Halloween Shopping List

Ah, Halloween. The time of year when we can pretend to be anyone, anything else. Still, sometimes the store prices for costumes are enough to scare you with out the boogeymen usually associated with this time of year. Below are a few generic suggestions for any costume designer interested in doing their own thing.

1. Make your own blood.
This is entirely simple. My kids helped me make gallons of the stuff for various film projects.

Materials:
Light corn syrup
Red and blue food coloring
Dishwashing liquid (optional, don't use if the blood is going into anyone's mouth!)
Airtight containers
Strawberry jelly (optional)

Yup, that's really all you need.

Pour the corn syrup into the airtight container. Mix in a few drops of red food coloring, stirring as you go until the mixture is opaque enough, this is entirely at your discretion. Using just the red will give you a very bright red, alternatively known as scab red. If you want darker (known as arterial) blood, just mix in blue until you get the color you want. Be careful with this, though. Too much blue and you end up with a dark purple, almost black. Go slowly and stir well.

If you want the mixture to rinse easily, and it will not be ingested in any way, stir in a few squirts of the dishwashing liquid. Be extremely gentle with the stirring! Too hard and you'll get foaming blood, which is not exactly realistic. Adding the dishwashing liquid will help with washing later.

If you want gloppy, gut-churning gore, add in some of the strawberry jelly. This will give you some pretty disgusting lumps and bumps and other assorted nauseating textures.

This blood can be used for just about anything, facial and clothing application, spattered on washable surfaces (test a small area first to see if it will stain), and additions to party décor like skulls and bones. The general recipe will last for about two weeks stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. The recipe with the jelly will last for about a week stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

2. Make your own sores.
Another very simple project, suitable for children of all ages.

Materials:
1/2 cup of flour
2/3 cup of water
Liquid foundation makeup
Red and green food coloring (or some of the blood from the previous recipe)

Put the flour into a bowl and slowly stir in the water to make a creamy paste. Add a few drops of the liquid foundation until you get the desired skin tone. If the paste is too watery, add more flour, being sure to stir well. If the paste is too thick, add a bit more water, again, stir well! Lumpy mixtures do not adhere well or last very long.

That's pretty much it for the actual sore paste. Use your fingers to apply it to areas of your skin that won't be moving much, like your temples, nose, and chin. If you use a cotton swab, you can dab it all over your face in several layers, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly before the next application. This will give you a flaky, pox ridden appearance.

Using cotton swabs and/or your fingers, apply red or green food coloring or some of the make it yourself blood to make the sores look appropriately oozy and icky. This mixture will not store well and is recommended for immediate application.

3. Baby, finishing, or sheer makeup powder
To scare the night away!

Whether using professional style horror makeup, items recommended here, or your everyday store bought brands, powder is an asset beyond compare. It can tone down shiny textures, eliminate greasiness, and help your makeup last for hours by setting it. It can be carefully applied with a large, soft makeup brush or cotton balls.

4. Black lipstick
Not a make it yourself, but a Halloween staple.

Don't be fooled. Black lipstick has more purposes than just blacking lips. Use a fresh tube around your eyes, on your temples, and the hollows of your cheeks for a cadaverous, gaunt effect. Smudge under your eyes and in your laugh lines for an older, weary type of look. Black lipstick is commonly available around Halloween and is very easy to get. However, if you use it on your lips, do NOT use it near your eyes. All kinds of nasties from your mouth could add bloodshot eyes and infection to your Halloween costume, not something particularly enjoyable.

If the texture is too greasy or shiny for your liking, use a cotton ball to pat on baby powder or makeup powder over the lipstick. This will matte it out and also help set it for a full night of trick or treating.

5. Black eyeliner
Another store bought must have for Halloween.

This handy item can be used for all sorts of fun things. It is strongly recommended that you also pick up a cheap pencil sharpener also. You can draw interesting designs on your face, neck, anywhere you want to create a tattoo effect or just an imaginative creation.

6. Creepy smoke
Add atmosfear to any candy dish!

This one is extremely simple, and yet so few people use it. A bit of dry ice (I find it at my local grocery store, you may have to use a search engine if yours doesn't carry it) and some water in a creepy container and instant fog. I've used this in skull shaped candy carriers, plastic decorative pots, and even boots!

To put it in an item that normally won't hold water, just stick in a sturdy plastic bag, then add the dry ice and water to that. I've also added colorful effects by buying a cheap snakelight and adding either a colored light bulb or a theatrical gel, then placing the light source so it shines through the smoke.

For the smoking candy dish, I used one of those black plastic pots, a small window screen, and then my regular candy dish. Place the dry ice and water in the pot, put the window screen on top of the pot, and then the dish on top of the screen. The screen will also keep curious kid fingers from poking the dry ice. It is HIGHLY recommended that this set up be closely attended by an adult at all times.

If you want to make your party more fun, check around to see if you have access to food grade dry ice and add that to any punchbowl or bubbling cauldrons. The potables will still be potable, and become its own decorative item. If you don't know if you have food grade dry ice, don't put it in your drinks.

WARNING! Be sure to use insulated gloves or tongs when handling the dry ice. If you want sores and burns, stick to flour paste and food coloring.

If you're planning on making it an all night affair, be sure to have several chunks of dry ice on hand.

7. Cold Cream
Never leave your tomb without it.

When the terrorizing is done and the last brain has been eaten, sometimes things can get a little sticky when it comes to returning to your human self. Cheap, store bought cold cream is the answer. Just follow the directions on the label and hey, presto! A presentable person is once more found. This will not, however, help with hangovers or bellyaches from eating too much candy.

There you have it. Just a few helpful tips to make a creepier holiday. I hope these help a few people out there have fun this Halloween and every Halloween hereafter!