With October beginning and the smell of pumpkin spice latte’s filling the air, people begin to think of Halloween and what they want to dress up as. And with Halloween makeup becoming more of a popular place for people to turn to in order to make their costume stand out, there are precautions that people should be aware of as well.

Contact Lenses

Halloween contact lenses have become increasingly popular over the years. However, as with any contacts, there are guidelines that must be followed in order to keep your eye from becoming infected. First of all, it is recommended for people to see an eye doctor before purchasing specialty contact lenses. It may seem tedious, but that trip can save you from nasty infections due to faulty lenses. Another thing to keep in mind is how long you plan to wear the lenses for. Don’t just assume you can pop them in before a party for the first time and wear them all night long. Your eye needs to adjust to the lens. Most companies recommend to only wear them for a maximum of 4 hours the first time they are worn, then for the second day you can wear them for a maximum of 6 hours, and for day three, wear them for a maximum

of 8 hours. Before putting lenses in wash your hands and remove all eye makeup to prevent it from getting on the lens as it is inserted into the eye. Also, be sure not to fall asleep in Halloween lenses, and to read further warnings and necessities for your lenses on the instructions they come with.

For those interested in Scleral lenses, these lenses are especially dangerous. At an average of 22mm in diameter, these lenses are much larger than regular contacts, they cover the sclera (white outer layer) part of your eye. This prevents your eye from being able to breathe. Extra caution should be taken with these lenses because if they are left in too long they can cause severe and permanent damage to your eyesight. It is recommended not to wear them for longer than four hours. Scleral lenses are also known to be quite uncomfortable to wear. And since these lenses are significantly larger than normal lenses, they may need to be stored in a larger lens case.

Liquid Latex

Liquid latex can be purchased at nearly any Halloween store, however, if you are looking to do special effects makeup aside from just Halloween, you might be interested in getting a brand from online that is a little higher quality. When using liquid latex, if it is a new brand to you or if you have never used it before it is important to do a patch test to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction to the product. Latex is a common allergy so this step is important.

Latex is best applied with a makeup sponge or an old paintbrush. Be sure to rinse the brush off when It is not being used otherwise the latex will dry in the bristles and it will become unusable. Eventually the brush will need to be replaced though. When building up layers to create wounds, the most popular materials used are Kleenexes, toilet paper, and cotton balls, depending on the type of wound being created. Cotton is a good material to use when you want to create specific shapes, you will be able to shape it to your liking while it is still wet. When layering latex to tear holes in for scrapes and burns, you will want to do about 3 or so layers of latex to the desired spot, waiting in between layers for it to dry.

Blood

There are different types of blood for special effects makeup, and it is good to know what types there are before purchasing one that may not be to your particular liking. Stage blood is the type of blood that will drip and run, this blood could be used for a gushing wound or blood dripping from the side of the mouth (do not put in mouth unless the battle says you can do so). During Halloween time one common brand for this type of blood is called “Vampire Blood” (the one that comes in a small tube, not to be confused with the brand that comes in a jug).The next type is blood gel, this blood will still drip, but it is thicker than stage blood. The consistency is more of a thick syrup. This type of blood can be used for the center of wounds. And lastly, there is scab blood. Scab blood is more of a true gel form, being slightly thicker than a hair gel, with a jelly-like consistency. Scab gel is good for the insides of wounds, and for a load splatter effect when applied with a stippling sponge or a stippling brush. This blood will smear if it is rubbed or touched. When shopping or blood, there are several different shades of blood that can be bought. There are bright red shades, dark red shades, and some that come lose to a black hue. When buying fake blood it is important to note if it is safe to put in or around the moth area, and around the eye area. If you desire to have blood in the eye there is only one type of blood that is known right now that is safe to apply directly to the eye which is Kryolan eye blood which can be purchased online. The last type of blood is Graftobian magic blood powder. This is a powder that you brush on to an area, then when that area gets wet, the powder will activate and turn red. This blood could be used for blood splatter, or for acting out a scene. Popular brands for blood are Ben Nye, Graftobian, and Mehron.

