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There are more adhesives than there are Baldwin brothers. Many of them are fine for just about any type of application. Others are better suited for specialty applications, mostly because of cost than for any other reason.
Almost everyone is familiar with the adhesive spirit gum. Spirit gum is derived from mastic gum, harvested from the mastic, a small evergreen shrub or tree in the pistachio family. Widely used in theater for applying wigs, beards, and moustaches, spirit gum (also called mastix) tends to be a skin irritant for many people, which makes it a less than desirable choice as a prosthetic adhesive. In addition, perspiration has a tendency to weaken and dissolve spirit gum, so in situations where an actor will perspire significantly, spirit gum would not be the best choice, either. On the other hand, spirit gum is relatively inexpensive compared to other adhesives used for applying prosthetics. Spirit gum can be thinned with acetone or Hexane (if you want it to dry extremely fast).
The adhesives that are the most popular in the makeup effects business are medical-grade adhesives that are either acrylic or silicone based. Some of these (the silicone adhesives) can be rather pricey (nearing $100/£54 for 4 oz.), but fortunately a little goes a long way. They can (should) be thinned without weakening the adhesive strength, and the holding power is astounding.
Liquid latex can also be used as an adhesive, but it’s not advisable to use it onap – pliances, because it has a tendency to build up and will come loose if the wearer perspires freely. If used regularly, a skin prep/astringent called Sweat Stop, available from Michael Davy Film and TV Makeup, will inhibit perspiration somewhat where it is applied.