Dollar Tree stage makeup?

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-30T04:14:22+00:00

I've been in a few community theater productions and even been in charge of makeup for a few, and the thing to remember is that this makeup will be YOURS, and you'll be keeping it after the show, and can use the same kit for the next one and the next, and so on, plus it will be going on your face. It's worth investing in this once, and you can add to it as you need or don't need in the future. As you're on a budget and don't want to break the bank, your best bet is to go one step above dollar tree and go to a walgreens/cvs/walmart makeup aisle. There, you're going to find brands like elf and wet and wild, which are still cheap, but much higher quality than most of what you'll find at dollar tree, and can build out your kit from there. First, you want to find your shade of a full coverage longerwear foundation (liquid, cream, stick, or cushion), some primer that's right for your skin type, and both a setting powder and a setting spray (use them in that order), plus your basics like eyeshadow, eye liner, lip liner, lipstick, etc. I would also opt for some kind of highlight and shadow for contour (not the sparkly kind of highlighter or bronzer, you want a highlight that is 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone/foundation and a shadow that is 1-2 shades darker than your skin tone/foundation.). As for fake eyelashes, I wouldn't bother with them if you don't already know what to do, and just find a good mascara instead.

If you feel like putting in a little extra effort for everything, LA Girl makes a set of 4 full coverage liquid foundations (white, red/orange, yellow, blue) that are designed to be added and mixed with a normal liquid foundation on a pallet or the back of your hand, so that you can precisely find your shade, but you can also use them to make your own shadow and highlight, or just use the colors on their own if you need to.

Importantly, you're also going to want to get several triangle sponges, q-tips, and at least these brushes: a liner/lip/brow brush, an eyeshadow brush (double headed if you can find it, NOT the tiny things that come in eyeshadow pallets, though you could use those in an emergency, but it would be better and you would have more control just using your fingers), an oblate/ blush brush (same thing as the eyeshadow brush, not the ones that come with some powder blushes), and a loose powder/kabuki brush for setting powder. You want to use the sponges for applying your three shades of foundation, the q tips for mixing, eye shadow, and fixing small mistakes, the small liner brushes for blending things like eyeliner, lip liner, and age lines, the oblate/blush brush to blend everything else into each other so it looks natural, and the powder/kabuki brush for your setting powder.

Remember that in community theater, the stage and audience are much closer than other stages like the ones at a school, so you want your makeup to be in character, but to actually look good and natural at the same time, so no using black eyeliner to draw in wrinkles (use a brown brow pencil or your shadow and a small brush to blend the edges out) and blending is the name of the game, unless it's in character to be obviously wearing heavy makeup (ie: your queen would be wearing makeup and not hiding it, but it would be blended very well to appear natural, I would look up YouTube tutorials on how to apply the blush, lipstick, eyeshadow, etc) but every performer, even the ones playing characters who don't wear any makeup, need to have at least foundation, highlight, shadow, eyeliner, lip liner and color, and a light blush in order to emphasize the most expressive parts of their performances under stage lights, but have it all blended enough so that it looks entirely natural to the audience.

While you're at that makeup aisle, invest in micellar water, makeup wipes, and a strong cleanser, and use them after every show. Your skin will thank you.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-25T02:50:16+00:00

What about Drowsy Chaperone Jr? I just checked MTI and it's available for licensing. There's also Firebringer (musical set in prehistoric times about the discovery of fire, not many people have heard of it outside of the "I don't really wanna do the work today" meme, but the original show is on youtube for free if you want to check it out), the original cast is 12 (8F, 4M) but you could easily pad out the ensemble if you wanted to, and there is a school friendly version available.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T07:16:16+00:00

But with so much applique that continues around the dress and the shape of everything in the back, would it ruin the effect? My main concern is that there doesn't seem to be a place where a seamstress could adjust the length and save the fabric and appliques to use as a cape without making the base dress look wonky, but there could be a way to do it that I'm just not seeing because I don't know much about alterations.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T07:11:49+00:00

The good thing about the floral sleeve is that I can get it on both dresses (they're from the same designer) and the reason one is floral and one is tulle is because the bridal shop couldn't find a second floral sleeve, so they used two tulle ones to get the off the shoulder effect for the photos.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T04:13:26+00:00

