Channel Elphaba! ‘Wicked’-inspired makeup looks part 1

MANILA, Philippines – Why is Wicked so irresistible?

Yes, the production value is incredible – everything, from the weight of the costumes to the individual hairs on the characters heads, is lovingly planned, and it shows. But the characters and the way they are pushed and pulled by their issues, grip the audience across all ages. The characters are at the heart of the story.(WATCH: Backstage for Wicked: Witch costumes, hair and make-up) 

There’s the lead, Elphaba, a self-aware, strong, young woman who starts out already quite used to being the outsider due to her green skin. Later on, however, she really comes into her own when she discovers her own powers, which she uses to do the right thing, even when it’s against popular opinion. (WATCH: ‘Wicked’ exclusive: One-on-one with the cast)

Speaking of popular, there’s also Galinda (yup, that was her name before she became known as Glinda the Good Witch), who was Elphaba’s schoolmate at Shiz University. She’s beautiful and well-liked, but if Elphaba’s issues about fitting in, Glinda’s are about her inner turmoil and insecurity, even when everything else about her appears perfect. (WATCH: ‘Wicked’ exclusive: One-on-one with Suzie Mathers)

To celebrate the run of Wicked in Manila, we asked MAC, the show’s official makeup sponsor, to show us an easy Elphaba-inspired look to take you from day to night. The looks, as demonstrated by MAC’s Raf Mañosca, are wearable and can be adapted to a lot of different face shapes and features.  (READ: Wicked 101)

Elphaba’s day look 

Elphaba’s green makeup is a product from MAC called Chromacake in Landscape Green, but you won’t need that to channel the lead. “When it comes to Elphaba, there should still be that soft wash of color. Soft greens, a little bit of purple, and a bit of brown,” says Raf. 

• First, prep your basic face. Skin should be primed for makeup, so make sure to applying serum (optional), moisturizer, and primer and allow time for skin to absorb before applying foundation. Apply your foundation and concealer. 
• Second, prime eyes. A primer for the eyes can make eyeshadow glide on more smoothly. If you don’t have any handy, pat on a layer of concealer and let dry, allowing the pigment to glide onto a fresh canvas. A layer of skin-colorer eyeshadow works, too.
• You’ll need three colors for this day look – green, a neutral, brownish purple, and a medium brown. Start by patting on the green shadow on the lid, from the inner corners to the middle; this will deposit the color better. Once you hit the middle, blend the green color over the rest of the eye with a sweeping motion.  
• Add depth. From the outer corner of the eye, lightly pat on the medium brown eyeshadow. Then, use a slimmer brush to lightly sweep the purple shadow over the outer edge of the crease. Blend very well so that the edges aren’t harsh. “Purple complements green very well,” says Raf. “The green will really pop.”
• Frame your eyes. Define the shape not with the usual black or brown eyeliner; instead, try a deep liner in an unusual shade – in this case, a beautiful dark green with glittery flecks in the pigment. 
• Sweep a highlighting shade under your eyebrows; this will really lift the overall look and make you look more awake. Finally, curl lashes and apply a coat of mascara. Fill in brows with eyebrow pencil or even a shade of dark eyeshadow that matches your brows. 
• Finish with a pinkish blush and matching lipstick. Make sure the lipstick isn’t so bright that it takes attention away from your statement-making eyeshadow. Go for a pink that’s closer to your skin tone, and let it enhance your overall look. 

Tip: Make sure to mix in neutrals along with bright eyeshadow to make the shade wearable for daytime. 

Elphaba’s night look

This is simply a deeper, more intense version of the day look. 

• Retouch your makeup. You may want to reapply the green eyeshadow with the same patting motion as earlier. This time, 
• Up the drama. If you’ll be going out at night, you can use a slightly darker shade of eyebrow pencil to really frame your eyes and sharpen the look. If you don’t have more eyeshadow, just reapply the same colors as you did earlier. 
• Contour eyelids. Raf used a small brush to apply a darker plum shadow on the outer edges of the crease, creating an inverted v-shape just where the brown eyeshadow was applied for the day look. With a light touch, he also added just a touch of black eyeshadow on the outer sides of the eyes for more depth. He also lined the eyes all the way through the lower lash line to emphasize the shape of the eye. 
• Switch out the pink lipstick from earlier for a deeper shade in wine red or burgundy. 

Tip: Since you’ll be wearing a very dramatic look, you might want to keep the rest of your outfit simple. Elphaba, after all, goes for basic black, though her own outfit is heavily textured. 

 – Rappler.com

Makeup by Raf Mañosca of MAC Cosmetics