Halloween is one of the few holidays that seems to bring out the inner child in all of us. The abundance of candy probably has something to do with it, but more so, we think it’s the fact that Halloween gives us a (totally socially acceptable) opportunity to play dress-up and experiment with the latest trends. And while a cool costume is, naturally, a must, the right Halloween makeup look can upgrade your ensemble even further. So here, we’ve compiled a list of this year’s hottest Halloween makeup trends to try. Whatever your vibe—spooky, sultry, or downright scary—we’ve got you covered with these four of-the-moment looks. Read on to find our best Halloween makeup ideas to rock at this year’s parties.
‘70s Flower Baddie
If you’re looking for an excuse to wear your latest vintage haul this Halloween, try our ‘70s makeup look. Characterized by bright pops of color, hand-drawn flower details, and exaggerated lashes, this look is both playful and perfect for the ‘gram. Here’s what you’ll need to achieve the look:
- Ultimate Color Palette in Brights
- Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Liner in Sapphire
- Epic Wear Eyeliner Sticks in Blue Trip
- Epic Wear Eyeliner Sticks in Pure White
- Epic Ink Liner in Black
- Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Knockout
As for what you’ll need to do, there are four main steps we recommend following.
Step 1: Pop
Start by dusting the electric blue shade in your Ultimate Color Palette onto your upper lid, extending the color just past the crease to create an exaggerated shape. Then, trace the uppermost edge of your shadow with our Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Liner in Sapphire, drawing on a graphic semi-circle border.
Step 2: Detail
Using the same liquid liner, draw small flowers around the outer corners of your eyes—this look is all about playing up those flower-child vibes, so don’t be afraid to really go for it. Fill in the petals with our Epic Wear Eyeliner Sticks in Blue Trip or White (feel free to experiment with different colors and designs, too).
Step 3: Accent
Next, trace your bottom waterline with your Epic Wear Eyeliner Stick in White to help make your eyes look wide-open and awake. Then, use Epic Ink Liner in Black to draw retro faux lashes on your lower lid.
Pro Tip: For a truly eye-catching look, apply falsies to your upper lash line. We love Jumbo Lash! Vegan False Lashes in Wispy Flutter for an exaggerated lash look. You can trim the lash strip down to perfectly fit your eyes—this little trick is one of the reasons makeup artist-applied lashes always look so good.
Step 4: Pout
Once you’re satisfied with your eyes, finish your look by filling in your pout with a long-wearing pink lipstick—we recommend Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Knockout.
Glitter Edge
Glitter and Halloween go together like peanut butter and jelly—and we say, the more sparkle, the better. Our Halloween glitter makeup look features tons of shimmer and shine, high-intensity color, and a bit of attitude for an edgy take on a classic glitter look. First, round up the essentials:
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Donut
- Ultimate Color Palette in Brights
- Glitter Primer
- Face & Body Glitter in Crystal
- Butter Gloss in Sugar Glass
Then, start creating your look. If you wear foundation or other base makeup, do that first—then follow these steps to create your edgy glitter glam.
Step 1: Pop
Start by coloring your entire upper eyelid with Jumbo Eye Pencil in Donut. Then, layer one (or more!) of your favorite blue shades from our Ultimate Color Palette onto your lid, extending it past your crease and toward your brow to give the shadow a subtly diffused look.
Step 2: Sparkle
Carefully dab our Glitter Primer on top of your eyeshadow and let it dry. Then, coat your lids in sparkle using Face & Body Glitter in the shade Crystal. Bring the glitter past your eyes, onto your cheekbones and temples, for an extra dramatic effect. If desired, you can even dust some onto your collarbones—as we said, the more sparkle, the better.
Step 3: Line
Next, trace your upper lash line using the brightest orange shade in our Ultimate Color Palette. When you reach your inner corner, draw a “C” shape around your tear duct and finish by connecting it to your bottom lash line. We recommend doing this with a slim-tipped brush, like our Pro Angled Eyeliner Brush, to keep the line sharp. Keep the orange line tight to your upper lash line for a more subtle contrast, or add a dramatic wing for a bit of extra oomph.
Pro Tip: For a super-saturated effect, you can dip your eyeliner brush in water before applying the shadow.
Step 4: Gloss
Lastly, coat your lips in shine with our classic Butter Gloss in the shade Sugar Glass.
