How To Look Like a Rockette (No Kicks Required)

Photo: Getty Images

The life of a Rockette may be glamorous and prestigious, but it certainly isn’t always easy. Being part of the world’s premier precision-dance troupe involves developing strength, mastering self-discipline, and—perhaps surprisingly—owning some serious beauty skills.

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That’s because, as People StyleWatch reports, each Rockette is responsible for doing her own hair and makeup for performances. With up to five 90-minute shows a day, that means the dancers have to create stage-ready looks that last through hours of dancing. Tools in their beauty arsenal include false lashes, waterproof mascara, long-wear foundation, MAC lipstick in Russian Red, and (we’re assuming) seriously high-hold hairspray.

Photo: Courtesy of Pond’s

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The downside to wearing the necessary stage “face” is that it has to all come off, every last bit. “It’s so important to wash up after wearing all that makeup and performing multiple times a day,” Rockette Jeanne Logan Cargill told People StyleWatch. The troupe has partnered with Pond’s this season, using the brand’s Cold Cream Cleanser to lift away every last trace of makeup. No, the dancers’ primping routine might not be as well-known as their kicks, but it’s just as much a part of the famous razzle-dazzle. 

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Photo: Courtesy of Pond’s