Make a Fake Bruise

Whether you are an actor or are simply planning a costume for Halloween, fake bruises can be an important part of your look. A realistic fake bruise is a detail that many may skip, opting instead for the more dramatic and obvious fake blood. However, a well-done bruise will make your costume look more professional and polished. When crafting a fake bruise, there are many different methods you may choose from.

Steps

Planning Your Bruise

1. Figure out what type of bruise you want to make. Do you want your bruise to look fresh, nearly healed, or somewhere in between? It's a good idea to keep in mind what type of bruise your character is likely to have and know what these bruises look like in real life.
   • Very fresh bruises: When a person sustains a bruising injury, fresh blood leaks from damaged vessels into the surrounding tissues like the skin. Because of this, a fresh bruise will appear to be bright red. This kind of bruise may be appropriate if you are playing a boxer.
   • Bruises that are hours old: Once the leaked blood loses its oxygen, it will take on a darker hue and begin to look more blue or purplish. If your character was in a car accident earlier that day, this type would be a good choice.
   • Bruises that are days old: Bruises often darken during the first few days following an injury, sometimes even becoming black. Use these darker-colored bruises if a character had gotten into a fight recently but not that day. Dark purple bruises also go well with zombie costumes.
   • Healing bruises: Bruises that have begun to heal will start to display a green color due to blood protein breaking down. Once the bruise has almost healed completely, it will begin to look lighter and a yellow color will appear. Use these bruises to show that a character had been injured in the recent past but has recovered.
2. Determine placement of your bruise. How did your character get the bruise? If your character has been punched in the face, apply a nasty fake bruise to your eye socket, cheekbone, or the bridge of your nose. Bruises on knees, elbows, or shins may convey that your character is either clumsy or athletic.
   • If you are making a zombie costume, think about how "you" may have died. Add bruises to appropriate areas based on your character's cause of death.
3. Avoid areas partially covered by clothing. Even the most gentle dyes and cosmetics can cause unforeseen stains in clothing. Unless you are wearing clothes that are fine to permanently stain, avoid putting bruises anywhere near where clothing will lie. Be safe and leave at least two inches between the edge of your clothes and the bruise in case the clothing shifts while wearing it.

Using Stage Makeup

1. Gather your materials. Buy a makeup palette from a costume shop or party supply store. Many different manufacturers of theatrical makeup make palettes especially designed for creating fake bruises. You may also buy separate compacts instead if you'd like. You will also need a makeup sponge for each color to keep from ruining the palette.
   • Bruises will generally require the following colors: dark maroon, blood red, dark blue, purple, pale green, and yellow.
   • This method will give you the most realistic-looking results.
2. Sponge on your lightest color as the underlayer. For healing bruises, this will be yellow or pale green. For all other bruises, use bright blood red. Avoid making solid lines or obvious shapes that would look strange on a real bruise.
3. Sponge on darker layers. Cover most of the underlayer first in maroon. Then, sponge on a layer of purple over most of the maroon. Use the makeup sponge to blend well at the edges of each layer.
   • For healing bruises, skip maroon and use purple only. Sponge the purple around the perimeter of the bruise and leave a spot of underlayer visible in the center.
   • For fresh bruises, leave most of the red underlayer visible and add just a bit of maroon for shadows. Skip adding other colors.
4. Add any details or finishing touches. Small splashes or patches of other colors from your bruise palette can add variety. Make sure to blend all layers well with a sponge to avoid looking fake or cheesy. Once you've finished completely, set your bruise with powder.

Using Eye Shadow

1. Gather your materials. You will need a few different shades of eye shadow, some brushes, and a cup of water. You will need both a dark gray eye shadow, as well as either a deep blue or purple. Olive green and yellow or gold are optional for added detail.
2. Apply your blue or purple with a wet brush. Blot your brush to create uneven edges that are already partially blended. Use only a sparse amount of pigment. If you are finding you must cake on this base to get it appropriately dark, use a different slightly darker eye shadow to begin with instead.
3. Daub gray and additional blue or purple to add shadows. Use your fingertips. Concentrate the shadows where your bruise's imaginary impact point may be. This will be the darkest part of your bruise.
4. Smudge in some olive or yellow. Use your fingers to add just a touch of these colors to the periphery of your bruise. Finish up by blending everything with a fresh brush.

Using Food Coloring

1. Gather your materials. You will need food coloring, petroleum jelly, and paper towels. The exact colors you will need will depend on your bruise. Remember that fresher bruises will use more bright reds, established bruises will include darker blues and purples, and healing bruises begin to first display green and then yellow.
   • This technique is best for smaller bruises, as it is much harder to apply for a realistic look.
2. Dot the location of your bruise with your base color. For most bruises, you will want to go with red as the base color. Use yellow instead for nearly-healed bruised.
3. Smear the dot of food coloring before it dries. Use your index finger to create the general shape of your bruise. If you want a lighter spot in the middle, which often occurs in established and healing bruises, be sure to wipe off any excess food coloring with a paper towel.
   • Keep in mind that real bruises are usually very irregular. Don't make perfect shapes with the smear. Make the edges uneven and jagged.
4. Add a second color over the base. This will be blue or green for newer bruises or brown for healing ones. Mix together red and green to make brown. Put a dot of this second color on top of the base you've already made. Smear it in a similar but not exactly overlapping pattern. Wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
   • For fresh bruises, instead of a second color stick to red only. Blend and create variations in color intensity with a little water.
5. Blend the colors using petroleum jelly. Take a small dab of petroleum jelly with your finger and rub it over your fake bruise to blend. Focus on areas like edges and where the two colors overlap. The more well-blended the bruise, the more convincing it will look. Once you've finished, wipe off the petroleum jelly with a paper towel.

Tips

• Copy photos of actual bruises for added realism.
• No matter what type of bruise you're trying to make, keep in mind that real bruises are rarely a single color. Use the right combination of colors and blend well to create a realistic look.
• Don't do it with food coloring, you can ruin your skin.

Warnings

• Always spot test cosmetics on a small inconspicuous piece of skin when using them for the first time to check for allergens. Try to do this at least 24 hours ahead of time to check for delayed reactions. This step is especially important if you have sensitive skin. You don't want your fake bruise turning into a real rash.

Related Articles

• Make a Fake Bruise With Markers
• Make Fake Rings Under Your Eyes

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Sugar Glass
• Make Fake Cuts
• Make Fake Cuts Using Makeup
• Make a Fake Fighting Scene for a Movie
• Add Extra Effects to Photo Booth
• Make Special Effects for a Horror Movie
• Create the Indiana Jones Face Melt Effect
• Build a Portable Green Screen
• Make a Fake Wall You Can Crash Through

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