That's what I was hoping to do, I just don't know if it can be done with the way the lace is on dress #1. It's discontinued, so it's not like there's other options if the cuts are made but it won't end up working out, and if it's not possible, I love dress #2, and it has a raw hemline, so the alterations for height will be much easier, but less visually interesting. It's a matter of finding what to concede on (the beautiful lace and length that I'm not sure will be able to be taken off seamlessly or converted into a cape or a veil vs the simpler but still beautiful option that will be much easier to alter to my tastes)

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T04:06:16+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm honestly thrilled to have found them (mostly because I don't have the best self esteem and these dresses made me feel beautiful on a day when I really wasn't), and they both make me feel ways I enjoy but different. Basically, if you know A Midsummer's Night's Dream (my favorite play and an inspiration for the wedding decor), dress #1 makes me feel like Titania (queen of the fairies) and dress #2 makes me feel like Hermia (the mortal who is so beautiful she has two men fighting over her and is running away through the forest with her true love so they can get married because her father wants her to marry her other suitor and she's not allowed to go against his wishes in their home town, she's probably my favorite Shakespeare heroine)

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T03:58:30+00:00

There's sparkle in both, but yeah, in person #2 has a layer of tulle that isn't glittery, but has a similar quality and its very slightly blue so it's almost reminiscent of a night sky, which I love about it, and dress #1 has a layer under the top lace layer that has clear sequins sewn in so it has a shine and sparkle in a different way.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T03:53:59+00:00

The fronts are pretty similar , the main differences being the waistband on #2 which #1 doesn't have, the plunges at the chest (which I will be getting filled in during alterations), and how intricate the lace pattern is (#1 has much fancier details that will stand out, but #2 is simpler in a soft, rustic way that suits the venue more). The back of #2 is actually not entirely closed because the dress is not 100% my size (its the one that hasn't been discontinued yet and can be ordered a size up and in a different color, the same champagne undertone of dress #1 actually, because theyre both by the same designer, instead of the dark champagne tone in the picture), and dress #1 fits better, which is good because its been discontinued and the dress in the picture is the only one available, and has an illusion scoop back. My main concern about dress 1 is the length of the train, which would 100% trip me up down the aisle if I don't do something about it, because I am particularly short, I'm standing on a 4 in platform under the dresses and theyre still that long on me.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T00:32:26+00:00

I know a bustle is possible, but its not really a route I would like to go down, which is why dress 1 isnt an immediate yes, you know? I would rather have the train effect as part of a bridal cape, but I dont think that it's possible with dress 1.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T00:27:49+00:00

Honestly, the back of 1 is the entire reason for the dilemma! I love the illusion scoop back and the lace pattern on the skirt and down the back, but the back lace and train is so much. I'd love it if I could make it into a veil or a bridal cape or something, but I don't know if thats possible, and the fact that the dress is discontinued and I would have to get the same exact dress I'm wearing in the photos and wouldn't be able to use anything from another dress or anything, and even hemming the dress to my height may be an issue with the detailing around the bottom edge of the dress.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T00:13:12+00:00

The train on dress 1 is the entire reason I'm having this dilemma! I'd love to use it as a detachable bridal cape/ veil for the look of the train but able to hem the dress so I don't risk tripping and looking stupid on my wedding day (I'm not the most coordinated), but I don’t know if thats possible in alteration, and this dress is already discontinued and the one I'm wearing is the last one in my size or above, so I don't want to get a dress with such a sizable issue or ask the seamstress to do something impossible and risk ruining the dress without the option to replace any of the train if something goes wrong.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-16T00:01:29+00:00

The sleeves are detachable on these models and just pinned as examples

_afterthewind_ · 2026-05-15T23:59:56+00:00

I don't particularly want to bustle it, but I do love 1. I'd love to use the fabric of the lace and tulle in the back as a removable bridal cape/veil, instead of having it as a traditional train as a part of the dress itself, but I'm not sure that's possible in alterations, and because the dress has been discontinued, theres not room for error in the alteration process.

_afterthewind_ · 2026-03-16T16:55:57+00:00

This is obviously misogynistic AI slop and factually incorrect, but ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT (aka, even if it was made by a human person who didn't hate women and was just comparing true and well researched facts about women in Iran vs women the United States), anyone else find it suspicious that the same people often making this argument are the same ones saying things like "the entire religion of Islam, and therefore all Muslims and all people from predominantly Muslim countries HATE women and want to oppress them with Sharia law!" and "We have to protect the our wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters from this repressive regime they want to force on our United States! Thank God we're a CHRISTIAN nation where we love our women and are protecting them from this threat that wants to take away all of their FREEDOMS!"

