Start with a freshly washed face in order to have the best possible blank canvas for your makeup. Alaina Parker of Western Michigan University recommends that men not shave within 60 minutes of applying stage makeup, as the face is especially sensitive directly after shaving, and makeup can cause irritation.
A cream-based stage makeup foundation will provide the longest lasting results and should be applied with a fine makeup sponge. Cover your entire face evenly with a shade that is slightly darker than your natural tone, as colors appear lighter than they actually are under stage lights. Extend the makeup coverage to your ears and neck to appear even and natural.
One of the most prominent goals of applying stage makeup is to bring shape to your features, and this is accomplished using highlight and shadow colors on strategic areas of your face. Your shadow color should be much darker than your foundation, and your highlight should be several shades lighter. Both should also be cream based so that they will blend easily with your foundation. These accent colors are best applied with the tip of a sponge and blended outward so that one color flows evenly into another with a natural look.
Highlight is best applied on areas that you want to protrude visually. These are usually the cheekbones, the ridge of the nose and the eyebrow bone. Shadowing will cause the area to recede visually and should be applied to the hollows of the cheeks, the sides of the nose and the eyelid. You can control the intensity of the visual effect with the amount of color you apply and how evenly it is blended.
Once your foundation has been applied and you have contoured your face with highlight and shadow, it is time to add the details that will define your specific features. These steps should be performed by both women and men, though men should complete them with more subtle colors. Men still need to define their features, but can avoid appearing feminine by using natural colors and applying this type of makeup with a lighter hand.
Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, which can be found by smiling and identifying the roundest portion of your cheek. Bring definition to your lips by painting on a cream color, and apply both eyeliner and mascara to your eyes. An eyebrow pencil will also be necessary to color in your brows so that they do not disappear under the foundation. By defining these features, your face will not appear washed out once you are onstage. When finished, use a powder puff to press loose powder into your makeup so that it will stay in place throughout your performance.