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Halloween is the premier time to pull out your most elaborate makeup looks. Glittery eyeshadow, bold black lipstick, and graphic eyeliner are all on the menu for the spooky holiday. If you’re stumped on a costume, makeup can be the perfect way to morph into someone (or something) different for a night. But, it’ll mean taking a break from your everyday “clean girl makeup” and actually putting on more than a dot of concealer (scary, we know).
If you’re already a full glam lover, then this is your time to kick it up a notch — maybe that means longer lashes or a more vibrant color palette. There's a solid chance you already own most of the makeup required to make the looks in this story happen. While they’re certainly over the top, you don't have to know how to do any intricate special-effects makeup techniques (as seen with these scary Halloween makeup looks) to pull these costumes off. We’ve included looks for a variety of skill levels, so whether you’re a seasoned makeup artist or an eager beauty beginner, there’s something here for you.
Ahead, find 48 makeup-only Halloween costumes that are perfect for beauty enthusiasts at every skill level. And for all you procrastinators out there, these make for a great solution if you need a last-minute look.
1. Glam Joker
"After being heavily inspired by the Joker movie, I wanted to create a look that would sum up the way I understood the character Arthur Fleck," says makeup artist Adaeze Ebeku. "That understanding is what I would describe as 'the art of sane madness.'"
In addition to a white base, this look can easily be recreated using colorful eye shadows you already have in your collection (we can't help but recommend the Best of Beauty-winning Ami Colé Lid Joy Liquid Matte Eyeshadow), as well as some pink lipstick, gold highlighter, and face gems.
2. Ripe Banana
How clever is this fruit-inspired costume by makeup artist Anya Tisdale? "You can turn into anything with makeup — even inanimate items like fruit," she tells Allure. "I love being able to use makeup to highlight the things I see and love in my everyday life, such as bananas."
Grab some yellow eye shadow like ColourPop's Pressed Powder Shadow in Tiki and a brown eyeliner like MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy and you've officially got this easy Halloween makeup look on lock. Simple, right?
3. Black Swan
Cape Town-based Black beauty creator Esethu tells Allure she came up with this easy-to-do look while on lockdown for 21 days in South Africa. "I didn't want to lose my creative spirit, as it was very demoralizing, so I got on Instagram and asked my followers which characters they'd like me to transform into," she recalls. "Nina was one of them, so I became the Black Swan."
Some white and black eye shadows and a solid pair of false lashes are all you really need to achieve this gothic ballerina look — that, and some steady hands.
4. Prince Zuko
Makeup artist Joanna Crauswell used Mehron Makeup's SynWax and Cream Blend Sticks to create Zuko's signature burn around her eye, but you can easily recreate this look at home even if you don't have the urge to splurge on special-effects makeup. We think a deep-red eye shadow topped with a shimmery highlighter (we like Revlon's Skinlights Prismatic Powder Highlighter in Daybreak Glimmer) will work just as well.
5. The Sims Character
This video game-inspired Halloween face paint look by makeup artist Jacina Pender couldn't be more spot-on — plus, it's so easy to put together in a pinch. All you need is some colorful eye shadow, false lashes, a temporary hair color like Good Dye Young's Poser Paste, and green contact lenses (if you can get ahold of them safely, that is).
"I envision myself and everybody else as walking Sims sometimes due to some of the conventional aspects and structures in our lifestyle, and how we can influence each other unknowingly," says Pender in regards to what inspired her to create this look. "Plus, I just love the Sims games in general."
6. Daphne Bridgerton
Many fans of Netflix's Bridgerton have not only fallen in love with its storyline but its elegant fashion, too. Take some pointers from makeup artist Sara Šček and transform into a modern-day English lady-in-waiting with this simple pink eye shadow look. Line the top and lower lids of the eyes with a magenta-colored eye shadow or eyeliner pencil. At the upper lash line, use a pastel pink eye shadow or pencil, then draw a wing with a white pencil in the middle of the eyelid.
Add some much-needed sparkle to the eyes by lining the top eyelid and lower lash line with your favorite jewels. Then, tie the whole look together with some soft pink blush (try Charlotte Tilbury's Cheek To Chic Blush in Love Is The Drug) and a soft pink lipstick.
7. Neon Tears
Crying in the club doesn't have to look sad. In fact, it can look totally fabulous. Glasgow, Scotland-based makeup artist Aimée Stanton takes shedding tears to a whole new level with her neon-pink tears, sparkly pink eye shadow, and pink-tinted brows, all of which you can achieve with a multiuse pigment like Danessa Myricks Colorfix Eye, Cheek & Lip Cream Pigment.
