Actors, makeup artists and stylists take strict precautionary measures

COVID-19 scare continues to cripple day-to-day activities around the world. While the usually-crowded spaces like malls, movie theatres, pubs, exhibitions and summer camps remain shut, for many of those working in the entertainment industry, the show still must go on.
Even as shoot schedules for film and TV shows continue, necessary measures to ensure hygiene and safety on the sets are mandatory.The number of people on the set is more or less like a public gathering — considering the entire cast and crew required for the shoot. In addition to staying equipped with sanitisers, tissues and disposable applicators to keep germs away, the one aspect that requires a certain amount of physical proximity and extra caution has to do with the process of getting the actors and models camera-ready — namely styling and makeup.

“Makeup artistes on the sets usually have their set of brushes and applicators that they use on artistes going in before the camera. Artistes often require regular touch-ups through the day as well, and using the same makeup applicator for all could be dangerous,” points out filmmaker and television producer Shruti Naidu.
Special efforts are being made to ensure that makeup procedures for the actors remain clean. “Additionally, artistes have been asked to bring their personal applicators and products to ensure hygiene. The makeup artistes also wear masks while applying makeup for others, and sanitisers are kept handy for all members of the crew,” she explains.

Independent makeup artists and stylists, too, seem to be leaving no stone unturned as far as maintaining hygiene is concerned. “Given the fact that physical contact is inevitable while doing makeup for someone, it becomes all the more important to maintain hygiene at every stage of the process — be it disinfecting the makeup tools such as the brushes and applicators or wearing a mask while applying makeup,” says Bengaluru-based hairstylist and makeup artist Romi Thokchom.
City salons and parlours are also ensuring that staff members are taking all the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their clients safe. To make sure their clients do not have anything to worry about, salons have also sent across messages that assure their clients of the safety measures in place. “We continue to sterilise work stations and equipment, sanitise ourselves and our guests, using masks, gloves and disposable kits wherever possible. We also have in place thermal screenings and self-declaration forms for guests before they entire our premises,” states a message from Bodycraft, a spa and salon chain in the city.
Further elaborating on precautionary measures, Romi says, “It is advisable to avoid sponges or beauty blenders if you are dealing with multiple clients and do not have the time to fully clean and sanitise each tool. Sponges not only absorb the makeup, but also the individual’s face oil. And with an infectious disease outbreak such as this, it is better to avoid this.”

If you are one among those who prefer to test makeup or lipstick colours before you make a purchase, it is not really a good idea to continue to do so. Bangalore Times visited a couple of makeup and wellness stores around the city to check if the sales personnel in those places were still offering free trials using their testers. And it was found that their first instinct was to generously test colours on customers’ skin right away. It is only after you insist that you do not want a tester to be applied directly on your skin that the sales person follows the required hygiene protocol. They either apply the colours on a sponge that is closest to your skin tone or use the necessary alcohol disinfectant to wipe out the inside and outside cover of the tester before they hand it over to you.

While a lot of the ongoing film productions have taken a week-long break from the sets, complying with the directive for a shutdown in the city, there are a few movie and TV units that have continued to shoot after reducing the overall number of people on the sets.
Actor Vijay Suriya, who is currently shooting for his yet-untitled film based on the IT sector tells us, “I use my own makeup kit on the set. The sponge I use is washed and disinfected each time I use it. Everyone on the set wears a mask now, especially those who come in close contact with others — such as the makeup artist. All precautions are in place; the cast and crew are consistently using sanitisers before they touch equipment
or any other object on the set. Since we are shooting in an IT office, the number of people at the workplace, too, has not been an issue, as most people seem to be working from home here.”