Other forms: greasepaints
The bright, waxy makeup that stage actors use is called greasepaint. When you land your dream role in your school's production of Cats you'll have to wear lots of greasepaint to look like a tabby.
The invention of greasepaint is credited to a German opera singer and chemist, Ludwig Leichner. Leichner's greasepaint was closely related to the pomatums (or waxy hair products) of the time, and developed to add highlights and shadows to actors' faces that could be seen from the audience despite the bright stage lighting. Before the common use of stage lights, stage makeup was most often made of powder.