There's just something about seeing Santa Claus that instantly brings back memories and gets us in the holiday spirit, but what's even more special for us is all the preparation that goes into creating this beloved character! Between the fake beards (for some) and white hair makeup, rosy cheeks, and sometimes fake wrinkles, it can be a lot of work to create the Ho-ho-holiday magic!

This holiday season, we partnered with @caykeface to bring this fun Santa Claus look to life!

An easy way to make your Santa Claus makeup look more believable is to create a complexion that is wrinkled from years of jolly laughter, smiles, and weathered from decades of delivering lots of toys to good boys and girls!

Caykeface used the Ben Nye Essential Matte Foundation Palette because it offers a wide range of shades to create darker lines and lighter shades to highlight to make more realistic-looking wrinkles. To keep the makeup in place, she used Ben Nye Neutral Set Powder and pressed it in using a blending tool onto the areas of her face that move more and a brush to dust across the rest of her face.

Using a fine detail brush, she made a few of the wrinkles look even more deep-set using the finely milled powders from the Ben Nye Studio Sculpt & Contour Palette. Just like she did with the cream foundation palette, she started with the deeper shade and then used a lighter shade to add a bit of dimension and highlight while also softening the lines.

Caykeface created her beard, mustache, and bushy eyebrows in advance using Ben Nye Crepe Wool Hair (in shades Ash Blonde and Light Gray). This allowed her to create a natural-looking variation in hues. The hair comes braided together upon arrival, but you can gently unravel it and trim it to the desired length.  

To attach the faux hair, she used a q-tip to apply a light layer of Spirit Gum adhesive to the desired area and allowed it to dry slightly until it became tacky and attached the pieces of hair. Next, she sealed down each piece with a thin layer of spirit gum to the edges of each faux hair layer. She set the adhesive with a thin layer of powder and further concealed the disguise with foundation for a natural transition. To further hide the transition, add a little bit of crepe wool hair on your skin where the beard meets your skin to help hide the seams.

PRO Tip: Any time you work with Spirit Gum or any other SFX adhesive, have the proper remover (in this case Spirit Gum Remover)  handy to ensure you keep your skin (and body hair where the item has been applied) in tip-top shape!

Since the hair she attached wasn't white, she used Ben Nye Hair Color in Snow White to give it a true white appearance.

While the blush you use is a matter of preference, Caykeface used two different shades of Jillian Dempsey Cheek Tint (in Rosy and Scarlet) to create extra dimension to the cheeks. She applied the lighter shade Rosy first and then added a pop of color to the apples of her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose using Scarlet to create the "I'm Cold" Makeup Trend effect that mimics being outside in chilly temperatures!

To set the entire look in place (not demonstrated in the video but an essential step for extra long wear), she gave her makeup a light spritzing of Ben Nye Final Seal and let it dry.

After adding a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and the perfect Santa Claus outfit, Caykeface is the perfect Camera Ready Santa Claus!

A true SFX Santa Claus makeup look wouldn't be complete without an added effect! Caykeface took her Santa to the next level with a fun product called Kryolan Professional Make-Up Icicle Gel. This thick gel is easily applied with a spatula and is semi-transparent giving it an icy effect! It was the perfect touch to make this Santa look like he just got back from delivering lots of gifts on a frosty white Christmas Eve night!

We hope you enjoyed watching this fun Santa Claus makeup tutorial and want to give a special thank you to our friend @caykeface for sharing her talents with our community! Want to see more great tutorials? Visit our YouTube Channel! If you have any more questions, we are here to help! Click here to reach out to our Beauty Advisors.

If you recreate this look or follow any of our other SFX Tutorials, don't forget to tag @camerareadysfx on social media!

Feeling inspired? We are, too! Enjoy more tutorials from our SFX Tutorial Series

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Need something specific to create your SFX Halloween looks? Shop Camera Ready’s extensive collection of top special effects brands here. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact our Beauty Advisors for a comparable alternative, or to see if we can order the exact product you need.

About Camera Ready Cosmetics

Camera Ready Cosmetics was founded in 2003 by Makeup Artist Mary Erickson. She dreamed of having a pro makeup showroom where artists could play with professional products without the typical makeup store attitude.

Today, our team of beauty industry veterans work together to curate the best quality products on the market. We partner with brands who respect the industry and formulate products for true working artists. You won’t find CRC in high-end malls, and we don't wear matching brush belts.

If you want to play with products for a few hours and buy nothing, that's okay ... come in and play! Our store is your playground.