Halloween is all fun and games until it’s time to rip off rhinestones, pick off glitter, and rub raccoon eyes caked with makeup. Rushing through the Halloween face paint removal process can irritate the skin and leave behind red marks, scars, or major breakouts. If you want to maintain your healthy, radiant skin, don’t let Halloween makeup removal be an afterthought this year. Instead, take a few extra minutes to prep your skin before the application process.
Not sure what that consists of? Keep reading to get the tea on the right pre- and post-Halloween care you’ll need for a skin-safe Halloween!
This blog will teach you:
If done properly, you’ll be able to preserve your glowy complexion even after the Halloween makeup and face paint come off.
If you planned on skipping pre-Halloween skincare, we’re so glad you’re here (PHEW – that would’ve been bad!)
You need to prep your skin as early as the night before your big event, or you’ll be fighting a whole host of skincare concerns for up to a week after Halloween.
If you don’t prep your skin beforehand, chances are that face makeup on Halloween will trigger:
Preserve your complexion and avoid future damage by caring for your skin during and after the Halloween makeup process.
Just like you gather items for your costume in preparation for the big night, you should also gather essentials you’ll need in order to properly prep your face and remove your makeup.
Items you’ll need for Halloween-proof skin:
With these products in your arsenal, you’ll ensure the most comfortable pre- and post-skincare this spooky season.
If you want your Halloween makeup to look flawless, you need to prep your face, under-eyes, and lips before applying any cosmetics. If done properly, the right skincare prep will:
Have you ever applied colorful face paint or heavy Halloween makeup and noticed cracks, splits, or uneven texture underneath? That is not a vibe – it takes away from the illusion of transforming into a new character!
Cracks and splits in face makeup happen when there’s a lack of moisture in the skin. No worries, it can be easily corrected with a hydrating face mask!
We recommend using a hydrating face mask the night before you apply face paint to smooth out uneven texture and prevent cracking.
The FlashMasque sheet mask only takes 5 minutes and will calm, smooth, and soften your skin. Use this mask on the eve of Halloween, giving your skin time to absorb the moisture. This will ensure your dewy texture doesn’t interfere with face paint or mattifying products the next day.
Makeup has a bad habit of settling into every line on your skin, and face paint can be even worse! Instead of running to the bathroom every hour to reapply makeup under your eyes, prep your skin the night before with skin-smoothing eye gels.
New to eye gels? They’re essentially little face masks designed to be placed right under the eye to smooth your skin and visibly reduce fine lines.
We recommend the On Ice Eye Gels because they’re cool upon contact, depuffing and refreshing your skin along the way. With ingredients like bakuchiol, cloudberry oil, and peptides, these eye gels might even become part of your weekly routine!
Lipstick is an easy way to elevate any Halloween look, but only if done properly. Even if you can’t see lines, dryness, or cracking on your lips before applying a pigmented lip product, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Putting any sort of pigment on the lips will dramatically enhance cracks and flaking.
Not only that – stubborn lipstick tends to hang around in small (seemingly invisible) indentations, lines, or skin patches for days after you attempt to remove it.
To avoid having unsightly lips on Halloween night or the days to follow, apply a lip mask, also known as lip gels, to restore moisture the night before.
A soothing blend of vitamins and antioxidants will deliver essential hydration, lock in moisture, and leave lips supple. The best part? It only takes 5 minutes!
Pro-Tip: Like all of our masks and skincare products, lip gels are gender-neutral! Whether you’re covering your lips with face paint or putting on lipstick, lip gels will be your lifesaver and help avoid uncomfortable lips on Halloween night!
Getting ready on Halloween can be a hectic blur, but you should plan to make your skin a priority regardless. There are two products you shouldn’t get ready without – primer and makeup remover. Primer will ensure your makeup stays on for hours and makeup remover will ensure it comes off in minutes.
As obvious as it seems, many people skip these two steps and struggle big-time every Halloween. It’s extremely important to pick a makeup remover based on what kind of makeup you’ll be applying.