8. Mean Girls
The film Mean Girls has been around for 17 (17!) years now, and its hype has never faded. You can pay homage to the film's signature color, pink, by taking some inspiration from New Jersey-based makeup artist Jaquel Johnson's simple pink smoky eye look — even if Halloween doesn't fall on a Wednesday.
If you want to learn how to create this look in real-time, check out Johnson's tutorial on her Instagram page. Otherwise, use her simple rundown as a guide. "I always suggest using a white base — a primer or a concealer to help the pink pop," she tells Allure. "I personally start with my deepest shade, in this case, purple, and build my transition upwards to give that smoky eye effect. I'm also a fan of some glitter to add more pizzazz to my looks."
For a monochromatic look like this, Fenty Beauty's Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eye Shadow Palette in Rose will have all the pink hues you'll need.
9. Y2K-Inspired Heart Eyes
Early 2000s fashion and beauty trends have been everywhere this year. On our nails, in our hair — you name it, someone's done it. Makeup artist Stefanie Arreola, better known as Stenie among her followers, brought visions of Y2K-inspired hearts to her eyes by using some pink, orange, and dark-red eye shadows. She says that the colors and infinity hearts from The Powerpuff Girls, a fixture of the late 1990s and early 2000s, inspired her to create this look.
Hearts as detailed as the ones on Arreola's lids definitely require a steady hand and, more importantly, patience. "If you're timid about trying the look because the hearts look difficult, I'd say a big tip is to use a small craft store brush and a water-activated liner to draw them on," Arreola tells Allure. "Take your time and have fun."
If you're on the hunt for a water-activated eyeliner that'll give you maximum control, Suva Beauty's Hydra Liner in Scrunchie is a great place to start. With a look as detailed as this one, Arreola says you're bound to mess up, but she notes that you can draw another heart on top of another to hide any mistakes. Practice truly makes perfect.
10. Pentagon's Kino
This look is for all the K-pop fans out there. You can pretend to be a star for the night with Kino's colorful "ribbit" cheek makeup from Pentagon's Thumbs Up! promo shoot. To get the shapes of the letters just right, you can use a stencil like this one from Amazon. This minor detail can actually make a major difference in the finished look.
11. Werewolf
Countless makeup artists have created their own take on werewolf makeup looks with special-effects makeup, but Nevada-based makeup artist Olivia Hernandez proves you can easily turn into a werewolf with products found in your collection at home. "A super fun tip to achieve the look is using a combination of concealers and eye shadow to create the fur-like contours of your face,” she says.
Who would have thought that a Halloween look could be made using such makeup staples? For a concealer that won't budge, try using Maybelline New York Age Rewind Concealer (another Best of Beauty winner) like Hernandez did.
12. Roses
Adding some floral illustrations to your face doesn't have to include painting layers upon layers of paint. U.K.-based makeup artist Whitney Nyamayaro drew the roses onto her face with a brush that has a fine tip.
Illustrations as intricate as these roses definitely require more time than simply brushing some eye shadows across your eyelids. Luckily, Nyamayaro has a tip to achieving this rose's intricate petals. "To create this rose look, simply grab any fine liner brush and then trace the rose from inside to out," she says. "This way, you can build as many petals as you want."
13. The Purge Mask
Consider putting your favorite nude eye shadow palette to a terrifyingly amazing new use by taking cues from British makeup artist Belinda Maines' The Purge-inspired mask illusion. All you need are some neutral eye shadows or pencils — not to mention some serious blending skills — to recreate this creepy-cool costume. Creamy, buildable pigments such as Jones Road Beauty The Face Pencils will certainly help prevent off-the-bat mistakes.
14. Stranger Things
Kayla Holloway embodied the first season of Stranger Things in the best possible way with these Christmas lights draped across her cheekbones and Eleven's iconic nosebleed.
To nail this look, you'll need a black liquid eyeliner and some colorful eyeliner pencils for the string lights, some type of red pigment for the fake bloody nose (Danessa Myricks Vision Flush Blush Eyeshadow and Lip Color in Cherry Bomb should do the trick), and sunset-colored shadows, of course, for the eyes.
15. Gucci Snake Gone Bad
Give your spooky season costume a high-fashion touch without spending a dime on clothing with this look from U.K.-based makeup artist Abby Roberts. For this costume — which will undoubtly take a few trail runs to perfect — you may want to use professional face paint (we like Make Up For Ever's Flash Color palette) to get an ultra-pigmented and long-lasting finish that won't smudge if you accidentally touch your face.
