When it comes to Halloween, there are two types of people—those who live and breathe all things spooky, and those who don't. Whether you've been planning your Halloween costume and manicure since last year, or are dreading the very thought of having to create something for all hallow's eve, we've got you covered for all of your trick-or-treating and Halloween party needs.
The truth is, you don't need a head-to-toe costume to pull off a festive look. As little as three products can transform your face into something Halloween-party-worthy. We reached out to a few makeup artists for their tips and tricks for some scary good (and cute!) makeup this Halloween. Keep scrolling for some easy Halloween makeup ideas that will only take you a few minutes to recreate.
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Oh, Deer!
Here's a look people will be sure to fawn over. Start by using face paint to apply dots throughout the face, along the forehead and cheekbones. Then, use a brown eyeliner such as the Burt's Bees Nourishing Eyeliner in Warm Brown to heavily line your lips, shade the sides of your nose, and overdraw your brows. Finish the look with some pink shimmer eyeshadow, like NYX's Shimmer Down Pigment in Almond, and a pink lip gloss.
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David Bowie
From the cover of his Aladdin Sane album, David Bowie's lightning bolt makeup is an iconic look and a fun way to show your fandom. All you'll need is Makeup For Ever's Flash Color Case to create the red and blue bolts, then simply separate them using a black liner and apply a subtly metallic lip. You'll be paying homage to Ziggy Stardust himself in no time.
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Morticia Addams
Sophie Turner did it, and so can you. While it may require a long black wig, the Morticia Addams look is pretty simple to achieve. Apply a foundation about three to four shades lighter than your typical color to make sure you achieve that undead sort of look. Then, use a black eyeliner such as Rimmel London's Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner to heavily line your eyes, and darken your eyebrows to match your hair. Finally, apply a super-pigmented, cherry red lipstick like MAC's Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color in Feels So Grand to finish off the look.
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Cat
Becoming a feline only requires black liner, fake lashes, and two shadows. After all, cats are all about the eyes. Draw on your whiskers, nose, and mini freckles, and line your top lip all with the same black pencil. (We love the Fat Liquid Eyeliner by Eyeko London, $22, for this). Use a bright white shadow or liner for the inner corners of your eye to make them pop, and add a tawny hue to the creases up to the brow line. Pop on a set of cat ears and possibly a tail, and voilà!
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Vampire
Hailey Bieber dressed up as a Versace vampire, and while her costume included the iconic gold medallion, her makeup was more subdued. A juicy red lipstick of your choice, purple eyeshadow, and mascara are all you need to recreate this look. As for blood, you can create your own using liquid lipstick or gloss, or buy a bottle of fake blood to make it look more authentic. Oh, and don't forget your vampire teeth.
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Chucky
Chucky is a mainstay in the horror community and makes for a fearsome Halloween choice. Makeup artist Sarina Nexie slayed this killer (literally) look with the Morphe 35B palette, NYX Cosmetics Epic Ink Liner, Mehron Makeup Clown White Cream Paint, and Russian Blue Lashes from Feline Lashes. Use fake wound prosthetics to amp up the realism without taking up too much time.
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Cute Spider
Does anyone really like spiders? Doubtful. But, this is a perfect Halloween look that's achievable in minutes with just two eyeliners that you probably already have in your arsenal. Simply do your makeup however you usually do, then use a white pencil or liquid liner such as Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner to draw mini webs around your eye(s). Finish with a tiny black spider down your cheek, or for a more glam approach, use a glitter liner instead.
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Rainbow
Even if you're not a fan of Halloween, you can still have fun creating a look. We're obsessed with this blended rainbow makeup created by makeup artist Danessa Myricks. The ColourPop She's a Rainbow Shadow Palette checks all the boxes for a colorful look.
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Euphoria
Capture the mystical, unique look of hit HBO drama Euphoria by embracing pastels, crystals, and glitter in this oh-so-easy look. All you'll need for is a palette like NYX's Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights, as well as stick-on crystals. The best part? There are so many makeup variations rocked on Euphoria characters that you don't have to worry about achieving one standard look and can put your own creative spin on it while still getting the point across.
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Clown-tastic
This clown look is far from IT, but it's exactly the kind of easy, effortless look to go for this Halloween. Start with a clean base, then use colored eye pencils to fill in your brows. Next, apply black liquid eyeliner and draw triangles and circles under your eyes and above the brow. Use that same liquid liner to over-line the lips and extend the corners of the mouth, then apply a raspberry or purple lipstick. You'll want to use a lip brush (we love Sephora's PRO Lip Brush #85, to blend the lines between the lipstick and the liner. Finish with an electric blue winged eyeliner.
