Clean your face with a non-oily cleanser. Men should not shave just prior to makeup application as it could prove irritating. Select a foundation color that matches your overall skin tone. Apply and blend with a sponge. The amount of makeup you use depends on the role and the venue (film/TV will require less makeup than a stage). The next step is to highlight and shadow the bone structure, the lighter shade over the bone and the darker shade in the recesses of the face. The amount and intensity depends on the character. More makeup will be more dramatic, possibly making a character look stronger or more sinister, especially with dark shadows on the face.
A good tip to begin with is to use a dab of yellow makeup paint on the eyelid, which tends to open up the eyes, allowing the audience to see eye movements from a distance. Follow this with a color eye shadow to accentuate the eye and inform the character – for instance, a darker shade for horror characters, a lighter shade for comedic ones. Eyeliner and mascara should be used, even on men, so that the eyes appear well-defined to an audience quite a distance away.
For the body, depending on what’s exposed from the costume, and depending on the character, makeup can be applied for great effects. Materials typically used for body makeup include modeling wax and putty, which can be molded into a desired shape, such as a wound; prosthetic (rubber) parts (including noses, chins and teeth); strong makeup paint colors, such as purples, blues and greens for bruises, as well as specialized metallic makeup, glitter and of course, stage blood, which is a staple in depicting horror/violence effects.