There are a number of things you can do - but the most efficient is an item called "lifts" which USED to be made from (as I recall) FISH SKIN and would be made into patches which when tied with strings, could be glued to strategic areas of the face (both sides) and then pulled slightly drawing the loose skin tighter.  Then the strings would be tied off and hidden in the hair.  The piece could then be covered with makeup.

Today you could do the same thing using a really fine flesh colored netting - similar to what is used to hand-knot quality hair pieces of various kinds.  When glued down, it almost disappears anyway, and then covering with makeup will help hide them further.  What you do it take a small piece, fold it over leaving enough to glue down BUT you place a piece of string or elastic cord (or you could use silk thread - very strong, very thin) - place the string whatever INTO the fold of the netting.  THEN leave enough to reach the top of the head or back of neck - wherever you need to tie it off.  THEN simply tug on the string or thread and draw the skin tight until you get it as tight as it needs to be for whatever you're trying to achieve.  Tie it off, makeup over the netting where it's glued on, hide the string with the hair.

Beyond that making someone with sufficiently sagging skin look younger is difficult and......if the new Adam Sandler movie CLICK is any evidence - the only thing is EXPERT AGE DEFYING SILICONE GEL FILLED APPLIANCE PROSTHETICS.  CAN be done but the $$ is way too much and it take hours to apply.  Nothing else to do with older faces sadly - beyond hiding as many wrinkles, creases and sags with highlights and shadows.  But that's usually only good face front - head-on to the audience.  Turn sideways and three dimensions will ruin that effect.

Good luck

ToniDi:

Where do I find flesh colored netting?  Can it be ordered?  What type of glue is used?  Stage makeup is not my expertise, so I don't know a lot about where to find what or how to use it to get desired effects.  Your help is greatly appreciated.

We're considering doing I Do! I Do where the actors have to go from young to old.  Since the actors are in their fifties, this tip will be very helpful.

The netting is actually WIG LACE and can be purchased from any credible wig maker or wig store (usually) or online from wig suppliers.  OR you can also get it from Alcone in Long Island City in New York, from any reputable makeup supply company (special effects supply companies like Burman in CA, Special Effects Supply in Idaho I believe carries it also and many other places).  There are several grades of wig lace from very fine to medium.  And what that means is that the lace has smaller or tighter netting as opposed to something much more coarse.  You might do well with a medium net for strength. As well you can try fabric stores for toule (I think it's called) or a variety of netting laces there.

I recommend gluing it on with a prosthetic grade adhesive like Telesis from Premiere Products, Inc. (available again and any good special effects makeup supplier such as Monster Makers, FX Warehouse in Orlando, FL or direct from Premiere Products).  You COULD TRY good old spirit gum but sweating might make that not hold as well where the other most certainly will.  Removal of Telesis is with Super Solv - their universal makeup and adhesive remover.

Hope that helps.

TonyDi

If you pick up a copy of the movie, "Mrs. Doubtfire" there is a scene where Harvey Fierstien demonstrates this technique (briefly) while he makes Robin Williams up.  It probably won't be that educational but it sure is funny!

THANKS KATHY I remember that now that you mention it.  It lasts all of about 5 seconds if that much and does indicate the technique precisely as it is to be done.  THANKS for pointing that out.  Great catch...and I LOVE that movie - just forgot that was in there.  Super.

TonyDi

I used to have a couple extras but have PASSED them off to other deserving people over the years.  I now have ALL 9 editions (I like to collect books) from 1st edition to the 9th (and last I guess since Corson is now deceased).  BUT ANY edition is great.  I suggest you try a used book dealer online - just Google USED BOOKS and there should be several.  I found many of the back editions from ALIBRIS.COM online and the prices were INCREDIBLY LOW for most of them.  Who would have thought I could buy a FIRST EDITION for (I think) it was around $45 bucks.  The 9th I got from an associate for $75 bucks because they weren't using it and could use the money.  NEW it's about $95 - $110 bucks.  STILL in MY book it's worth that for the amount of information. BUT IT IS that price because it's a college course book and we all know books in college are ridiculous.  But check with ALIBRIS.COM and you're likely to find many editions there.  Anything from about the 4th or 5th on up is fine and will contain more than you could get to in a year's time.  Good luck, I hope you can find on inexpensively.

Tony

There's a bunch of old editions (4th or so) listed on Abe Books for really cheap.  Really, really cheap. (There are also some that are really, really expensive!) Go here:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=corson&y=0&tn=stage+makeup&x=0 - http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=c orson&y=0&tn=stage+makeup&x=0

HOLY COW!!! WHAT a price differential - when you go from $1.00 for the book to $312.48 (WHAT WAS that bookstore thinking) - well it's time to get a copy.  4th edition for $1.00??  BY ALL MEANS - buy something.  WELL worth the buck plus shipping.  BUT $312.48 for a 9th edition - the latest and newest that you can STILL buy brand new anywhere for around $100 - they must be insane.  Either that or their customers are totally gullible or nuts one of the two.  Everyone should have Corson's - it IS the best there is out there at the moment.

Tony B

Thanks!  I couldn't believe how many copies there were and how cheap!  Thanks so much!

Originally posted by red diva Hey, TonyDi, I just thought of something.  Is there any way you can adapt that mesh chin-strap idea to real life?  I'm now within spitting distance of 60 (I can't believe I've admitted that) and am starting to need a little help! Can't afford to have any work done! Ooo, ooo!  I just noticed: this posting puts me over the top!  Now I'm a CELEBRITY!

Hey Red Diva,

Well the truthful answer is YES IT CAN BUT it all depends upon how adept you are at hiding any of the so-called "lifts" which do the job.  There are products you can use that will hide anything - such as Michael Davy's Watermelon which is an acrylic based medium that you could brush on a piece of glass (few layers) or anything smooth, allow it to dry, powder it, remove it, GLUE IT OVER any lift you have created and applied, and blend it off into the skin with alcohol.  Then apply makeup over that.  It's a long drawn-out process but certainly it can work.  There are many other products on the market as well that will temporarily tighten the skin for a time and help eliminate some lines, wrinkles and so forth.  But to actually draw loose skin tight, some sort of lift would be required.  Then as I said, if you can hide any lift you create and apply, then most certainly it will look ok (depending upon your makeup capabilities).  It's a process that would take a while to apply and get right the way you might want it, but of course, it's doable for any situation - not just stage.

Further there are some real amazing exercises you can do that will tighten things up rather quickly.  The muscles in the face are few and require the same flexing and exercise that any muscle would to be tight and toned.  YOU CAN do that with the face. And while the exercises take a real devotion to time and committment to regimen, they can work wonders to get your face toned up, sagging skin reduced (depending upon your weight and bone structure), and overall a younger look. Here again, I look at my own nearly 60 year old face in the mirror every morning and while I have a bit of weight, I fear losing it because I think my face with sag severely if I do.  Being a bit round faced helps elminiate a lot of wrinkles and sagging skin that I think would occur if I were to be thinner.  BUT THEN, I could do facial exercises and accomplish keeping those muscles toned and in shape as well.  It's all about time to do that.

Anyway, if you need a chin lift of course you can use the makeup techniques BUT you must be able to hide them so much better than for stage.

Have fun and good luck

Tony