If you want to be extra realistic, use stage blood. [1] X Research source This might be where last year’s costume comes in handy–you could zombify it so long as you don’t mind destroying it in the process. You can also just be an interesting zombie, making a twist on other clothing. Zombies may have been a cheerleader, a pizza delivery guy, or had been on the way to prom.
Be a zombie pair, such as a zombie wedding couple or maybe a famous couple from history who’ve come back from the dead. Be a zombie family! Mom, dad, sister and brother can all have fun as undead. [2] X Research source Hit up a used clothing store to look for wedding apparel.
Make sure you’ve got a costume on hand that’ll identify you as your character. You could always do something recognizable, such as simple, reworked Little Red Riding Hood costume. This is a great tactic if your costume is worn, or in bad condition. Since you will likely be fatiguing or distressing your costume (see below) it is better to work with items in less than new condition. [3] X Research source
Use a spritz bottle filled with water and a few drops of brown or black food coloring, coffee, or black tea to make your clothes look old. This works best on lighter colors to make clothing seem dingy, dirty, and worn. [4] X Research source Spritz your clothing unevenly to make it look more realistically aged. Use a 1:1 bleach solution to “fade” clothing. Zombies stand out in the sun, so clothes fade and look old. This is a good approach to make darker colored clothes look worn out.
To make your tears look realistic, cut in random areas and vary the size of the cuts and the amount of fraying. Remember that your clothing will need to stay on your body, so don’t get too carried away with the ripping and tearing! Keep the tears PG-13
If you’ve got time in advance you could always bury your clothing outside for a week. You can find liquid latex at any costume store, a basic superstore, or online.
Make sure to step away from your clothing to see how it looks at a distance. An easy do-it-yourself recipe for fake blood is combining corn syrup with a few drops of red food coloring. Then add a squirt of chocolate syrup to thicken and darken the blood. [6] X Research source
Do not burn your clothes while they are still on your body. You should always do this in an open area away from flammable surfaces and have a fire extinguisher nearby.
Do this before you put on your face makeup so when you apply makeup the wrinkles will appear deeper. If you’ve got a latex allergy, you can easily make your own liquid latex substitute. Mix together 1 cup (236. 59 mL) cold water, ¼ cup (59. 15 mL) tapioca flour, 1 packet plain gelatin, and 1 tablespoon (14. 79 mL) of solid coconut oil. [8] X Research source
If you want to be creative or try a different look, go for a bluer skin tone to match zombies in movies like Pirates of the Caribbean.
Go darker along the lids by adding a black eyeliner pencil on top of your purplish-brown color.
Colored contacts should only be used with a prescription, even for non-corrective lenses. You can get them by visiting your local eye doctor and getting a prescription. [11] X Trustworthy Source US Food and Drug Administration U. S. government agency responsible for promoting public health Go to source
If your liquid latex wound is going to cover any hair, add a layer of petroleum jelly first. [12] X Research source When you’re done being a zombie you can just peel off the liquid latex to remove it.
You can make the blood drippy or smeared. Go ahead and give yourself a bloody nose! Add some brown color to the blood so it looks darkened with age and more realistic.
You can find colored hairsprays if you want to add some darker black or brown tones into your lighter hair. You can purchase these at any local pharmacy. Get creative and incorporate leaves or twigs into your matted hair. If you don’t want your hair to be ruined or deal with combing it out later, get a cheap wig that you can destroy.
