I've said this before and I will say it again: To be good at something requires prac_ tice. Don't expect to become sought after as an on-set master of applying makeup appliances if you aren't really good at it. You must practice, practice, practice!
Just as with most aspects of creating special makeup effects, there is no one prescribed method for applying a transformational makeup, whether it is one piece or multiple pieces that overlap to create the makeup. An obvious first step in applying a prosthetic appliance is to clean the skin using 99 percent isopro pyl alcohol (IPA), regular 70% rubbing alcohol, or another skin cleanser that is non-oily. It is imperative that the skin be oil and grease free to make for better adhesion when the appliance is applied.
Whether you are applying a foam latex appliance or a silicone appliance (or gela tin or urethane cold foam) is not as important as being methodical and careful in the application. Nor is the adhesive you use as important. That being said, the appliance material and the adhesive are indeed important, relatively speak ing. A few things about the adhesives you will most likely encounter: The acrylic adhesives, such as Premiere Products' Telesis® Beta Bond® and ADM Tronics' Pros Aide,® go on white and dry clear; they also dry tacky and work bestas a contact cement with the adhesive applied to both the skin and the appliance. Both sur faces should be powdered after the adhesive dries; the glue can then be reactivated with 99 percent alcohol at the time of application. The silicone adhesives, such as Premiere's Telesis® 5, go on clear and dry clear and are slightly tacky when dry, though not to the extent of Pros-Aide,® for example. Silicone adhesives work best when applied to the skin and the appliance is attached before the adhesive dries completely.