Prosthetics & Spirit Gum

Halloween prosthetics are great additions to makeup looks to save time for the application process. They can be purchased at Halloween stores or online, and need to be applied with spirit gum. If you plan on using spirit gum, it is crucial to also purchase the remover, because spirit gum is an adhesive and it cannot be removed with a normal makeup remover. When spirit gum is being applied, you need to make it so it is tacky so the prosthetic can be applied. You do this by repeatedly tapping the spirit gum after applying it to your desired spot, once it is tacky, the prosthetic can be placed directly to the spot. To remove the spirit gum and prosthetic, wet a cotton ball with the remover and rub the tacky service while slowly pulling off the prosthetic. Before using spirit gum, do a patch test to be sure the person does not have an allergic reaction to the adhesive.

Face paints

There are several different types of face paints that are out there, but when it comes to Halloween, the most common are generally water activated, alcohol activated, and grease paints. Water based paints are probably the most common, the paints can come in liquids, waxes, or cakes. These paints are easy to remove, although they may run or come off from sweating, scratching, and rubbing. The cakes are generally glycerin based and are water activated and can be painted or sponged on. Depending on the brand, the cakes usually don’t stain, they will typically come off right hen you get in the shower. The wax paints are mainly for line work, so outlines or hard lines in a look. They also dry significantly faster than the cake paints. And the liquids can be painted, sponged, or airbrushed on. Some popular brands for water activated paints and cakes are Ben Nye, Mehron, Wolfe, and Graftobian.

Cream makeup can be purchased online in wheels or possibly from Halloween stores. These are really good for creating bruises. They can be applied through stippling methods. Creams take longer to dry, but they will dry eventually.

Alcohol based paints are considerably more expensive than water based paints, and are typically used in an airbrush, or from a special effects makeup palette. The palette paints are usually for creating bruises, tattoos, and veins. Although they need to be activated with 99% isopropyl alcohol or they will not work. These paints dry really fast, but they will stay on through sweating, scratching, and rubbing, but need to be removed with the isopropyl alcohol as well. So it is not ideal to put these paints around the eyes or all over the face and body, they are mainly for small areas and for detail work. These paints can go on very pigmented if less alcohol is used, and more alcohol can be added for more translucency. Palettes go for about $50-80 each on average.

Grease based paints are also a very common product seen in Halloween stores. These paints are thick and very difficult to take off. They hold well with sweat, however scratching or rubbing may smear the look. They are generally avoided by body painters and makeup artists due to their difficulty of removing.

There are also powder paints that can be purchased that come in metallic colors. The powder comes with a mixing liquid so you can mix your desired amount and save the rest for a later use. Some metallic colors can also be purchased in cake and liquid form, however these paints tend to be less pigmented than the powder mix.

Scar wax & nose putty

Scar wax and nose putty are products used to build up areas for wounds and different shaped noses. This product is a waxy substance that is blended into the skin to create a smooth and realistic skin peeling or tearing look. Before the ax is applied to the skin, there needs to be an adhesive, like spirit gum on the desired location. In order to blend this into the skin, it is best to have a little bit of makeup remover on your fingers so the wax sticks to the application spot and not your fingers.

Rigid collodion

Rigid collodion is possibly the most dangerous product in Special effects makeup. When this product is applied it makes the skin underneath it pucker, creating the illusion of an indentation for a wound or scar. This product has a strong smell so it should be used in a well ventilated area. This product should never be used on the eye or eyelid. To remove it, it is suggested to use spirit gum remover while slowly peeling it off. If it isn’t removed properly, rigid collodion can cause permanent scarring to the area it is applied to so it is critical to remove it properly.

YouTube tutorials

YouTube tutorials for Halloween makeup can be very helpful, however make sure the channel is credible. There are many tutorials on YouTube that shouldn’t be repeated, for example, a common one deals with face casts, if you need a face cast to make prosthetics, do not apply plaster products directly to your face! When plaster sets it heats up and can burn skin. There is a separate compound called alginate that is meant for casing that is safe to use. Popular channels for special effects makeup on YouTube are Ellimacs, Glam & Gore, Powdah FX, and Madeyewlook if you need makeup inspiration or guidance.

Use what you have to your advantage

A great thing about SFX makeup is that you can use everything you have to your advantage. Like using crafting wire to create a hook for a caught mermaid look, splitting a pencil in half to simulate being stabbed, cutting a plastic bin to create fake broken glass, or rock salt or sugar for an ice illusion, or adding coffee grounds to latex for a scrape. Use what you have to your advantage.