Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Can’t think of a costume for Halloween? No problem. What you can’t achieve with your ensemble, you can achieve with special effects makeup. For those who still want to celebrate the holiday without having to don a full look, using these techniques will let you portray a perfectly festive Halloween appearance or — even better — it can add to whatever costume you already have.

While special effects makeup can be on the spendier side, these four simple looks utilize items that you likely already have, or that can be found for very cheap either online or in most drugstores.

So, gather your supplies and get your camera ready. You’re going to want to show off these looks to all of your friends — and potentially terrify them.  

Look of the Living Dead

Making yourself look dead is an easy way to add flair to any costume. It’s also the basis of many different special effects looks. Zombies, appearing sick or simply being dead, rely on these basic techniques. On top of that, it’s an incredibly simple look to achieve.

To get this look, I used a foundation significantly lighter than my skintone, a white eyeshadow and a deep purple eyeshadow.

I applied the foundation evenly across my whole face, including on my lips. I then took the purple eyeshadow and applied a copious amount in any areas that should appear sunken in. This included my eye sockets, by my temples, below my cheekbones and on each side of my nose. Then, I made sure to blend each one so that it appeared more natural-looking than sharp lines. Finally, I took the white eyeshadow and used it to make the bonier parts look harsher than they are: down the bridge of my nose and across my cheekbones.

‘Tis But a Scratch

This look is an easily altered one, because it can be one of two things. Without blood, it will appear to look like rotting flesh, which is an ideal special effect for zombie looks. If you add blood, then it looks like a large, fresh wound. Either one will add up to a horrifying result.

To get this look, I used toilet paper, Elmer’s glue, foundation, black eyeshadow, deep purple eyeshadow, a maroon eyeshadow and fake blood. This can be substituted for red food dye and corn syrup.

I started by cutting the toilet paper into round shapes about the size I would need for the wound. I then applied a thin layer of glue to my face and pasted four layers of toilet paper on top of each other. While it was still slightly wet, I used tweezers to pull it open from the center. Once it dried, I applied foundation to make it look more natural. Then, I took the black eyeshadow and applied a thin line of it around the outer inside of the wound, to give it depth. Then, I mixed it with the purple color and filled the rest of the wound in with that shade. I took the maroon eyeshadow and shaded the outside of the wound to make it look inflamed. Then, I added fake blood and let it drip down outside of the wound.

DIY Nose Piercing With a Pencil

This one always leaves people in shock. It’s a little bit harder to do, but the results are worth it.

For this one I used a pencil, fake blood, glue, toilet paper, red lipstick and vaseline.

Break the pencil in half. On the half with the eraser, take the blunt end and wrap it in toilet paper so that it won’t be so sharp and can be stuck in your nostril without causing harm. With the other end, help it stick to the bridge of your nose by applying glue, and also let the pencil rest against your forehead and stick it there with glue as well. Use the vaseline where it appears that the pencil is bursting through your nose, to make it look like torn flesh. Then, take the red lipstick and, using a light amount, apply to anywhere that should appear bloody or enflamed. Finally, fake blood is a must in this look. Apply it along the pencil, in the nostril and all around your nose.

Oh, Deer

Special effects doesn’t always mean scary. Sometimes, you want to opt for something fun, or at least less gory. Doing a deer look is an incredibly simple way to get the cuteness of a Snapchat filter that you get to wear all night. For this look, I used brown eyeliner, black liquid eyeliner, white eyeliner, light brown eyeshadow and foundation.

I started by using the brown liner to create the nose of the deer. Then, draw a line all the way down to your top lip. Fill in the top lip with the brown liner. Also use that liner to add a slight amount under your eye, but not on the waterline. Take the black liquid liner and draw an extended wing that also goes inwards towards the bridge of your nose. Use the foundation to cover your bottom lip, making it appear nude. Take the brown eyeshadow and do a slight contour of your nose. Finally, take the white eyeliner and paint small, filled-in circles on your cheekbones and forehead.

To complete this look, I made simple deer ears by cutting out small triangles from a brown paper bag and pasting them to a headband.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu