Eye-Catching Makeup Looks for Halloween
Halloween season is upon us, which means costume planning is in full swing. Whether it’s spooky or sultry, makeup can be a great way to create a costume or put finishing touches on a daring disguise. Not sure where to start? Here are some makeup ideas inspired by two timeless Halloween costume choices.
The Mermaid
Mermaid makeup is fun and can be super easy with the help of a few tips and tricks.
To begin, apply your base makeup as normal. When choosing the accent colors for your eyeshadow and “scales,” consider the color of your costume’s accessories. To create a colorful smokey eye, you’ll want one neutral transition shade to help the shadows blend, a bright focus color to put on your lid and lower lash line and a darker color for the outer corner to smoke things out.
Using a glitter glue, such as the Nyx Glitter Primer, prime the lids to make sure your shimmer stays all night. Bring on the bling by applying skin-safe, cosmetic grade glitter to the center of the lids. I suggest the newly released loose glitters from Anastasia Beverly Hills for a truly glimmering gaze.
Add some winged liner and false lashes for a dramatic flair.
Your eye look is done, but the sparkle doesn’t stop there! Complete this look with shimmering scales in just a few simple steps. For this, you will need a cheap, standard wig cap that can easily be bought online or at your local pop-up costume shop.
To start, you’ll want to blend a light wash of color into your contour. Apply the same color eyeshadow that was used on the center lid, or a complimentary color of your liking, to your cheekbones.
Once blended, accentuate the high points of your face with a highlighter. Holographic highlights, which have a duo-chrome color shift, work very well for this look, but a standard glow will also get the job done.
Next, place the wig cap over the highlighted area, extended to the temples. This can be done by pulling the cap over your face, or by cutting out a section of the netting and carefully holding it in place.
Use a damp sponge and the scale color of your choice for the best color payoff. Use the sponge to apply the color over the caps netting. Once the area seems saturated, remove the wig cap and you’ll be left with a geometric, “scaley” pattern! Repeating the steps used earlier on the eyelids, glitter can be applied to these as well!
Finish off this look with a pinky-nude lip gloss. You won’t feel like a fish out of water in this sea siren costume makeup!
The Vampire
For those looking for something on the spookier side, a vampiress could be the way to go. This look uses everyday makeup techniques, but with a slightly different color palette.
To begin, you’ll need a ghostly face. The trick is to go light, but not all white. This is achieved a couple of ways, one of which may be by using a white foundation mixer, such as this one from L.A. Girl. Adding white to lighten your foundation can help capture the cool, pale tone that vampires often have without the cakey or heavy feeling that can come with face paint. Keep in mind that this may affect the color of concealer that you use.
The second step is to avoid warm blush, contour and eyeshadow shades. Rather than using a warm-toned bronzer, try a cool gray-based brown contour color, or a simple gray eyeshadow to accentuate the shadows of your face. Try a silvery or white highlighter for a hint of ghoulish glamour.
As for the eyes, using grays, cool-toned taupes and hints of dark maroon can create a sultry yet spooky smokey eye. For a subtle shine, try using a satin, silver color on the lid. Complete the eye look with a pop of bright red on the lower lash line and dramatic winged liner for some added drama.
Finally, the lips! Black lips are gothic and eye-catching – a staple for any good vampiress. For those really trying to amp up the spookiness, accessorizing with a little bit of fake blood can do just that! This can be done with a red liquid eyeliner or lipstick, but for those searching for something more realistic, non-toxic special effects blood can be easily bought online. One such option is Mehron’s Stage Blood, which is cheap, mouth safe and opaque. Add just a tad or go all out – the choice is yours!
When it comes to makeup, Halloween is the night for glam, gore and everything in between. Whether you choose to recreate one of these examples or try for something new, don’t be afraid to experiment to find the perfect look for your costume!
Illustrations featured in this article were created by Kayla Kozak.
