The Pros at IMPO love Halloween because it is the one
holiday that you can become anyone or anything you want and you don’t have to
buy any presents! Plus, the more original the costume the better, so now is the
time to let your freak flag fly and think outside the box!
This post is going to be a little different because we won’t
be giving you makeup how-to’s on characters we think you should be this season,
but instead we will present you with a behind the scenes guide on where the
Pro’s shop. We hope that this will help the consumer find just what they need
to bring their Halloween visions to life!
If you are thinking of a total transformation, the type that
even your own mother won’t recognize you, then we suggest either purchasing or
renting a mask.
SPFX Masks – remember the scene in the movie Drive where
Ryan Gosling takes a mask from the makeup trailer in order to disguise himself
to kill the big mob boss? Well that mask was from SPFX! They specialize in both
Realistic and Monster Silicone masks that will instantly transform you from
human to horrible. By far these are the most convincing masks on the market
today and they are the most comfortable to wear. They fit like a glove and allow
your mouth to move naturally with the mask insuring extreme realism.
The Horror Dome – this company specializes in Latex masks
that are affordable and high quality. Most are hand painted and hand “haired”
for the ultimate in realism. If you are looking to really scare the crap out
someone, this is your best bet! They also sell props, animatronics and
costumes! The Pros particularly love the Crypt Keeper!
Are you on a smaller budget? No worries! Try your hand at
using appliances, both silicone or latex, like the Pros do when needing to get
the most bang for a producer’s buck!
The Scream Team – try your hand at actual FX Makeup
application and get affordable foam latex appliances. These pieces were
developed by award-winning FX Makeup Artists that are working in Hollywood
today, so they know a thing or two about creating scary monsters. Just log on,
pick your creature, purchase, then download the instructions and you are well
on your way to a hauntingly great Halloween!
Cinema Secrets Woochie – you can still create an incredible
character transformation using appliances from Woochie on the smallest budget
and the good folks as Cinema Secrets have detailed videos with helpful hints in
order to make application easy and last throughout the night! Cinema Secrets is
a one-stop-shop for all things Halloween located in Burbank, California and
they supply many film studios with makeup for big budget movies, but you don’t
have to be a professional makeup artist to shop there. Cinema Secrets is open
to the public and they have a great website with amazing customer service, so
even if you live outside of Los Angeles you can still shop like a Pro!
Water-Melon Appliance Kit by Michael Davy – the Pros met
Michael Davy at this summer’s IMATS in Los Angeles and we loved his realistic
appliances so much that we stocked up immediately! So, if you are into really
cool wounds then this is where you want to shop! These are so easy to apply and
remove and Michael has included everything you need, even the blood, in every
package!
Maybe you want to keep things simple or you are extremely
artistic, then we suggest checking out face and body makeup and paints.
Kryolan Professional Make-up Supracolor and Aquacolor – for
66 years this makeup company has served the theater, film and television
industry around the globe. They
manufacturer a variety of products for every aspect of makeup artistry you can
possibly think of, but the Pros love using the Supracolor and Aquacolor
palettes when we are feeling out of the box creative! These “paints” are safe
for the skin and face and are so pigmented that a little goes a very long way.
You can thin them down and make a wash of color or use them at their full
potential. Basically, the sky is the limit!
MakeUpForEver Flash Palette – this 12 color, cream palette
is amazing. The makeup combinations are endless, which means your creativity is
endless. You can use the highly pigmented colors all over the body and face and
you can mix them together to make custom foundation colors. Regardless of your
level of artistry, this palette is fun to play with everyday!
Of course there are many types of face and body paints out
on the market that you can purchase as individual colors instead of in
palettes. Ben Nye, MAC, Joe Blasco, MakeUpForever and Kryolan all carry
assortments that range in price, just give them a Google.
If you are looking for something super easy, but that packs
a big punch then try some temporary tattoos!
TinsleyTransfers – chances are if you go to the movies, you
have already seen TinsleyTransfers at work, because almost every major film and
television actor portraying a character has worn these babies. They are the Pro’s
secret weapons because they look very real on camera, but the folks at Tinsley
also make really cool Gorywood tattoos that look like real injuries. You can
pick up this product at Naimie’s Beauty Center in Valley Village, California or
order them off their website. This beauty center is where all the Pros shop,
but it is open to the public too. The staff at Naimie’s is very knowledgeable
and can help you with the exact makeup you need. They also stock a variety of
the products that we have mentioned in this post, including MakeUpForEver
products.
If you still need some visual help on ideas for choosing a look this Halloween then we suggest getting online and searching images of professional makeup face charts. MAC, MakeUpForEver and others have several themes for Halloween that will help boost your creative thinking!
Hopefully, the information in this post gives you options on
where to purchase professional grade makeup this Halloween and for a few inspirational
ideas if you are having trouble deciding on what to be this year. Now you can
avoid the cheap and sometimes disgusting makeup sold in mass marketed Halloween
stores!
Have fun, create and be safe this Halloween!
*all photos are the work of other makeup artists.