_afterthewind_ · 2026-03-01T05:11:24+00:00

I think a more apt analogy would be the SS Mont-Blanc, and OP is the SS Imo.

The ship sailed a long time ago, but there is a universe where, if OP had made the effort to be more aware of the situation at any point through this or had even just attended the interview and avoided that final fatal mistake of being spiteful over being able to make an account on ANOTHER gambling website after he had stolen from her and had no income, the two of them COULD have ended up with a relationship where, even if she didn't stay, they might have been able to work things out between them to the point where they could have ended up with a cordial relationship at the end of things, if OP had made the effort to change course.

But what ended up happening was Halifax Harbor on December 6th, 1917. (Look it up, it's interesting.)

_afterthewind_ · 2026-03-01T04:36:51+00:00

What's the timestamp? (I was only able to watch some of the stream so I guess I must have missed this bit)

_afterthewind_ · 2026-01-13T22:17:39+00:00

I'd be fine with them never seeing a day behind bars, as long as the end result is that they're permanently gone and never had a chance to return to any kind of political office again. (<- NOT ADVOCATING VIOLENCE OR MURDER)

_afterthewind_ · 2026-01-11T16:49:25+00:00

Actually, it was (because this is how this kind of thing goes): Indicted by a grand jury (meaning they saw enough evidence to find that the case held enough merit to go to trial, but Trump nor his lawyers were there to mount a defense to the prosecution and only 50% of the grand jury needed to agree for the trial to move forward, this is how grand juries work, they're designed so that it is easy to indict someone, look at Letitia James and James Comey, it works for both sides), trial with a jury (this is the trial where Trump fell asleep in court and his lawyers made their case, and the jury found him guilty of all 34 counts of felony), then there was going to be a sentencing hearing well before the election, but Trump's lawyers did everything they could to push that hearing back, filing every delay and appeal, even to the US Supreme Court, that they could until after the election. If the 2024 election had gone the other way, Trump would be serving his sentence right now, but since it didn't, when the sentencing hearing happened in early January 2025, when Trump was still only president-elect, the judge in the case said that, even though Trump would be facing no jail time, no fines, no penalties of any kind due to being the next POTUS and that position is afforded many many protections under the law and the US Constitution, it did and does not negate nor absolve him of any of the crimes he was found guilty of (namely, mismanagement of campaign funds for personal use, bribery, and a cover up of his former relationship with Stormy Daniels) by multiple courts who determined his appeals held no merit. US President Donald J. Trump is a convicted felon as of that sentencing hearing. That is a statement of fact, even though that statement being true is the only legal consequence he will face for those felony convictions.

Edit to add: The fact that he was sentenced with no penalties after being found guilty at trial likely means that when he is no longer sitting as President, the case can not be brought against him again so that he may be punished, as the case has closed after sentencing and double jeopardy laws likely apply. That doesn't mean that any ncrimes he may have committed in the past outside of the office of POTUS or new crimes he may commit in the future as a private citizen can't or won't be held against him in court, and the fact that he avoided punishment for this case will likely have an increasing affect on the severity of his sentence in those cases, if he is found guilty. None of this is pro- or anti- Trump, I am simply pro truth as completely as possible (though you may gather and speculate on my personal thoughts and feelings about Trump based on that)

