Tips for Applying and Removing Halloween Makeup

I have never been a fan of caking on makeup on my face, but I will admit that I greatly admire those people who spend a good deal of time applying Halloween makeup to the point where a realistic feel is created.

Halloween makeup is a great way to dress up your everyday witch or zombie, and with the perfect makeup you can look almost real... Well, sort of...

Below are a few tips that I have put together that should hopefully help you with your Halloween makeup. I have also included a few tips to making fake scars and wounds.

Just remember that when buying Halloween makeup and stage quality makeup that you purchase from the better sellers. You want to make sure that what goes on you face is safe! Try to purchase high quality makeup Halloween face products from Ben Nye, Steins, Mehron, Kryolan, and Ben Cooper .

Latex Textures Makeup

• Test a little of the latex makeup on a small area before you use it to see if you will have a reaction. If you experience burning or redness, wash off the makeup and do not use it.

• Do not get the latex makeup on your hair or clothes because although when dry it will peel off your skin, it will stick to your hair, and it will not dissolve once dry. You can use modeling wax around your hairline and eybrows to cover the hair.

• Because dry latex makeup has a sticky feel, you may want to powder each area after you dry it.

• Never use liquid latex on your skin unless the manufacturere says it is ok; typically only theatrical makeup quality liquid latex is FDA approved for your skin.

Other Makeup Application Tips:

• Make sure that any makeup that has red dye in it is kept away from your eyes. If in your eyes, it can cause severe irritation.
• You can change the color of your face by varying the colors that you use. For example: use darker colors for areas that you want to reced and lighter colors for areas that you want to highlight.
• If you have a darker skin tone, you can use reddish orange brown to gray-silver colors to highlight your face.
• You can use spirit gum to cover areas that you want to hide such as your eyebrows for when you want to create the perfect vampire with high arched eyebrows. Cover the area with the spirit gum, use the makeup to blend in your skin and the spirit gum, and then using a black eyeliner draw in your eyebrows.
• To cover your lips, use a concealer that matches your skin tone.
• Consider using a VERY thin layer of vasoline before you begin to apply any makeup, spirit gum, or other products. It will make washing off the products easier. 

Scars, Cuts, and Bruises 

1. Apply a thin layer of spirit gum where you will put applying the modeling wax and allow it to dry.
2. Sculpt very thin layers of the modeling wax over the areas that you want to appear swollen and cut, making sure that the edges blend into your skin.  
3. When you have the edges blended into your skin, you can use a cleansing cream using your fingers to give a smooth look, or you can use a stipple sponge to give a textured look.
4. When applying the actual makeup, you want to use an appropriate base color that will somewhat match your skin shade, or you can base your face with purple colors for the bruises.
5. If you want to give the appearance of blood, you can cut into the wax and redden it with makeup and stage blood. 

Healed Scars

1. Before you start, you want to make sure that you have cleansed your face and that you do not have a base or moisturizer on your skin.
2. Apply the rigid collodion to your skin in very thin lines where you want your scars. The rigid collodion will shrink and pull your skin into a tight, puckered scar appearance.
3. When the first layer of rigid collodion has dried, add a second layer to deepen the scar.
4. Use a light pink blush to color the area and give the appearance of the scar. 

* Tip: You want to make sure that the linkes are thin and that you allow them to fully dry before you add the second coat. 

To remove latex Halloween makeup all you have to do is just peel it off. If you have difficult areas, you can loosen it by washing with warm, soapy water. Make sure that you DO NOT use oily makeup removers with latex makeup.

Halloween makeup kits or professional kits use cold cream. It may take several applications of the cold cream to remove all of the makeup.

Most powder makeups can be removed with just a warm washcloth and a soap or a makeup cleanser.

Make sure that you have removed ALL of the makeup before you go to bed. You want to make sure that you do not clog your pores because of a little left over Halloween makeup. You should also apply a light coat of lotion after removing all of the makeup, as well, just to keep your face moisturized.