Go to the Masquerade Prom Without a Mask

Face Painting by Jinny Houle with Paradise Makeup AQ by Mehron

The History of the Masquerade Ball can be traced back as far as the 15th Century Italian Renaissance. The "first" Masquerade Balls were actually public festivals that were predominately popular in Venice. These public "Masquerade Balls" were the forerunners of Carnival Celebrations. In the 15th Century, the Venetian Aristocracy favored the Masquerade Ball for all sorts of lavish celebrations including weddings. Masquerade Balls began with simple black masks on sticks that the guests held in front of their faces at various times throughout the evening. As the Masquerade Ball became the domain of the Aristocracy, the Masquerade Mask became more and more elaborate. Masquerade Masks became a status symbol, they became more colorful, decorated with feathers, jewels, gold and silver. The Venetian Masquerade Mask became another way for the upper class to display their wealth, no cost was spared in designing the Masquerade Mask. What began as a simple black mask became ornate masterpieces that were too heavy and cumbersome to hold on a stick. The popularity of the Masquerade Ball swept through all of Europe by the 17th and 18th Centuries even making it to Colonial America.

Masquerade Balls became the setting for Operas, Gustave III an Opera by Daniel Auber and Eugene Scribe tells the story of the assassination of Gustav III of Sweden by a disgruntled nobleman. In literature, The Edgar Allan Poe short story, The Mask of the Red Death, is set at a Masquerade Ball with the inevitable Poe turn of events. The Mask of the Red Death was eventually adapted into film in 1964 starring the master actor Vincent Price. The German Author Hermann Hesse also includes the Masquerade Ball in his epic novel, Steppenwolf.

Masquerade Balls have never disappeared but the popularity of the Ball faded in the nineteenth Century. In the 1990's in North America the Masquerade Ball saw a resurgence. Masquerade Balls are again gaining in popularity to celebrate Weddings. in the last couple of years the Masquerade Ball has become the theme of hundreds of Proms. Most Prom goers don't have thousands of dollars to purchase a Venetian Style Masquerade Mask, there is a modern alternative

With Professional Face Painting Makeup, Prom goers can recreate the elaborate Venetian Masquerade Ball Mask. Paradise Makeup AQ by Mehron, the water activated cake makeup that can be applied with a brush along with Paradise Makeup Detailz and AdGem are the tools you need to create an individually artistic Masquerade Mask. AdGem is a face a body adhesive that will allow you to incorporate jewels, gold and silver into your Face Painted Prom Mask just like the Venetian Aristocracy did in the 16th Century. The designs that Masquerade Prom goers can create as their mask with Professional Face Painting Makeup is endless. For a Professional Face Painted Masquerade Prom Mask, Freelance Face Painting Makeup Artists can be found almost anywhere. If you choose a local Face Painting Artist be sure they are using the Professional Face Painting Makeup by Mehron, that is manufactured in the USA, free from animal testing and has a foundation in long lasting, highly pigmented Professional Theatrical Makeup so your Masquerade Prom Mask will last throughout the evening without running, cracking or peeling. Don't trust your Prom Night to anything less than the Mehron Face and Body Painting Makeup, the Professional Face and Body Painting Makeup that Professional Face and Body Painting Makeup Artists choose for their important assignments.