Creating Halloween special effects with makeup is much easier than most people think. You will not even need a fancy face painting kit because these effects can be created using items you already have in your cosmetics bag or kitchen cupboard.
Here are some tips and tricks:
Facial effects
1. Create a pale look for zombies and ghouls with a very light foundation. For a ghost white complexion, combine white chalk and vegetable shortening and apply evenly to the entire face.
2. Achieve instant age by dusting hair and clothing with baby powder. Create dark undereye circles and the illusion of wrinkles with blue and purple eye shadow.
3. To make homemade Frankenstein neck bolts, paint Styrofoam packing peanuts with black paint and adhere to the neck with corn syrup or a homemade paste made from flour and water.
4. To create warts, adhere peppercorns or small pieces of styrofoam to the face, again with flour and water or corn syrup.
Hair and Eyebrows
1. To create facial hair, moisten a sponge and use it to apply dark eye shadow or cake mascara. Blot the sponge wherever you wish to make mustaches, sideburns, and beards. Or use it over the entire face to darken your complexion.
2. For flowing beards or crazy eyebrows, unravel and frizz a string of yarn or crepe wool. Then apply with a mixture of water and flour. At the end of the night, the "hair" can be easily removed with soap and water.
3. Create even more eyebrow effects by hiding existing eyebrows with a flour and water paste. Cover the paste with foundation and draw new shapes.
4. Want no hair at all? Cover your scalp with the toe end of a pair of pantyhose. Glue on more crepe wool or yarn to create your own look.
Wounds
1. Use blue, green and yellow eye shadow for bruises.
2. To create the illusion of an open wound, apply a combination of red food coloring and petroleum jelly to your skin. (A little powdered cocoa will darken the edges.) For a festering wound, apply baking soda, then thinly coat with vinegar from a spray bottle. Let dry.
3. Making fake blood is easy. Mix white corn syrup and water in a 2 to 1 proportion. Add drops of red food coloring, along with a few drops of blue and yellow, until you have achieved just the right shade.
Experiment with other products in your kitchen cupboard, and always make sure to do a trial run before the big night. It is also a good idea to set the makeup with a light application of baby powder so it does not run.
When all the haunting is complete, all you need is a bit of makeup remover and soap and water.
Happy Halloween!
