DLTK's Holiday Crafts for Kids
Homemade Makeup Recipe
This is very cheap to make, so you may want to give it a try before the big night to make sure you and your child are happy with the result. The children will feel the makeup (it isn't uncomfortable -- it feels much like wearing normal makeup does) but some children don't like the feeling of something on their face and will rub at it incessantly, making a big mess of it. This advice holds for homemade AND store bought Halloween makeup. Also, children with sensitive skin will want to do a small patch test to make sure there are no reactions (some children are allergic to food coloring).
FAKE BLOOD (an idea from a viewer from New Zealand)
a tablespoon of tomato sauce and a couple of drops of red food colouring mixed together makes ideal blood as it is edible but leaves a little stain that
doesn't cause to much concern.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp solid shortening (cooking shortening)
- food color drops - don't use too much because it can stain the face.
Instructions:
Mix the first two ingredients. One batch is enough to cover a child's face -- the recipe can easily be doubled.
To make different colors, divide the white makeup into small portions on old margarine container lids. Add drops of food coloring (a bit at a time) and stir with a plastic spoon or popsicle stick.
Apply makeup to the skin using fingers, cotton balls, makeup sponges or even clean paint brushes.
After applying makeup pat the skin gently with baby powder (use cotton balls or makeup sponges).
Ideas for using different colors:
A butterfly or fairy can have their face colored whatever the child's favorite color is (match the wings).
White:
- pale vampire or witch
- clown
- dalmatian dog
- snowman (abominable or otherwise)
Green:
- Make a full batch of icky green (green + a smidge of red should do it) to cover a witch's face.
- Make a very, very light green for a forest fairy or sprite.
- Also good for many pokemon (squirtle, for example)
Orange:
- tiger
- fire fairy or sprite
Yellow:
- Make a full batch of yellow for a flower (face is center of the flower)
- Make a full batch of yellow for Pikachu
Red:
- Make a full batch of red for Clifford the Big Red Dog's face
Blue:
- Make a full batch of blue for Blue's Clue's face
- Make a very, very light blue for a water fairy or sprite
Skin Color:
- many cartoon characters or toys, like the Powerpuff girls, Raggedy Ann and Andy or the Toy Story characters, will look more "cartoonish" with a coat of skin color applied.
Why use this instead of mom's makeup?
Feel free to supplement with mom's makeup, but here are a few reasons why the homemade batch is often better:
- Let the kids make the homemade batch themselves -- it's lots of fun.
- The colors turn out a lot more Halloween-y than the colors most of us are wearing these days -- depending on how/what food coloring you add. Not many of us wear a witch's gastly green.
- boys may not appreciate mom's "makeup"
Printable version of these instructions
Petal Skirt - useful for lots of different Halloween costumes