PRIME, If my memory seres me correctly, I think that that gauze you mentioned was used as a light filter only ... and not a lens filter.
A family member was invited by a Hollywood studio make up artist to sit in a make up chair for a couple of hours while she and her make up crew gave her the royal make up treatment in order to show her what the 'stars' had to sit through before appearing in front of a camera.
When they were done, I honestly did not recognize her and she swore that she'd never go out in public looking like that.
I've watched the Planet of the Apes make up crew transform Orville Burke and Piana into apes which only took a couple of hours ... and I didn't rcognize either one of them when they got out of that chair neither.
PRIME, Did you see PAL JOEY?