Rigid Collodion Quick and Easy SFX; but what is it?

When creating SFX makeups it can be overwhelming the amount of products and equipment there is out there, not to mention the cost of some these things. There are some kit staples that every SFX artist has in their kit and I believe that Rigid Collodion is one of them. Its a fairly cheap product that creates a very realistic effect that you will more then likely need for quick and easy casualty effect at some point in your career.

So what is this Rigid Collodion? Basically its a clear liquid that when applied to the skin will pucker, pulling the skin inwards whilst it dries which gives the illusion of a scar (or if coloured in a specific way can also create scratches and superficial cuts and even to some extent simulating wrinkles.) The depth of the scar depends on the amount of layers that are applied, that's the good thing about this product, it can be as subtle or dramatic as you need.

Like all SFX products there are some downsides to this product, its very very chemically smelly which means that you definitely need to be in a well ventilated area otherwise you and your model are going to get one hell of a headache! As with most SFX products ALWAYS do a skin test! And use a barrier cream/product to protect the skin and reduce irritation during and after/removal of the product. Talking of removal, NEVER pull/peel rigid collodion off, its unbelievable the amount of students I have that seem to love peeling SFX off...IT WILL DAMAGE YOUR SKIN PEOPLE!! Always remove properly using the proper removal products, in this case I love using Ben Nye Bond Off! because it feels nice and gentle, it also removes products fairly quickly. Other products that could be used are Spirit Gum remover which is typically used to remove adhesives but it will remove Rigid Collodion too.

In my next tutorial video on my YouTube channel, I'll be showing you how to create a nice basic scar (image of my arm) as well as some nice scratches/cuts on the face just to demonstrate how dramatic this product can be used.
In the video I will show how I coloured these effects as well as the basic application techniques.

 Please make sure that you are subscribed: -----> https://www.youtube.com/user/RuthMouldenMUA

I think I will probably revisit the use of rigid collodion at a later date, there are a lot things that you could create with it and I think its a fantastic product when used correctly so stay tuned for some bigger casualty effects using this product.

See you next time!
xRx


Rigid collodion can be purchased from:
USA --> https://www.mehron.com/rigid-collodion/
UK --> https://www.treasurehouseofmakeup.co.uk/rigid-collodian-scarring-liquid-25floz.html

OR there is also Kryolan's Rigid Collodion from:
https://uk.kryolan.com/product/collodion-11-ml