Have you ever just been sitting around and had nothing to do? Well, making different SFX designs is a great activity to do in your spare time. Now, you can’t just use regular make-up, there are certain products that are used to make an SFX look. There are many do’s and don’ts when it comes to making an SFX look. 

First, the biggest part when it comes to creating SFX is to know what type of products you need in order to make your design successful.  Some of the most helpful products to use are: Ben Nye scar wax, Graftobian bone and blood wax, Q-tips, Silicone gel, spirit gum/remover, make-up wedges, different types of blood (gel, paste etc.), liquid latex, bruise wheel, bronzer or powder, Clinique foaming cleanser, syringes, and sponges (for realistic effects). Most of these items can be found for purchase on Amazon. 

Each item listed is important for different uses when it comes to making your SFX design. The Ben Nye scar wax and Graftobian bone or blood wax are used to help model and sculpt any design of your choosing. 

Q-tips are used for the liquid latex because the latex is used to seal the edges of the scar wax. Silicone gel must be put in hot water in order for it to be used. When putting the gel in water make sure the water is not too hot otherwise you could burn your face. Ironically though, the silicone gel is used for trying to make an SFX burn on your face. 

The spirit gum is a stronger substance than the liquid latex to use when making a design. The remover is used to get rid of the spirit gum after taking off the scar wax. The spirit gum is meant to hold scar wax on your face so it doesn’t come off easily with a washcloth. You have to be careful with spirit gum and it is not meant for children.  Without the remover it’s very difficult to get it off so you need make sure you have remover before applying spirit gum.

The makeup wedges are used for the liquid latex, typically when using the make-up wedges this means that you could be using up to three layers of liquid latex. Only use more than three if you are trying to make the design look like a blister. 

There are many different types of blood. It really just depends on what you want your design to be. You could also purchase different shades of blood. You could use light red if you don’t want the blood to really show, but if you want the blood to really stand out in the design, then you can go for a darker shade of red. 

A bruise wheel is a cross between a make up wheel and face paint that is mainly just used for blending different colors together. When blending colors with the bruise wheel Q-tips can also be used. 

The bronzer and powder are used to make the design match your skin tone. Some people would prefer to use scar wax that is already your skin color. The powder can also be used when blending around scar wax.  Vaseline makes your skin shiny so the powder also helps it look more normal.  Clinique foaming cleanser is a good brand of cleanser to use when you are removing the fake blood, and besides washing off the make-up this cleanser is really good for your skin so you won’t end up getting acne. 

The syringes are used for two things: 1. Fake blood and 2. Vaseline. If you are putting vaseline into a syringe make sure to have a thin tip on the syringe so the vaseline will be easier to inject into the blister. A thin tip is not needed if you are using the syringe for fake blood.  Have a specific syringe for vaseline as it is very difficult to clean vaseline from a syringe(near impossible).

The sponges are used for when you’re wanting to add either a more skin-like texture or a realistic blood spatter.  Staples are also a good prop you can use for different effects.  When using staples you need to use two together because otherwise only one will not be very visible.  There are many household items that can be easily used as props.  For example you could use a nail or screw, a fork, or a plastic christmas ornament.  Make sure the items aren’t something you need because these items will not be reusable.  

Now that we talked about the good quality products there is one brand that we found not to be as successful. CC Beauty is a brand that you don’t want to buy scar wax from. CC Beauty scar wax is very difficult to get off.