Halloween Masks

Why Wear a Mask?

Masks are usually used when make-up just can't achieve the right look, such as a famous character or a particularly gory image. In fact, some costumes practically require a mask. After all, what would Batman be without his mask? A mask can also be fun because it lets you completely escape into a character. No one has to know it's you, and any self-consciousness can quickly disappear. Sometimes a mask is the entire costume, a lazy way to join in the Halloween fun. Those with allergies or sensitive skin may prefer a mask over make-up that may make them break out.

Potential Problems

The fundamental problem with masks is they can impede the wearer's vision. This can be annoying if you bump into someone at a party, but it's downright dangerous if your child is trick-or-treating from house to house.

Masks can also be uncomfortable, with the plastic or latex trapping moisture next to your face. If the mask is held on with elastic, it can start to dig into your scalp, or even snap halfway through the night. They also make it difficult to eat and drink without breaking character. However, most people are willing to put up with this inconvenience for the sake of a great costume.

Buying Halloween Masks

Halloween masks vary in quality and cost, from the cheap plastic faces packaged with kids' costumes to professional-quality masks, suitable for use in haunted houses. You can find masks at any store selling Halloween costumes, including a number of online retailers.

• Halloween Mart offers classic styles like grandma alongside today's political figures. Their feather masks would be equally appropriate on Halloween night or at a Mardi Gras party. Licensed products allow you to re-enact the best scenes in Star Wars, or dress as your favorite member of Slipknot .
• AnyMask.com offers a mix of decorative and Halloween masks. Two of their more unique categories are celebrity masks and political masks. Perhaps for legal reasons, they don't give the names of celebrities, only generic terms like "golfer celebrity", but it's not hard to tell who's who. Politicians include famous figures from the U.S. and England, from Hilary Clinton to Tony Blair.
• The Scream Team specializes in prosthetics to create realistic effects that typical masks can't achieve. Instruction sheets, videos, and make-up kits can help novices perfect their look.
• As its name suggests, Death Studios focuses on darker mask designs, with full selections of killers, demons, and vampyres.
• FrightCatalog.com also focuses on scares in its mask selection. Alien masks, skull masks, and zombie masks are just a few of the possibilities.

Homemade Masks

Creating paper Halloween masks can be a fun craft for the kids. You can make a mask out of a paper plate, or cut a piece of cardboard in the desired shape. Punch holes in the sides, and use string, yarn, or elastic to tie it around your child's head. You can also find printable masks on many websites devoted to families and kids' crafts, such as these cut-outs for a lion, pumpkin, mouse, and cat.

If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you can make a paper mache mask. These instructions for a half mask are presented as a four-week lesson plan for young students, but the techniques hold true for any crafter. An alternate plan works with safety headgear to create a full mask.