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Sailor Moon
This Sailor Moon look is all about some dreamy doe eyes. Depending on your eye shape, your shadow choice should be anything to make your eyes appear larger. Playing around with a defined crease in a fun color or double-winged liner is an option for anime eyes. Add some rosy cheeks and a subtle peach or pink lip to finish.
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Comic Book Effect
Some of your friends will be superheroes, but why not look like your own comic this Halloween? Makeup artist, Anthony, recommends starting on a clean canvas with your base makeup, then focusing on the dots. "I typically trace shapes with a pencil before committing to paint, but for this look, I have found the best way to get the dots on in a uniform way is to find something in your house and use it as a rubber stamp. You can even use the end of a brush if the handle ends in a flat tip," he says.
Start by pouring some white makeup paint (try the Danessa Myricks Colorfix 24 Hour Cream Colors, onto a working surface. Dip the end of the brush into the paint, wipe off the excess, then dot away. "It’s also very helpful to have a handful of tightly packed synthetic brushes to use with the rest of your pop colors," Anthony adds. "I love the Make Up For Ever Flash Color Palette Multi-use Cream Color Palette for looks like this; it has every color you would need for this look."
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Bride of Frankenstein
No color needed here, making Kylie Jenner's Bride of Frankenstein look super easy to create, starting with a white base for the face (try MAC Full Coverage Foundation in White). Follow up with some black lipstick or lipgloss, an eyeliner pencil for the lids and stitches, and the darkest brow pencil you can find to overdraw your eyebrows.
Byrdie Tip
If you don't want to wear a wig and your hair is long enough, style your strands into a high bun, leaving four sections: one in the front, on each side, and one in the back. Then, sweep up, pin and spray the remaining loose sections over the bun to create the iconic high nest hairstyle. Paint the sides white with temporary hair color spray.
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Flaming Hot
This look takes Halloween hot to a new level. If you're comfortable with freehand drawing and shading, this look will be a great way to show off your skills. (And if not, be patient and give yourself plenty of time—we believe in you.;). "I would start with the orange and yellow, building a flame shape gradually and softly," Anthony suggests, recommending the MAC Chromagraphic Eye Pencils for this.
Once you have drawn the desired shape of the flames, use a highly pigmented eyeshadow to fill in the orange and reddish color. As an added bonus, add some glitter. "For looks like these, I love using a small thin liquid eyeliner brush to paint little glitter highlights into the flames," Anthony says.
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Black Swan
It's been over a decade since Natalie Portman shocked the world with her Oscar-winning performance in Black Swan, but it can still make for a truly magnificent Halloween costume. Celebrity makeup artist and founder of Guide Beauty, Terri Bryant, walked us through how to recreate this iconic look. Start with your base: "Use Manic Panic's Goth White Cream/Powder Foundation and Manic Panic Vampyre's Veil Pressed Powder Virgin (white), eitheralone or together. Both aregreat cruelty-free and vegan options for achieving the 'all the color has been drained from my face' look.Make sure to bring the color down the neck and around the ears," she says.
Next, trace the lines of the feathers on your eyes. "The beauty of this look is that you don't want a perfectly applied line and it's meant to be a little messy and "feathered" looking," Bryant explains. Once you have your outline, use your fingers to fill in the entire space above the lid and over the brow with theGuide Beauty Line eyeliner. Finish up by applying a white or silver eye product like NYX's liquid liner or loose pigment with a wet, fine-tip eyeliner brush to create little branches across the lid, and soft feathers at the tail of your wings. Finish up by filling in the lips with a deep blood blood-red, matte lipstick.
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White Breeze
This gentle, ethereal look is perfect for someone who still wants to feel beautiful while most people are leaning into gruesome and gory looks. Stick with a liquid or cream blush to lightly stain the lips and cheeks. Bryant saysfor a luminous finish that catches the light, apply the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light, focusing on the cheeks and down the center of the face.Next, use your fingers to sweep the brand's Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow in Reflect across the eyelid. Create a graphic line with white eyeliner above the lid, and sweep a white powder eyeshadow under the lower lash line.
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Third Eye
A simple design, activate your third eye with this intricate eye makeup. Using a cream base for your face and eye shadow of your choice to mimic your eye color, you can create the look of a third eye. Use eyeliner to create the look of eyelashes.
