Halloween is one of the few holidays that seems to bring out the inner child in all of us. If you ask us, Halloween makeup is (at least partially) to thank for that. Think about it: When else can you rock face paint and piles of glitter without getting weird looks?
Of course, for a truly memorable Halloween ensemble, slapping on some glitter may not be enough. You’ll need a full plan for your visage. To get you inspired, we’ve compiled a list of this year’s hottest Halloween makeup looks. Whatever your vibe—spooky, sultry, or downright scary—we’ve got you covered with these eight of-the-moment looks. Read on to find our best Halloween makeup ideas to rock at this year’s parties.
Frankenstein’s Monster Halloween Makeup
Here’s a fun fact for your Halloween trivia: In the original story, Frankenstein isn’t the monster—he was the scientist that created the monster. The actual monster didn’t have a name (but he’s usually referred to as Frankenstein’s monster). No matter how you refer to the spooky guy, though, there’s no denying that Frankenstein(‘s monster) makes for a creepy—and totally classic—Halloween makeup look.
What You’ll Need
- SFX Face Paint and Body Sticks in Black and Green
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright
- Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black
- Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Pure White
- Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in On Red
Step 1: Paint
Start by coloring in your entire face with the green SFX Face Paint and Body Stick. Be sure to blend the color down your neck and chest if your costume doesn’t cover those areas. Then, with the black SFX stick, contour your cheekbones by drawing a line from the center of your ear toward the outer corner of your mouth. Blur the line with a blending brush, then add shadows beneath your contour with the darker green shade in your Ultimate Shadow Palette for a hollowed-out, zombie-like effect.
Step 2: Smoke
Next, with the Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean, trace around your eye. Keep circling your eyes with the thick, blendable crayon to create a hollowed-out effect, then use an eyeshadow brush to smoke out any harsh edges. With the same Jumbo Eye Pencil, trace along the bottom hollow of your eye and diffuse. Done properly, it should make your eyes look deeply sunken in—which is exactly what we’re going for.
Step 3: Define
No lipstick is needed for this creepy Halloween makeup look—instead, color in the center of your pout with the same jet-black Jumbo Eye Pencil you used around your eyes. Avoid carrying the color all the way to the edges of your lips: You want your mouth to look small and ghoulish (the goal is to look undead, after all).
Step 4: Detail
Dr. Frankenstein famously created his monster by sewing different body parts together. As such, (faux) stitching is a key component of this look. Using Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in On Red, draw thin, jagged lines along your face to mimic wounds. Then, replicate the “stitching” by using your Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Pure White to draw short, evenly-spaced vertical strokes above those red lines. Finally, use your black Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner to mimic shadows around the stitching for a 3D effect.
Frankenstein’s Bride Halloween Makeup
For a party-worthy couple’s costume idea, have your plus-one be Frankenstein’s bride. It’s the undead, gone glam—and will have you and your invitee on the shortlist for winning the event’s Halloween costume contest.
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright
- Glitter Face and Eye Paints in Silver
- Vivid Matte Liquid Eyeliner in Black
- Epic Smoke Liner in Nude Haze
- Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Hottie Hijacker
- Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color in Born to Hustle
Step 1: Shape
The focal point of this Halloween look is the eye makeup: It’s bold, it’s bright, and it’s seriously glam. To create it, start by dipping your shadow brush into the matte teal shade in your Ultimate Shadow Palette. Sweep the color onto your skin just above the crease, extending the outer edge toward the tail of your brow to create a graphic cat-eye shape. Above that, apply the palette’s sparkly green shade in the same winged shape. Then, blend where the green and blue shadows meet to create a soft gradient of color. Finally, pat a generous amount of the Glitter Face and Eye Paints onto your bare lid. All told, you should have an exaggerated cut crease, with silvery eyelids and a green-blue gradient above your lids.
Step 2: Snatch
Next, line your upper and lower lash lines with Vivid Matte Liquid Liner. Extend the outer corner of the liner toward the tail of your brow to create an exaggerated wing that mirrors the shape of your shadow.
