Kristi's Crypt - Halloween Costumes, Hints, Tips, and Ideas

Horror Movies
Mold Your Own Face!
Making a life cast of another person (we don't suggest you try it on yourself) is actually quite easy, and doesn't take long either. Try this site for instructions.
Halloween Weddings
Kristi's Crypt Halloween Costumes
SMELL Like Halloween - try scents at www.gothrosary.com
Who could resist: The smell of moss clinging to a marble Mausoleum.... The smell of unfurled deep crimson petals.... Black Clothing & Dark Streets...

GhoulSkool

Fake Blood Recipe

Create Your Own Blood, if you can't use the conventional method!

Other than the obvious ways, here's a tried and true way for making your own fake blood. Making blood can be tricky, if you want it to look good.
- 1 pint of clear corn syrup
  100 drops red food coloring
  1/4 cup of water
  1/4 cup sifted flour or corn starch
  8 drops blue food coloring
First remove about a 1/4 cup of the corn syrup and replace with an equal amount of water. Add the food coloring and mix by gently shaking. Now add the well sifted flour or corn starch and mix again. If get small lumps of flour appear, let the bottle sit for a couple of minutes and they will float to the top where you can remove them.

You can experiment with the amount of materials to get the best blood like consistency. This formula may temporarily stain skin and may permanently stain clothes. Because of the natural sugar content of the corn syrup, this blood does not have a very long shelf live. You can extend the life somewhat by storing the blood in the refrigerator until needed.

Be a Cat!

First, pull your hair back so none of it gets painted. Clean your face well so there are no oils on it. Put a base layer on the face - white or brown grease paint if you have it, or regular foundation if not. Put a darker color on the cheeks, bringing the color all the way back to your ears and down to your chin.

The primary features of a cat are its dark, button nose and its long whiskers. With a black grease paint or mascara, first do the nose. Paint in just the end of your nose, going down around the nostrils. Add on 3 long whiskers on each side, stretching across your cheeks.

Cats have big, glowing eyes, so use green eyeshadow to highlight your eyes well. Contact lense shops do sell cat-eye contacts, so buy a pair for the full effect. Add a tight body suit, black slinky stockings, a tail and some ears.

Vampire Makeup

White, black, gray and green greasepaint. Black eyebrow pencil. A light or neutral colored face powder. Other: In addition to the makeup there are a few things you will need to apply the prosthetic pieces, if you are using some (fake ear tips) including: spirit gum, rubber mask grease paint, baby powder and some cosmetic sponges, puffs,Q-Tips and brushes.

A vampires skin is pale, with a slightly ashen look. To recreate: start by mixing a very small amount of gray and semi-dark green greasepaints with a larger amount of white. Using your fingers, apply the greasepaint mixture to all exposed skin, i.e. face, neck, hands, etc., until you they are completely covered and well blended. Don't gob it on, make it realistic and natural. What you're looking for is a slightly gaunt look, but not emaciated. Using some gray greasepaint, lightly apply this under the cheek bones, temples and other area's to give a darker, sunken appearance. Blend with a medium sized brush to create very subtle shadows.

The eyes are extremely important. Apply black greasepaint to the upper and lower lids. Apply it darker close to the eyelashes and in the hollows around the eyeball. You can press gently with your finger and you will feel the hollow in the skull in which the eyeball rests. Your shadowing should not go beyond it and the outer edges of the shadow should gradient from darker to lighter until they blend softly into the pale flesh color. A quarter-inch brush is handy for working around the eyes.

Now apply a light colored powder to all area's with makeup. Pat the powder, rubbing will cause smearing. The powder will absorb into the greasepaint and set it, so apply as much as needed and gently brush off the excess with a large, soft powder brush.

Sinister vampire eyebrows are essential to the look. Using a black eyebrow pencil with a sharp edge begin adding very small hair-like lines on the skin in the same direction that the eyebrows grow. The arched top of the eye brows should achieve a diabolical, sardonic upward slant.

