If you want to make your nose bleed without hurting yourself, you will need to create fake bleeding using fake blood. The latter is very adaptable and will be great for creating both dry and runny nosebleeds.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Runny or Dry Bleeding
Step 1. Prepare the fake blood
For this particular technique, you will prepare some blood based on chocolate syrup. By dyeing the syrup with red dye and adding laundry detergent it is possible to create a brownish-red solution that mimics the appearance of real blood exposed to air for a fairly long period of time. The consistency of this blood also makes it easier to distribute.
- In a small bowl, mix well 150ml of chocolate syrup with 75ml of concentrated liquid laundry detergent.
- Add 20-30ml of red food coloring, depending on the color you want to achieve.
Step 2. Apply blood under and around the nose
Dip the tip of a makeup sponge into the fake blood. Dab the blood on your face, focusing on the area between your nose and mouth. Cover the whole area but make sure that the blood comes out of the nose towards the sides of the mouth. You should also get some blood in the lower part of the nose, directly around the nostrils.
- Instead of the makeup sponge you can use a small, clean brush.
- To apply the fake blood, stand in front of the mirror.
- Play a little with the effects. There is not just one way to create fake bleeding, so do some tests before deciding what the best result is.
- Don't draw too straight lines. Real bleeding is messy, so fake bleeding must be the same.
- You can also apply a little blood to the sides and tip of the nose, if you want to create a stronger effect. Focus on the nostril area and avoid getting blood on the nasal septum.
Step 3. Accentuate the bleeding
Since when the nose bleeds it usually creates a mess, you will have to put some blood even beyond the nose area, in order to make the effect more believable. To do this, add a swipe to one side of the mouth and a few drops on the neck.
- Evaluate which part of the bleeding seems more intense. Brush more fake blood around the mouth on only that side of the face, leaving the other one intact.
- The blood should reach the corner of the mouth and just below the lower lip.
- Stretch the blood streak down and tilt it towards the side of the face, stopping at the base of the neck.
- On the same side, tap a little blood at the base of the neck. These touches must appear as drops of dried blood, falling from the trickle that crossed that side of the face.
Step 4. You can blow dry the blood if you want
If you want the blood streaks to look fresh, you can leave them as they are. If, on the other hand, you want to create the effect of dry bleeding, use the hair dryer on a low heat until the blood is no longer moist to the touch.
- Keep the hairdryer at a distance and aim the jet of air directly at the streaks of blood. Avoid giving the air an angle so as not to compromise the appearance of the stripes.
- At the end of this step, your fake bleeding will be ready.
Method 2 of 3: Dripping Bleeding
Step 1. Prepare the fake blood
The dripping blood is fresh and oxygenated, so you will need to prepare a more watery liquid and a more vibrant color than previously prepared. A light corn syrup will allow you to achieve this effect. By adding corn starch you will give the right consistency to the mixture, and the addition of laundry soap will allow the blood not to stain much.
- In a small bowl, mix 150ml of light corn syrup, 75ml of hot water, 15-25ml of red food coloring, 2-3 drops of blue or green food coloring, 75ml of cornstarch, and a splash of liquid laundry detergent. Keep stirring until the ingredients are well blended.
- The amount of red dye depends on the final shade you want to achieve.
- If the blood seems too liquid, add cornstarch. If it looks too solid, add water.
Step 2. Fill a dropper with blood
Squeeze the bulb of a clean dropper and dip its mouth in the fake blood. Leave the bulb to hold the liquid.
A syringe without a needle can work just as well if you don't have a dropper. Basically, you need a tool that allows you to apply blood in a controlled manner. However, this tool must have a mouth small enough to fit into a nostril
Step 3. Squeeze the blood at the base of the nostrils
Keep your head straight and place the mouth of the dropper at the base of one of the nostrils. Press the dropper bulb so the fake blood flows out slowly. Blood should flow from the base of the nostril to the mouth in a uniform stream.
- To do this, stand in front of a mirror.
- You may not need all the liquid contained in the dropper. You need to use the amount necessary to create an even trickle.
- Do not spray blood directly into the nostril. The tip of the dropper should be outside the nostril, at the base, while the body is tilted to one side.
- Apply fake blood only to one side of the nose to make the effect more believable.
Method 3 of 3: Bleeding on Command
Step 1. Prepare the fake blood
The blood you need for this technique is very similar to that used for dripping bleeding, but you do not have to add detergent because this blood will go directly into the nose.
- In a small bowl, mix 250ml of light corn syrup, 15ml of water, 30ml of red food coloring, 2-3 drops of blue or green food coloring, and 20ml of cornstarch. Continue stirring until the starch dissolves.
- Add cornstarch for thicker blood or water for a more liquid one. Remember that thick blood will be easier to hold in the nose but will also need to be liquid enough to flow naturally.
- If it looks too red to be true, add a few more drops of blue or green dye to create a brown tint.
Step 2. Fill the dropper with blood
Squeeze the dropper bulb to let all the air out and dip the tip into the liquid. Release the bulb so that the blood can enter the dropper.
A syringe or something similar is fine, but the tip must be small enough to fit into the nostril
Step 3. Tilt your head back and squeeze the blood into your nose
Standing in front of a mirror, tilt your head back slightly so that you can see the nostrils. Insert the tip of the dropper and slowly squeeze the bulb so that it releases the blood into the nose.
- This step must be done at the same time as the next.
- Don't inspire deeply as you squeeze the fake blood into your nose.
Step 4. Inhale slowly
Take a slow, deep breath through your nose. Breathe in just enough to hold the blood in the upper nostril, but not too much to prevent it from flowing into the sinus cavities.
- You will need to do some testing before becoming familiar with this step. If you sniff too much it will feel like you are dripping. Breathing in too much and quickly could send the fake blood to the sinus cavities and cause slight pain. On the other hand, if you don't inhale enough, the blood could flow out sooner than expected.
- You will need to keep breathing while holding the fake blood, so as good as you get with this technique, you can hold the blood for only a minute or so.
Step 5. Exhale through the nose
When you're ready, stop inhaling and gently exhale through your nose. The blood should flow from the nostril in a very believable trickle.
Don't exhale too hard or you'll risk letting the blood out too quickly
Other Recipes for Making Fake Blood
Step 1. Use a tropical fruit punch
Choose a punch that has a deep red color. Punch works for all the methods we've seen, but you can add a little more cornstarch if you want fake blood thick enough to use for dripping or dry bleeding.
- Mix 125ml tropical punch with 250ml corn syrup, 30ml red food coloring, 15ml chocolate syrup, 30ml cornstarch, 15ml cocoa powder. Put all the ingredients in a blender to make sure they mix well.
- Each fruit punch has its own shade of color, so you may need to adjust the shade. Add red dye to make the color brighter, or chocolate syrup to darken the blood.
Step 2. Make fake blood using coffee
Coffee gives fake blood a very realistic dark shade. This recipe is perfect for dripping bleeding but, by adding a little more corn starch, you can also use it for dripping bleeding.
Blend 125ml of coffee, 250ml of light corn syrup, 30ml of red food coloring, and 30ml of cornstarch. Blend everything for 10 seconds to mix the ingredients well
Warnings
- Do not use potentially toxic fake blood near the nose.
- Don't try to make your nose bleed for real. There is no guarantee that you will be able to do it without hurting yourself.
- Do not inhale fake blood containing laundry detergent.
