Special effects whiz gives radio legends Alex Dyson, Jordan River the ultimate Middle-earth makeover

There may be one ring to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.

But what about one look to slay them all? With the Aussie leg of the Cosplay Crown Global Championships, Oz Comic-Con, and Halloween coming up, people are starting to get serious about a ghoulish glow-up.

And that's where make-up and special effects wizard Bonnie Corban come into the mix.

You may have seen her on TikTok (and if you haven't, you're missing out) or you may have caught a glimpse of her giving radio icons Alex Dyson and Jordan River the ultimate Middle-earth makeover.

LADbible Australia

The special effects extraordinaire sat down with LADbible Australia to give her predictions for the must-have costumes for the upcoming spooky season... and if you haven't been watching The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, now is your warning to get cramming.

"I definitely think Rings of Power-inspired costumes will be trending this Halloween," the 27-year-old make-up guru said.

"There’s a whole new generation watching these stories for the first time."

She added: "I hope to see many orc and elf cosplays in the makeup community."

Corban is an expert in her craft, with it taking her an hour and a half to transform Dyson into a mystical elf and and three hours to turn River into a scary orc.

If you ask us, they both look like they have jumped right out of a page from one of JRR Tolkein's books.

But, with her taking us step-by-step through the process, we can see why she got it so spot-on.

Using glue and vaseline to protect the hair, Corban applied the orc prosthetic to River before blending the mask into the skin with make-up.

LADbible Australia

"After drying the prosthetic with a hair dryer, I started to stipple and layer alcohol paints to mimic the pale skin of an Orc. Splattering thin layers of greens and browns, I then applied Orc ears to match. To finish, I added dirt and grit, orc styled costuming and even fake teeth to get that Orc underbite," Corban explained.

If that sounds a bit too intense for you to recreate this Halloween, there's always Dyson's elven look to have a crack at.

Elves are of course ethereal and beautiful so, Corban explained, a 'flawless and chiselled base' is needed 'using foundation and concealer'.

"I glued down the tips of the eyebrows to lift the face and extended them upwards for a snatched effect. I applied a soft highlighter and blush to bring warmth and glow, then a beautiful long blonde wig."

Her secret trick: Play with the wig styling to add framing for the face 'and added volume'.

Now all you need is an elf costume, a crown, and maybe some pointed ears and voila - you'll be an elf so handsome even Galadriel won't be able to stop herself from blushing.

But if this all sounds a little too advanced for Halloween, Oz Comic-Con, or your next The Rings of Power viewing party, don't fret.

There's plenty of tutorials online to follow - Corban has plenty of her own online - or you can just go for a general The Lord of the Rings vibe. It's the thought that counts, after all.

LADbible Australia

"My biggest tip for anyone wanting to try special effects makeup is to start creating now. It’s such a fantastic way to express yourself and the possibilities are endless," Corban told LADbible Australia.

She added: "We all start somewhere. So many of my failed attempts have taught me new techniques that I still use today."

So fly, you fools! There's no time like the present to get started.

And hey, there’s always next year’s Cosplay Crown Global Championships to have a crack at, too.

Fresh episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power drops each Friday at 2pm.

Check back next week for Alex Dyson's mystical elf makeover.