Ben Nye Dark Blood Aged & Oxidized, 236 ml

Ben Nye Dark Blood Aged & Oxidized, 236 ml

Ben Nye Dark Blood Aged & Oxidized is a classic stage blood from Ben Nye Makeup, developed for older wounds, oxidised blood and post-trauma SFX effects. The colour is a dark brownish-red, pre-oxidised to read as blood that has been present for some time rather than fresh. The formula is safe in and around the mouth and has a fresh peppermint flavour. This 236 ml size is the working format for longer productions and theatre seasons where you move through multiple scenes or evenings.

• Dark brownish-red, oxidised: colour of older blood and existing wounds
• Fresh peppermint flavour, safe for use in and around the mouth
• Stays liquid for extended working time (does not dry out)
• Based on hydrolysed corn starch, paraben-free
• Washes off skin with warm water and soap; test on fabric first

What is Ben Nye Dark Blood?

Dark Blood is a liquid stage blood from the Ben Nye Makeup range in Los Angeles. The formula is based on hydrolysed corn starch with water, propylene glycol and peppermint flavouring. This means the blood drips and flows naturally and stays liquid throughout the entire scene. Perfect for live work where blood needs to visibly flow and remain present.

The flavour and composition are designed for use around and in the mouth. For mouth effects, blood at the corner of the lips or a bite wound on the neck, this is the blood that performers can comfortably hold in their mouth without an unpleasant taste.

Why do pros choose Dark Blood?

The colour is deliberately calibrated to older, oxidised blood. That dark brownish-red reads immediately as "already there" rather than fresh. On camera and under stage lighting it reads as convincing wounds without any post-production work.

Because the blood stays liquid, the behaviour is predictable: drops run, pools stay wet, smears spread like real blood does. Choose Dark Blood when you're working on post-mortem looks, dead characters or wounds that are meant to look established.

How to use Ben Nye Dark Blood

Apply Dark Blood directly from the bottle or pour into a small dispensing dish. Three commonly used techniques:

• Brush or tip: apply with a brush or tilt the bottle so gravity does the work for realistic drip behaviour on skin or decor.
• Spatters: use a Ben Nye Full Splatter Brush or the Mini Splatter Brush for targeted blood spatters on skin, clothing or set pieces.
• In the mouth: dispense a small amount or use a capsule. The peppermint flavour is comfortable to hold briefly. Do not swallow.

Build up effects in thin layers: a first layer of blood, then work targeted areas with a second layer for depth. Combine with Ben Nye Thick Blood for thicker, clotting blood passages or with Ben Nye Fresh Scab for scabbing and older wound edges.

Pro tip: build Dark Blood up in thin layers for oxidised wound edges: a first base coat, then work targeted spots with a second layer where the wound needs to look older or deeper. Combine with Fresh Scab at the wound edge for realistic scabbing.

Setting and removal

Dark Blood stays liquid. Setting is neither required nor desirable. For removal, work in stages:

• Skin: warm water with mild soap, blotting as you go. For stubborn residue use a Wonder Towel; finish with a gentle skin cleanser. On fair skin a faint red shadow may linger briefly before fading.
• Clothing and fabric: rinse immediately with cold water. Then machine wash at 30 degrees Celsius with a stain remover. Test on a hidden area first. Ben Nye states that the blood washes out of most fabrics, but does not give a 100 per cent guarantee.
• Decor and props: warm water with soap works in most cases; test first on porous materials.

What can you use it for?

• Theatre and stage productions with live blood effects
• Halloween looks and horror themes (old wounds, oxidised blood, corpse effects)
• Haunted houses, scare mazes and horror events
• Cosplay and character work with oxidised or continuous blood
• Post-mortem looks, dead characters and older lacerations
• SFX training and make-up schools, where Dark Blood is a standard teaching material

Contents

1 bottle Ben Nye Dark Blood Aged & Oxidized, 236 ml with pouring nozzle. Dark brownish-red, oxidised, peppermint flavour.

Ingredients: Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Aroma (Flavour), Phenoxyethanol, +/-: CI 16035, CI 42090. Not tested on animals.

Other sizes and variants

Dark Blood Aged & Oxidized is also available as a 29 ml bottle (starter size for kits and rehearsals) and as a 946 ml bulk bottle (for SFX schools and large productions). You are viewing the 236 ml size.

For bright, arterial fresh blood choose Ben Nye Stage Blood Original Zesty Mint 29 ml. For thicker, clotting blood effects see Ben Nye Thick Blood. The full range of dark red stage blood is in the dark red stage blood category.

Compliant with EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Product photos are taken under professional lighting. Colours may differ slightly depending on your screen settings.