Theatrical Makeup Design
About My Work
Siobhan has designed hair and makeup for six theatrical productions as of May 2025 along with several theoretical projects. Learn more about her approach to design
Beginnings
Siobhan first found a use for her makeup addiction by helping her friends design and apply their stage makeup for productions at Infinity Arts Academy, designing looks for characters in RENT, Les Miserables, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Urinetown and Matilda.
In her first year of college, she designed all of the hair and makeup for North Central's virtual production of Little Women the Musical as her first foray into makeup design for digital media.
Having studied stage makeup under Colleen O’Connor, Janet Hopkins and Julane Sullivan, Siobhan has developed exceptional skills in design and application. She is equally confident designing for intimate thrust spaces and large prosceniums. She has gained more and more confidence with simple prosthetics and blood effects.
Design Highlights
One of Siobhan’s favorite design projects was the hair and makeup for the world premiere production of Maddie Dennis-Yates’ play this is not the reunion. In collaboration with director Chris Talia, Siobhan designed a diverse set of beauty makeup looks to reflect each of the women that populate this camp nostalgia story. She also got to design the mysterious entity, Drowned Girl. With the help of hair assistant Mikayla Moore, Siobhan took about an hour every night to transform actor Riley Knoop into a blue-green ghost. Siobhan also assisted costume designer Clare Salazar by dying and distressing a nude bodysuit to match Drowned Girl’s deteriorating skin.
Approach
Makeup is such a powerful tool in how a character is revealed to the audience, so Siobhan takes her work as a designer very seriously. She is also incredibly diligent when it comes to sanitation practices.
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Siobhan is passionate about making makeup accessible to people of all sizes, colors, ages and abilities and has a kit equipt to take on anyone.
Styling
Siobhan is also passionate about historical styling and has spent countless hours researching in order to create realistic wigs and makeup looks. She applied some of this work on productions like Orlando (2024), and through her Theoretical designs for shows like The Phantom of the Opera. Siobhan loves wig and hairstyling, which you can learn more about under Hair and Wig Styling.
Cosmetics and Sanitation
In her spare time, Siobhan is an avid makeup collector and stays very up to date on trends in beauty, which has served her well in designing contemporary shows. Favorite brands include Prados, MakeupAMurder, About Face, Half Magic, Vieve, One/Size, Nomad, Glamlite, Rephr Brushes, Blend Bunny, Lethal and Sigma Beauty.
Siobhan takes hygiene very seriously. She hand washes her brushes regularly and cleans them daily with Parian Spirit Brush cleaner. She is also constantly using 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to sanitize her palettes.