Tips On Halloween Event Makeup From the Halloween Haunt Pros

Halloween is around the corner and perhaps you’re looking for ideas to get that perfect creepy look for your costume – well look no further!

On Haunt nights at Canada’s Wonderland, hundreds of monsters are created by a small army of special FX makeup artists whose gory applications and designs are responsible for bringing your nightmares to life.

We spoke with Rachael Authors, resident Haunt makeup artist who’s celebrating her 15th year working at the event! She’s also a professor and program coordinator for the Cosmetics and Aesthetics Programs at Durham College.

When asked what keeps bringing her back year after year, she said “I love the creativity and being part of the team. Every year there’s something new. New mazes, new scare zones and it’s a lot of fun coming up with looks to match the areas and their costumes.”

Authors and the other artists use airbrush makeup on most of the monsters at Haunt.

“The airbrush makes the process really efficient. We can get the monsters out into the park faster, and the look is really impactful too,” she said.

But they also use a lot of other types of materials to supplement the airbrush, like fake blood and latex. Much of which is available for the DIY makeup artist at home!

Authors recommends looking around on social media for inspiration and tutorial videos. Many Halloween stores have everything you’d need to create a dramatic effect. Then practice!

Here are our top tips for creating your own monster look at home:

Costume and props

• These do not have to be expensive purchases. Visit a second-hand clothing shop for your pieces or check the back of your closet.
• Make something look old and worn with some creative techniques, like soaking clothing in coffee or staining with wine. Break up chunks of an old eyeshadow palette or use coffee grounds to rub over clothing for a dirt effect.
• Be ready to get messy. Either accept your clothing may get fake blood or makeup on it, or take great care to tuck in a towel around your neckline during application.

Contacts

• If you can wear them, consider theatrical contacts for a real statement look. Order online from a reputable dealer, read reviews and do a bit of research before purchasing.
• Make sure your hands are very clean before putting them on and always make sure to follow the cleaning and application instructions to extend their use and to avoid any risk to your eyes.
• Keep in mind that contacts with ‘slit’ irises like a cat or lizard may move around when wearing and might need regular adjusting. If that’s too high maintenance, stick to round iris contact lenses.

Makeup

• If you’re looking to create depth and texture, start with a pale base and ‘build the colour’, following the natural contours of the face using progressively darker colours. Apply makeup, whether cream or grease, sparingly with a sponge. Too much at once and the makeup may not apply evenly and could crack. Consider setting with a powder in between layers so it doesn’t smudge.
• Aim to hollow out the face: applying dark colours around the eyes to sink them, and under the cheekbones and around the forehead to make them jut out. 
• Don’t forget to colour your neckline, arms and any other skin that shows. ‘No human skin allowed’ is a rule for our monsters at Wonderland, and for a truly effective look, it should be your rule too!

Fun Effects

• Wounds, gashes and scabs: Make your own with liquid latex and cotton balls! Dab on the liquid latex and pull apart pieces of cotton and apply to the area, building out the shape and texture you’re looking for. It will stick together and, once coloured, makes a realistic, natural texture that is very easy to remove. Can’t find liquid latex? Try eyelash glue.
• Blood: Fake blood is available at any Halloween or party supply store, but you can make your own with dish soap or corn syrup, food colouring and thicken with coffee grounds.
• Try adding more texture to your dead, rotting skin with coloured makeup using various applicators you probably already have at home, like steel wool scouring pads, brushes and stipple sponges.

The sky’s the limit to your creativity at Halloween! (Just make sure to read all labels, test your skin before application and be careful to avoid your eyes.)

Happy Haunting!