Do-It-Yourself Zombie Make-Up

While it is not really expensive to buy an affordable zombie make-up kit, I thought it would be fun to see what I could do with items in my own arsenal of beauty products.

Having worked my way through the process I think it is pretty much possible for anyone with access to regular make-up to make their own zombie face.

I am not a make-up artist -- this was a fun process to go through and really did not take very long. I think the end result is a reasonably fresh zombie that was just starting to decompose.

Citation: images copyright M. E. Wood.

Using only the products you have at home now, do you think you could create a zombie face?

Basically I pulled some colors out that I thought would best represent decaying skin and death: greens, pinks, greys, blacks and browns. I also used a cosmetic sponge, a loose powder brush, a foundation brush, and an angled brush.

Before I started I made sure my face was cleaned and moisturized to make application easier.

One of the first things I applied was this green Smash Box color correcting fluid. I put it on with a damp makeup sponge. I did not put it all over my face but in the fleshy spots like the top of the cheeks, nose, and center of forehead. I also put it on thicker than I normally would have worn it so it left a visible green tint.

Most zombies have some kind of injury whether it is a bite or ripped skin. I made a flesh wound by gluing one ply of toilet paper to my cheek. I applied the glue stick to my cheek, ripped a hole in the center of the square of toiled paper then pressed the outer edges into the glue stick on my cheek. I has some issues with the upper section, having to add additional glue but once it was set it seemed secure enough (FYI: it peels off painlessly).

What I consider the basic layer is now complete. I still do no look like a zombie; perhaps just a little green in the gills.

I used a sponge and applied a thick layer of light foundation to the skin areas that did not have green on them to help whiten my complexion making it look bloodless like it had drained from my face.

As you can see I put the foundation over my lips to pale them and dabbed it over the toilet tissue to give it a fleshy color.

I took a brush and blended in white shadow to the spots where I had provided foundation to give an even white glow of having the life drained from me.

I took the angled brush and applied more highlight but this time with green eyeshadow. I focused around the hairline at the forehead and on the scar to give it a molding effect.

You can start to see the sickly-skin-tone-zombie-me is starting to awaken.

I used a purple creme eye shadow to add darker highlights where blood may have pooled and to highlight cheekbones, and forehead bones. Lots of blending with foundation brush.

One of the first things I highlighted was my eye sockets. Started just under the eyelid and blend down to the eye bone then continue on the upper eye but not all the way up to the eyebrow.

Once the eyes are done the zombie creepiness starts to sink in.

With black eye shadow I gave my cheekbones and eye sockets another sunken layer.

I had to do a lot of blending with the black because it was very easy to brush too much on my whitened skin.

Creating a zombie boo boo is a lot of fun. Here I colored it in with a red lip liner and outlined the flesh with a brown eye liner to make it look like it was decaying back. I also filled it in on top of this with bright red lipstick (not shown here).

With the same bright red lipstick I created blood dripping down my chin (zombies are sloppy eaters don't ya know).

I put on mascara because before I became a zombie I would most likely have been wearing mascara and other make-up although I did not want to overdo it with too much "before I was a Zombie" make-up.

Considering the supplies I had on hand and my experience "playing" with make-up I think my zombie make-up turned out well. I hope you use these steps as inspiration to create your own zombie make-up. While we probably do not have the same products at home I am positive you will be able to find similar substitution in your make-up cabinet -- have fun and experiment.

Now that I have the face I will have to practice learning how to walk and moan like the actors did in The Walking Dead zombie school .

Thank you for taking the time to look at my DIY Zombie Make-Up. Before you go please leave a comment. Suggestions:

* Warm fuzzies are always welcome.

* Where do you think our fascination with zombies comes from?

* Share your favorite zombie movie or book.

* Have you ever dressed up as a zombie?

* Do you think you could survive a zombie apocalypse?