How to Do Zipper Face Makeup

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 16, 2022 Tested

The zippered face makeup look is a frightening (and disgusting) look for Halloween! If you are looking for something that will scare and impress your friends, then this is a great choice. It is pretty simple to get this look. You just need some special makeup items and a zipper!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Your Makeup Ready

1
Gather your materials. Creating the zippered face makeup look is easy, but you do need some special items to do it. Before you get started, you will need:^{[1]
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- Zipper
- Scissors
- Liquid latex
- Makeup sponges
- Cotton balls, squares, or rounds
- Red face paint
- Red eye shadow and/or lipstick
- Skin safe adhesive
- Petroleum jelly
2
Trim off the excess fabric from the zipper. Cut off the fabric around the edges of the zipper. Otherwise, it may look quite obvious that you have a fabric zipper glued to your face. After you finish trimming of the fabric around the edges of the zipper, cut the bottom part off of the zipper.^{[2]
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- If you will be placing the zipper at an angle on your face, then you may need to trim one side of the zipper to be shorter than another.
3
Trace the zipper. When you have decided where to place your zipper, use your eyeliner pencil to trace the area within the zipper. You should trace a V-shape so that the zipper will look like it is really unzipping your face.^{[3]
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- Experiment with different placements of the zipper on your face to determine where you want it to go.
4
Pull apart a cotton square. You can use bits of cotton fluff to help you create texture on your skin. This will give your skin a lumpy, bumpy appearance that will be more realistic than smooth red skin.^{[4]
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- Pull apart a cotton square, ball, or round and set the cotton pieces aside. You will use them when you apply the liquid latex to your skin.
5
Mix red lipstick with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly mixed with a bit of red lipstick will help you to create a shiny finish on your skin. This will make the red textured makeup appear more realistic, as if the wound is fresh.^{[5]
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- You can also add in a little black or brown eyeliner or eyeshadow to darken the color.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating the Zippered Look

1
Apply a layer of liquid latex to the area inside of the zipper. When you are ready, apply a layer of liquid latex to the area in between the lines you have drawn. Use a makeup applicator to dab the liquid latex on your skin, while avoiding the areas around your eyes, nose, and mouth.^{[6]
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- Do not put liquid latex on your eyelids! It is not okay to use on or near your eyes.
2
Add some chunks of cotton to create texture. After you finish applying the first layer of liquid latex, start adding some chunks of cotton to your skin and dab more liquid latex over them. This will give your skin lots of texture to create a more realistic look.^{[7]
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- Keep adding cotton pieces and liquid latex until you are satisfied with the results.
3
Cover the liquid latex with red face paint. Next, you will need to cover up the lumpy white palette you have created. Use your red face makeup to cover up these areas. You can use multiple colors of red and even some brown or black to create dimension.^{[8]
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- For example, you could do a layer of red, and then use some darker red to make some areas stand out more. You could also dab on and blend in some brown and black around clumps of cotton to give them the appearance of blood clots.
4
Use red eyeshadow on your eyelids. Remember that you do not want to put the liquid latex on your eyes. However, if you have decided to place the zipper so that it is around your eyes, then you will need to make sure that your eyes blend in with the rest of your face.^{[9]
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- Apply some red eyeshadow to your eyelids and to the areas below your eyelids. You may have to use multiple layers, but this will be the safest way to color your eyelids.
- If you are applying the zipper around your mouth, then try wearing some red lipstick that matches the other face makeup.
When your makeup is complete, you can glue on the zipper. Use some skin safe adhesive to glue the zipper onto the area you traced. Make sure that you use enough glue to keep the zipper in place.^{[10]
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6
Apply the red petroleum jelly over the red face paint. To finish your look, you can apply some of the red petroleum jelly you created. Apply the jelly to the red areas of your skin to give it a shiny, wet blood appearance.^{[11]
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- If the petroleum jelly is too shiny or if you accidentally apply too much, then just use a paper towel to gently dab some of it away.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Liquid Latex Safely

1
Do a patch test. If you are allergic to latex, then you should not use liquid latex at all. However, if you are not allergic, then it should be fine. Since the skin on your face is more sensitive than on other areas of your body, it is still a good idea to perform a patch test.^{[12]
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- To perform a patch test, apply a small amount of liquid latex to the skin on your face, such as on one of your cheeks. After 30 minutes, remove it. If your skin looks normal immediately after and does not develop redness or irritation over the next 24 hours, then it should be okay to use.^{[13]
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  Research source} However, if you develop itchiness, redness, or any other signs of irritation, then do not use liquid latex.
Coating the skin on your face with a layer of lotion will help to protect it and make it easier to remove the liquid latex when you are done. Use your usual face lotion to coat your face in a thin layer of lotion.^{[14]
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Liquid latex is not safe to put on or near your eyes because of the danger of getting it into your eyes. It is also not safe to put on your lips or nostrils. Keep the liquid latex away from these areas.^{[15]
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4
Avoid getting the liquid latex in your hair. Liquid latex peels off of your skin easily when you are done, but it will not come out easily if it gets into your hair. You may even end up having to shave off some of your hair to get it out.^{[16]
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- To avoid having to cut or shave your hair, keep your hair away from the liquid latex.
It might take a few times to get it just right, and working with liquid latex takes a little practice. Try it out, take photos or videos, and improve upon your design each time you try it.

Community Q&A

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Question

My local store doesn't have liquid latex or spirit gum. Someone on YouTube said that school glue works just like the other items. Is this true?

Leonidas Holloman

Community Answer

Yes, it will work, it just won't look as good because latex adds a bit of a more rubbery texture to it.

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Question

What can I use if I do not have liquid latex?

Community Answer

Spirit gum is a nice alternative to liquid latex, and can be found at most costume stores.

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Question

Is spirit gum dangerous to use on my face?

Community Answer

No, but do an allergy test before use by putting a little bit of it on your skin, just to be safe.

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