We’re thrilled to run an awesome Halloween Makeup Contest this year!
You can learn how the contest works by visiting the Makeup Contest Page. Below, you’ll find some quick tips for each category from our three contest judges!
Be sure to take extreme caution when working around the eye or mouth area and if gluing something to the skin, be very sure that the model does not have any allergies to the products you will be using. This can be achieved by doing what is called a “spot test” on the model (applying a very small amount of material to the inside of the model’s arm to see if they have any reaction to the product).
When judging the finalists, I will be looking for realistic coloring and flawless application with no visible edges; as well as checking for anatomical realism with the Gore makeup. Good luck and be sure to make your QC Halloween Contest makeup as real and gory as possible!
-Michele
In order to really succeed at vintage makeup, take time to study the faces of the vintage icons of the past and see which colours and textures were used to create those gorgeous playful looks. Try contouring and highlighting with cream products for a softer, dewy finish. Use a bold, pigmented lip colour for the most impact. Practise your lash application and take time to create lifted, defined brows. Keep cheeks really dewy and fresh with a rosey blush or contour colour and don’t go overboard with bronzer or shimmer. The vintage look is more about a blushing, flirty, fresh look.
If you are creating this look on a model or client, hygiene is absolutely paramount, Use a disposable wand to apply mascara and never apply lipstick directly from a tube—use a brush instead. Most vintage makeup colours are very heavily pigmented, so make sure to clean brushes with a brush cleaner or sanitary spray before and after creating your vintage look.
When selecting finalists I am looking for a flawless foundation and contour, beautiful, vibrant blush, blended eye shadow and really high impact lips. Eyeliner is one of the essential components of vintage makeup, so I would love to see some beautiful flicks! Feel free to get creative, layer your eyeliner or lip colour with glitter for that burlesque punch, or add gloss for extra dimension.
-Azzi
Let me give you a few examples, a character from Avatar will be smooth and flawless, the makeup will not be messy or uneven. Whereas, a Lord of the Rings dwarf would have some messiness. The prosthetics and work on the skin should make them look like living beings and the messy hair and beard can make them look like they really came from under the mountain. Creating a character that can be believed takes fine, thoughtful craftsmanship!
You can be totally creative with the products that you use, but please do exercise caution. Only use products that are safe for use on the skin. The safety of your client comes first, so as long as you choose products approved for cosmetic use you’ll be home free.
When it comes to the finalists, I want to see creativity and skill. You won’t make it to the finals if you submit a replica of a popular youtube how to (Ursula the Sea Witch, Pop Art, Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, etc.). We have all seen them! Create something that is all your own! Something you can be proud of. The most important advice I can give you is to have fun. Makeup is a joyful thing. Dive in, have a blast, and show the world your magic!
-Nathan
Gore Makeup
Judge: Michele Mulkey
I’m honored to be judging the “Gore” part of QC Makeup Academy’s Halloween Contest. I love Gore makeup because it demands an attention to detail in order to appear realistic in film and print!
The best way to win this contest is to research the injury that you are creating and attempt to create the most “true to reality” version of your Gore effect possible. A realistic Gore makeup can be achieved in many ways, but regardless of the method you use, please be sure to make the safety of your model paramount with your application.
Old Hollywood Vintage Makeup
Judge: Azzi Williams
I absolutely love vintage makeup as it has such a romantic, vibrant, cheeky impact on the architecture of the face. Marilyn Monroe really set the iconic benchmark when it came to contouring, highlighting, sculpting and creating incredible eyes and lips. Her secret techniques have been reverse engineered by hundreds of makeup artists since and to this day, she remains an incredible source of inspiration. More recently, Dita Von Teese created a modern interpretation of vintage makeup, with vamp-red lips and her porcelain perfect complexion.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Makeup
Judge: Nathan Johnson
For a makeup artist, Halloween is the superstar of all holidays. I mean seriously, when else will you have the opportunity to showcase your skills and creativity in such a bold, exciting and unlimited way? This is the time of the year when people will be banging down your door to have you work on their faces. And they should… you are a professional make-up artist!
Halloween gives artists the chance to stray from the makeup they do most and enter into a world of pure fantasy! In my opinion, fantasy and sci-fi makeup are the most exciting because the only limitations are your own imagination. But, there are also some pitfalls. To succeed at this type of makeup, you must be specific. Your work should be clean and precise, even if it is a messy character.
