Chicago Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist - Ann Marie
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Halloween Makeup Tips from Professional Makeup Artist, Ann Marie Weinert
2007-09-18
by Avis Yarbrough

Halloween is almost here, and with the holiday comes dressing up in outrageous or glamorous costumes, and along with that is makeup. People use makeup to compliment or complete their Halloween costumes, so who better to give makeup tips for Halloween then a professional makeup artist. Ann Marie Weinert who has her own webpage and resides in Chicago, agreed to answer my questions about using makeup for Halloween.

Could you talk a little bit about your professional background?
Ann Marie- Sure. I am a professional makeup artist. I have been doing makeup for 5 years, and I do mostly advertisement/commercial print type work. I have worked with LaSalle Bank, Tampax, Fave Search Engine, and my work has been published in many magazines. I also do some special fx/face & body painting, which I have done professional for Mini K.I.S.S. and Cool cigarettes. I use different kinds of makeup for the different projects.

What basic tips can you tell and that the average person should know when it comes to buying, applying, and using Halloween makeup?
Ann Marie- My best tip would be to avoid getting makeup at places like Wal-Mart or Walgreens, where they are getting the very "basics" of makeup. It's usually cheap, dry, and sometimes very unpleasant smelling. If you can, purchase Halloween makeup during the current season (as opposed to buying it the year before on discount, like my mom used to do when I was little!), and buy it at a year-around Costume place. Don't buy the cheesy packaged makeup that includes 3 colors of makeup, fake blood, and fangs. Pick out each color separately at the makeup counter, use makeup like Ben Nye or Mehron. It will cost more, but the makeup quality is far superior - the pigment (color of the makeup) is generally truer and stronger. It might take 5 coats of a crappy Walgreen's makeup to get a pure color. With Ben Nye or Mehron, you are going to get a bright/bold red, black, white, or any other color in 1 coat. If you are going to spend money on one thing while making your Halloween costume, it should be makeup. Good brushes also help, but if you can't spend a million bucks, you can pick up decent, cheap paint brushes that will do the job at hobby stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Again, don't use the brushes from those cheesy packaged makeup. Sponges are only good applicators under certain situations. Always wash your face before applying Halloween makeup, you want to start with as little oil as possible on your face. Most special fx makeup sticks better to a clean face.

How does a person add texture to their skin when using Halloween makeup? For example, what if I am interested in dressing as a old person for Halloween or like a ghost, how would I start going about doing that?
Ann Marie- There are many ways to add texture, and it always depends on the kind of texture you would like to create. You can use brushes to draw lines or create obvious lines/texture in the makeup. You can use a sponge to create a stipple look - depending on the size of the holes in the sponge and the color of the makeup being applied, this can be very dramatic (large holes, bright colors) or subtle (small holes, neutral colors). If you wanted to create the look of an old person for Halloween, you'd use several different texturing techniques. You'd use a pencil or makeup brush to create lines, you'd use a medium sponge to create stubble and liver spots, and you'd use a small sponge to create additional lines on the mouth and eyes. There is also a very complex makeup application where you can create dramatic wrinkles using liquid latex and kleenex. :)

A lot of people choose, instead of going for the creepy look, to look glamorous for Halloween. For example, what if I am interested in dressing up as a character from a Jane Austen book or a movie star like Marilyn Monroe. Could you offer some advice?
Ann Marie- My advice would be to purchase beauty makeup for a project like this. Don't bother with Ben Nye or Mehron. Go to Sephora or a makeup artist store and experiment with the products there to find the ones that best suit the look. Whenever you are going for a glamorous "Person" look, you can really use the same type of regular makeup they use, applied a bit darker and with more drama.

Do you have any advice or tips for using prosthetics with Halloween makeup. For example, I want a scar, wart or a mole, how will I go about doing that using makeup?
Ann Marie- This is where it gets really fun. You can purchase things like liquid latex and latex parts to apply at a costume shop. Forget the generic packaged stuff! It doesn't look as real, and they rarely use quality products to keep it in place. If you wanted a scar, the best way to do it would be to get either facial tissue or puddy and use your hands and liquid latex to form it into a one-of-a-kind piece. Usually you can use spirit gum to hold light weight pieces in place. If you need more hold, put spirit gums on the back of the piece and then layer liquid latex over the top to create additional hold. If you are applying spirit gum or liquid latex to your face, it's important to test a small patch of skin (like your forearm) to be certain that you aren't allergic to either. After you've applied the piece and have it in place, use makeup to conceal the lines. One of the best things about liquid latex is that you can almost completely eliminate a line with the right application. The most important thing about applying any prosthetics is PRACTICE. If you are trying to achieve a professional look on your first application on October 31, you are going to be disappointed. Keep experimenting with any application until you've not only gotten the "look" you want, but you're also 100% certain what STEPS it took to get to that "look".

What do you think are the most common mistakes people make when using Halloween makeup?
Ann Marie- #1. Buying bad makeup. #2. Not practicing enough prior to final application.

Are there certain techniques the average person can use to make their Halloween makeup last through the night. For example, I going to a costume party and I want to look as fresh when I arrive as when I leave five hours later?
Ann Marie- Make sure to apply it to a dry, just-cleaned face. Go slow and slightly powder often - for example, after the first base of makeup, use just a touch of powder to hold the makeup in place and prepare a dry base for the next layer. Don't use too much powder or it will look cakey - practice this because everyone's skin has a different amount of oil in it. It's always a good idea to bring a little extra makeup to a party for the eyes/lips, which tend to be the first parts of the face to cake/smudge. Always pat, don't rub.

Any last bit of advice?
Ann Marie- Be creative, practice, and use the right product to get the job done right! :)

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