We all love a good Halloween costume! The embody team is dressing up as David S. Pumpkins & skeleton friends this year, and I’m mentally preparing myself to have my face covered in greasepaint (I'm a skeleton).

Of course, working at a skincare company evokes the question, “Is this going to make me break out?” The answer is a resounding “probably”, as I have super sensitive skin and using regular makeup makes me break out! With that in mind, I decided to do a deep dive into the best skin care practices after you’ve removed your beautiful Halloween makeup, glitter, or prosthetics.

Halloween makeup 

Using last year’s products? Think again. I know it’s super tempting since you only used them once! But you know those products are super expired. Expired products harbor bacteria, and you do not want to put nasty, expired, bacteria-filled products on your face. Just don’t do it. Clean out the packaging and recycle it if you can, then go get new makeup. 

Read the label! As someone with a latex allergy, I was shocked the first time I realized that a ton of Halloween makeup contains not only latex, but other harsh ingredients like fragrances, parabens, and more. Make sure to read the label and be prepared to spend a little more $$ to get the high-quality stuff your face deserves. Our resident performer Alexis recommends brands designed for stage and film like Ben Nye or Kryolan for high-quality SFX products. 

Use primer! A good primer will help your makeup go on smoother, plus it acts as a barrier between the makeup and your skin. Get a good, thick primer and apply away. For a flawless finish, try e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. 

Last but not least, use a good makeup remover. That will ensure you get your makeup off with as little damage to your skin as possible. You may need to use a lot to get it all off, so don’t be stingy with it. Oil breaks down oil, so opt for a cleansing balm or oil to cut through that thick cake makeup. We love this one from our friends at Forever Beaumore. 

Glitter

Oh, glitter. If you’ve made the decision to wear glitter, you know the risk you’re taking. You’ll likely never get it out of your upholstery, outfit, or hair, but it’s so cute it’ll be worth it! Here are the top tips for removing and caring for all your post-glitter messes. 

First, put the makeup removing wipes down. All they’re going to do is irritate your (probably already irritated) skin and create micro-tears in your skin barrier. No one wants that. Use an oil-based makeup remover to gently (!!!) brush away glitter. Wash your face with a foaming cleanser afterward to hopefully remove it all. Repeat as needed!

Prosthetics

Invest in a prosthetic remover. You can seriously damage your skin barrier by removing things like liquid latex and prosthetic adhesive in the wrong way! Take it from our COO, Alexis, who once damaged her face for MONTHS after she ripped off prosthetics from her college makeup design class without using a remover. Don’t do it. If you’re going with prosthetics, you’re clearly very determined (and hopefully not a beginner to stage makeup), so just splurge for the remover (Alexis likes this one from Ben Nye) as well, and go slow with it. You won’t regret it. 

 

Overall, the biggest thing to remember is to TAKE IT OFF! Use a good quality makeup remover, be gentle, and don’t fall asleep with your glitter on. You’ve got this! Tag us in your Halloween pics - we’d love to see! 

Written by:
dineka ringling,
embody marketing manager
10/26/2021