9 Special FX Products Professional Makeup Artists Swear By for Halloween Horror Nights

Key Takeaways:

• Pro makeup artists need high-quality special FX supplies and pigmented palettes to create convincing costumes and makeup for events like Halloween Horror Nights and Knott's Scary Farm. 
• This guide lists 9 of the must-have products that are staples in every professional kit for long-lasting Halloween makeup and character dressing.
• These products are suitable for creating realistic trauma makeup for Halloween events and macabre looks for film, television, theater, editorial, theme parks, and beyond.

Halloween is the perfect opportunity for FX artists and makeup crews to unleash the full force of their talents and create realistic horror makeup looks and character costumes. Whether you’re a pro artist supplier or a makeup enthusiast with a penchant for high-quality products, Frends Beauty has all the supplies needed in a professional kit. 

Here are the top 9 SFX makeup products professional artists are using to create makeup looks for Halloween Horror Nights.

1. Versatile FX Palettes

If you could only pick one FX palette to carry in your kit, the PPI Skin Illustrator FX Palette is a solid choice. It’s the perfect option to create realistic bruising, decay, and burn effects that will last through the day. Artists often need to create precise pigments and color tones for complex, long-lasting makeup for events like Halloween Horror Nights and Knott's Scary Farm. 

They can also rely on this versatile palette to simulate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns since all of the shades can be mixed and matched effortlessly. Kryolan Aquacolor Palette K is also a versatile multi-use cream palette for blending skin tones, cuts, and bruises.

2. 3D FX Transfers

3D FX transfers are a popular choice among professional artists putting together Halloween Horror Nights makeup under tight budgets or time constraints. These 3D FX Transfers by Tinsley Transfers look strikingly real and are the next best thing if prosthetic makeup isn’t a viable option due to restrictions related to the weather or time.

They’re handy for quick applications to create open wounds or zombie bites, without prosthetics. Makeup enthusiasts love it because it’s just like applying a fake water transfer tattoo, but it stays put all day. The best part is that these transfers are self-blending, and you don’t need any kind of glue or adhesive to put them on.

3. Bruise Wheels

Artists working on costumes that involve trauma makeup frequently reach for the Master Bruise Wheel by Ben Nye. This is perfect for layering intense bruise effects and trauma makeup involving accident victims or decaying flesh for scare artists portraying zombies or mangled corpses for Halloween Horror Nights makeup.

4. Alcohol-Resistant Setting Spray

To create long-lasting makeup for Halloween, a high-quality setting spray is a must in every kit. Professional artists swear by PPI Green Marble SeLr Spray for its resistance to alcohol once it dries. This makes it possible to create complex looks by layering FX makeup for events like Knott's Scary Farm. Setting sprays are also necessary for locking in FX makeup, paint, or blood, not just onto the actors’ skin, but also on any silicone appliques or prosthetics they might be wearing. 

5. Hyper-Realistic Arterial Blood

My Blood Flo Blood Dark Red is a must-have for fresh-looking wounds, slash effects, or splatters for Halloween Horror Nights. Professional makeup crews in film and television also rely on this product to create realistic dripping effects for convincing set-dressing. 

6. Silicone Modeling Compounds

Special FX artists frequently need to build custom scars, boils, burns, and other facial disfigurements for long-lasting Halloween makeup. To create these hyper-realistic effects, makeup artists must work with a versatile silicone product that can resurface skin or create small out-of-kit effects easily. The 3rd Degree Kit is a popular choice for this purpose since it can be poured into molds. As long as it’s uncured, it can also be thinned with 99% alcohol to blend into the skin seamlessly. 

7. Creme Colors & Pigments

A variety of cream colors always come in handy for creating all kinds of character-based tones, like zombies, vampires, monsters, or fantasy creatures. Scare artists will often use these cream pigments as a full base or even for colored details on their face, hands, and body. Ben Nye’s creamy foundations offer a variety of shades in individual pots for convenient storage and portability. This ensures that prepping makeup for events like Halloween Horror Nights and Knott's Scary Farm always feels like a cakewalk.

8. Cream Face Makeup

Full-coverage creams and face makeup are essential items in any kit for aging characters or creating undead complexions. The Mehron Creamblend Stick has a highly pigmented vegan formula that’s available in plenty of colors and tones. Artists will often use these for creating a white base for clown makeup or unique skin tones for fantasy character makeup at Halloween Horror Nights. These pigments by Mehron are smooth to blend and offer long wear.

9. Temporary Liquid Hair Color

Pro artists are able to instantly age a character with liquid hair color pigments. This Snow White liquid pigment by Ben Nye is perfect for haunted house actors or witch, warlock, and ghost costumes.

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Frends Beauty is your go-to beauty supply store for long-lasting makeup that you can use to create Halloween Horror Nights looks that are sure to turn heads. We deliver FX tools, professional skin and haircare products, wigs, and character costume kits for professionals working in film, TV, theatre, theme parks, editorial, and beyond. You can save up to 40% with our Pro Discount Program. Get all the essentials you need for your Halloween special FX makeup at Frends Beauty in North Hollywood, CA, or order online.