If you like wearing makeup, you may wonder if it’s safe to wear makeup when playing the piccolo. You shouldn’t have to give up looking your best.
While you can wear makeup during rehearsals and performances, it’s not always the best idea. Be sure to consider the pros and cons and how to wear makeup without hurting your skin or your piccolo.
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Why Wear Makeup When Playing the Piccolo
Many players like to wear makeup when playing the piccolo. Even if you don’t wear makeup every day, there are a few reasons why you may want to put some on, such as for a big performance.
Here are a few benefits of wearing makeup the next time you play your piccolo.
Feel More Confident
I don’t know about you, but I very frequently get pimples, even as an adult. It sucks, and it can make you feel a lot less confident to go out on stage with a face full of acne.
Wearing makeup allows you to conceal any blemishes so that they don’t show up in pictures. You can also use makeup to express yourself, especially if you like to use products like eyeshadow since you can choose from different colors.
If you’re ever not feeling as confident as you’d like, consider putting some makeup on. Then, you may be able to give a better performance as a piccolo player.
Because You Want To
You don’t have to have a reason to wear makeup when playing the piccolo. If you’re someone who loves wearing cosmetics, doing your makeup may be part of your regular routine.
Don’t worry about switching up your day if you have a rehearsal or performance. You can safely wear at least some makeup products when playing music.
While you may not want to do a full face, you can still wear something. Then, you can go about your day as normal without having to apply makeup after your practice session.
You’re Already Wearing It
Maybe you have a long day of rehearsals, lessons, and other events. If you already have makeup on, there’s no reason to remove it for the hour or two that you need to play the piccolo.
Then, you won’t have to apply makeup again after the rehearsal, so you can save time. As long as your makeup has already dried into your skin, it should be safe to wear it when you put your piccolo against your lip.
Why Not Wear Makeup When Playing the Piccolo
While you can wear makeup when playing the piccolo, it may not always be a good idea to do so. Before you break out your cosmetics bag, consider a few downsides of wearing makeup.
Then, you can decide if the risks are worth the benefits.
Makeup Can Smudge
One of the biggest problems that comes with wearing makeup is that it can smudge. This is particularly true of liquid products, especially before they have time to dry completely.
So if you don’t have much time to wait after doing your makeup, you may want to skip it. Then, you can play your piccolo without the makeup getting on your instrument or smudging all over your face.
Of course, you can also look for products that won’t smudge as easily. But it can take time to figure out what those are and which brands work best for you.
The Dreaded Flute Chin
A couple of weeks ago, I wore some BB cream during flute choir rehearsal because I had a few pimples, and we were going to take group pictures after practicing. But before those pictures happened, I had to rub off the black spot under my chin.
Yep, the dreaded flute chin is real, and it can be especially problematic if you have a silver headjoint. If you wear makeup on your chin, the chemicals in the makeup can interact with the metal and turn your skin black.
You can easily clean off the area, but that can also remove the makeup. Sure, this doesn’t affect all of your face, but it’s weird, and it can be disconcerting the first time it happens to you.
Possible Lip Restriction
Another drawback that may be more mental than physical is that wearing makeup could restrict your lips a bit. I don’t ever wear lipstick because when I have in the past, I felt like my lips couldn’t move that much.
And when you’re playing the piccolo, your lips need to be super flexible to help you play the entire range. Sure, some lip products are more flexible, like lip gloss or balm.
But if you find that you can’t do much with your lips when wearing certain products, save them for when you aren’t playing flute or piccolo. Look for alternatives that are safe to use during a rehearsal or performance.
How to Wear Makeup When Playing the Piccolo
If you want to wear cosmetics when playing your instrument, you can do so. But you need to keep a few things in mind so that you don’t damage your instrument or cause other problems for your skin.
Here are some top tips you can try whether you’re new to makeup or have worn it for years.
Apply the Makeup Early
Especially when it comes to lip and chin products, apply the makeup as far in advance of a rehearsal or performance as possible. That will give you more time to let the makeup dry before you have to place your piccolo against your lip.
And when your makeup is dry, you won’t have to worry as much about it smudging or transferring onto your piccolo. Ideally, I’d put the makeup on an hour or so before I have to play or even earlier in the day.
But you may need to eat a little something before you play. Eating can also cause makeup to smudge, so you may want to eat a little earlier so that you can eat without wearing makeup, and you can let the makeup dry before your performance.
Keep the Lips and Chin Clear
Another option is to wear makeup only on the upper half of your face. You can use products like mascara, eye shadow, and eye liner since those only go around your eyes.
On your cheeks, you could apply blush or highlighter. And you can apply concealer to any blemishes you have above your lips, but try not to do so below your lips.
If you do this, make sure you blend the product so that it looks natural. Then, you won’t have a harsh line that makes it obvious where you are or aren’t wearing makeup.
Experiment With Brands and Formulas
You may also want to try different brands and products to see what works best for you. Not all makeup products contain the same chemicals, so while one product causes flute lip, another might not.
I’d start by trying natural brands and high-end products. Yes, they’re more expensive, but they can be well worth the investment, and you don’t have to use them all of the time.
You can wear more affordable products during your normal day. Then, you can switch to the other stuff for your next concert so that you don’t run out of the expensive products super quickly.
Match Your Outfit
The nice thing about many colorful cosmetics is that they won’t get in the way of you playing the piccolo. So if you want to get creative with your makeup, find some eyeshadow in colors that match what you’re wearing.
This is a great option if you want to wear makeup to feel more confident. You can also choose colors that match your skin complexion to look as good as you want to feel.
Avoid Touchups
So, you did your makeup in the morning, and it’s dried and now looks amazing. If possible, avoid touchups because you’ll have to let those dry before playing the piccolo.
That also means you should do your best to avoid needing to do touchups. If you want to wear lip products, drink from a straw to keep the makeup from getting on a glass, for example.
Why Is My Chin Black After Playing Flute or Piccolo?
If you wear makeup when playing the piccolo or flute, your chin can turn black. This happens when the chemicals in your makeup react with the silver of your headjoint.
The reaction can also happen if you don’t clean the lip plate after you finish playing. Any chemicals can stay on it, and they can transfer to your skin the next time you play and thus cause a black spot on your chin.
Final Thoughts
You can wear makeup when playing the piccolo, but that doesn’t mean you should. And if you do want to give it a try, you should test different brands to find the right products for you.
To help you play the piccolo (with or without makeup on), review our piccolo fingering chart.