I am in Miami and here it is real hot, do any of you have any sweating problems?, I use a clown/ringmaster/magicians custome, but even if I'm working indoors, or even if I didn't have on the coat, I think my sweat wont stop- there has been times when I'm performing and in my mind in thinking "They are just looking at the sweat dripping down my face" and I have confimred this by in a couple of instances some kids have said to me "ohh you are sweating!!!!" or "Yucky!!!, you are sweating a lot"

Has anyone gone through something similar?

What about the make up - I cant put any on due to this

No matter what you do, you can't beat Mother Nature!

Step one is to stay in shape. Performing is a strenuous physical activity enhanced by adrenalin. The better shape you're in, the less you should sweat.

Step two is to acknowledge that Mama Nature is gonna hit you with everything she has...so dress accordingly. I have officially retired my clown character from April through October within the Carolinas. My Happy Dan the Magic Man character dresses in a black vest, black pants, black felt derby and long sleeve tux shirt. For the summer months I've changed to a beige straw derby, khaki unlined cotton vest & pants and a white cotton shirt with tie and rolled up sleeves. FAR more accomodating during the hot summer months. I've also ordered an "invisible" Cool Vest that will maintain my exterior body temp at 67 degrees...I'm just hoping it doesn't make me look fat! Still, if it does...ya pay the price for the life ya choose!

Step three is control your environment as much as humanly possible. Try to avoid outdoor events and those you can't avoid...control. During the hottest months of July and August I refuse to perform at pool parties simply because the concrete and water surfaces combined with the stepped-up humidity raise the ambient temperature...and I suffer!! For me to appear at a pool party, they must have an enclosed, air conditioned pool house and agree to allow me to remain there. I'll perform at fesitvals, but I limit my shows to 30 minutes on stage with a 30-minute break in between where I can escape to an air conditioned break area. You're working many times harder than the spectator who is simply walking up and down a street. You need these breaks! Same for roaming magic...30-minutes outdoors and 30-minutes indoors. No exceptions. To date...no problems with my clients on these issues. I also never work in the sun on hot days. If the client can't provide the shaded area, then my EZ-Up tent is never farther away than my van.

Step four...people sweat when it's hot or they're active. You're people. Keep a sweat towel handy so ya don't sweat on the little anklebiters. I happen to have a HUGE white fluffy bath towel that has the White House logo embroidered on it [Bill was having a yard sale] that I use...always gets a laugh. Then make a joke of it. "I'm sweating? Oh thank goodness! [Point to hat] I thought my rabbit had left his bath running again!!" "I thought it was raining and I'd forgotten m' brolly!" "I thought I was melting! Er...I'm not melting, am I?" "It's my Niagara Falls impression! Do y'like it?"

Step five...Control that odor!!! Before any show I use a good deodorant shower gel and after shower body spray and talc. I also use a strong sports deodorant and antiperspirant. Then, if I sweat as least I'm radiating a far more pleasing aroma than some I've met. Phewwww!

When ya can't change something...find a way to make it work in your favor.

Skip Way I extremely appreciate all your response, its people like you that should be an example to all magicians, I honor your advise and appreciate that you pass it down without holding back anything, you just straight out told me what works for you, this is the reason why I'm really strating to love this Magic Café(new here; and also along with my wife =new to perfoming for live audience- about two years now )

I do carry a towel as oppsed to the handkerchief that got soaked in my firs wipe off before- so yes towel is a life saver- like you mentioned I actually have been exercising for the past 3 months to get in shape due to this- but still only lost 10 pounds hahah- I'm 230, 5'11, 28 years old- need to bet at 200 at least, so with your possitive reinforcement of "you need staty in shape" I will once again hit the park to go joggin and push ups- I really need to loose my execss weight and once again thanks for reminding me.

the tent idea is great, I had been thinking about it, now I will definetely get one
and wont use it so the kids can be under the shade, this will be for the Magician
if the parents don't have a place with shade on hot days.

