Day of the dead Makeup

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday that has been celebrated in Mexico for centuries, and has spread to other parts of Latin America as well as the United States and Europe. It is believed that on the night of October 31, the gates of heaven are opened and the souls of angelitos (children who have passed) roam the earth for the day of November 1. Then, on November 2 the gates open once again and the souls of adults who have died visit as well.

This holiday is celebrated in various ways according to location. Many celebrations involve going to the graves of passed loved ones, setting up altars (at home and at the graves), and sharing memories of those who have died. The altars can be decorated with photos, favourite items of the dead, flowers, and decorated sugar skulls. People often spend the day cleaning and decorating the grave, having meals together, and remembering loved ones. The skull is a commonly recognised symbol of the holiday.. not just the intricately decorated sugar skull we all think of today, but traditional skulls too. They can be made of chocolate, sugar, or worn in mask form. While this sounds morbid to some, it is actually all done with a beautiful lightheartedness, with bright colours and a sense of positivity that is unique to the holiday. Therefore Instead of going with the 'Born this way' video inspiration by lady gaga, where the make up even clothes are dark.. I decided to stick with Fun and happy colours.

It is from this holiday that the skull tradition has become increasingly popular and where the sugar skull face painting originated. Celebrators wearing masks during the holiday has evolved and grown into actually painting their own faces. It is seen as a chance to overcome your fear of death, and get in touch with a darker side of yourself. This has often been the role of masks throughout history in every culture around the world--if your real face is hidden, you become a different version of yourself not normally seen.

There isn't much fashion runway which used Day of the dead however, Lena Hoschek's Spring/Summer 2013 Mexican Day of the Dead Inspired collection is enough! It is an amazing collection and really inspired me to pick this theme when I was researching all 4 themes.

Below are some of the images ;

I was inspired by the Makeup, frills and colours! before being inspired, I tried out a look which I got carried away with.. Below are some images ;

I loved the way it turned out however I wasn't happy with it for my theme. I tried to create something different that was just inspired by the original makeup design however I then realised that I should stick to that design more.

Below are the Main images which helped me develop my final makeup design ;

After a lot of trial and error i came up with this design below ;

I wanted to keep the nose black however not all black as to me it just looks to simple. I Like the way this turned out however that day I didn't have all the sequins I actually wanted to use so I just made do with what I had. For example, for the cheeks I wanted big diamonte however I didn't have them yet so I created it by placing the small ones in the shape. Also with the teeth, I wanted tear drop shapes in order to look like teeth.

The day before my final shoot, the correct diamonte arrived :) Below is what I created

I am such a perfectionist and overall I love the way this turned out. The diamonte make it all stand out and make it all that extra special. I love the way they make everything look symmetrical and just over all different to any other of my class mates work yet still 100% sticking to my theme. I've decided that I want to add more, I want the hair bigger and messier and I want more makeup down her chest and arms. This photoshoot was a great way to make me realise exactly what I want for the final show.