16. Spider Eyes
This Halloween, add four more eyes to your face for a spooky, arachnid aesthetic like Canadian makeup artist Megan Brown. You'll need some blue, white, and deep purple eye shadows for the eyes, a black liquid liner to create the illusion of false lashes (try the Best of Beauty-winning Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner), and a dark, berry-colored gloss for the blood-like lips.
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17. Violet Beauregarde
Regardless of whether you prefer Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you have to admit that Ellie Addis came up with a pretty genius, easy way to emulate the gum-chewing, turning-purple Violet Beauregarde. The look went so viral that Addis made a tutorial to help others recreate it. The main key? A shimmery blue or purple highlighter, like r.e.m. Beauty Interstellar Highlighter Topper in Miss Neptune gives the rich indigo shade some dimension.
18. Punk Rocker
Turning into a punk-rock star for HalloWeekend is easy to do with the right glam, as shown by Los Angeles-based makeup artist Michaella Page. All you need is a glowy base, some shimmery silver eye shadow, black eyeliner, black lipstick, and a fluttery pair of false eyelashes, of course. Then you're ready to rock and roll all night long.
19. Tinkerbell
You don't need to be sprinkled with "a little bit of pixie dust" to look like Tinkerbell. U.K.-based makeup artist Leila Nikea turned into one of her favorite Disney characters with little but an easy eye makeup look.
A Halloween look that can be done in three steps like this is what we call magic. "Use a white eye shadow base underneath green eye shadow to make it stand out," Nikea advises. "Use a white pencil eyeliner to map out the wings first, then fill in using white concealer or liquid eyeliner. Add loose glitter or liquid glitter shadow to make it pop and sparkle."
For a mess-free sparkle, we reccomend a no-fuss liquid shimmer formula like Stila Cosmetics's beloved Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow — the sheer white shade Diamond Dust is a perfect complement to a bright green base. Best part of this formula: It's relatively easy to wipe off with an oil-based remover.
20. Pixel Perfect
We loved this pixelated look so much, we asked Canadian makeup artist Cassidy Shkimba to break it down step by step. Some key points: Use cream shadows or pigments — whatever you have on hand — to create this mesmerizing checkered effect. A stencil could also come in handy to make the squares super-precise. Then do the same using different shades of red lipstick or liner on one side of your lips.
21. Chucky
Warning: The following scary Halloween makeup look is not for the faint of heart. For fans of all the Child's Play films, though, you're gonna want to hop on this look ASAP. Makeup artist Chloe Gemma started off with a solid base using Catrice's HD Cover Liquid Foundation and E.L.F. Cosmetics's Hydrating Camo Concealer. Once your base is complete, prepare to create some maroon-colored lines across your face (and some silver stitches drawn on top of those with a metallic eyeliner pencil) to look just like Chucky.
22. Safety Pin
OK, a safety pin might not sound like the most glamorous Halloween face paint look, but June (also known as @visiblejune on Instagram) makes a pretty convincing argument for it. Get your favorite glitter, some purple lipstick, and false lashes on deck for this one, and you'll be good to go. Also, be sure to add some bright pink blush to your cheeks and on the tip of your nose to mimic June's super cool, flushed look.
23. Millennial Clown
In the words of makeup artist Jenapher Moore: "I'm not like a regular clown. I'm a cool clown." She topped off her bold blue eye makeup with star-shaped rhinestones for a glitzy, Instagram-ready look. This costume requires you have several products — including burgundy lipstick, blue eye shadow, and dramatic false lashes — in your kit.
To recreate the Joker-ish mouth, overline your lips quite considerably with a lip liner, such as the Nyx Professional Makeup Slim Lip Pencil. Then, curve the corners outward and upwards for an undeniably creepy effect.
24. 3D Spider
Makeup artists all over Instagram, including Sofia Hernandez, have been painting frighteningly realistic spiders onto their faces with some skillful eye shadow techniques. You can make one look like it's crawling out of your eye or even your lips. Take it from us: If you have black lipstick, liner, or eye shadow in your collection — along with some glitter and highlighter — there's no way you won't nail this one. Just be sure to pay extra attention to the shadows, which are the key to making this look as realistic (and unsettling) as possible.
