As Halloween approaches, I’ve started to see lots of advertisements for costumes; ghoulish, outrageous, and sexy. Halloween wouldn’t be complete without layers of thick makeup, designed to obscure your identity (or at least help you look the part for whatever costume you’ve chosen). Although dressing up for Halloween can be fun, there are some things to be aware of in terms of your skin care this Halloween.

Halloween makeup is often made of different ingredients than your regular cosmetics. Halloween makeup is likely to be based on a grease-paint foundation, which is great for full coverage, but all that grease on your face, combined with perspiration, is opening the door for clogged pores. Greasepaint is a big NOT for acne prone or oily skin.

Clogged pores and skin problems can be especially worse if you dress up multiple times in the days up to, and including, Halloween. Each time you put Halloween makeup on your face, it’s more and more likely that your skin will suffer. Another issue with Halloween makeup is that the bright oranges, purples and greens in this makeup may contain minerals or ingredients which can irritate your skin. It’s wise to stick to Halloween cosmetics which are manufactured in the US, as the standards for what can be included are much higher.

Aside from this, be sure to do a patch skin test- apply a bit of the makeup to the inside of your arm and wait for a few hours. If you have any kind of itching or redness, toss the makeup. You don’t want those symptoms on your face.

When you are choosing Halloween makeup, be sure to select oil free or water based formulas when possible. Consider using a light, protective skin barrier (I use Elastishield by Beauty for All Seasons/Jeunique), which you’d apply over your cleansed, toned, and moisturized face.

Put your Halloween makeup on last, and remove it first thing when the party is over. Use gentle cleansers and be thorough. Avoid using cleansing products containing alcohol, as you will probably have to wash your face several times, and alcohol based products will dry out your skin.

Follow these skin safe [tag-ice]Halloween makeup[/tag-ice] tips, and keep your skin from being ghoulish after Halloween.