Latex, scar wax, and fake blood aren’t products you would expect to find in a typical makeup collection. But for junior Abbey Lutz, these products are essential for creating some of her favorite makeup looks: gruesome special effects injuries.

     Lutz has loved makeup since she could walk. While special effects makeup (SFX) hasn’t always been her forte, she has been experimenting with ordinary makeup products for a while.

     “I’ve always loved makeup ever since I could grab a tube of lipstick,” Lutz said. “I used to always watch my grandma and mom do their makeup, and I remember putting my grandma’s makeup on myself and loving it.”

     For a while, Lutz’s love of makeup was focused primarily on beauty, like looks for prom, or weddings, or even for everyday. The SFX makeup was so advanced, and unusual that she didn’t think she’d be able to do it.

     “Occasionally I would come across a special effects makeup video and I thought it was so cool. I’d say to myself, ‘I wish I could do that,’” Lutz said.

     However, Lutz eventually decided that it was time for her to try some crazier makeup looks.

     “I found a couple basic special effects products online and ordered them and decided to try it out,” Lutz said. “That day I spent three hours on my first look, and I discovered that I loved it. From that point, my collection just grew and grew.”

Uniqueness was one of the qualities of special effects makeup that initially drew Lutz to it.

     “This style of makeup is one that you don’t see too often unless it’s around Halloween, so I love being able to be unique,” Lutz said.

     For Lutz, uniqueness is one of the many perks of doing SFX makeup. Many things make it exciting, like the reactions people have when they see the finished look.

     “I get a lot of ‘That’s disgusting!” or ‘That’s so gross!’” Lutz said, “I usually get reactions like ‘Go to the hospital.’”

     Cicero firefighter, Tim LaFever has often been told to go to the hospital whenever he shares a look that Lutz did on him via social media.

     “Her mom works with me at the station and she comes in and practices on the firefighters for fun,” LaFever said. “People always think it is real at first. I think that it is incredibly detailed and it looks so real that it makes you look away, but so fascinating that it makes you want to keep looking at it.”

     Lutz’s friends enjoy the creepy makeup she creates too.

     “She has found some enjoyment in something small and took it to the next level with some hard work to create some pretty neat looks,” Junior Zoe Hartman said.

     Junior Jack Yeakey has also been a model for Lutz’s makeup looks, and he knows how much work she puts into her craft.

     “I think she is so good at makeup because she is always ding new looks whenever she can, and is constantly talking about new stuff she is getting, or a new look.”

     Sometimes people like her makeup so much, they decide to hire her. Abbey is exploring job options for both SFX makeup and beauty makeup.

     “I’ve already had a couple gigs where I did makeup. For example, I did beauty makeup for a wedding about a month ago. I’ve also been in contact with haunted houses to do makeup for them.”

     Although Abbey feels her career lies in a different field than makeup, she hopes to continue creating different looks.

     “My heart belongs in the medical field with trauma, so I’d want to do that along with the makeup,” Lutz said. “My family and friends joke about how I’m going to use what I see in trauma and emergency as inspiration for makeup looks.”

     Whatever Abbey ends up doing, she says she’ll definitely still be creating gruesome makeup looks.

     “Makeup is a way to express yourself, and I think that people can really discover themselves through it,” Lutz said. “With [SFX] you really have to be creative, and if you make a mistake it’s okay.”

     Lutz knows special effects makeup isn’t for everyone, but to those who do have an interest, she recommends it wholeheartedly.

     “If there’s someone out there who is interested in doing special effects, then just do it. Save up your money, get the right products, and just try it out,” Lutz said. “You never know you love something until you try it, and I’d love it if more people shared this strange passion with me.”