Thanks to some seriously creative makeup artists, you can produce an entire Halloween costume out of makeup alone. Creating a flawlessly freaky look with face paint doesn't have to be scary — there are tons of easy Halloween makeup tutorials out there.
What is scary? The aftermath of caking on all that heavy-duty makeup. "Heavy makeup, particularly with silicone, dimethicone, and waxes, can clog pores and increase breakouts," Lily Talakoub, a board-certified dermatologist in McLean, Virginia, tells Allure.
No need to panic. We asked the pros how to prevent waking up to a complexion nightmare on November 1 — ahead, their best advice.
A few years ago, your only real option for a killer Halloween makeup palette was to invest in some professional theatre-level makeup or go for the cheap options at the Halloween store. The latter, often turn out to be nightmarish for your skin.
"Some of the cheaper options contain more harmful ingredients such as heavy metals, formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers, and petrolatum that may be unrefined and contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)," Sejal Shah, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City tells, Allure.
Before you buy anything, check the labels for comedogenic ingredients (like, acetylated lanolin, D&C red and octyl stearate) and occlusive ingredients, which "can trap comedogenic ingredients or sweat, oils, and other debris on the skin and clog pores," Shah says.
Examples of occlusive ingredients that can cause acne are waxes, petroleum, and mineral oil. You also want to avoid products with silicone, dimethicone, and talc, Talakoub adds.
A good rule of thumb for All Hallows Eve (and every night, TBH) is to upgrade. "Better-quality makeup is better for your skin," Talakoub says. Luckily, there are tons of richly pigmented, high-quality, bone-chillingly good (and affordable!) Halloween beauty collections. Translation? Products for fantastical looks that won't wreck your skin.
Before starting your total makeup transformation, use a gentle cleanser (like any of these made for sensitive skin) to remove any oils from your skin, Talakoub says. Then prep your skin with a light, non-silicone-based primer, such as Lorac's I'm So Sensitive Soothing Face Primer.