I had planed of changing my costume, its just that since I got so used to it, and I had designed it and like it, but I need to have diferent ones for different times of the year, well here in Miami , hot most of the time- so need a cooler one
and "an "invisible" Cool Vest that will maintain my exterior body temp at 67 degrees" WOW I did not know this existed! where can I get something like these?

in reference to the odor- yes that is a must for me- always shower right before , use deodorant and tank top underneath- very important for me!!

and your funny responses to kids sweating remarks are priceless!!!

its a relive to hear your comments, helps me when I know other go through similar scenerios

thanks a million

Jaime

Jaime, thanks for the kind words. It's a pleasure to share with like minded peers.

Another Magic Café member (Andrew Barber...Thanks, Andrew!) turned me on to the idea of an under-the-costume Cool Vest. I've just ordered one with extra cooling packs. I'll let you know how well it works once I've put it through it's paces. The website is http://www.texascoolvest.com/cvl.html . It looks a lot like the personal body armor I wore as a cop...so it adds a couple of inches to your body girth. This shouldn't be a problem with most clown costumes, though!

I often work with Wool E. Bull, the mascot for the Durham Bulls AAA Baseball Team, and he SWEARS by his cold vest!!! He spends hours locked inside that costume with very high energy routines and antics. If it's good enough for him...it's perfect for me.

Still, you may want a summer costume that is lightweight single ply breathable cotton in light colors. My own summer costume actually has three loose cotton layers (Under garments, Shirt and Vest). The loser layers allowed the costume to breath and the evaporating sweat actually kept me cooler...but I had be very careful about keeping hydrated. Now that I'm 53, I'm finding the heat harder and harder to bear for long periods.

Keep cool, Jaime!!

Skip

Thanks again Sip Way, I defenetely have to loose the weight befoer I get one of those vests- haha. I will try and post my picture with the costume -in here once I figure out how to reduce it to 15K !! I have only been able to bring the pic down to like 54K even cutting it the most I can so ....but still can get to 15K

let me know how it works out with the vest

Jaime

If you are in Miami you are going to sweat considering the humidity. I lived in North Florida/South Georgia and we would sweat in the shower, horrible stuff. Good luck.
Steve V

Try proknows brand no sweat. It applies to the skin and will stop your face from sweating. won't stop what comes from the hat line, but it will keep you face from dripping.

Wow Scruffy where can I get this??

Pro Knows "No Sweat" should be available anywhere clown make-up products are sold. I have used it, and still do occasionally, but don't expect it to do miracles.

One thing to consider is the hair. The more your head can 'breathe' the cooler you will stay. A clown wig holds in the body temp and will make you sweat more. Your hair can make a difference also. The less you have, the cooler you will stay.

Try to stay cool!!!!

Regan

You should be able to order it from any Mehron makeup dealer. also try this http://www.proknows.com. The makeup line is called proface. If you wear a wig, then you shoul wear a skull cap.Like this.
http://mooseburger.com/onlinestore/index......;cat=10A skull cap will help to keep the sweat out of your makeup and off you face. I do not wear a wig but do wear a hat. Still does a great job though.

I have a shaved head- no hair- but wear a colorful costume and a hat- no makeup, I cant take off the hat while doing the shows cause I feel would take the character out- but the sweat drips down from there I think- would it be smart to wear a skull cap underneath the hat??

Jarana...this is gonna sound a bit odd but it's been working for me. The Cool Vest I ordered is on backorder. Should receive it this week. In the meantime, I recently hot glued four Velcro pads into the crown of my derby. I bought a reusable therapeutic chill pack from the drug store. These don't freeze like the gel ice packs and they maintain a steadier level of coolness. I attached self-stick Velcro to the back of the cool pack. I carry the cool pack in a small vinyl chill bag between two frozen ice packs. Before I go outdoors to perform I stick the cool pack inside the derby. I've used it for two recent baseball game apppearances (Go, Durham Bulls!) which are high energy appearances for me. No forehead sweat! Sweet!