Cowgirl Dollie
Cowgirl makeup and doll makeup are both classic Halloween makeup looks. For a super creative twist this Halloween, we say, combine the two looks. Our Cowgirl Dollie look is equal parts sugar and spice, complete with lots of pink, teased blonde hair, and a hint of Southern-inspired glam. Here’s what you’ll need to get the job done:
- Bare With Me Concealer Serum
- Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen
- Glitter Primer
- Face & Body Glitter in Crystal
- Ultimate Color Palette in Brights
- Epic Ink Liner in Black
- Epic Wear Eyeliner Sticks, Waterproof Pencil in Pure White
- Slim Lip Pencil in Espresso
- Butter Gloss - Lip Gloss in Madeline
After getting your cowgirl costume together (cowboy boots and a hat are both must-haves), complete your makeup following these four steps.
Step 1: Lighten
First, you need bleached brows. But instead of permanently bleaching them, you can just cover the hairs in our Bare With Me Concealer Serum in whatever shade matches your skin best (it may take a few layers to cover your brows if you have super dark hair). Then, use our Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen in a shade similar to your skin tone to draw small, wispy hairs and help give your brows some dimension.
Step 2: Structure
Load up an eyeshadow brush with your favorite pink shade from the Ultimate Color Palette and start packing it just above your natural crease. Then, fill in your lid with concealer to create a sharp and defined cut crease.
Step 3: Line
Doll eyes are one of the defining features of this easy Halloween makeup look. First, using our Epic Wear Eyeliner Stick in Pure White, trace your bottom waterline and lash line. Extend the liner about halfway down your lower eyelid to create the illusion that the whites of your eyes are bigger than they actually are. Then, trace your upper lash line with our Epic Ink Liner as usual, adding a sharp wing at the outer corner.
Underneath your eye, use the black liquid liner to “create” a new lower lash line along the edge of the white eyeliner. Connect this line to your upper lash line, going around your tear duct. Add a few “lashes” (wispy lines) jutting outward from your freshly drawn-on lower lash line to make it look more real. Finish by drawing a small half-circle in the center of your lower eyelid to make your pupil appear bigger. The end result should be defined, doll-like eyes.
Step 4: Pucker Up
Last, make your lips pouty and doll-like by overlining them with Slim Lip Pencil in Espresso. Top it off with Butter Gloss in Madeline for a full-lipped look.
Zombae
For those stuck trying to figure out a last-minute Halloween costume (it happens to the best of us), zombie makeup is a total lifesaver. It’ll have you looking spooky enough for any costume party, and there’s no need to scour the racks for a suitable costume. Plus, it can be created using products you probably already have in your collection:
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
- Slim Lip Pencil in Hot Red
- Ultimate Color Palette in Phoenix
- Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Liner in White
- Epic Ink Liner in Black
Our take on zombie Halloween makeup features fake scars, ghastly skeleton teeth, and some under-eye shadowing for that “just crawled out of the grave” effect. Here’s a quick overview on how to create the spooky look.
Step 1: Carve
Using the Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, sketch out scar-like shapes around your mouth and one eye. Try to focus on exaggerating your own features—the goal is to make the skin around the eye and mouth look like it's been torn back. Up the creepy factor by adding smaller “cuts” around your face and neck.
Step 2: Detail
With the Slim Lip Pencil in Hot Red, fill in the “scars” to create the illusion of raw, red flesh. It’ll look a bit one-dimensional at this point, but that’s okay—you’re going to add depth shortly.
Step 3: Shade
Next, trace the outermost edges of the “scarred” areas with Epic Ink Liner in Black to create a defined border. Then, use a deep purple shade in your Ultimate Color Palette to contour and add shadows to the faux scars. You can play around with the amount of shadow you use, making some areas darker than others. Then, using the same purple shade, lightly dust shadow beneath the eye that you didn’t draw scars on to fake a major under-eye circle.
Step 4: Add Teeth
With Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, draw teeth on top of your lips and fill in, the way you would for a skeleton makeup look (we recommend covering the area with black lipstick or a lip-safe face paint first for contrast). To add to the creepy factor, use the darkest shade in your eyeshadow palette to create shadows on the teeth and make them appear as if they’re rotting. Finally, use Epic Ink Liner in Black and Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Liner in White to outline each individual tooth for a more defined appearance.
Pro Tip: Whichever trending Halloween makeup look you choose this year, remember to lock it in with setting spray for longevity. Try our Matte Finish Setting Spray—it comes in a mini version that you can stash in your bag with you for touch-ups throughout the night
Next: To learn more about why setting spray is a must for your Halloween face makeup, read our article Why Setting Sprays Really Work.