25. Daisies
Make flowers bloom from your eyes this Halloween, like Jihane El Yamri did, with the help of some gold glitter and white eyeliner. Make Up For Ever's Star Lit Glitter in the shade 401 Antic Gold will get you the most gorgeous finish on the eyes. As for liner, we'd recommend Sephora Collection's Eyeliner Pencil To Go in the shade Pure White because it's easy to blend and comes in the form of a chunkier pencil, which is optimal for this look because the flower petals are fairly large.
26. Frankendoll
Tie your hair up in some pigtails and transform your face into a creepy-yet-cute monster. Recreate this look by lining the eyes in white and then smoking them out with dark-green shadows. Then, draw some squiggly lines underneath your eyes with whatever liquid liner you like and add some bold falsies to tie everything together.
27. Bloody Queen
Merge the red eye makeup and dotted eyeliner trends into one scary Halloween makeup situation. After coating your face in a white base, contour using whatever gray eye shadow you have in your collection. For the eyes and lips alike, apply some red eye shadow or face paint (whatever you have on hand), and then draw some blood spatter-esque dots on top using a fine-tipped brush and a slightly deeper red shade.
28. '90s Cool Girl
The early 2000s have been given so much love by the fashion and beauty communities recently, but why not share some of that love with the '90s? Makeup artist Erica Laurane has you covered with this beat that features the decade’s signature thin eyebrows and a glossy, nude lip (we'll be using Dior Lip Glow Oil in our own interpretation of this look). To top it off, put your hair up like Laurane did in a sleek, retro bun.
29. Juicy Couture
Juicy sweats were all the rage in the early aughts, but somehow, U.K.-based makeup artist Amber Pinkard made the brand's cheeky aesthetic come to life on her face. "I've always loved Juicy Couture, and what really inspired me [to create this] look was the vintage cherry necklace [pictured above]," she explains. "Graphic liner is a simple and effective way to bring any look together, perfect and adaptable for any Halloween look."
For those interested in wearing this look for spooky season, Pinkard says to make sure to extend the eyeliner wings at the same angle as your bottom lashline.
30. Twiggy
All you really need to look like a decadent '60s goddess is your favorite black liquid eyeliner. "I was very much inspired by Twiggy and her iconic makeup style. In the 1960s, it was all about big eyes, big hair, and bright colors," explains makeup artist Betsy Wells-Deamer. "To reflect this, I used a black gel eyeliner to create a downwards flick making the eyes appear larger and more rounded." For an added bright-eyed effect, line your waterline with a white or skin-tone colored eyeliner pencil.
31. Crying Heart
Makeup artist Mei Pang only used Make Up For Ever's Color Sticks for this heartbreakingly stunning face paint look. Use the creamy makeup crayons (or whatever pigments you have in your arsenal) to draw a large heart in the center of your face. Then simply shade it in and add the other effects, like the winged liner and white lip accents.
32. Pointillism
This creepy Halloween makeup-only costume is perfect for anyone who loved stippling exercises in art class as a kid. Plus, it doesn't require advanced makeup skills to create dots all over your face. All you really need is a liquid liner like Nyx Professional Makeup's That's the Point Eyeliner to create this dotted extravaganza. OK, and you'll need a lot of patience.
33. Christina Aguilera
We're back with another easy Halloween makeup look in homage of Y2K pop culture, but this time it's dedicated to singer-songwriter Xtina. Fortunately, makeup artist Christina Yang's technique seems to only require several makeup-bag staples. "I absolutely love how simple and fast this look is! This look is perfect for a last-minute Halloween look because you can be as messy as you want with the smoky eyes and it would still fit the Christina Aguilera vibe," Yang tells Allure.
You're definitely gonna need some gray eye shadow to line both the upper eyelid and lower lash line — but don't forget to add some highlighter to your inner corners and the tip of your nose to really get the full "Dirrty" effect.
34. Rosie the Riveter
Makeup for spooky season can be as neutral as you wish, especially if you plan on dressing up as Rosie the Riveter. U.K.-based makeup artist Alexandra Price created this easy look in only 10 minutes, which means you probably can, too. Create some natural-looking freckles with Freck Beauty's Freckle Pen and add a touch of lip gloss with Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb in Fussy (which Price used here).
35. Bratz Doll
Children of the early 2000s definitely remember all the different funky, edgy, and cool Bratz dolls. You might think that you need to dress up like them to look like them, but San Francisco-based makeup artist Monica Ravichandran pulled it off with just a full face of makeup. To exude the high-fashion aesthetic of the Bratz club, add some luxury fashion brand logos — like Ravichandran did above — across your nose and cheeks. That way, your Halloween crew will know exactly who you're supposed to be.
