Fake Blood

• Rubies Costume

• Wet n Wild

You bought fake blood for Halloween 1 year, and now you want to use it the next. Cosmetics break down when they've been exposed to outside bacteria, such as putting a used applicator with oils and dirt back into its container. Exposure to light, heat and moisture can also be problematic.

Unopened fake blood may be good for quite some time. Follow the expiration date on the product packaging to be safe. If there is no expiration date, use the smell and texture tests. If you open the product and it smells off or seems dried out or overly sticky, it's time to toss it. When in doubt, just buy a new vial of fake blood and enjoy a stress-free holiday.

There are several DIY recipes for fake blood, but it can be difficult to create the right consistency. Those DIY products aren't shelf-stable either, so the batch can go bad before you have a chance to use it. The best way to nail your Halloween look is to buy a professionally made product, such as Wet n Wild Fantasy Maker Fake Blood, Vampire’s Dessert. This faux blood is the perfect shade of dark red with the right viscosity to drip off your vampire teeth or putty wound.

Fake blood makeup can be used for a wide variety of Halloween looks. You can dribble some along your hairline to mimic a head injury or squeeze a bit just inside your nostrils to make it look like you've had a nosebleed. A bit of faux blood out of the corner of your mouth works for a zombie or vampire costume, and drips on your limbs or hands can easily make it look like you've been up to no good.

You can also use fake blood on your decorations. A few dabs on a Spooky Village LED Pose-N-Stay Skeleton can take the prop from neat to gnarly. Feel free to be creative and see how a touch of fake blood on your teeth or across the front of your werewolf ensemble can help customize your costume.