Panda Costume Tips And How-Tos
A Cute Way To Celebrate Halloween
Halloween does not have to be all about boogie men, ghosts, Grim Reapers, zombies, vampires, hobgoblins, and other scary things that go bump in the night. One fun way to enjoy Halloween without all the creepy hoopla is to wear a cute costume of your favorite animal.
Panda bears are among the cutest animals on this planet. Although they have the teeth of a carnivore, these charming and reticent creatures eat mostly bamboo and rarely attack except when threatened or frightened. If you love pandas, you can dress yourself or your child up as one of these adorable creatures for Halloween. The nice thing about the Panda costume is that it is one of the easiest animal costumes to put together. This page gives you tips on how to dress up as a Panda bear from head to toe.
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Making Your Face Look Like A Panda
When it comes to dressing up like a Panda, you have two basic choices so far as your face is concerned. You can either wear a mask or other costume head piece, or you can apply Panda bear makeup. If you choose the latter option, the videos below show various ways to make up your face with Panda bear-like features. As you will see, it is not really all that difficult once you get the hang of it. All you need are black eyeliner, white face paint, black face paint or makeup, some cotton balls or cosmetic sponges, and a steady hand. Some Vasoline or other makeup remover may also be good to have on hand in case you should make a mistake.
Image source: Photo by Rob of a giant Panda at the Atlanta Zoo posted at wikipedia.org
Panda Bear Facial Features
The most important Panda feature is the signature large black patches around the eyes. The next most important feature is the black triangle on the nose. For the most authentic look possible, you will also want to white out your face and add other Panda markings around the nose, such as very faint whiskers and a small dark mouth.
As you will see in the videos below, some people top off their look with a white cap or other headdress with black ears. Another way to add ears is to paint them on your forehead.
The above image can be purchased as a poster at allposters.com.
Applying Panda Bear Makeup (Videos)
The videos below will walk through through the steps of applying Panda makeup to your face.
Some Panda Face Painting How-Tos
- Apply a white "basecoat" to your face.
- Use your eyebrows as the top border for the black eye patches.
- Make the eye patches about 2-3" thick.
- Add a black triangle to the tip of your nose.
- When adding a black mouth, make it thin and not too wide.
- Crown your painted Panda face with a white head piece that has black ears.
Image source: Photo by Sheilalau of a Panda cub in the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China posted at wikipedia.org
Caution:
A full-on makeup job is not a good idea for babies and may also cause problems for toddlers and others with sensitive skin. Read the labels on whatever face paints you are considering and look for products that are hypoallergenic. To be doubly sure, test a small area on the inside of your elbow before applying to your face.
Snazaroo Ultimate Party Face Painting Kit
Snazaroo is one of the most popular brands of Halloween costume face paints on the market today. Snazaroo products get generally high ratings not only on shopping sites but also on face painting websites and blogs. Snazaroo is a UK-based company, and their paints are compliant with both EU and FDA toy and cosmetic regulations.
The kit shown below comes with enough paint for 65 faces and is especially good for the first-time costume face painter. The paints are all water-based for both easy application and easy removal. They come in resealable containers and can be blended so that you can create your own unique colors. Once opened, the paints will last for 18 months, which, if you have any leftovers this year, will easily get you through the next Halloween season.
Panda Headband With Black Ears
When it comes to Panda costumes and headdresses, there are many choices. The simplest way to top off a Panda makeup job is with a white headband that has two black ears, such as the one shown here.
Full Panda Costume
If you want to dress up as a Panda and don't want to make up your face, this popular costume will outfit you completely from head to toe. This suit comes complete with a Panda head piece, a black and white shirt with paws, black pants, and shoe covers.
Panda Mascot Adult Costume Set
This Panda mascot costume comes with big-eyed Panda headgear that covers your face completely.
Tip: To create pudgier, more Panda bear-like proportions, stuff your costume around your head, belly, and torso with pillows, towels, rags, and/or crumpled-up newspapers.
A Cute Infant Panda Costume
If you want to dress up your baby as a Panda cub for Halloween, this adorable costume comes complete with head gear and a full length black and white body suit. What I love the most about it are the screen-printed paw patterns on the hands and feet.
