Zombie Make-up for Halloween

In our free monthly workshop at our LA and NY stores this month, we learned how to create fun and spooky characters for all ages using easy make-up tricks. In case you missed the workshop, I am going to tell you how to recreate one of the most classic Halloween looks – the zombie!

Base: To give someone the look of death, try using a Cream Foundation two to three shades lighter than their natural skin color as their general highlight. For a more intrinsic application, mix the Cream Foundation with Face Primer and apply with a MUD Professional Make-up Sponge or the #940 Brush. Buff the make-up into the skin using a back and forth motion with light pressure. Start from the top of the forehead and work your way down. For a dehydrated look, tighten your lips and stipple the base on top. This method will leave you looking chapped and malnourished. Carry the make-up to all areas of the skin that is exposed, ears, neck, chest and hands. Load a powder puff and set the make-up with the Zero Loose Powder.

Shadows: To emphasize the shadows and to recreate an appearance of rigor mortis, layer colors to contour the face. The frontal bone on the forehead, temples, eyes, cheekbones, jaw line, chest area and hands are the prime areas for contour. Use a MUD Professional Make-up Sponge to pronounce the forehead bone and temples with Mustard Character/FX make-up. Follow the natural shadow of the face. If you need to, try moving the face slightly to the left and to the right; usually the light catches the natural shadows. Follow and enhance the natural contour of the cheekbones, jaw line, neck, chest, and hand areas. Don’t forget to go back and soften your edges for a more subtle appearance. With the #910 Brush, apply the Mustard in the inner corner of the eye and carry the color to the inner brow base. Then cover the entire eyelid and blend upward just above the crease. Powder each layer with Zero Loose Powder. To layer color in the shadow areas, stipple the Olive Green Character/FX make-up in sporadic areas of the contours and eye area. Next, stipple Deep Purple and Beard Shadow Character/FX make-up to really build your shadows. Make sure to really pop the eye socket area and keep the depth uniform throughout the make-up application. Use a clean toothbrush or dye brush to fleck texture onto the makeup application. Use the White Character/FX make-up for the highlight and the Sun Spot 2 in the shadows. Be sure to dilute the make-up with 99% alcohol before flecking, using extra care when applying around the eye area. After all your cream makeup is applied, set by loading your powder puff with Zero Loose Powder.

Injury: To create depth on a flat surface, highlights and shadows are key elements to a paint and powder application. Map out the desired injury and fill in with #920 Brush and the Red Character/FX make-up. Using the #930 Brush, apply White Character/FX make-up a highlight around the outside in areas that separate the opening of the injury from the surface of the skin. Use the same brush and highlight inside the injury to create fatty pockets. To deepen the injury and to create more dimension, apply Black Character/FX make-up around the inside edge of the injury with the #920 Brush. At this time, you could recreate any muscle tissue and shadow the fatty pockets. Set the make-up with Zero Loose Powder and apply blood to desired areas of the injury.