Step 3: Detail
After completing your eye makeup, you can move on to the stitch detailing. With Epic Smoke Liner in Nude Haze, draw soft, thin lines along different areas of your face—like from your arch to your hairline or from the outer corner of your mouth toward your ear. These lines will be your “seams.” Once you’re satisfied with the placement, smoke them out using the eyeliner’s miniature paddle brush. Then, draw thin, evenly-spaced vertical lines above the smoked-out seams with your Vivid Matte Liquid Eyeliner to create the illusion of stitching.
Step 4: Paint
Finally, tie together your glam Halloween makeup look with glossy pink lips. First, trace your lips with your Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in the vibrant pink shade Hottie Hijacker. Apply a coat of your long-wearing liquid lipstick, then, once dry, top with the ultra-glassy, non-sticky top coat for high-intensity shine.
Mummi Halloween Makeup
When we say “cute Halloween makeup,” a bandaged-up mummy probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But our take on the classic monster is just that, thanks to a soft, neutral smokey eye, out-to-there lashes, and a healthy dose of matte pink lipstick.
What You’ll Need:
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
- Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black
- Jumbo Lash! Longwear False Lash System in Fringe Glam
- SFX Face Paint and Body Stick in White
- Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Movin’ Up
- Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Knockout
Step 1: Coat
Start by creating a neutral smokey eye using your favorite shades in the Ultimate Shadow Palette. We recommend using a darker hue along your lash line, a medium brown on your lid, and a shimmery champagne hue along your brow bone. Once you’ve applied all of your colors, use a blending brush to diffuse any harsh lines for a soft, smokey finish. If you need help creating your smokey eye, our article Our Favorite Smokey Eyeshadow Looks contains tons of helpful tips.
Step 2: Flare
Tight-line your upper lash line with the matte adhesive eyeliner included in the Jumbo Lash! Kit. Wait two to three seconds, then carefully secure your reusable lash strip to the adhesive liner for up to 12 hours of comfy, fuss-free wear.
Step 3: Detail
For a little extra spookiness, our Mummi look has a stretched-out mouth—like someone hooked them by the mouth and pulled hard (hey, we said it was spooky). To create this effect, use your Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Movin’ Up to line your lips, extending the shape past your mouth on one side—as if you were extending half of your mouth all the way to your ear. Then, fill in your lips and the blank space inside the outlined area with Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Knockout.
Step 4: Carve
Finally, use Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk to sketch out teeth on your lips and along the length of the “mouth” you drew. Fill in the teeth with your white SFX Face and Body Paint, then use your Epic Ink Liner to add definition to make the teeth “pop.” The end result should look like you have a bizarre, toothy smile stretched across one side of your face.
Drakulah Halloween Makeup
Sticking to the classics doesn’t have to mean missing out on originality. Our Dracula-inspired makeup takes a classic vampire Halloween makeup look to the next level, courtesy of glossy, blood-red lips, glam silvery lids, and a touch of bat-wing detailing. This is one look everyone will want to sink their teeth into (pun totally intended).
What You’ll Need:
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in Vintage Jean Baby
- Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Pitch Black
- Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black
- SFX Jumbo Lash! in Major Spike
- Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Untameable
- Butter Lip Gloss in Sugar Glass
Step 1: Smoke
Vampires are creatures of the night—so a moody, dark smokey eye is only fitting. Start by applying one of the silvery shimmer shades in your Ultimate Shadow Palette to the inner corner of your eye, blending the color toward the center of your lid. Then, add a darker hue (we suggest a gunmetal or deep purple) to the outer half of your eyelid, extending the shadow toward the tail of your brow in an elongated wing shape. Use a brush to blend the edge where the two hues meet together to create a soft gradient from light to dark. Finally, with a detailing brush, trace the entirety of your lower lash line with the darker shade. Once you reach the outer corner of your bottom lid, use the shadow to create an upside-down wing, mirroring the wing you created on your top lid.
Step 2: Detail
Using Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner in Pitch Black, darken your upper and lower waterlines. Then, trace over your wing with the long-wearing Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner for added dimension. Starting from the outer edge of your top wing, draw a batwing-like shape above your brow. Connect the batwing to your lash line by drawing vertical lines down at each wing “peak.” Repeat the same process underneath your eye, connecting each line to your lower wing, to complete your batwing details.
