If you're interested in knowing what products I used for zombie look, read on! :)
Saturday, I did Run 2 Survive zombie run and was voted Best Female Zombie!!! I'm pretty proud. When I signed up for the race, it didn't even cross my mind that I'd compete for best zombie makeup/outfit--I just wanted to challenge myself to do theatrical makeup, since I haven't ever done it before! GO BIG OR GO HOME!!! haha...
Anyway, here's how I wound up zombified:
Anyway, here's how I wound up zombified:
Inspiration
I spent a lot of time looking at pictures and finding tutorials on doing zombie makeup because I wanted to figure out what characteristics were really essential for a good zombie makeover. These were some of my favorite tutorials:
- Tutorial from costume shop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5NpkUfUXNM
- Tutorial from AMC Walking Dead special effects team: http://www.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/videos/inside-the-walking-dead-zombie-make-up-tips-for-halloween
- Behind the scenes - Warm Bodies makeup : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjzHp8v67KM
- Michelle Phan Warm Bodies "R" makeup tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8BcNxuRjwohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3AEzZVT3V0
Image source: http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2012/11/08/warm-bodies-trailer-introduces-us-to-nicholas-hoults-zombie-romance/
What I took away from all of that:
- Matted hair: use conditioner and dry shampoo powder in hair to get it greasy/gross looking
- Gross lips/teeth: use theatrical makeup to make teeth look rotted
- Distressing clothing: burn holes, make clothes look dirty and worn, rip/shred it
- BLOOD: zombie blood is gross and dark, because they're dead. So anything oozing out of you should look like that. But if you just fed on a human, the blood on your mouth and hands and splattered on you is probably nice and bright red. Fake blood looks fake.
- Veins on temples/neck
- Reddish purple around eyes
- Creepy eyes: use contact lenses. You can try to get out of it, but this is essential for a realistic zombie look. White, yellow, whatever, you'll want to get them.
My supplies
I didn't want to just use ANYTHING--I wanted legit theatrical makeup that would look the same after a 5k. I spent about $50 (I had an Amazon giftcard--I wouldn't normally spend that kind of money on costume makeup!!!).
| Mehron's Zombie Premium Makeup Kit $29.95 A little spendy, yes. But worth it. It includes instructions, a bruise/abrasion FX wheel (cream colors in black, brick red, mustard, olive green and navy), zombie skin base (grey green), color set powder, Tooth FX paint in Nicotine, 3D gel x2, sponges, makeup remover, powder puff, and Q-tips. The grey/green zombie flesh skin color is a little too dark in my opinion--I had to lighten it up with some MAC cream color. |
FourEyez Funky Eyes White Contact Lenses
$21.53
I know you really shouldn't wear colored contacts that you bought off the internet... but since it was JUST for the race, I decided to do it anyway. These did irritate my eyes a little bit (I wore them on top of my prescription contacts... SHHH don't tell my eye doctor!!!). And they did blur my peripheral vision a bit, so I didn't pop them in until I arrived at the race, and then I took them out once it was done.
$21.53
I know you really shouldn't wear colored contacts that you bought off the internet... but since it was JUST for the race, I decided to do it anyway. These did irritate my eyes a little bit (I wore them on top of my prescription contacts... SHHH don't tell my eye doctor!!!). And they did blur my peripheral vision a bit, so I didn't pop them in until I arrived at the race, and then I took them out once it was done.
| Mehron Stage Blood (Dark Venous) $6.99 for 4.5 oz Cinema Secrets - Hollywood Gel Blood $5.55 for 1 oz. This is wayyyy too much blood FYI. | 
| Tooth F/X Carded Black $9.05 Expensive but it worked great in combination with the yellow/brown shade!! |
Step by Step...
First, I started off with clean skin and dry hair.
Then, I worked on getting my hair all matted by applying lots of leave-in conditioner and some dry shampoo.
I shredded up some old clothes with scissors and rubbed some MAC cream color in a dirt brown shade onto them.
I warmed up the 3D effects gel in a bowl of warm water and started applying it to my face, neck and chest with my fingers.
I shredded up some old clothes with scissors and rubbed some MAC cream color in a dirt brown shade onto them.
I warmed up the 3D effects gel in a bowl of warm water and started applying it to my face, neck and chest with my fingers.
|  Using my fingers, I started to pick at the 3D gel to create open wounds, and then applied the brick red Mehron cream makeup inside using a pointed Q-tip. I added a little black too. I started to get a little grossed out haha. |
Then, I applied the zombie flesh color mixed with a pale shade of MAC cream color, and then applied both shades of Tooth F/X. The tooth FX stuff is cool--you just dry off your teeth, paint it on, and then it stays there until you brush your teeth! (you can easily scratch it off with your fingernail).
Then I did some shading to try and make myself look zombie like--I used brown and black to contour my cheekbones, collarbones, and around my eyes. I also added some red around my eyes to make me look sick and infected.
I threw on some fake blood. Both kinds were the consistency of corn syrup and didn't really DRY, they just kind of got stickier. The color was great--nice and dark, but I tried splattering it onto myself using a brush and that didn't work very well. Also, the blood didn't seem to quite stick to my skin and the 3D gel stuff--probably because I forgot to put on the setting powder!
I threw on some fake blood. Both kinds were the consistency of corn syrup and didn't really DRY, they just kind of got stickier. The color was great--nice and dark, but I tried splattering it onto myself using a brush and that didn't work very well. Also, the blood didn't seem to quite stick to my skin and the 3D gel stuff--probably because I forgot to put on the setting powder!
And lastly, the contacts! They really completed the look--a lot of people didn't even recognize me! haha
Next time I do zombie makeup, I'll use setting powder, add more black around my lips, darken around my eyes a little more, make my skin more mottled/textured, and do bigger and more elaborate skin effects. I do think that the 3D gel and/or the cream color made me break out a little, so next time I'll make sure to be a little more generous with the makeup remover afterwards!!!
Next time I do zombie makeup, I'll use setting powder, add more black around my lips, darken around my eyes a little more, make my skin more mottled/textured, and do bigger and more elaborate skin effects. I do think that the 3D gel and/or the cream color made me break out a little, so next time I'll make sure to be a little more generous with the makeup remover afterwards!!!
Before and after, side by side!
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I'm not a makeup artist, I didn't practice this with all of this stuff, and it took me about two hours. I would love to try this again!!! :D Have you ever dressed up as a zombie?
