Do you ever watch a bunch of SFX makeup tutorials and think, “I don’t have that, or that, or that” and eventually just feel defeated and uninspired? There are so many amazing SFX makeup products available that can help you create incredible effects but not everyone has an elaborate kit, especially when you’re first starting out. Luckily, there are a ton of fantastic SFX makeup tutorials that use cheaper, more readily available products, many of which you probably already have just lying around the house. So, instead of calling it quits, explore these tutorials, get creative, and use what you do have to get the same result.
Helpful videos like these can be extremely useful when you’re short on supplies but you feel like practicing your skills. You may also find that you discover new SFX makeup techniques that you never would have thought to try.
Here are 10 special effects makeup ideas that you can create from home (even if you have an extremely basic SFX makeup kit or in many cases, no SFX products at all!):
Cuts and Wounds
- cotton pads
- white glue
- fake blood (you can DIY this — see number 2)
- eyeshadow or paint (optional)
Fake Blood
- red food colouring
- optional other kitchen products like cocoa powder and corn syrup
Fake Scars
Items Needed:
- eyelash glue
- concealer or foundation
- face powder, pink/red eyeshadows
One item I didn’t have in my kit for a while but really wanted to try was rigid collodion. I’m not sure if this is how all SFX makeup artists feel but seriously, how fun is it to create the illusion of shocking and grievous bodily damage? Scars are right up there with all that ghoulish fun.
While rigid collodion is used to create an indented scar and this technique creates an outward healed scar, it’s still a great substitute if you aren’t picky about how your healing process had occurred. All you need for this one is some eyelash glue, face powder, concealer or foundation, and some pink and red eyeshadow. The artist in this tutorial does a pirate look with the scar but the technique could be used for any makeup and applied in any shape or location you’d like.
FX Gelatin and Gelatin Prosthetics
- gelatin
- glycerin
- water
I’ve included a second tutorial on sculpting and molding with clay, plaster, and gelatin but you may be using your gelatin in a variety of different ways. Plaster of Paris is pretty cheap and it’s easy to use. I just want to point out that you should never apply plaster directly to your skin because it heats up while curing so always use a clay sculpt instead of your skin to create your plaster mold. When using gelatin, you may choose to apply that directly to your skin to create different effects but again, be careful with the gelatin because it gets quite hot when you melt it.
Burns with Gelatin
- gelatin
- fake blood (you can DIY this — see number 2)
- face paints or red and black eyeshadows
Burns with White Craft Glue
- white craft glue
- vaseline or glycerin
- face paints or eyeshadows (optional)
Exposed Hand Bones
- Liquid latex (or white glue/eyelash glue as a substitute)
- tissue paper
- face paint and/or eyeshadows
- liquid foundation, and fake blood (you can DIY this — see number 2)
DIY Scar Wax
- vaseline
- flour
- liquid foundation (optional)
Scabs and Road Rash
- coffee grounds
- adhesive (liquid latex, white glue, or spirit gum)
- fake blood (you can DIY this — see number 2)
- face paints or eyeshadows, face powder (optional)
Blisters
- FX gelatin (you can DIY this — see number 4)
- red face paint or eyeshadow
- alcohol (optional for blending)
Which of These Special Effects Makeup Ideas for Beginners Are You Going to Try?
Not only are all of these tutorials helpful for showing tricks that don’t require any special SFX products, they’re also helpful in getting you to look at the stuff you have around you and consider another use for it. A lot of really great SFX makeups I’ve seen have used nothing more than supermarket or dollar store supplies and the artist’s own creativity.
When you’re just starting out with SFX makeup it’s so important to practice as much as you can and get really comfortable with creating fake wounds, bruises, prosthetics, and all that other good stuff. There’s no need to wait until you have a full kit to do it, just find a way around needing that one product and go for it!