There are many Halloween costumes in which makeup is a must. Imagine a cat without whiskers, or a Beetlejuice without the undead, pale skin — it’s just not possible. But with that makeup comes questions about how to keep your skin healthy, so that post-Halloween, you’re not left with seriously scary skin. Our Skin Therapists have some recommendations for how to prepare your skin and how to get back to your true self so the only spooky thing you experience are kids who've had too much sugar.

What can I do before Halloween to prepare?

Our Skin Therapist, Joanne D. says that the key to good skin after Halloween is to get your skin prepped before you begin covering. She recommends focusing on three things the night of: exfoliating, hydrating, and priming.

First, start with your usual cleansing to clean your skin of debris so it doesn’t hang out in your pores under your foundation. Next, gently exfoliate. Use the tips of your fingers and go in light circles. “This step will remove excess dry, dead skin that makeup will – unpleasantly – adhere to and potentially trap within your pores.”

The next step is to make sure that you hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. “Like exfoliating, this will lessen your skin’s desire to absorb all that makeup.” We’d recommend a great hydrating mask like Alchimie Forever’s Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask. You can even leave it for the whole night.

Now that your skin is clean and hydrated, the last thing to do is to make sure that you use a makeup primer before any face paint, makeup, or foundation. “This is one additional barrier between your skin and your ghoulish makeup.” And the further away the better!

Seems easy enough, what about when I get home?

First, and this may seem obvious, but you need to fully remove your makeup. Our Skin Therapist Eli F. says that, “After a night of makeup and drinks, the skin will suffer from dehydration, and it will definitely will show the next morning if not taken care of. No sleeping with makeup on, no matter how tired you are!”

Taking off that makeup may take longer than usual, but don't get frustrated. “A facial wipe or micellar water works great. Keep sweeping at your face until there is no residue left. Don’t give up and rely solely on your cleanser.” Like with everyday makeup, micellar water and makeup wipes are not the same thing as cleaning your face, especially if you're prone to breaking out.

Enter the double cleanse, right?

Yep! First use a facial oil or cleanser, like the One Love Organic’s Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover, to draw the makeup out of your pores. “Allow it to sit for five minutes and gently wipe off. You can repeat as needed, it won’t dry out your skin.” If you’re dealing with a very stubborn face paint (an undead situation), then use a warm, damp towel over the oil to help ease out the makeup.

Next, do a second cleanse with your go-to cleanser to clean the skin “This works for even the wickedest of stage makeup! Glitter, on the other hand, well, patience will be needed. Lots of patience.” The key with glitter is to not scrub, as the hard edges can scrape at the skin. Once clean, make sure to tone your skin to rebalance and a mask to rehydrate.

What if I'm prone to breaking out?

“If you’re prone to breaking out,” our Skin Therapist Melissa N. says, “I recommend skipping the heavy face paint.” But if your costume is just too good then, “I recommend exfoliating or using a clarifying mask after your double cleansing.” This makes sure that you've given your skin some extra support. Should you need some help, stop by. We'll get you good as new!