Today we’d like to introduce you to Tifinie Boutot.
Tifinie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started in the theme park world back in 2004, working at Disney, Universal, Halloween Horror Nights and later at Universal Studios Japan. That’s where I fell in love with the artistry of SFX makeup — turning people into monsters, and creatures.
For over 10 years I’ve been teaching kids and young adults at Floirda Film Academy. I share industry secrets and help them create their own creepy characters.
I”ve always loved the strange and unusual — not because it needs fixing, but because brokenness tells a story. That’s why I lean into creepy makeup, spooky themes.
Parents and their kids loved the classes and workshops I was teaching, and I realized — why not bring that spooky fun into birthday parties? Not every kid wants glitter or balloons. Some want fake blood, severed fingers, and creepy goodie bags. And so Pretty Dead Parties was born.
For me, it’s about more than just makeup. It’s about giving kids a place where being weird is wonderful, where creativity gets messy, and where they leave with confidence — and maybe a little trauma that makes them laugh every time they remember it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road’s been far from smooth, but that’s what makes the scars meaningful. I’ve been lucky to have good friends in the industry through every challenge. Their advice and encouragement helped me grow stronger with each step.
One of my biggest struggles early on was figuring out the best way for each student to really grasp the class. Every kid learns differently — some are hands-on, some need step-by-step guidance, and some just want to experiment until it clicks. Learning how to adjust my approach so that each student could walk away feeling successful was a challenge, but it also became one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. Now I love finding that moment when a student’s eyes light up and they realize they just made something creepy and amazing with their own hands.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a special effects makeup artist and teacher, and I specialize in turning the strange and unusual into something kids can celebrate I teach workshops, camps, and run my business Pretty Dead Parties.
I’m known for making spooky fun accessible — whether it’s teaching how to make a severed finger, or helping create bruises and wounds with professional techniques for people of all ages.
What I’m most proud of is seeing kids’ confidence grow when they realize they can create something that looks like it walked right out of a horror movie. I love when the quietest student in the room suddenly lights up because their makeup looks ‘gross’ in the best way possible.
What sets me apart is the mix of creepy and campy — I don’t just show up as a teacher, I show up as a character. I arrive dressed like the perfect suburban hostess and then flip the script with fake blood, wax, and latex. It’s part art class, part performance, part party, and it’s designed for kids who’d rather play with fake blood than glitter. That balance of hands-on artistry, theatrical fun, and a spooky aesthetic is what makes Pretty Dead Parties truly one-of-a-kind.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people who know me through Pretty Dead Parties or my SFX work assume I’ve always been confident living in the creepy, spooky world I’ve created — but what surprises people is how much of it comes from my own brokenness. I’ve never had a ‘normal’ life, and instead of hiding that, I’ve leaned into it. I love broken, old, imperfect things — not because I want to fix them, but because they tell a story, just like people do. That perspective shapes everything I do, from how I teach kids to embrace their weirdness, to how I create experiences that celebrate being beautifully unusual.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Prettydeadparties.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettydeadparties?igsh=ZHAzenY4Z3NwaDI0
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19bJu6kiXo/
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@pretty.dead.girl3
