Super Easy Zombie Makeup

by Jen P
(Seattle, WA)

It is really easy to make yourself into a super scary zombie for Halloween, or really any occasion. All you need is:

+ white face powder/pancake makeup, the kind you can find at a costume store. You can also use the liquid kind, but I recommend using it in conjunction with powder so that you don't have problems with smearing
+ foam applicators to put on the white face makeup
+ a large black eye makeup pencil (again, you can find it at a costume store). You can also use black face paint - Halloween kits are good for this and you get green for free. If you're in a pinch, dark gray eyeshadow (no sparkles!) works just fine.
+ lots and lots of fake blood - only place you can find this is a costume supply store. Don't worry - if you get it on your clothes or hair, it washes out pretty easily.
+ an outfit you can zombify, i.e. rip to shreds, get dirty and put fake blood all over. You can do a theme (prom zombie, office zombie, etc.), or just be a normal person zombie.
+ used coffee grounds are good for creating the "just crawled out of the grave look"

Step one: zombify your outfit

Take an outfit that you don't mind ruining - it can be a set of normal clothes, or if you want to make things interesting, you can do a theme outfit: prom dress, office wear, jogging suit, etc.

A good place to find an outfit is your local thrift store. Put it on and figure out where there are good places to make tears, holes, bloodstains (fake blood!), or "grave dirt".

Then go to it! I recommend involving a friend: they can help you with the back of the outfit, placing strategic bloody handprints, etc.

Step two: zombify YOU!

Start out with a base of white face makeup, either just powder, or liquid and then powder. You want to have an overall pale corpse look with an even finish - you will be a very silly looking zombie if you're streaky.

Next, make some dark under-eye circles with your black makeup pencil or face paint. If you have green face paint, you can put just a tiny little bit there for a nice slightly green corpse tint.

If you don't mind being sticky(er), put some fake blood on your hair or your face for a good head wound effect. I wouldn't bother putting fake blood on your hands because it tends to wear off.

There you have it - a terrifying zombie with a minimum of effort.