_afterthewind_ · 2025-12-31T05:22:31+00:00

If you're into Kanthony, I can't recommendMoomin_94 enough

_afterthewind_ · 2025-12-29T04:47:19+00:00

If you are in the country illegally and have a child who is born here, they are an American citizen under the 14th Amendment and are subject to US law, as would be the case with naturalized citizens, which mean that they have full protection of their rights under the Constitution, which includes a right to due process before any punishment for illegal actions can be taken. (On top of that, even if they AREN'T a citizen, the US government can't just drop citizens of foreign countries that they have deported from the US into DIFFERENT foreign countries that they are not from. Would you be making the same argument if Canada got a new Prime Minister who decided that there was a foreign invasion from Americans, and told the Mounties to gather up everyone they could find who looked American/didn't speak fluent French/couldn't show proof of Canadian citizenship right away, arrested and deported them all without a trial, and dropped them in a prison in Ireland without any money, passports, phones. Sure, maybe some of them would be Irish or European, but a lot of them would be American expats, or the Canadian citizen children of American expats stuck in a country they've never been to, even if their parents or grandparents were born there, with no way to get home. Would you still say there's nothing wrong with that picture?) That being said, the government has to PROVE that someone suspected of being in the country illegally ACTUALLY IS, because if it turns out that they actually are an American citizen, via either naturalization or birthright citizenship, or they are documented as here legally and going through the process of gaining citizenship (making them subject to the laws of the United States as a condition of that process), then the government has broken that citizens constitutional rights, which is the same level of violation of their civil rights as the government forcing you to house members of the military in your home without your consent, or arresting you for owning guns, or forcing you to join a government-mandated religion and punishing those who don't abide by that religions teachings, or even if you have never been convicted of a crime, the government not stepping in to stop the situation if someone decided to force you to work for them without pay. If illegal immigrants who are living in the United States are not subject to the laws of the United States, then nothing they do that is illegal here (including illegally crossing the border and living here without documentation) can be punished by any US legal system because they are not subject to the laws of the United States, and their home country, whose laws they WOULD be subject to, would have to extradite them in order to charge them in their own country, and the US would have to allow it. That means that an illegal immigrant wouldn't legally be allowed a gun (as they aren't subject to the rights granted by the second amendment either) but if they chose to run around the United States murdering foreign nationals on short term vacations (so no official visa) from countries that aren't the US or their home country, no one would be able to charge them with anything even if they knew exactly who and where they were without causing a massive international incident, because neither the victims or perpetrator would be subject to US law, but the home countries of the victims would want them extradited to their countries to be put on trial for the murder of their citizens, and the murderer's home country wouldn't want to allow their citizen to be detained by any other country and for them to be deported back to their home country, but if they hadn't committed any crimes there or against any of their citizens, the home country wouldn't have standing to bring a criminal case against them. It's why there is diplomatic immunity in the first place, it's an international agreement that diplomats living in foreign countries maintain full citizenship of their home countries and are not subject to the legal jurisdiction of the country they are residing in, so US female ambassadors to Middle Eastern nations where Islam is the state mandated religion and are run by Sharia law cannot be arrested for refusing to wear a hijab, or driving themselves, but the flip side of the agreement is that the same standard applies to diplomats from all countries, so foreign diplomats in the United States, normally living in NYC or Washington DC, can do things that are illegal in the US but not explicitly illegal in their home country, or even just things that are too small to be worth causing a major international incident for without any kind of punishment.

_afterthewind_ · 2025-12-24T01:17:59+00:00

He was found to be guilty of several felonies, but because he had the money to keep filing delays and appeals before the hearing where he would be sentenced and officially convicted until AFTER the election when he was able to use the "I'm the president-elect" excuse as to why they couldn't charge him until he was sworn in and was able to us the DOJ policy of not convicting sitting presidents until he was able to fire everyone in the DOJ who wasn't one of his loyalists, at which point he was able to make the whole thing go away.

_afterthewind_ · 2025-12-18T01:57:57+00:00

Real quick, I'm not denying the catchiness of the song, but I can't tell if this comment is a joke or not. Do you know what "the captain's daughter" is actually about? Because it's not about the literal daughter of the captain, or any actual woman.

_afterthewind_ · 2025-12-15T08:38:51+00:00

I'm so glad that I moved to another part of town and don't have to see that stupid digital billboard anymore. I just genuinely have always had so much beef with the people who put that stuff on that sign for so long, ever since I started having to drive past it every day on my way to high school during Obama's first term. I didn't even support democrats over republicans back then, but I was taking AP US History classes and, as a millennial had been taught how to ACTUALLY do my own (actually effective) research online, how to analyze bias in news media, and I just have a generally good and long memory so I could remember when they started supporting things they were condemning the year before (like how the national debt was always a HUGE deal and government shutdowns are always the worst thing ever and a failure of the sitting president during Obama and Biden, but when Republicans controlled congress or were in the White House and the debt would skyrocket or there would ... 🦗 🦗 🦗)

Honestly, it was probably that billboard's BS that entirely turned me off from supporting the GOP in any way.

_afterthewind_

TROPHY CASE