The Skrreean makeup was designed by longtime “Star Trek” makeup artist Michael Westmore. Deborah May recalls having to report to the makeup department many hours before filming, and that Westmore and his team had to glue a thin film on her face peppered with particularly gritty sand. One could “pick” the sand chunks out, if one were so reckless, giving viewers the impression that the Skrreeans were constantly shedding. She also knew that the elaborate hair (seen in the photos above) required three separate wig pieces. It also wasn’t easy to remove. May said:
“The look of the hair and skin was most interestingly achieved. If memory serves, I was in makeup for over two hours every morning. Three wigs and layers of latex and gravel and cardboard, I think, created that shedding quality. Removing it was no easy or short process. One had to stand in the shower for at least 15 minutes until a ‘bubble’ of water formed under the makeup. Then, it was slowly peeled away from forehead to neck. Not fun for those subject to feeling claustrophobia.”
Even more so than on its predecessor “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine” required massively elaborate makeup on the daily. Series regulars Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Odo (René Auberjonois) had full-face masks, and the bulk of the supporting cast was made up of Ferengi, Cardassians, Klingons, Founders, Jem-Hadar, or other protrusion-heavy aliens. Westmore outdid himself on a weekly basis.
Deborah May returned to “Star Trek” in a “Voyager” episode called “Favorite Son” (March 19, 1997) wherein she played a Taresian named Lyris who tries to convince the human Ensign Kim (Garrett Wang) that he is actually a Taresian.
“Trek” has always been very good to its supporting players. Well, makeup notwithstanding.