I prepare dead bodies for funerals – what really happens behind closed doors including why we can’t use regular makeup
A WOMAN who prepares bodies for funerals has shared what her job is really like, including why you can’t use normal makeup on dead bodies.
Miranda is a mortician in Kentucky, USA and loves her job embalming dead bodies.
She told Refinery29 that she believes that “women in the death industry are the change we need in funeral service”.
She added that the traditionally male business lightens to loads for grieving families.
Miranda explained that embalming bodies makes her feel like an artist and said that it takes her around two hours to embalm a body.
She said she sometimes has a chat with the dead bodies whilst she’s embalming them, but joked they haven’t yet spoken back to her.
Miranda said that the cosmetics she uses to spruce up the dead bodies before funerals are different to the ones you would traditionally find in shops.
She said that this is because normal makeup reacts to the warmth of your skin, but dead bodies are cold.
The mortician said she uses a more opaque makeup on dead bodies for better coverage.
Another mortician also explained that embalmers still put makeup on deceased people even if they are having a closed casket funeral.
Explaining this in a TikTok video, @mccartneyfunerals said that this is because, even if a family has said they do not want to look at their loved one before they say a final goodbye, this could all change on the day of the funeral, so it is best to make sure that the deceased look their best for the funeral.
Speaking on how her chosen career has affected her, Miranda said: “I feel like I’ve gained a more positive outlook on death rather than a fear. I’m not afraid of the dead body, I’m not afraid of touching the dead body, I’m not afraid of cleaning up.
“I just hope that people realise that death doesn’t have to be a negative experience.”
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