Is There Halloween Makeup That Won’t Break Me Out?
I write this as someone who has yet to decide who or what I will dress up as — partly because I love a fully transformative ghoul moment, but I am wary of messing up my skin. Halloween makeup tends to be heavy and greasy, and I invariably wake up on November 1 with a breakout. Last year, I was a ghost (original, I know), and the white face paint I procured at CVS failed to stay in place, so by the end of the night, I looked like someone who had tried to eat whipped cream with a blindfold on. It also gave me a rash. Now that I’ve spoken to a few makeup pros, I see the error of my ways. Here are some of their top tips on how to protect your skin on Halloween, and the most foolproof ways to keep your makeup in place even if you stay out howling at the moon until dawn.
What’s the best way to prep skin for Halloween makeup?
As with day-to-day makeup application, this is the most important step of all. Prepping is extra crucial for Halloween because it will affect both the adhesion of the makeup and how your skin will fare the day after. Apply a thin layer of your usual serum (unless it contains retinol or glycolic, in which case skip it to avoid irritation), then a nourishing but fairly light moisturizer. A thick cream might seem like a good idea, but “a heavy moisturizer can break down makeup or cause an oil-based makeup to go on the skin too transparently,” says makeup artist Kristofer Buckle. Makeup artist Kasey Spickard recommends Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer by Laneige, which he says “is gentle but provides long-lasting hydration.”
Tap away any excess moisturizer with a tissue, and then smooth on a primer (Smashbox the Original Smooth & Blur Photo Finish Primer has great grip but doesn’t feel filmy). “You want to ensure that the surface of the skin is smooth and well-hydrated so fuller-coverage makeup doesn’t accentuate skin’s texture,” says James Boemer, a makeup artist and co-founder of the Peggy Mercury boutique. “Using a primer will refine texture and blur pores so that skin looks smoother. It will also create a barrier between skin and makeup.”
Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer
Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
Do I have to use “Halloween makeup”?
No. Halloween makeup — especially the face paint you can buy in a drugstore — tends to be packed with oils, silicones, and waxes to make it ultra-opaque. This dates back to early stage and cinema makeup, which was often a mixture of animal fat and pigment — i.e., the OG “greasepaint” — devised to be clearly visible from a distance. Modern special-effects makeup has evolved significantly, but you do need to spend a bit more than you would on the cheap stuff in the candy aisle if you want to ensure a skin-friendly formula.
“There are a lot of pro brands that have taken technology from the traditional color-cosmetics industry and applied them to special-effects makeup,” says Spickard, who suggests Sunset Makeup. “It’s a true foundation that comes in every color under the sun and isn’t heavy or occlusive like face paint.” Aqua Color by Kryolan is a glycerin-based compact makeup that, says Buckle, “comes in countless shades including metallics and can be applied with a wet brush or sponge” — making it ideal if you’re painting yourself from head to toe. Magicake Face and Body Paints from Ben Nye are water-activated pigments that are another great, nongreasy option. The hands-down favorite among makeup artists, though, is the Artist Color Palette from Make Up Forever — a tried-and-true palette of 12 creamy, lightweight shades that can be mixed and matched and applied with various tools to create different effects.
Also, “Just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean you can’t use regular makeup,” says Buckle. Dressing up as Wednesday Addams? “You can try using a very pale shade of your favorite foundation formula or use your concealer all over your face as foundation.”
“Most of the fine details in Halloween makeup looks come from makeup-bag essentials,” adds Boemer, “so there is no need to grab more theatrical options.” For depth and shading around the eyes and lips, he says, “A great black eyeliner that is easy to smudge and stays put can be your first step before adding more vivid color.” Jillian Dempsey Khôl Eyeliners are clean and waterproof and have a built-in smudger. And Precision Color Pencils from 19/99 Beauty come in a variety of primary shades that blend together easily to customize color and are safe to use anywhere on the face, lips, or eyes.” For a high-pigment eye shadow that can be applied anywhere on the face, he suggests trying something from Neen — a new brand from Stila founder Jeanine Lobell: “It has an incredible shade range with matte and shimmer textures,” and the clean formulas are less likely to irritate skin.
Okay, so your makeup is done. How do you make sure the look lasts?
No matter what makeup you’re using, the real key is to set it so that it stays put. A setting spray can be your best friend. Any variety will help lock pigment in place, but if you’re planning on dancing all night and want to go really heavy duty, Spickard says, try Kryolan Fixing Spray. “It’s like Patrick Starr OneSize On Til Dawn on steroids. It is heavy in alcohol, so it is going to be drying, but it will lock your makeup on like nothing else.”
If, like me, you’re not a fan of setting sprays (it feels like using hairspray on my skin), powder can do the trick. Apply a generous layer of translucent powder with a puff and then carefully buff off the excess with a brush.
ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
What’s the best way to remove Halloween makeup at the end of the night?
If you want to keep your skin from freaking out, you must wash off all traces of makeup before you go to bed. When you’ve had some cocktails and are dressed up like a Labubu, this might seem like a chore — but truly, it’s essential. And, sorry, makeup wipes alone probably won’t get the job done. Reach for a balm or oil-based cleanser that will help dissolve heavy makeup, rather than a cream. “These types of cleansers are designed to apply to dry skin and provide a bit of slip to massage off makeup without compromising the skin’s barrier,” says Boemer. “Follow up with a gentle eye-makeup remover, like Day Melt from Isla Beauty, that’s designed to remove waterproof makeup.”
Spickard also urges proper double-cleanse. He likes Clinique Take the Day Away, which is oil-based and can be used with a cotton pad. “Saturate the pad and hold it on the eyes for 30 seconds to a minute to melt all of the makeup,” he says. Note: “The quality of the cotton pad is essential. Cheap cotton pads can really irritate the skin, as can rubbing back and forth on the skin if the pad isn’t soaked with enough cleanser.” Follow that up with a balm (he prefers Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm), and wipe the residue off with a cloth.
Lastly? Moisturize like your life depends on it. Now might even be the time to add a super-soother, like Oak Essentials Moisture Rich Balm or a gentle but ultrahydrating sleeping mask, like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask, which will replenish your skin’s natural barrier while you sleep. The next morning, you’ll be glowy and blemish free. No one will ever guess what you got up to the night before.
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