Whether you’re thinking of wearing oily makeup for a theatrical event, a special Halloween party, or some other occasion, you need to know what products are out there and how to apply them.

While grease makeup requires more time and preparation than regular water-soluble face paint, it also lasts much longer. Most importantly, grease makeup will not smear or run under hot lights or conditions where you might perspire. With oily makeup you can create a more dramatic and even professional look.

In addition to your grease face paints and pencils, you’ll need:

• facial cleanser or cleansing cream and/or baby shampoo
• clean towels or paper towel
• clothing cover and headbands or shower cap
• possible shaver for men
• mirror if you are not working from home
• good quality paint brush, powder brush
• professional setting powder, talc or baby powder and applicator (see below)
• Q-Tips or fine paint brush, tissue paper, paper towel are helpful
• Other items you might also consider:
• light moisturizer
• baby oil (to correct mistakes after the paint has ‘set’)
• charcoal eye pencil
• mask
• sponge
• mr gold water sprayer
• glitter and other decoration

Before you start applying makeup, you need to prepare your face so that it goes smoothly. Clean your face thoroughly, pinning your hair up when necessary and, for men, shave. (Men with beards can apply greasepaint makeup, but it can be tricky to keep it off your hair.) Remember that greasy makeup will stain clothes, so wear an old button-up shirt. After your skin dries, apply a very light moisturizer.

Working first with the lightest color, usually white, and a good quality brush or sponge, or your fingers, you can outline the area and then fill it in. Alternatively, you can paint following the contours of your face. Oily make-up may not spread easily if it’s too cold, which can be remedied by putting a small drop of color in the palm of your hand for a minute. After painting, use your fingers to ‘pat’ the makeup into your skin.

Unlike water-based makeup, grease makeup requires you to paint your face and then “set” it with a professional setting powder, or talcum powder or baby powder. (If you choose talcum powder, be sure to confirm beforehand that you don’t have an allergic reaction.) You can ‘set’ grease makeup in stages after the application of each color or at the end of the entire painting. Some people prefer the latter, applying all the colors before setting with powder, because they can more easily correct mistakes. The downside, however, is that you risk accidentally mixing colors and smearing your work.

Whether “set” in stages or at the end, a reliable way to apply the powder is to partially fill a small, clean cotton sock with the powder, tie it off, and then gently rub your face. Let the powder sit for half a minute or so before dusting off the excess with a powder brush. Painted areas should no longer feel wet or sticky; if this is not the case, you probably need more powder. Once the grease makeup has set, it should be fairly smudge-resistant. If you need to correct anything at this point, you can use cotton swabs soaked in baby oil, but remember that neighboring areas could now be stained.

Be careful not to apply greasy face makeup thickly or in layers. If you have too much in one place, press it down with your fingers to smooth it out. Continue to refine your face, using Q-Tips or a fine brush for smaller areas. Grease pencils can also be used for the face, charcoal pencils for the eyes, and don’t forget color for your lips too!

Allow oily make-up to dry completely and apply a final light coat of powder, tapping off excess with a brush or tissue paper. A damp cloth at the end can help remove excess dust or spray with a light mist of water. In warmer climates, you can probably skip this step because the extra powder will absorb perspiration.

If you are applying glitter, you should do it last. Glitter is generally most effective when applied to the eyes or cheeks. A glitter gel is often used instead of dry glitter to minimize the chances of it flaking off the eye. With dry glitter, lightly dampen face and cheeks first, then apply polyester glitter. Remember to let your makeup sit for about half an hour before you go out. If you have paint smudges on your lashes, cover them with mascara.

Available products

For just about any type of face design, you’ll need at the very least a white foundation and a black makeup pencil, but of course there are plenty of colors in between and you’ll probably want to try at least a few of them. The main producers of grease makeup are Mehron and Ben Nye. Mehron Grease Makeup is geared towards theater professionals who want easy application with good coverage. Ben Nye also appeals to the same community, although Ben Nye’s grease makeup is actually a cream. Grease face makeup comes in a variety of forms, from palettes (usually sold as a kit) to individual eyeliners. Pencils, crayons, and sticks are useful for smaller areas of the face. Both Mehron and Ben Nye also make eye shadows, blushes, a range of glitter and setting powders and sealing mists. You may also want to consider sweat-blocking sprays for the face to help preserve oily paint under bright lights or in a hot environment.