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Fact Sheet
* Pricing information was current as of the date indicated above, but may have changed since then. Please contact the video producer for the most current pricing information.
DescriptionThis video comes packaged with a 33-page companion book at no additional cost. When buying a copy for yourself, verify that you'll be receiving both the book and video. If you're being offered the video only (which should happen only when you're buying a used copy, because new copies should always come with the book), you're receiving only part of the package Meleah intended for you to have and I'd encourage you to either shop elsewhere or negotiate a lower price accordingly. This is an instructional video on stage makeup particularly aimed at the needs of belly dancers. Meleah, the instructor, is a professional makeup artist, a performing belly dancer, and a model, so she is very experienced in working with makeup on a wide variety of faces and situations. She also understands the unique challenges of belly dancers, such as the need for the makeup to look good from different distances, and the need to keep makeup looking fresh all evening across multiple performances. Throughout the video, the lighting is excellent for the instructional parts, and acceptable-to-good for the sections where Meleah is performing. For the most part, the camera work is quite good, showing me what I want to see when I want to see it, but there are a few places I find frustrating because the camera shows me a closeup of the model's face when Meleah is talking about what her hands are doing. The video opens with brief clips of Meleah performing, with abrupt stops at the end of each. I find this section to be rather jarring, and I think fading the sound at the end of each clip could have improved it. Next Meleah introduces what the video will cover with about 3 minutes of opening remarks. The real meat of the video then begins: the instruction in how to apply makeup. Throughout this section, Meleah applies makeup to five different models, to demonstrate how different facial features require different techniques. It's about an hour and 40 minutes in length, as follows:
When this section is finished, Meleah then reviews the techniques just taught by doing her own makeup and discussing each step as she does it. She adds a few new tips that aren't covered in the earlier section, such as how to achieve a poutier look for the lips. The "how to apply makeup" section of the video closes with before and after shots of each of Meleah's models. First the camera shows half the face before makeup, then half after. I would have preferred that both be shown at the same time using a split-screen effect to make it easier for me to compare the two, but I still find it useful. The next section is sure to be valuable even to belly dancers who already know how to apply makeup skillfully: how to touch up the makeup after the first show of the evening, so that it will remain fresh-looking for a later show. The camera follows Meleah into her dressing room as she comes offstage, and I smiled to see the narrow little closet that so many of us are used to using at restaurants! She explains how fragile the makeup is when you've been perspiring, and shows how to care for it. This section lasts about 9 minutes. The video closes with a 10-minute section in which Meleah showcases the line of makeup she designed to meet her own needs as a dancer. Although it's really an advertisement for products that she hopes you'll buy, I didn't mind because it can be very expensive to produce a video of this high quality, and it seems only fair to allow a little time for promoting products that are relevant to the theme of the video. Additionally, the low price-per-minute for the instructional section means that you're getting a good value for the money in spite of the time allowed for advertising. Meleah handles this promotional section well, showing the different brushes and types of makeup that are available from her and discussing the purpose of each.
Is It Right for You?
You Will Probably Enjoy This Video If
This Video Probably Isn't Right for You If
What I Liked, What I Didn't
What I Liked:
What I Didn't Like:
In ConclusionIf you're not a professional makeup artist yourself, this video is well worth watching. I've been doing my own stage makeup for many years, and I still learned several important things the first time I watched it. As a belly dance teacher, I also find Meleah's tips for handling varied facial features useful because it enables me to give better makeup coaching to my students whose facial features have different issues from my own.
DisclosureI originally met Meleah in 1997 at one of Delilah's retreats. During a rest period, she was offering free individual makeup lessons to those of us who were interested, and I embraced the opportunity. I found the instruction so useful that I purchased a copy of the video to help me remember what I learned once I got home. I also purchased several of Meleah's makeup products, and have found that they work well for me.
Where to Get It
Contact InformationMeleah Phone: (+1) 877-378-7945, (+1) (619) 280-8424 if local San
Diego or if calling from outside U.S.
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