Let’s explore your options when it comes to makeup primer and makeup remover.
Primer might be the furthest thing from your mind when applying your Halloween makeup, and we want to change that. Not only will a primer keep your makeup smudge-free all night, but it’ll also protect it from harmful chemicals commonly found in drugstore face paint.
Since most of us aren’t using high-end face paint, Halloween stores or local pharmacies sell face paints that can contain “harmful ingredients such as heavy metals, formaldehyde, or formaldehyde releasers,” according to Allure.
Using a cosmetic primer before applying your Halloween makeup will create a protective barrier over the skin to keep those icky products out of your pores.
Don’t have primer or working with a tight budget? According to The List, aloe vera gel is a great natural substitution! You can also use a BB or CC Cream, as most of them have primers built in. Just be sure to set it with a translucent powder to mattify the primer if necessary to ensure your face paint won’t slip off.
So – the night is over and it’s time to remove your heavy makeup – where do you begin?
First thing first – is your makeup water-based or oil-based?
If you’re not sure what the answer to this question is, it’s time to check and prepare. Without the right cosmetic remover designed to remove the specific type of paint or makeup you applied, this process will be painful and can damage your skin.
If you don’t have that, here are some common household items that could work:
Having the right makeup remover might not seem like a big deal, but if you’re trying to scrub oil-based paint with just your facial cleanser or makeup remover wipe, you could pose serious damage to your skin. Not only can this cause micro-tears from all the rubbing and tugging, but it can also cause premature fine lines.
Don’t let Halloween haunt you long after October is over!
Now that your makeup is off, it’s time to replenish moisture, reduce redness, and calm your skin. A face mask is the best way to treat your skin after a great Halloween performance!
We put our skin through a lot for Halloween – if yours fights back, pop on The Good Fight Sheet Mask for just ten minutes and watch your redness and inflammation disappear.
This calming skin mask has Willow Bark which is rich in salicin, a compound that has anti-inflammatory properties and is known to soothe irritated skin. Also loaded with tea tree, this sheet mask will soothe acne-prone skin and prevent future breakouts by controlling oil production.
Feel like you might still have debris in your pores from Halloween? We highly recommend using a Detox Mud Mask to push out any unwanted toxins from leftover glitter, glues, paint, sweat, and more.
Unlike traditional mud masks that leave a mess behind, the Detox SmartMud™ Mask has all the benefits of a mud mask packed into a sheet mask. All you have to do is lay the sheet mask over your skin and wait 10 minutes. A unique blend of potent minerals, antioxidants, and botanical extracts will work to draw out impurities, excess oil, and toxins from deep within your pores.
What better way to unlock a fresh, radiant glow and say goodbye to spooky skin concerns?!
We know what you might be thinking – it’s just one night…is it okay if I fall asleep in my zombie makeup since I never do that?
Listen, we all have to pick our poison but trust us when we say this one’s just not worth it.
If you want to maintain healthy, radiant skin, it’s important to stay consistent with your skincare routine, especially during special occasions like Halloween. This is when it counts – your skin isn’t used to the chemicals and foreign objects that will be glued and painted on. Chances are it won’t like it, but it’ll put up with it for 5-8 hours on Halloween. The least you can do is treat your skin well before, during, and after the spooky festivities.
By following these pre-Halloween skincare tips, using the right products, and ensuring a gentle makeup removal process, you can protect your complexion from dryness, redness, and breakouts. And don't forget to pamper your skin post-Halloween with soothing masks like The Good Fight Sheet Mask and the Detox Mud Mask to keep it refreshed and revitalized.
It's not only about prepping and protecting on Halloween night; it's about making skincare a consistent part of your daily ritual. By staying committed to a skincare routine that includes hydration, cleansing, and the use of nourishing face masks, you're setting the stage for a glowing complexion year-round.
So as you prepare for Halloween this year, let it be the year that you prioritize your skin while also serving spooky or sexy looks. Wishing you a safe, spooky, and happy Halloween!