Artificial finger nails can be applied and cut and filed to look almost animal like. These should be painted to resemble normal nail, but with a yellowish brown tinge. You will want to use translucent nail polish, not opaque. If needed you can use nail polish thinner to thin down the polish.
Cloaks are an integral part of any classic Witch or Vampire wardrobe. Not only do they look nice but they are also great for keeping warm in the winter as they keep the wind off and the rain out (although some of us would argue that billowing romantically in the wind is far more important).

More inspiration for Halloween makeup

The key is to set the makeup. There are many commercial products but nothing is cheaper and works as well as baby powder. A simple dusting of baby powder while keep the makeup fresh and set throughout the night. Baby powder is also especially useful for creating the look of age in zombies. With a handheld light, shine the light at various angles on your face. You'll immediately notice the shadow areas, sunken areas and lines. To shadow, take a darker color than the foundation and apply it where to the shadow areas IE the cheeks, temple, below the eyes, below the eyes and above the chin. Zombies have areas around the eyes shadowed to give that sunken look, while vampire and goblins tend more towards the cheeks.

For scars, apply a thin layer of latex then cover with a single piece of tissue, repeat the process until the scar is formed. For Zombie skin, mix oatmeal with corn syrup and apply gingerly to the face. Another effect with latex is to cover an area then gently pull back part of the latex, this gives the impression of dead, rotting skin. Combine pink or green face tissue with corn syrup.

Use the hair from an old stuffed toy or hairbrush and attach with double stick tape or fake eyelash adhesive.

Grease Paint 101

Greasepaint is greasy thick paint is made up of essentially grease or oil, zinc oxide powder and coloring. Greasepaints can be found at specialty makeup or costume shops and are usually rather expensive. Greasepaints are user-friendly and cover your face well. They can be blended together or applied on top of each other. They're long lasting and will not come off if you perspire. Greasepaint must be be set with baby powder or cosmetic talc, as it does not dry. The professionals use greasepaint and your your local costume shops may carry Kyrolan or Ben Nye face paints.

You can cover your eyebrows completely, to make them 'disappear' and then sketch on a new thin set to go with your Halloween Costume style. Ideas: Cat, Cruella Deville, mean \ /, arched, Lucille Ball style, etc.

A less expensive alternative is to apply powder eyeshadow over normal foundation. You can use a highlighter, which is similar to lipstick and may be applied anywhere on your face and it is also easy to remove.

To remove: Use plenty of soap and warm water, and gently wipe your face with a washcloth. Don't rub, or you will have sore skin after a short while.

To remove greasepaint: cold cream or makeup remover, then follow with a wash using mild soap.

Even More Makeup Tips:

After putting on make-up, powdering, setting, then spritzing & patting, use HAIR SPRAY to spray your NECK to keep your make-up off the costume. To remove make-up: Huggies unscented baby wipes, or baby oil. Super fast and skin conditioning at the same time.

To Apply Makeup: Always start with a clean, dry face. Oily skin will benefit by wiping it down with witch hazel on a cotton pad. Apply your foundation. A sponge applicator can assist in getting make-up into loose folds of skin. Work out any creases and blend. After you have applied the makeup, set it with Johnson's Baby Powder - talc only, no cornstarch. Use a powder puff gently, pat and don't smear.

Additional hints: you can fill a child's sock with the powder and pat against your face. then use a large powder brush to just gently brush away loose powder.

Clown Noses: Buy two and tuck a tissue inside to absorb sweat. Use one nose at a time :) -- but keep a spare!

Lipstick and Shaping: Prior to applying lip greasepaint or lipstick, apply a good lip-liner to the entire lip shape. Aapply the greasepaint or lipstick over the lip-liner. Powder to set the lips. Be sure the lips are dry when the lip-liner is applied. Try not to moisten the lips between the liner and greasepaint.

Collars and Makeup Trick: Wear a turtleneck that matches either your costume or your makeup color. You can cut the sleeves off, if it is warm. If it is a chilly night, the turtleneck will be welcomed! Blend your makeup all the way down your neck, so you won't have a line, if it rubs off on your collar.


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