Step 3: Flare
Round out your dramatic vampire eye makeup with the limited-edition Jumbo Lash! falsies. Make sure to apply the two-in-one adhesive liner first so you can pop your lashes on without glue, magnets, or any extra work.
Step 4: Paint
Bloody-looking lips are a must for this Halloween makeup look. Create yours by covering your lips in a deep, blood-red lipstick, like Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shade Untameable. Beneath your bottom lip, draw “drips” to make it look like blood is, well, dripping out of your mouth. Once the lipstick dries, add non-sticky shine with a clear coat of Butter Lip Gloss.
Werewolf Halloween Makeup
For those willing to put a bit more time into their Halloween makeup, this werewolf look is a must-try. It’s a bit more complex than some of the others on this list, thanks to the fur detailing and fangs—but the payoff is totally worth it.
What You’ll Need:
- SFX Face Paint and Body Sticks in Purple and White
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Eggplant
- Epic Wear Liquid Liner in White
- Vivid Matte Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Step 1: Define
First, using your purple SFX Face Paint and Body Stick, draw a vertical line down the center of your face—for this look, the majority of your makeup will be focused only on one side, like you’re mid-transition from your human form to your werewolf form. Use the same face pencil to draw two jagged sideways triangles branching out from the vertical line on your forehead to look as if you were scratched by a werewolf’s fearsome claws. Next, contour one side of your face using Jumbo Eye Pencil in Eggplant, creating deep shadows beneath your cheekbones and along your hairline and jaw. Blend the contour out well with a blending brush so there are no harsh lines.
Step 2: Detail
Next, we’re adding fur. With your Epic Wear Liquid Liner and Vivid Matte Liquid Eyeliner, draw thin, hair-like strokes along the edges of your contour. Alternate between black and white strokes to create a more natural fur-like effect.
Step 3: Smoke
Use Jumbo Eye Pencil in Eggplant to draw a thick line along your upper and lower lash lines. Then, with a blending brush, diffuse the color for a smoky effect—we suggest blending outward to create a soft, diffused wing. Once your shadow is done, create a wing on your upper lid with your black liquid eyeliner.
Step 4: Carve
Finally comes the werewolf mouth—and here, you’ll want to keep a steady hand. First, use your black liquid eyeliner to draw the outline of an open half-mouth on the side of the face you contoured and added “fur” to. Fill it in completely with your purple SFX face paint. Once the purple dries fully, use your white face paint to draw werewolf “fangs” in the half-mouth—the sharper-looking, the better. If you want to add further details, you could even add some fake blood on top of the werewolf teeth with red liquid eyeliner.
Zombae Halloween Makeup
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. 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.
What You’ll Need:
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
- Slim Lip Pencil in Hot Red
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in Phoenix
- Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Liner in White
- Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black
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 Shadow 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.
Cowgirl Dollie Movie Character Makeup
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.
What You’ll Need:
- Bare With Me Concealer Serum
- Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright
- Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black
- Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Pure White
- Slim Lip Pencil in Espresso
- Butter Gloss in Madeline
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 Shadow 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.
Glitter Edge Halloween Makeup
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.
What You’ll Need:
- Jumbo Eye Pencil in Donut
- Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright
- Glitter Primer
- Glitter Face and Eye Paints in Silver
- Butter Gloss in Sugar Glass
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 Shadow 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 your Glitter Face and Eye Paints. 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 Shadow 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.
That’s a wrap on our Halloween makeup guide for 2023. Whether you try one of the above looks or have a killer Halloween makeup idea of your own, post it on social and tag @nyxcosmetics.
Next: To learn more about why setting spray is a must for your Halloween face makeup, read our article Why Setting Sprays Really Work.
PRODUCTS USED
Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Waterproof felt-tip liquid eyeliner pen
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SFX FACE & BODY PAINT STICKS
7 powerful shades to create your wildest SFX look.
SFX GLITTER FACE & EYE PAINT
Lightweight silver & gold glitter paints for face and body