36. Strawberry Shortcake
Maybe dressing up as a strawberry for Halloween hadn’t crossed your mind. (Same.) Content creator Khadija Nur makes a good case for a makeup-only, strawberry-inspired look that you can recreate yourself with just a few products, including the Mehron Paradise Makeup AQ palette.
Make sure to complete the look with a punchy red blush and subtle faux-freckles. They can take this Strawberry Shortcake-esque makeup to the next level.
37. Cow-Girl
Not to be confused with a cowgirl costume, this farm animal-inspired makeup look by content creator Aniya Smith is not only adorable for the Halloween season, but also flexes your graphic eyeliner capabilities.
38. Bikini Bottom
Makeup artist Annie Snyder posted her take of Spongebob Squarepants-inspired makeup and it's perfect for Halloween. The look, which features Bikini Bottom's iconic backdrop on her lids, requires bright, highly-pigmented eyeliners and a steady hand.
39. Sweet Cravings
Content creator Serena Adelaide fittingly used all of the products from the 2022 E.L.F Cosmetics x Dunkin Donuts collaboration for this donut-inspired look and opted to for drawings of the treat on her cheeks. (That collection has since sold out, so we recommend the Glossier No.1 Pencils instead.) If donuts aren't your thing, try another dessert like cupcakes or ice cream cones — whatever your sweet tooth is craving.
40. Billie Eilish
Want to be the "Bad Guy" this Halloween? Channel Allure’s October 2023 cover star Billie Eilish with this makeup look. Eilish always has a glowy, fresh-faced "no-makeup makeup" look, so makeup-lover Lindy used the E.L.F. Cosmetics Camo CC Cream to get a flawless finish for this look. While this isn’t the most intricate makeup look, take the costume a step further by putting on a wig similar to one of the singer’s most recognizable looks. P.s: .the star’s lit-on-fire cover look is the perfect inspo for a spooky 2023 pop culture costume.
41. Vecna From Stranger Things
It took over seven hours to transform Jamie Campbell Bower into Vecna for Stranger Things, but don't worry — this look won't take nearly as long. Marvel Maull created a purple-red eye shadow and brought the look to life by adding lines along her face and neck to replicate the villain’s creepy, Upside Down-singed skin.
42. Katniss Everdeen
It may be eight years since the last Hunger Games movie came out, but Katniss Everdeen will forever be a go-to for Halloween inspiration. Here, makeup artist Freja Bermann recreated the heroine's bridal look from Catching Fire using silver and black eye shadow. She used rhinestones along her undereyes as a finishing touch.
43. Hades
To recreate Hades' iconic fiery blue hair, content creator Lana Yanette used ColourPop palettes, including the ColourPop Cosmetics Dallas Mavericks Palette (which is unfortunately no longer available). Of course, the look wouldn't be complete without Hades' sinister smile, which can be created using a black lipstick and ColourPop's Super Shock Shadow in Moon Daisy as a topper.
44. Devilish Behavior
Makeup artist Sharon Uwu opted for a graphic liner take on devilish makeup. Uwu says this is "a great choice if you want to go for a low-effort Halloween look but still look cute." Our go-to red eyeliner to recreate a look like this is the Haus Labs Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Brick Matte.
45. Jessica Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit has plump lips with a shadowy outline, which makeup artist Guelia Lyob created by using KVD Beauty's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw (which has been discontinued) and lining with a black lip liner. Finish off the look with a purple smoky eye and a pair of dramatic lashes. The KVD Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick is a more current pick that can still help you achieve this sensual look.
46. Goth Bratz
Hop in on a more classically Bratz makeup look for this spooky season. Creator BeatsbyLizzie achieved the look by over-lining her lips, tappering it to a point at the edge of her lips.
47. Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson's '90s looks are iconic, including this one recreated by Gina Esler-Box. A hallmark of Anderson's beauty is her skinny eyebrows, but don't go grabbing your tweezers. Elser-Box created the brows by layering on concealer and adding a thin brown line using brow pomade.
48. Freddy Krueger
For a spookier makeup-only look, try out this Freddy Krueger-inspired look. To add some glam on an otherwise gory look, finish it with a smoky red eye and a glossy pout.
Now read more about Halloween beauty:
- 9 Seriously Extra Falsies to Dress Up Your Eyelashes This Halloween
- This Creepy Halloween Makeup Has the Sweetest Story Behind It
- 11 Halloween Costumes That Are All About the Hair
Done reading? Learn a handy Halloween lipstick hack:
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