Theatrical makeup is the practice of painting, enhancing, or altering the face, hair,and body of the actor with cosmetics, plastic materials, and other substances, it is also the collective term for the materials used in making up.

Stage makeup is often used to create visual stereotypes or clichés that will be readily understood by the audience. Stage makeup is usually much more colorful and graphic than ordinary cosmetic makeup to make expressions visible to the audience from moderate distances.