Recipe 1 : Life Casting
- Koji Ohmura
- Sep 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 16
The life casting mold making is a good way to start custom-made prosthetics. It will make the prosthetics fit on your face exactly. It helps achieve better edges and great movement.
This is a step-by-step guide on how to create werewolf special effects makeup. Recipe 1 features how to make a life-casting mold.
Materials you need...
Smooth On - Body Double Silk (or Body Double Fast)
Smooth On Body Double Release
Hyper Folic (Optional)
Face Lotion
Vaseline
Mixing Bowls
Salt
Hot Water
Paper Towel
Gypsona Plaster Bandages
Tongue Depressor
Vinyl Gloves (or Nitrile Gloves)
Shaver (Clipper or OneBlade)
Bald Cap (Optional)
Makeup Glue (Optional)
Glue Remover (Optional)
Material links are here.
Lesson Video
Skin Prep
The most important thing is your skin. Please make sure to have proper skin prep. You do not want the life-casting mold stuck on your face!
First, you need to trim your facial hair if it is long. You can use a shaver or OneBlade. (If you need to go over your head, consider a vinyl bald cap to protect your hair.)
Apply skin lotion. You can choose any lotion if it is not greasy. I normally use Nivea Lotion.
Use Q-tips to apply Vaseline on eyebrows and eyelashes.
Apply Body Double Release on facial hair if you kept some. It is very greasy, so warm it up in your palm and massage it on the hair.
Vaseline on eyelashes
Silicone
Prepare a 50:50 ratio of Smooth-On Body Double Silk A & B in separate cups. (If you are using Body Double Standard or Fast Set, I recommend adding Smooth-On - Hyper-Folic. This will prevent the silicone from sticking to your hair.)
Wear non-latex gloves. If you wear latex gloves, the silicone might not cure.
Mix A & B together. Make sure to mix it well with a tongue depressor.
Apply a thin layer of the mixture on your skin with your finger. This will prevent bubbles.
Thin layer is important!
If you are life casting someone else, ask him/her to close their eyes and mouth and relax their face. Keep nostrils open.
Once you get an even thickness of the first layer, add more. Again, ensure nostrils are not covered!
As it gets thicker, use a tongue depressor to smooth it out.
Plaster Bandage
Make warm water and sprinkle a small amount of salt. This will make the plaster set up faster.
Dip double-layered plaster bandages in the salted water. Squeeze the bandage to make it less watery.
Lay it on the cured silicone. Massage it over to pop bubbles between the bandage and silicone.
One more time! Do NOT cover nose holes.
Keep your nose holes open. ( No need to put straws!) After covering the entire silicone, add more layers. In total, 5-6 layers of plaster bandages should be enough.
Tap a paper towel to wipe off moisture.
Do not throw away water in a sink. Make the plaster-mixed water harder and throw it into a trash can.
Wipe off moisture gently.
Removal
Once it warms up, you know the plaster shell is getting harder.
Gently remove it from the skin. Around the hair, slowly remove it.
Move your face a little (raise your eyebrows, smile, etc.) as the mold comes off. This helps to pop the mold off your skin.
Check for any imperfections. Place the silicone on the plaster bandage shell properly. Silicone is still fragile.
Remove it gently. Still fragile
The next recipe will be making a plaster copy of your face by using this life cast mold.
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