Special FX make up has been a hobby of mine for many years; I used to participate in the Red Cross training days to make up the scenario victims and I have to say........ best gig ever!!!

I'm going to share with you some methods that are very effective & heaps of fun for Halloween or even if you want to go & get involved in your local medical training days :)

Step 1: Set It Up

I've got a stack of goodies, but for this one all you'll need is:

- Bruise colours, cream make up (you can substitute eye shadow but remember that most eye shadows have a metallic tint to them & it lessens the realistic look) - I've got Ben Nye & Kryolan products and they're AWESOME!

- Nose & Scar Wax (I'm trying to think of what else you could use.... a really strong hair wax or something else pliable but can be blended with skin tone)

- Make up or nail polish remover (it's at this point that I'll say, be careful obviously, if you have sensitive skin!)

- Make up sponges and cotton circles or squares - even the pointy cotton buds are great to use (Q-Tips in USA?)

- Fake blood; best to have a thick dark one & a thinner lighter red. (Try a mix of corn syrup, food dye & corn flour at varied thicknesses to make your own)

- Maybe a bobby pin....... or something you can create a 'cut' with

Oh, and this can get messy so have a towel handy or some wipes and don't attempt this on the good rug!

Step 2: Make It Happen

1. Secure your hair back with a headband (or in my case, a cut up stocking!)

2. Grab a chunk of the wax in your hands & knead it a little until it's more pliable and ready to work with. Apply it to the side of the nose & the eyelid, as well as the side of the eye/temple/cheek area.

3. Using a make up sponge, tip some make up remover onto the sponge & begin to gently smooth over the wax and blend it into the surrounding skin & face shape. Do this until you're happy that it's not initially obvious you've got a bunch of wax on your face. As you'll see, the nose kind of kicks out to the left indicating a broken nose & the eye is swollen (looking). Best thing to do is find a medical pic & try & copy it.

4. Next, take your bobby pin or whatever thin object you're using, and place a single clean cut from the eye, heading down the cheek slightly. You might need to smooth the edges of the cut a bit as this can get a bit clumpy.

5. Start to apply bruising (using fingers or sponge; I like finger painting better). To create a 3D effect, apply the dark blue to the outer edges followed by the purple (heading towards the center) followed by the red. Have a play around with blending and developing your own techniques. Apply a bit of bruising to the underneath of the opposite eye as well as this is usually affected.

6. Once you're happy that everything's blended, apply the blood (place a line of thicker, dark red (or even a light layer of black eyeliner right in the cut to emphasise the 3D first) into the cut and if you have some sea sponge, use a bit of blood on this to create a bit of a light grazed look on a couple of areas, like the cheek or above the eyebrow. Once you're ready, apply the final light layer of thinner blood into the wound/s (only at the last minute as they'll drip!)

7, Enjoy it!

8. When removing the make up, believe it or now, I find that once the majority of wax is scraped off, a cold cream or body butter is GREAT for removing the remainder. I used to use body shop body butter and it wiped it off like water off a counter top.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this Instructable & if you make your own, please post pics!