|
KIDS
HALLOWEEN COSTUMES - MASKS AND MAKEUP
HALLOWEEN MAKEUP
 Most costumes will
need some kind of accessories to go with them, the most important
being make-up. You might have the perfect witch costume complete
with pointy hat and shoes, a great broom and wonderful dress. But
what about your face? The costume parts together just won't be
complete if your face looks like it does everyday! You need make-up! There are different
make-ups for different genres of costume. A Witch might want to
go with a slightly green foundation, add in shading, heavy eyebrows
or go for a more glamour make-up. A Vampire would want a more living
dead look with a grey, ashen foundation to build on. No matter how
well you've put your costume together, it's nothing without the
finishing touch of make-up! You'll find all sorts
of make-up kits for every costume need at costume shops during the
Halloween season. If you are fortunate enough to have a year round
Halloween store in your town, you'll have plenty of time to put your
look together for the up-coming Halloween festivities. Halloween
Online offers a big section on
Halloween Costumes and Make-up
that you may find very helpful
HALLOWEEN
WIGS
 As
part of your child's Halloween costume you may want to change the color and/or
style of
their hair to add to the overall costume.
A wig can change the whole look of your
child's Halloween costume. Halloween wigs come in a multitude of styles and
colors to fit every need. You can change the length, style and color
using a wig, transforming your child into a completely
different person.
However,
since most wigs sold for use as part of a Halloween costume are usually
expected to be worn just once, they tend to be cheaply made and often
don't fit or look very good. The old adage that "you get what you pay
for", certainly applies here. If you decide to use a wig as part of your
child's Halloween costume, buy the best one you can afford. We highly recommend
that a "wig cap" be worn underneath the wig. It will keep the
hair in place and make it easier to put the wig on and take it off.
Don't
expect a costume wig to look like it does on the
package. Some styling of the wig will probably be necessary for the
right look. The first step is to place your wig on a
Styrofoam wig stand, these can be purchased at your local beauty supply
store for only a few dollars. Next you will want to use a soft brush and
comb to carefully shape the wig's hair into the style that you want.
This may also require rollers, cutting or reshaping the wig. Once you have the look, use hair spray to set the style. Keep your
Halloween wig on Styrofoam wig stands (heads) in a cool,
dark and dry place, and away from humidity and dust when in
storage. HALLOWEEN
MASKS
Masks have been used for celebrating Halloween for
literally thousands of years. Today, Halloween is a "magical" night for everyone, and donning
a mask can instantly transform you into just about anyone or anything.
Masks make up part of the two and a half billion
dollars spend annually on Halloween costumes and makeup, with literally millions of Halloween
masks being sold every year. The price of masks vary greatly from under ten dollars to
hundreds of dollars. The more detailed, higher quality masks usually cost more
because more has gone into their design and manufacture. Basically, you get what you pay for.
Order your Halloween
mask well in advance of
October 31st. This
gives you time to make sure that it fills your needs,
and gives you time to accessorize. Many online retailers do not
actually stock the products they sell. They will pass
the order to a distributor and the product(s) will be
dropped shipped to you. The problem is that since they
don't actually stock their own products it often takes
longer for you to receive your order, or they might be
out of stock. We suggest that you only order from
reliable online retailers.
Below are some of our
best tips for the wearing, safety and storage of your Halloween
masks.
WEARING A HALLOWEEN MASK
 Well designed masks will fit your head snugly, but not too tight. It restricts your vision very
little by having large eye holes and offers well placed ventilation holes to breath
through. Some masks that fit over your entire head usually have a long slit down the back
to make them easier to put on and take off. The problem is that it also causes the mask to
not fit as well as it could. What we do is use Velcro dots on the back of the mask to
secure the slit together while the mask is being worn. You'll need two things, a strip of Velcro dots available
from your local fabric, hardware or department store and a helper. Try to choose a color
of Velcro that is the closest to that of the area on the mask where you will be attaching
them. The person who will be wearing the mask should put the mask on and with someone's
help, have them pull the two edges together and then stick on the two Velcro pieces so
that they will hold the two sides together.
To assure that a mask fits as many head sizes as possible,
mask manufacturers will often make the mask "oversized." If your latex mask is
too large for your head, you can cut pieces of soft foam rubber and glue them inside using
spirit gum or use a low temp hot glue gun. If you use a hot glue gun be careful not to let
the tip of the glue gun touch the mask or it might melt it.
Once you've decided on the mask you will be wearing for Halloween you will
want a complimentary costume. Some come as sets that include both the mask and costume,
but most don't, so you will need to choose a costume. To help your mask blend in with you
face and neck, apply the appropriate colored grease paint around the eyes to achieve a
more authentic look with the mask. An often overlooked addition to a Halloween ensemble
are a pair of matching hands.
HALLOWEEN MASK
SAFETY
Avoid masks that greatly reduce
your ability to see. While all masks have either eye holes or slits to see through, they
all reduce your vision to some extent, some more than others. We have some really great
looking masks, unfortunately some of them are so vision restrictive that we never wear
them, and use them for display only. Remember, you will be walking around at night,
possibly on the street, and there's no reason to risk life and limb because of limited
vision. Always remove or lift up your mask before crossing a street, driveway or alley.
Before you buy a mask, or if
you've already bought one, you should try it on and determine if you can see well enough
to walk and navigate safely. If not, you might be able to improve your visibility by
cutting the eye holes larger or trimming the slits. Use a small pair of sharp, pointed
scissors to carefully cut or trim a little bit of the latex at a time, but take care as
its very easy to remove too much, and you can't put it back on, which could ruin the look
of the mask. Try on the mask each time you remove a little of the eye hole or slit until
you can see safely. Again, always use caution while wearing your mask.
In addition to reduced visibility, masks can
also restrict your breathing and become hot and humid inside. So, its important that you
remove the mask periodically for a breath of fresh air. Keep some paper towel in a pocket
so that if the mask becomes wet inside you can wipe it down.
STORING
YOUR HALLOWEEN MASKS
 Whether you own just one
Halloween mask or a dozen, you will
want to store them properly so that they can be used or displayed year after year. The
worst thing you can do is just toss a mask in a box as the mask will not hold its natural
shape and will usually not be repairable. The best way that we've found to store latex masks is on a Styrofoam wig stand. These
are shaped like a human head and only cost a few of dollars and can
be bought at your local beauty supply store.
Masks hold-up best when stored in a cool, dark, dry place. Exposure to sunlight or excessive
temperatures for a prolonged period can cause the colors to fade and damage the
latex, causing the mask crack.
By using some of our tips,
you can extend the life of your Latex mask and enjoy it for
many years to come! |
