How to Make Fake Cuts Using Makeup

Co-authored by Daniel Vann

Last Updated: September 20, 2022

Creating fake cuts using makeup is easier than it looks. You can achieve many looks, from simple cuts, grazes, or even decapitation! It won't take very long, cost much, or require much strife. However, you will need some creativity.

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Trace the wound, covering and overlapping the traced area. Be sure to apply thickly. You could also use nail polish for this step.^{[2]
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Question

How do I create a fake wound on my lip?

Community Answer

Do the same thing. Do not use nail polish on your mouth, as it's toxic if ingested. Do not use fake blood -- instead, use lip gloss or lipstick for mouth wounds.

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How do I make fake cuts if I don't have eyeliner?

Community Answer

You can use eyeshadow. Wet the brush beforehand though.

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What happens if I don't have lipstick?

Community Answer

You can use red eye shadow, red nail polish, or even red lip liner.

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Tips

If you're going for a nasty, infected, gangrene-type wound, use colors like blue, purple, brown, and green eyeshadow, to add shading, streaking, and blotching around the wound. This achieves an infected, dirty, bruised look.

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Use matte makeup; shimmery or metallic makeup won't look realistic!

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Use a heavy amount of lipstick or petroleum jelly to make the wound appear raised and festering. Just be careful about rubbing against things, since lipstick and petroleum jelly will come off relatively easily.
if you want the cut to look a bit older, add dark purple and blue eyeshadow to the area surrounding the cut. This will make it look more bruised, which only occurs after a day or two of healing.
Don't worry about making it "perfect." Cuts and wounds tend to be naturally messy and ugly. If your makeup doesn't match exactly what you were going for, that doesn't mean it isn't convincing!
White glue can be applied to the top of the cut or bruise to seal the makeup. When the glue dries, it'll flake off and make the wound appear infected.

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