Basic Halloween Make Up Essentials

Although the corner store carries some of the basics make-up many of us quickly find ourselves growing tired of the limited selection or wish we could build better special effects ourselves.

When you first enter a costume shop or if you are looking online the selection of products can be a bit intimidating.

In this section I'm going to address some of the basics that will help guide you on your way to building better make-up for Halloween or Costume parties.

There are 3 types of basic makeups that are widely used:
1. Liquid Makeup
2. Cake Makeup
3. Grease Makup (sometimes called "Grease paint")

1. Liquid makeup is the most gentle makeup to your skin. It is usually fairly thick - much like a water-based foundation makeup. It is a great choice for people with sensitive skin and comes off easily with soap and water. The downside is that it can become flaky, or if you sweat alot, it can also run. This can usually be bought from your local corner store in the form of "Cream makeup" often in the form of tubes.

2. Cake Makeup - This makeup comes in a pressed powder form and is usually applied with a sponge. It is often used for TV or photoshoots. It is much heavier than Liquid makeup - and can sometimes cause skin irritations. It can be worn for hours though. It won't streak or fade like many liquid makeups. It is waterbased as well usually so you can still use soap and water.

3. Grease Makup - this oil-based makeup stays on the best, but it does not allow the skin to "breathe" as well as water based makeup. For those with sensitive skin or acne it can cause breakouts and should be avoided. You'll need coldcream to help remove it.

It is always a good idea to test makeup before using it.

After you've applied the makeup it is often a good idea to "set it". You can dust the makeup with a light layer of baby powder. There are also great products to set the makeup called "Fixative Sprays" which you spritz on to help stop streaking!

Allergies can appear "over night" or develop over time. Either way they can be a real devil with your skin. I'm one of those people who can develop an allergy to something I've used for years.

Here's 3 of the top culprits that can cause an unhappy Halloween:

Latex:
Often used in masks or in prosthetics (examples: a witches nose, pointy ears). A good quick test to see if you have an allergy to latex is to "paint" a bit on the pad of a bandaid and then wear that bandaid for a day. Check to see if your skin turns red and itchy.

Spirit Gum and Glue:
Reactions to the "special" glue (even though it says it is safe to use on your face) can results in rashes and even damage to your skin. Make certain you test the "Spirit Gum Remover" as well. Try an alternative like Mehron's double-faced medical grade adhesive tape. Try a different brand like Pros-Aide if you suddenly have issues with one type.

Makeup:
do a "patch test" to ensure the makeup you have doesn't cause a reaction. Try to make certain you don't get any makeup in your eyes. There are a number of great "hypo-allergenic" makeups. If you find you are reacting to one brand or type switch to another. Try liquid make up for example if you have reactions to the oil-based makeup.

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Notes of Interst:

John Rhys-Davis who portrayed Gimli the Dwarf from Lord of the Rings developed a severe allergy to the prosthetics left made his skin peel, leaving his eyes "literally just oozing lymph."

A day of testing costs a lot less then weeks of healing... so play safe.

Sometimes makeup by itself isn't enough, especially when it comes to blood. Luckily there are a few products available.

1. Blood Gel - this is a thickish liquid that makes great drippy effects for your inner vampire. One thing to remember is that many gels will smear.

2. Stage Blood - personally I think this is better left on the stage where people don't get too close. Often sold in a bottle with a little brush applicator.

3. Coagulated Gel - this is a great product - thick and it tends to "stay in place". A great product for creating gashes. Usually it will come with a small spatuala.

4. Blood powder - a clear powder that turns bloody when you apply water. This is rarely used with costumes but is good for cheap movie effects.

5. Blood capsules - bite down on these gel caps that contain "blood". These are great if you want to show a mouthful of blood - pop into your mouth and bite! Usually they mix with your saliva and let drip.

6. Glitter Blood - this is a product that can smear but usually contains a bit of glitter so it will continue to keep that "fresh blood" look.