Dancer Essentials: Reasons to Always Carry a Compact Mirror With You

Being a dancer is much more difficult than people think. You go through endless exhausting hours of practice that often result in muscle aches and bruises. But for many dancers, it’s something that sparks a fire in their soul and they can’t imagine their life without it.

One of the many challenges you face as a dancer is maintaining your makeup. You might have someone in charge of doing your makeup, or you might prefer doing it yourself. Either way, it’s important to choose the right products that are waterproof and can stay on your skin for longer without smudging.

Faux eyelashes are a common and practical solution. If you choose the right ones, you can achieve a gorgeous look without using too much eye makeup, and risking getting it ruined in the process. However, no matter what kind of products you use, never forget to finish off the look with a setting spray, which will prevent potential smudges.

What Are the Different Types of Beauty Mirrors?

Having the right cosmetic mirror nearby allows you to properly inspect your makeup and make sure it’s nothing less than perfect. There are several different types of beauty mirrors that are used for different purposes.

• Large vanity mirror -the most commonly used mirror that shows you the whole look. While it’s not useful for working on details, it helps you spot issues with the overall look;
• Handled mirror – a useful versatile mirror that you can move around to spot the less obvious makeup issues, like unequal eyeliner on both eyes;
• Compact mirror – handy essentials any dancer should carry in their bag at all times. They’re small and useful when travelling or moving around.

Compact Mirrors

Compact mirrors have always been essential for women. They first came into fashion in the roaring 20s, when applying lipstick or powder in public was considered a daring thing to do. Since then, they have been a handy tool for inspecting and touching up your makeup on the go. In this era, compact mirrors are more important than ever. Constantly wearing a facemask can occasionally cause smudges, as well as mask indents, red marks and acne that you might want to touch up.

While we’ve gotten used to checking our reflection on our smartphones, using a compact mirror is a more sophisticated and elegant gesture and lets us see a more detailed reflection. Just think of Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” touching up her lipstick in the back of a cab, or Fran Drescher in “Nanny”.

Easily Accessible

Compact beauty mirrors can fit in the smallest handbag or you can even carry them in your pocket. This allows you to check your refection anytime, wherever you are. While handled mirrors are another common tool found in women’s purses, they’re bulkier and not as convenient to constantly carry around with you.

Not only are compact mirrors useful on the go, but they also come in handy when you’re at home. If you’re the type to do your full makeup in front of the enormous bathroom mirror, you’re probably constantly squinting and trying to get as close as you can to see better. You’re also making silly faces when applying mascara to focus better and not ruin your whole make-up. You can easily create a whole make-up look using a compact mirror without those troubles.

Another relatable situation where compact mirrors come in handy is when your partner or roommate decides to occupy the bathroom for more than 15 minutes. Having a separate mirror all to yourself allows you to do your make-up from the comfort of your own bed.

They Let You Focus on the Details

The small details can make or break a full make-up look pretty often. Using a large vanity mirror may seem like a quick way to apply your makeup. However, you often realize afterwards that you’ve messed up some details and this can be easily avoided by using a compact mirror. A good example is applying lipstick. The general rule of thumb is to outline your lips carefully before applying lipstick. Using a compact mirror makes this process easier, with no uneven or overexaggerated lines.

On the other hand, eyeliner application is tricky and can often be uneven on both eyes (unless you’re one of the few women with superpowers). A compact mirror will help you easily tweak the eyeliner without falling into the trap of adding more and then wiping it all off to start over.
To achieve the best result – alternate between a larger mirror and a compact mirror to have control over the finer details and the overall look simultaneously.

Gorgeous Designs

The evolution of the compact beauty mirror has resulted in many different designs that are available today. They can be circular, rectangular, oval, or any shape in between. The designs range from more vintage ones with intricate details that embody royalty to more modern and minimalist ones. Many compact mirrors are specifically designed for dancers. These are available in various vivid colours and some even contain witty quotes.

How to Do Simple Stage Makeup?

Having talked about the benefits of the compact mirror, your final look will still largely depend on your abilities and practice. Stage makeup is different from ordinary everyday makeup. The harsh stage lights can often drown out your features so you need to use exaggerated lines. Assuming you’ve already cleaned and moisturized your face, here are some tips on creating a simple stage makeup look:

• Always use a primer. If you don’t prime your skin before applying makeup, the makeup is likely to smudge at some point during the performance. A foundation primer makes it stick in place for a longer time;
• Apply foundation on your face, neck and hairline to prevent the neck and scalp from looking like a different colour from your face;
• Take time to properly contour and use blush;
• Exaggerate the eyes by using fake eyelashes and lining both the top and bottom lid with eyeliner;
• Carefully line the lips to define their shape and use lipstick in vibrant colour.