Halloween Edible Makeup

[Candace]

Halloween Edible Makeup
Never underestimate the power of make up. Its magical properties can transform the most angelic child's face into a snarling werewolf in the blink of an eye! Whipping up a batch of your own Halloween make up is a whole lot simpler (and cheaper) than heading to the local costume store to buy a make up kit. In fact, most of the ingredients you'll need can be found in your kitchen's pantry. Getting kids involved in the preparation as well as the application process is a great way to teach kids how fun and useful knowing their way around the kitchen can be!
The Basics: Foundation **
Regardless of the colors you need for the costume, a basic foundation is in order. Then, you can apply any color you want over the basic foundation and achieve brighter, richer results. For example: If you are painting a clown face, you'll probably need white, red, yellow and black colors in addition to the basic foundation. Below is an all-purpose make up recipe that can be used to make a basic foundation or colored cremes. Feel free to experiment with fruit juices and extracts to add color to the basic recipe. Make as many different colored creamy bases as necessary to transform your little munchkins' faces into angels, clowns, werewolves or whatever it is the wish to become. And when the party's over simply wash the makeup off with mild soap and warm water.

Basic Foundation
Ingredients:

10 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon white flour
5 teaspoons vegetable shortening
1/8 teaspoon food coloring or fresh juices
1/4 teaspoon glycerin

Steps:

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and flour. Using a spoon, stir vegetable shortening into the mixture. At this point add any food coloring you would like. Stir in the glycerin; mixing until well-combined.
Use your fingers or a make up sponge to apply large amounts. Small brushes and fingertips will be the instruments of choice when making detailed designs.
The Fun Stuff: Warts, Scabs and Road Rash
Want to cover yourself with moles, scars or blisters? Experimenting with gory make up is the most excellent aspect of Halloween - especially when you've made the make up from scratch! Gelatin is the Allrecipes.com substance of choice for disgusting make up creations. To make convincing scars, moles, boogers, algae (and more) a wide array of colored gelatin is imperative. In effect, it is necessary to make a complete color palate of gelatin in various stages of setting to create the results desired.

Flavor of Gelatin Uses
Peach, Lemon, Orange, Grape: skin growths, foundation for scabs, blisters, scars
Black Cherry or Cranberry with a teaspoon of Grape mixed in: blood, veins, moles, road rash
Lime: boogers, pus, various marine life (algae, seaweed)
Plain: create the foundation for scars, scabs and other creations; dribble colored gelatin over the clear, shaped foundation.


The Basic Goop Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ounce gelatin (plain or flavored depending on desired effect)
2 tablespoons boiling water
mix ins as needed: couscous, hairs, paprika, colored sugar
4 tablespoons corn syrup

A basic how-to:

First thing first, make the gelatin! In a small bowl or cup combine gelatin and water. Mix and let set 3 minutes. It's now time to begin experimenting with the gelatin. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to create special make up effects, we've laid out our very favorite and most successful tricks.

Special Effect How To Make it Happen:
create the shapes of moles, blisters, and general skin growths Before the gelatin sets completely make moles, blisters, and some other skin growths by dripping the liquid gelatin onto a ceramic plate and letting it set completely. When set use a sharp object to carefully peel the formations off of the plate. Stick them onto your child's body and face by using a drop of corn syrup as adhesive.
apply color to the previously made growths, make additional growths and make convincing looking blood Use a spoon, popsicle stick, or other make up applicators (including your hands) to apply the partially set gelatin to your child's body and face. The gelatin will drip or clot depending on the degree of set it has reached. If the gelatin sets before you've used it as needed, reheat it briefly in the top of a double-boiler or in a microwave for approximately 10 seconds on HIGH until it thins out and the setting process begins again. Use a spoon to drip semi-liquid red gelatin over scars, scabs or out of wounds. Once gelatin reaches the ideal setting point for blood (about 3 to 5 minutes) it will set completely while dripping, forming very convincing looking drips. If the gelatin doesn't set while running, let it sit another minute and try again.
make algae, boogers, or other gooey, slimy, stretchy effects Let the gelatin set about 5 minutes. Stretch or grab gobs of the almost-set gelatin and string it or clop it as you desire. Attach to skin with corn syrup.
add texture to the makeup Stirring in mix-ins adds texture to the effects. Sprinkling colored sugar into the unset gelatin will make grainy textured effects, while sprinkling couscous or paprika on top of the globs once they've begun to set will make some scab wounds look scabbed over.


Don't be shy with the gelatin. Layering and dripping multiple colors and set-levels onto each other creates excellent effects!

** Before diving into the make up application process, be sure to test for allergic reactions by placing a small amount of the make up on a patch of clean, dry skin. Cover loosely and leave the make up on for 24 hours. Watch for allergic reactions, if none result feel free to use the make up liberally.


This article written by Tammy Weisberger