Not the best of options since my derby is now a bit top heavy... but I no longer sweat from the brow...at all. It's lasted two hours with no problem so far. If I have a longer outdoor gig, I'll pack extra cool packs between the ice packs.

Now, when the cool vest arrives, I hope THAT takes care of the torso sweating.

Skip

Wow Skip(this sounds great- this is where my most of my sweat comes from, my head) if I can solve this it would be a big releive- specially when I'm handing out the rabbit for petting cause sometimes I feel my sweat its gonna drip in the kids faces even after I wipe it off-- hahah

My hat was costumed covered with the same color cloth as part of my costume and its not so stiff- anyhow I have been looking for a stronger hat - I will try it with the one I have now - if not regardless I got to get a nice strong hat and have it covered with the same matching cloth as my costume as well-

thanks once again for your tip.

You are like me- always willing to help if you can.

Jaime

One thing I've noticed since my last post, Jaime...Keep some air or a cloth buffer between your head and the cool pack. At one point, one of the velcro buttons gave way and a corner of teh cool pack was resting on my head. That got a little too cool and was very uncomfortable by the end of the gig. I now wrap the cool pack in a strip of denim befoer placing it in the hat. Keeping the interior of the hat cool reduces the heat around the crown. Direct contact with the head is too much...at least for me.

Let me know what your experiments churn out!
Skip

Thanks Skip, I'll keep that in mind!

Jaime

I just received my Texas Cool Vest ( http://www.texascoolvest.com/cvl.html ). This white cotton vest fits comfortably under my wardrobe, adding about a half-inch of bulk to my torso. For my cop buddies out there, it looks and fits about the way the old Second Chance body armor vests fit.

The bonus is the chemical cool pack that comes with the vest. THe vest comes with four. I ordered four more as back-ups. On moderately hot days, insert two. On very hot days, use all four. The packs are designed to maintain a comfortable 67 degrees F body temp for up to two hours. They don't freeze or drop to temps that could cause harm with body contact. The packs recharge to temp in an hour on being placed in a refrigerator or adjacent to a frozen ice pack in a cooler.

I wore mine (along with my "ice derby") for the first time with two cool packs during a two-hour pre-game appearance for a local ball team. Outdoor temp was 90+ with a slight breeze and bright sun. For the first time, I came away with barely a sweat. My T-Shirt was damp...but my outer wardrobe was dry as a bone. For the FIRST time that I can remember, I was not afraid to let a child hug me during an outdoor summer gig! That was worth the price of the vest alone!! I was very comfortable and far less worn out at the conclusion of the gig.

I was skeptical...but I'm sold. This vest is my lifesaver for the remaining year's hot day gigs and future events. Highly recommended if you spend any time at all outdoors on hot summer days.

Skip

Excellent Skip- this will definetely be my next item. and also will try the addition to the hat !!

Jaime

I wore the vest again today for a two hour outdoor sports event...and it pretty much lost it's "cool" about 90 minutes in. I was a lot more active today, constantly moving around with high energy...so this may have had an effect. I was still cooler than I would have been without the vest, but I sweated a little more. Good news...the vest soaked up the sweat and my costume still remained nearly bone dry. On very active days, count on changing the gel pads every 90 minutes or so. An annoyance to be sure...but worth the extra effort and a good time for a break anyway.

Skip

Thanks for the info on the cool vest, that is something I will look into.

I might suggest a cold damp cloth around the back of your neck,
that is what I do for parades and other hot events. (I keep a cooler so I can switch the cloth out)
b

Jaime,

Maybe you could wear some type of headband under your hat to help stop the sweat from running down on your face.

I have discovered a great new clown white greasepaint. It is called ProFace Gala Clown White. I was told by another clown that it has a built in anti-perspirant. All I know is this stuff holds up well! It might help those of you that have sweating problems.

Regan