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Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish's visual branding is as good as her music, and this look is unbelievably easy to recreate at home. Bryant recommends starting with a long, loose-haired makeup brush and sweeping a little taupe eyeshadow under the eyes to create a deeper pocket. Next, line the top and bottom waterline and apply mascara to lashes. To recreate the drip effect, you'll need black body paint, water, an eyeliner brush, damp cloth, and lip gloss."Wet the brush and pack the black color under the lash line," she says. "Then use a slightly damp cloth to very lightly pat over the color, which will lightly break up the pigment so it looks a little messy with some skin showing through. Repeat until you get the depth desired."
Next, re-wet the brush, draw your drips down both the face and neck, and allow it to dry. "To add more depth and texture to your wet look, use a slightly larger lip brush to and working from the back of your hand, press a lip gloss over the previously applied eyeliner," Bryant explains. "I recommend Tower 28's ShineOn Lip Jelly in Fearless, a dark berry, or Chill, which is clear. These are two of my all-time favorite glosses in general—they deliver just the right texture without being sticky and offer that high-shine, wet look."
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Fawn
Baby deer are precious as can be, and this look by skin care and makeup creator Kailin Chase is both cute and a breeze to replicate. Using an eyeshadow palette with a ton of neutral colors, start with a white highlight in the inner corner of the eyes, then go down the side of the nose in an inverted triangle shape. Using a blending brush, apply a light brown shadow on the outer side of the white triangle, blending out to give dimension to the look.
Then, run a white pencil along the lower waterline and use the same pencil to draw the lines in the brows. Using a black pencil, draw a partial triangle on the top of your nose, then run the line down the center to your top lip. Fill in the top lip with black pencil and the lower lip with silver lipstick, like Maybelline's Color SensationalMetallic Lipstick. Celebrity makeup artist Mary Irwin suggests finishing off the look in one of two ways: "Either use white eyeshadow to make the white spots, or use eyelash glue to glue craft pearls to your face for the deer spots."
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Pretty Peacock
Go for an unusual Halloween costume decked out as an elegant, glimmering peacock. Recreate this look by makeup artist Malvina Isfan with the Lightwork IV Transcendence Palette.
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Sequin Mermaid
This mermaid look may seem super complicated, but according to Irwin, there's a secret trick: fishnets. Using whatever complementary color combo your heart desires, do a smoky eye with the lighter color fading into the darker color, and add a dramatic lash. "Take some old fishnet hose, and stretch them over your head. Use the same colors on top of the fishnet on the places on your face where you would contour and give dimension," Irwin says. "Your application is the same, but you’re using the fishnets to give it the scales."
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Ethereal Angel
Unleash your inner goddess with this perfectly low-maintenance look for Halloween, while also incorporating glitter tears. After doing your base as well as a gorgeous rose gold eye look (you can use a palette like Charlotte Tilbury's Instant Eye Palette in Pillow Talk, use a small eyeliner brush and a gold eyeshadow to outline the shape of the tears coming from your tear ducts to your cheek. To apply the glitter, carefully spritz your brush with setting spray, and dip into a shimmery glitter that's safe for eye use, like Sephora's Colorful Eyeshadow in Demanding, and let the tears flow.
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Neon Skull
Your Halloween will get a shock with this bright neon skull look that only calls for two products. Set your base and create a gorgeous smoky eye before gathering a white eye pencil as well as a green eyeliner like the Haus Labs Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil. Using the white eye pencil, outline the orbital bone around your brows and under your eyes, and trace a line from the corners of your mouth, along the cheeks, and up around the forehead. Draw white lines on your lips and under the chin in addition to framing your clavicle bones.
Once set, trace that same line with the green pencil, both on top and bottom of the lines, giving it a "halo" effect. Alternate the white lines on your lips with the green pencil, and you're a new type of skeleton.
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Mother Nature
This look can be a simple addition to your everyday makeup. Achieve the floral look with an assortment of flowers applied with lash glue. Swipe on a bold lip to complement the hues of the flowers and voilà!
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Twiggy
Twiggy is a fashion icon, and the looks that make her famous are almost astonishingly easy to replicate. To create this easy Twiggy look, dust a white powder eyeshadow, like Kiko Cosmetics'High Pigment Wet and Dry Eyeshadow in Matte White Milk, all over the lids until it's nearly opaque. From there, take a black eyeliner pencil to draw a line in the crease of your eyelid, extending it into a wing. Use that same eyeliner to draw exaggerated "mascara" lines on the waterline, apply a nude lipstick, and your mod Halloween is all set.
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Sabrina, The Teenage Witch
Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the perfect spooky vibe for Halloween, so why wouldn't you want to cop the prep school witch's look for the most haunted day of the year? The key to this costume's brilliance is the deep, blood-red lipstick shade that complements a cat-eye wing sharp enough to make Salem worried. Maybelline's SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Voyager is a perfectly bewitched color, as well as a Byrdie favorite.
