feature, and after all- I’m a struggling artist too. ;))