What tips or techniques can you advise to help an actor look younger, aside from suggesting a facelift!  I've heard of devices that can be woven through the hair that attach to the face and neck with adhesive to pull the face taut.  Where do you get them?  Do they work?

There are a number of things you can do - but the most efficient is an item called "lifts" which USED to be made from (as I recall) FISH SKIN and would be made into patches which when tied with strings, could be glued to strategic areas of the face (both sides) and then pulled slightly drawing the loose skin tighter.  Then the strings would be tied off and hidden in the hair.  The piece could then be covered with makeup.

Today you could do the same thing using a really fine flesh colored netting - similar to what is used to hand-knot quality hair pieces of various kinds.  When glued down, it almost disappears anyway, and then covering with makeup will help hide them further.  What you do it take a small piece, fold it over leaving enough to glue down BUT you place a piece of string or elastic cord (or you could use silk thread - very strong, very thin) - place the string whatever INTO the fold of the netting.  THEN leave enough to reach the top of the head or back of neck - wherever you need to tie it off.  THEN simply tug on the string or thread and draw the skin tight until you get it as tight as it needs to be for whatever you're trying to achieve.  Tie it off, makeup over the netting where it's glued on, hide the string with the hair.

Beyond that making someone with sufficiently sagging skin look younger is difficult and......if the new Adam Sandler movie CLICK is any evidence - the only thing is EXPERT AGE DEFYING SILICONE GEL FILLED APPLIANCE PROSTHETICS.  CAN be done but the $$ is way too much and it take hours to apply.  Nothing else to do with older faces sadly - beyond hiding as many wrinkles, creases and sags with highlights and shadows.  But that's usually only good face front - head-on to the audience.  Turn sideways and three dimensions will ruin that effect.

Good luck

 

The netting is actually WIG LACE and can be purchased from any credible wig maker or wig store (usually) or online from wig suppliers.  OR you can also get it from Alcone in Long Island City in New York, from any reputable makeup supply company (special effects supply companies like Burman in CA, Special Effects Supply in Idaho I believe carries it also and many other places).  There are several grades of wig lace from very fine to medium.  And what that means is that the lace has smaller or tighter netting as opposed to something much more coarse.  You might do well with a medium net for strength. As well you can try fabric stores for toule (I think it's called) or a variety of netting laces there.

I recommend gluing it on with a prosthetic grade adhesive like Telesis from Premiere Products, Inc. (available again and any good special effects makeup supplier such as Monster Makers, FX Warehouse in Orlando, FL or direct from Premiere Products).  You COULD TRY good old spirit gum but sweating might make that not hold as well where the other most certainly will.  Removal of Telesis is with Super Solv - their universal makeup and adhesive remover.

Hope that helps.

TonyDi

THANKS KATHY I remember that now that you mention it.  It lasts all of about 5 seconds if that much and does indicate the technique precisely as it is to be done.  THANKS for pointing that out.  Great catch...and I LOVE that movie - just forgot that was in there.  Super.

TonyDi

I found Corson's book on Amazon.com, but while it looks like a great book, it's very pricey.  A used one starts at $85.00.  Does anyone have a used one for less that I could buy?