How To Go One Step Further With Fancy Dress By Using Cosmetics & Disguises

Fancy dress costumes are a great way to express yourself at a party as they allow you to act out of character and mimic anyone you please, from your favourite superheroes to your most beloved celebrities. But as you get older and get more fancy dress parties under your belt, you may begin to feel that there’s a Groundhog Day element to each event – the same bog-standard costumes will keep making a reappearance and outfits will become less and less imaginative.

So for your next fancy dress party, why don’t you try using some cosmetics and disguises to enhance your costume and help you blend effortlessly into your chosen character?

If you’re going as a fairly realistic figure, such as Captain Jack Sparrow or Zorro, using makeup and disguises as part of your fancy dress costume can really help you create an authentic appearance at themed parties. From eyelashes and hair extensions to beards, body sprays and special effect scars, the range of cosmetics and disguises that can be applied to fancy dress costumes is huge.   

Here is your guide to using cosmetics and disguises to give your fancy dress costume that real ‘wow’ factor! 

Makeup 

When it comes to fancy dress, looking ‘normal’ goes out the window. The nature of fancy dress parties is to go all-out to be out-of-the-ordinary, so being conservative with your appearance will not win you attention OR admiration.  

If you’re going as an army man, grab some brown and khaki face paint and get working on an all over body camouflage suit. If you’re dressing up as Dracula, get some white face paint for a base coat and some red paint for the blood. And if you ARE going as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow don’t forget to pick up plenty of mascara for the finishing touches to your costume.  

Wearing makeup with your costume, regardless of your gender, is guaranteed to add an extra dimension to your get-up and ensure you stand out from the crowd in a memorable outfit that people will remember for years to come. 

‘Accessor-eyes’

As the name suggests, ‘accessor-eyes’ are accessories for your eyes. These accessories are essentially a range of cool and colourful non-prescription contact lenses. You can get ultraviolet ones for a scary effect, yellow cats eyes perfect for pussy costumes, bloody red eyes for zombie costumes and many, many more. 

Special Effects

Go the extra mile at your next fancy dress event by showing off your costume with some special effects. From fake blood to gory gashes in your arms and head, adding some special effects to your fancy dress costume will scare your friends silly.   

Special effects for fancy dress come in many forms, from latex sleeves with blood and scars to tooth wax for pirate costumes. They make a great addition to any costume idea and are especially handy for those seeking to achieve the dead or zombie appearance for a big Halloween ‘do. 

But it’s not all blood and gore when it comes to employing special effects in your fancy dress costume. You will find a vast range of products you to give you that edge at your costume party, from skin-embedded golf balls and cigarettes to realistic plastic bones that can be made to look as though they’re sticking out of your skin. 

Whichever costume you decide to wear at your next fancy dress party, make sure you get your hands on some cosmetics and disguises to really complete your look! 

AUTHOR BYLINE

Dan Cartwright just loves sharing his party planning advice online. When he's not at his keyboard broadcasting his expertise Dan is a customer sales assistant at the Partyman Shop  - your number one party and event supplies store in the South East.

How To Have A Fantastic Family Day Out On A Budget

A day out with the family is loads of fun and sparks tonnes of great memories, but on the other hand it can severely impact your bank balance, especially if it’s the kid’s holidays and you’re struggling to find cheap and cheerful things to do. This guide is full of useful tips and tricks to show you how to enjoy a day together with your family without spending a fortune.

Research

Researching activities to do with the family can save huge amounts of time on the day and more often than not it is substantially cheaper to book tickets online rather than paying in person when you turn up. And don’t forget to look out for places that offer a family ticket (typically two tickets for the adults and two for children). Similarly, look for student or OAP discounts when venturing out with the extended family. 

Websites such as Day Out With The Kids are specifically made to compile a list of appropriate family activities within your local area. Simply enter your post code and you’ll be presented with loads of ideas nearby. These sites are a huge time-saver, especially when compared to rifling through leaflets at the Tourist Information office. 

Similarly, websites such as Money Saving Expert have great deals on a daily basis for tickets that are often available at a much lower fee than the recommend retail price.

Free attractions

There are a whole range of attractions that are free to enter that provide an excellent day out for the whole family. The Natural History and Science Museums in London are completely free to enter (although they do ask for a small donation of a few pounds upon entry), or there may be small additional costs for some premier exhibitions. Similarly, parks and public gardens can provide a great setting for a cheap family day out – why not get the kids to help you cook some finger food and head out for a picnic on a summer’s day, or organise a family football tournament over the local common?

Food

Aside from the fact that eating out can be very expensive, it can sometimes be incredibly difficult to find a restaurant that pleases the whole family. Instead of spending a fortune on fast food, why not invest in high quality flasks and food boxes and prepare your own feast? It does involve a little effort, but you’ll feel much better for saving a few pounds and will be able to pack snacks and drinks that suit everyone’s tastes, not to mention that you’ll be more inclined to go for healthier options and will be in a better position to ignore the call of the nearest McDonalds or KFC when the kids start getting the munchies.   

Transport

When using public transport it is easy to find cheap family tickets on major rail networks. Similarly, some attractions such as Chester Zoo offer lower ticket prices for customers who travel to the attraction by bicycle. Cycling can be fun for all the family – you can even get your hands on tandems, attachments and specially-made children’s bikes. If you live local to the attraction, why don’t you use bikes to lower your costs and get some exercise at the same time?  

Family discounts, ‘kids go free’ and off-peak or super off-peak tickets can all keep the price of the day to a minimum. Don’t forget to enquire at the ticket office as they will be able to provide you with all the information you need to stay within your allotted budget.  

AUTHOR BYLINE

Glen Stark is a father of four and a passionate excursionist. When Glen isn't out on family day trips he is child's entertainer at the Partyman Company , one of the leading children's entertainment brands in the United Kingdom.