"It's important to properly clean and exfoliate the skin prior to makeup application. This will allow the skin to be cleaned of any dirt, oil and dead skin cells," says Deisy Suarez, esthetician and founder of Desuar Spa in Los Angeles. "Also, sloughing off that rough, uneven skin texture will leave the skin smooth and clean that will allow a much easier makeup application."
You probably already have some makeup brushes, but if you're doing a serious look for Halloween it's a good idea to buy some quality synthetic brushes. "This is important so you don't ruin your beautiful makeup brushes, but so you also have a variety of sizes and shapes that will allow you to cover larger areas or details," explains Emily H. Rudman, makeup artist and founder of Emilie Heathe.
A makeup primer helps your Halloween makeup last longer and promotes smoother, better-looking application. Also, and this is key, it creates a nice barrier between your skin and that heavy makeup.
"Most of the time we don't use primer and many people even wonder why they need it and what it's actually going to do for them. I always give the example of you wouldn't just paint your wall, you would spackle and prime it first so the paint is evenly applied. The same goes for makeup," says Jessica Richards, founder of Shen Beauty. "Prior to applying the foundational makeup, be it white for a ghost, black for a witch or whatever else you had in mind, you must use a primer."
Even the pros insist on one or two runs before the real deal. Practicing gives you a chance to see what you can do better so that your look is eerily flawless.
"Watch tons of tutorials and practice, practice, practice to make sure you can achieve the look. Some looks seem so much simpler than they are or take much more time than you think," Rudman points out. "A lot of Halloween makeup, especially the kind you get at a costume store, can be pore-clogging and heavy. Even if you go the route of the more professional products, you still want to test it out. It would not be so fun to have an allergic reaction after you've perfectly painted your face."
