Halloween Makeup Buying Guide

Sure, you could go to the Halloween shop at the mall, buy a bagged costume at the last minute, and head out for the night, but where's the originality in that?  In our humble opinion, it's a whole lot more gratifying to create your own idea and carry it out, but if you're truly short on time or inspiration, an easy way to jazz up any disguise is with makeup.   After all, you wouldn't dream of a ghoul without a waxy complexion and hollow-looking eyes, nor would you see any self-respecting zombie  without decaying flesh and gangrenous limbs.  If you're looking for something just a tad more put together than your typical off-the-rack costume, there are plenty of options around to take you from drab to fab, from vampire  to glampire.

The Basics

There are some essentials you will have to have before you get started: cosmetics and tools.  If you are going for more of a pretty effect, normal makeup you can find at the pharmacy or department store might be enough to suit your needs.  Often these products come with basic applicators,  but if you're going for something complicated or precise, you might need to shop around.  It's best not to be tempted by the Halloween makeup kits  that feature greasepaint, as this is not easy to use, and worse still, it's bad for your skin.  Commercial brands that have a large range of colors are MAC,  Wet 'n' Wild,  or CoverGirl,  but if you are interested in working with actual stage makeup, take a look at products from Ben Nye  or Mehron.  If you tend toward the scarier side of Halloween, here is a good general checklist that will help you achieve many different looks. If you'd rather not be so frightful this year, most of the items below will still be of use, but you'll probably want to go for some bolder colors.  Before you buy, take a look at our External Links for instructions on creating a variety of faces.

 

Cosmetics Pale foundation  or whiteface.  White face powder  (having both loose  and pressed powder  on-hand--for setting your makeup and touching it up, respectively--is ideal). Blue,  white,  and black eye shadows.   Purple shadow  is also great for giving a bruised look or for dusting on lips for that cold, undead effect. Blue  and black eye liners.  Black liquid eye liner.  Black mascara.  False eyelashes.

Tools A makeup mirror.  A headband  to keep your hair off your face. Makeup brushes : Check out include CoverGirl,  Maybelline,  Bobbi Brown,  or Shu Uemura.  Powder brush.  Foundation brush.  Eye shadow brushes  (or applicators ). Lip brush.  Makeup sponges.  Eyelash glue.  Tissue paper.  Cotton swabs.

A Little Fancier

Fake Blood  You can always make your own, but sometimes, there's nothing like the convenience of store-bought!	Tooth Color  A zombie  or a hobo wouldn't have your pearly whites now, would they?  Grab some tooth rot and muck it up a bit.	Glitter Hair Spray  If grim and gory is not your scene, you can still have fun with some fantasy makeup and hair styles.	Fantasy FX Tubes  This makeup is highly-pigmented and squeezable, so you can get great coverage with little effort.	Makeup Palettes  or Kits  Instead of buying different eye shadows or creams, you might be able to find everything you need in one package.

Prosthetics

If you are working with prosthetics, be aware that to attach them, you will need either spirit gum  or liquid latex.   To use spirit gum, you will first want to apply a rather thick layer directly onto the edges of your (clean!) prosthetic.  Once you decide exactly where you will be placing the prosthetic, you can go ahead and apply the spirit gum directly to your skin.  Now put the prosthetic adhesive-side down in place, then remove it.  The idea is to get the spirit gum tacky so your piece will hold.  Keep placing and removing the prosthetic until it becomes too difficult to do so (your skin will eventually begin to come with the prosthetic)--at this point, you will be guaranteed a good hold.  If there are edges that refuse to stick, apply some more spirit gum, and tap on the top of that edge for several seconds.  For a video tutorial, see ScareYou.com. For more information on using liquid latex, see this article from Associated Content.com.

Character Noses	Bald Caps	Open Wounds	Alien Ears	Bloody Bolts

Related Guides

Halloween	Costumes for Adults	Costumes for Kids	How to Create Smoky Eyes	How to Wear Red Lipstick

External Links

• eHow.com: A video introduction to Halloween makeup.
• CosPlayPiggy.net: A costume role-playing site that has an excellent makeup tutorial.
• About.com: Instructions for creating clown faces, 1940s style makeup, zombies, etc.
• About.com: Even more tutorials: genies, geisha girls, witches....
• ScareYou.com: Features video tutorials on monster makeup, using prosthetics, and so on.
• AllHallowsEve.com: This site offers some gruesome makeup techniques.
• Budget101.com: Recipes for making your own fake blood, scabs, bruises, and more!