Wearing Make-up In Kendo

[KiraCastle]

I have actually found myself coming straight from work with make-up on to kendo. By the end of training all has worn off from. I do not think there is much choice when it comes to make-up that will last through training. Although, I have used a "spot concealer" which looks something like this: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thin...l&tid=11423453 and it seemed to last a while longer.

But as most people say, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! hehe ^^

[UnimportantHero]

MAC liquid eyeliner will not run even with sweat. Water and steam will not even remove it unless you scrub and scrub hard. Which I suppose is the point, and it will stay on for days. But all the other eye makeups they have will still run, like the eyeshadows and so on. Soooo not much point there.

[daks]

I wear just a little bit of foundation (the stick one, I keep in my car) just to cover the red pimples if I have any - because being comfortable and confident makes a lot of difference. But seriously don't go overboard with the make up - I just use the smallest amount to lessen the redness

[Azyjka]

Actually I also used to wear some make-up during keiko. But when I get sweaty my white sleeves and basically most of my white gi parts get beige and that is not good! so I just decided to forget about make up. Besides... come on! we train to get better at kendo, to fight, to cross the boarders, not to look pretty!!!!!!

[alta]

I wear make-up during the day and don't take it off before practice. I sweat like a crazy person but it holds up relatively well. If you want to know specifically what I'm using, let me know and I'll PM you. (This thread is really old so maybe by now you've figured out your issues...)

It may seem silly, but I do sometimes touch up my make-up before I go to practice. For me, my body is part of my equipment. Just as I like my bogu and hakama to be neat and tidy- I like my face and body to be neat. I think we all have different perceptions of what "neat" is. For some of us it may not involve any make-up whatsoever, for others it does. (Of course, there's a difference between looking neat and looking like you're ready for the prom. But it didn't seem the poster was worried about how to keep her false eyelashes on.) I have no qualms walking around looking like a shlub, so for me, taking the effort to look put together for practice is a way of showing respect. I'm still quite new to all of this, so my approach may change over time... but, for now, this works for me.

[Evelien]

Very old thread, but it may help some others or you if you still haven't found a solution.

I used to wear makeup to Kendo as well when I first started out, out of self-consciousness. But try to get over it, you don't need makeup to be beautiful =)
I see a lot of people saying it's a distraction of kendo, but I think that when you're very self-conscious, NOT having makeup on can be more of a distraction.

If you do want to wear makeup, I suggest using a tinted moisturizer. They don't rub off as easily because they act, as the word says, as a moisturizer.
Don't use any powders, they will clog your pores while sweating.
If you really want to put something on your eyes, use a liquid eyeliner only, no mascara or pencil, those will rub off easily.
A cream blush may be helpful to give your face some colour but IMO my face gets red enough while practicing
If you really want to have a made-up face you can always use a non-coloured chapstick as well, because that lightens up the face too. "Combing" your eyebrows into place may make a big difference as well ^^"

If something does get on your clothes, use a plain bar of soap on the stain before washing it. I have a white Gi and back when I used to wear makeup to practice, that always helped.

But as I said, try to find the courage to get over the thought of having to wear makeup to practice. It's just a click you have to make in your head, and you can do it