Dancers need to master the art of contouring, of using eyeshadow and eyeliner to create a dramatic look. This is best begun by lining the eye with black liquid liner. Some of the best brands that create fluid, exact lines are Mary Kay, Chanel, MAC and Bobbi Brown.
Gently pull the eyelid down, (not to the side as is commonly done), and trace the lid with black in a Cleopatra-esq fashion. "Wing" the liner out by taking the liner approximately a half-inch out from the eyelid.
Think of the eyeliner as the outline that begins the facial masterpiece.
A common mistake that dancers (especially newbie ballerinas), make is to lather the lid in blue eyeshadow. Not only does this hark back to the 1970s disco look, but under harsh stage lights, it makes the eye look bruised and garish.
The ideal color scheme is to dash the brow bone with a white, iridescent shade, followed by a warm shade --- such as peach or apricot --- to color the lid, stopping just below the eyebrow, leaving a line of white still visible.
Pink might forever be categorized as a girlie shade, but brown is a dancer's signature color. Eyeshadows in the shade of russet, sepia and auburn should next be applied to the lower lid.
Once the eyeshadow and liner are applied, take a bobby pin and open it up so that it almost forms a straight line. Then, dab eyelash glue onto the tiny bulb at the end of the bobby pin and use that to line the base of the false eyelashes, (this trick of the trade makes the process not so messy). Using the eyeliner as a guiding line, pleat the false lashes onto that line.
When the glue dries, add another layer of liner over the false lashes.
The apples of the cheeks should be colored with a pale pink blush applied in a sweeping, upward motion. Next, there should be light dustings of pink around the hair line.
To create a more wide-eyed look, some dancers like to underline the eyes with white shadow.
Using a light touch, trace the jawbone with blush. This spreads the color around on the face and helps to make the eyes and cheeks look more pronounced.
When it comes to the lips, lip liner is essential. Not only does it help to keep the lipstick from smudging when a ballerina sweats, it also accentuates the lips and simply makes the lipstick last longer.
Red is the color of choice. To add the sheen, layer it with sparkly ruby-red lip gloss.