Applying SFX prosthetics

Special effect prosthetics can be used to change your facial features or to create fake wounds. Prosthetics are generally made of latex or silicone and need to be applied using a special, skin safe glue such as Mastix Spirit Gum. 

What do you need?

-isopropyl alcohol

-make up pad

-prosthetic

-spirit gum

-liquid latex (optional)

-q-tip

-scissors

-baby powder (optional)

-powder brush (optional)

How to apply a SFX prosthetic:

Step 1:

A prosthetic needs to be applied to clean skin, completely free of product. Wipe your skin down with some alcohol in the area the prosthetic will be glued.

Step 2:

Before gluing your prosthetic, do a test placement first. Sometimes you need to trim the edges of the prosthetic a little for a better fit. 

When you want to apply prosthetics that don’t go over your own features, like horns and wounds, you can first place the prosthetic without glue and dab around it with a brush with some baby powder. This way you can mark the placement before gluing. 

Step 3:

First, apply the glue on the area of your skin where you want the prosthetic to go. Let this layer of glue dry completely. When the glue is dry, apply another layer of glue on the same spot and on the inside of the prosthetic. Wait until the glue is tacky and place the prosthetic firmly on your skin. 

Step 4:

To blend the edges a bit more you can mix some glue with baby powder and spread this paste around the edges of the prosthetic. You can use a q-tip for this or a small brush. Spread it out in such a way that the layer of the paste is as thick as the prosthetic at the edges, but thin it out in the direction away from the prosthetic. You can also use liquid latex for this. 

If the prosthetic comes loose at some point, you can either add a little more glue underneath the prosthetic or you can activate the glue again with some alcohol. 

Prosthetics can be removed using glue remover or 99% alcohol. Use a q-tip to apply the remover around the edges first. Once you have a part of the edge come loose, you can move the q-tip with the remover slowly underneath the prosthetic until it comes fully off. 

The glue can dry out our skin, so it’s advised to apply moisturizer after removing the prosthetic.

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