Fall weather has arrived, and there’s an excitingly ominous energy in the air. It’s not quite scary, but one thing is for sure: It’s officially spooky season. And that means executing the perfect Halloween costume for holiday-related festivities. Head over to Blossom Costumes to find out more about online costumes.
While it may not be the first thing you think of, your skin should be on your Halloween prep to-do list. Ensuring it’s hydrated and as clear as possible helps bring your costume vision to life. Here are a few steps to take for Halloween-ready skin this spooky season.
1. Lock in Your Skin Care Routine
Halloween costumes are a great way to express yourself. You can be a skeleton zombie bride or take a page out of pop culture to honor movie stars or viral characters. If you’re really into the holiday, you’re putting in a lot of time and effort to achieve the perfect look. And that can mean using a lot of new products that you otherwise wouldn’t.
While costume makeup does a lot for your look, it doesn’t do great things for your skin. You can help reduce the likelihood of blemishes or irritation by establishing a skin care routine now. Think about what products are tried and true for your skin and plan to use only those leading up to Halloween. Your routine may include acne treatment, sunscreen, and a gentle cleanser. Maybe throw in blemish patches for particularly pesky breakouts and a moisturizer that you love.
Your routine should be tailored to fit the needs of your skin and create a base for your Halloween look. That way, your skin gets accustomed to the consistency and is better prepared for whatever products you need for your costume. At the very least, your go-to products will give you confidence that you can fight any breakouts or calm irritation with ease.
2. Cleanse Thoroughly
After you’ve done the Monster Mash amongst the clowns, and witches, you’re understandably exhausted. But that doesn’t mean you can just quickly remove your look with a makeup wipe and call it a night. Just removing the top layer of product from your skin, in part or in full, only does so much for your pores beneath.
You see, leftover products can mix with your skin’s sebum and other oils to penetrate deeper. This, coupled with dirt and bacteria left behind, can clog pores and cause blackheads, whiteheads, or other acne. That’s where the double cleansing method comes into play. Start with a makeup remover like a cleansing balm or a makeup-removing towel to get off visible products. Then, follow it up with a water-based, gentle cleanser.
Your first pass will target the night’s makeup on your skin. The second takes it up a notch and helps prevent clogged pores by removing acne-causing bacteria and keeping sebum in check. That can significantly cut down on the breakouts you’ll experience. Fully cleansing may understandably be the last thing you want to do post-Halloween festivities. But it’s well worth it to avoid waking up with scary acne after Halloween.
3. Wash Your Tools
Did you know your foundation brush could be as much as 31 times dirtier than your phone? This study discovered this alarming fact that likely makes you second-guess your brush cleaning routine. And that’s for everyday makeup, not including the introduction of new Halloween-themed makeup products. Ugh.
Remedy the bacteria breeding ground by washing all of your makeup tools regularly. Invest in a brush cleaning product and gently dampen your brushes with lukewarm water. Then, swirl the brush with your hand or a makeup brush scrub pad until it appears clean. You’d be amazed at the amount of leftover foundation, concealer, and powder that comes out.
Once you’re done, you’ll reveal brighter, cleaner brushes. Leave them on a towel overnight or until they’re dry to the touch. Then, you can apply your makeup with peace of mind, knowing bacteria has been banished.
4. Test Out Looks Ahead of Time
When you’re getting ready for your daily life, you probably have holy grail products you know and love. They’ve been in your makeup bag for years and you know they work for you and your skin. Costume makeup for Halloween, though, is uncharted territory. And that can mean adverse skin reactions you’d rather avoid.
Prepare by testing out your looks ahead of time. Gather all of your products for your costume and do a patch test a few weeks in advance of the festivities. Take a small amount of each product on your upper arm and leave it for the day before checking your skin. If it’s red, itchy, or otherwise irritated, start the hunt for a replacement product. If it’s totally fine, you’re probably good to put it on your face.
Since you’ve given yourself a few weeks of lead time, you’ll be able to research other options if something doesn’t work. Run the same patch test on those new options when they arrive to be as safe as possible. Then, you can enjoy your costume with the confidence that your skin will be unaffected.
Spooky Season, Not Spooky Skin
Getting dressed up like your favorite pop culture reference or movie character for Halloween is enjoyable. But being able to do it without wrecking your skin is even better. So, take these tips and you’ll be amazed at how magical your spooky season can really be.