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Glittering Goddess
If you want to go with a Halloween look that is as intricate as it is romantic, look no further than this goddess makeup. The dazzling rhinestone spritz around the eyes draw focus. Adorned with the right headgear and flowing dress, you'll pull together a cohesive look that is both stunning and simple.
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Red Rose
Make your own interpretation of a red rose stand out on Halloween. This look uses the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, a stunning palette of pinks and golds, and blends them with a plum-toned blush that goes all the way into the temples to create a look designed to make the roses on The Bachelor envy you. Top it all off with a blue-burgundy red lipstick like MAC's Lipstick Matte in Diva, and you're bouquet-ready.
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Eye'll Be Seeing You
Attending a party with a look like this just screams "All eyes on me," plus it's an amazing reference if you loved Everything Everywhere All at Once. Recreating this eye-gazing look is easy: Once you've finished your base makeup and eye look, use a dark burgundy, purple, or even black lipstick for your lips.
Next, you'll want to grab an eyelash glue that dries clear and has a stronghold, plus a bag of googly eyes—make sure they're the ones with flat backs and not the velcro or even the pre-glued ones. Apply a thin layer of eyelash glue to the back of each googly eye, and place them on your face in the location that seems to fit it best. As seen above, larger eyes are placed on the larger parts of the face like the forehead, while the smaller googly eyes have been reserved for the nose. Look out, world: They won't see you coming.
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Ethereal Being
Angel? Fairy? Alien? We'll let you decide what direction to take this cascade of colors. Use NYC MUA Cosmetics' loose pigments in shades of your choice to recreate the look.
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Diamond Queen
Makeup artist Avia Solomon brought all the diamonds and rhinetsones in for this look. Since the focus is on the gleaming gems, keep the rest of the face to a minimum. A simple icy white shimmer for the eyes and some liner and mascara will do nicely, while a rosy neutral lip won't be overpowering. You can find plenty of options for face crystals at Amazon, but we like this pick that comes with tweezers for easy application.
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Pennywise
If you're a fan of IT: Chapter 2, this Pennywise look is too good not to recreate. Start by shaping your lips using a liquid lipstick like Anastasia Beverly Hills Strawberry or MAC's Retro Matte Lip Colour in Deep True Red. "You’ll have a better idea of where your lines should go, and how far your shadow should be winged out, as opposed to starting from the eyes and working down," celebrity makeup artist Justin Tyme, founder of Adveket Cosmetics, shares.
Starting at the lash line, take a red eyeshadow and blend up and out until you achieve the level of extremity you desire—symmetry isn’t important at this point, and imperfections can add to the authenticity of the look.Take your liquid lipstick and follow along next to the bright lines up to the eye. Once you've achieved the look you desire, blend using your liquid lipstick, set it, and blend some more using the shadow over the liquid.
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Spooky Spider
For a spookier spider look, make your eight-legged creature appear three-dimensional with some furry legs and a shadow. Grab black and white liquid eyeliner to create your spider, a cream bronzer or brown eye shadow for the shadow, and a lip brush for painting precision. For an added touch, apply dramatic false lashes to give a more furry appearance to your tarantula look.
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Raven
If you're going to a party dressed as a black raven, you have to go for it with every aspect of your look. A black lip and heavy black eyeshadow are a perfect matched combo. We love Kiko MilanoWet and Dry Eyeshadow in Matte Black for its full coverage. Grab a pair of feathered false lashes to complete your costume.
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Inkblot
A doodle, an inkblot, writer's block, whatever you want to call it, this idea is super easy and only requires one product: black face paint. We like the Haus LabsHy-Power Eye, Cheek, and Lip Pigment Paint.The messier and more freehand you do it, the better.
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Golden Goddess
Feeling regal this Halloween? Go for the gold, the bronze, the copper, and all the glam. Start off by applying your favorite bronzer before moving onto the eyes. It's all about creating warmth and glow, so think creamy taupes, browns, and gold shimmer options. We think Victoria Beckham's Satin Kajal Liner collection would be perfect here (use shades: Bronze, Gold Lamé, and Smoky Quartz). Finish off with some eye gems and a glossy nude lip color.
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Shimmering Siren
This sultry, alluring makeup look is the perfect addition to a siren costume. Secure a glitter lipstick or go in with a liquid lip and apply some skin safe glitter on top. This glitter can be dusted along your eyebrows, eyelids, and under the eyes as shown here to add a little glimmer halo around your peepers.