October 31st is approaching, and the desire to transform oneself is taking hold of everyone. From terrifying creatures to confidently glamorous looks, women's Halloween makeup offers a vast playground.
Regardless of body type or beauty experience, everyone can find inspiration. We've gathered easy-to-follow tutorials for you, suitable for all tastes and body shapes.
Product advice, clear steps and ten concrete ideas: everything is there to shine that night.
How to choose your Halloween makeup?
Choosing the right Halloween makeup starts with identifying the desired atmosphere. Pale shades and dark eyeshadows like black, grey, or brown remain the foundation of the holiday.
Red and burgundy directly evoke the color of blood, essential for a convincing result.
However, a Halloween costume doesn't necessarily have to be scary. A look that's both glamorous and frightening is perfectly possible.
Dark glitter, voluminous false eyelashes or a well-placed highlighter can transform any makeup look into a spectacular creation.
Drawing inspiration from cinema is an excellent approach. Horror films are full of iconic makeup ideas that can be recreated.
For those who are more connected, DIY blogs and tutorials offer dozens of quick makeup looks to copy, accessible even to beginners.
The essential products for perfect Halloween makeup
Before you begin, gathering the right products makes all the difference. Fake blood is essential: you can make it yourself with grenadine syrup and cornstarch, or buy it ready-made.
White colored contact lenses enhance a zombie or witch look with an immediate effect.
Liquid latex allows you to create ultra-realistic scars in minutes. For those who prefer to avoid full makeup, Calavera temporary tattoos offer a festive and original alternative.
As for basic products, black eyeliner , a white pencil, eyeshadows in dark shades and a gold highlighter are enough for many looks.
A setting spray ensures that the makeup lasts all evening.
And the good news is: the glamorous skeleton , for example, can be made using only common products.
Halloween makeup tutorial: the perfect complexion to start with
A good complexion is the foundation of any successful look. Start by applying a primer all over your face to prolong the wear of your makeup.
Next, even out your complexion with a liquid foundation, using a brush or a beauty blender, for a smooth finish.
Apply concealer to the lower eyelid to erase signs of fatigue. Mattify with a loose powder to set the product and prevent creasing.
Next, sculpt the face by placing the bronzer in a "3" shape , from the forehead to the jaw, passing through the hollow of the cheekbone.
A touch of blush on the cheeks adds a hint of life, even to a deliberately pale complexion. Finish with a setting spray to keep it looking fresh all night.
Halloween makeup tutorial: eye makeup
The eyes carry the entire look. First, brush your eyebrows upwards with a clear gel to enhance your gaze .
Apply a black pencil to the outer corner of the eye and blend it out with a ball brush to create a gradient base.
Apply black eyeshadow on top to intensify the effect. Then draw a thin line of eyeliner along the upper lash line to define the eyes. The cat-eye effect is achieved by applying black eyeshadow to the inner corner of the eye.
Apply a burgundy pencil to the lower waterline, blending it into the lash line for a defined and intense look. Finish with mascara to add volume and length to the lashes.
Halloween makeup tutorial: the bloody mouth
The mouth completes the disguise. First, draw the outline of the lips with a red lip pencil , then fill in the inside before applying a liquid lipstick of the same shade.
Opt for a brick red rather than a bright red: this shade imitates the real color of blood much better.
Next, draw a fake drop of blood descending from the lower lip, using the same drawing technique.
This detail instantly transforms a simple lipstick into a dramatic and believable effect .
Finish with a clear gloss on your lips and over the blood droplet for a glossy, striking effect. This small detail makes all the difference between an ordinary look and truly spectacular makeup.
10 easy Halloween makeup ideas
Here are ten looks for every taste, from the darkest to the most glamorous:
- The vampire: intense and seductive, accessible from the first try.
- Wednesday Addams: minimalist and chilling, ideal for beginners.
- The victim of cosmetic surgery: creative and unconventional, two possible versions.
- The pumpkin: colourful and festive, perfect for a casual evening.
- Bride of Frankenstein: classic and theatrical, always effective.
- The ventriloquist doll: inspired by Annabelle, particularly disturbing.
- The clown: emblematic and flexible, from comical to terrifying.
- The glamorous skeleton: elegant and frightening at the same time, without special products.
- The zombie prom queen: inspired by the movie Carrie, glamorous and bloody.
- The scarecrow: rustic and original, easy to complete with a costume.
Detailed tutorials: how to create these 10 Halloween makeup looks step by step
Vampire makeup is based on a pronounced smoky eye, dark circles under the eyes in burgundy shadow, fine lines imitating veins, a dark red mouth and a trickle of blood flowing from the lips.
Wednesday Addams requires a pallid complexion, grey eyeshadow to accentuate dark circles, and raven-black lipstick.
The victim of cosmetic surgery comes in two versions: measured features with eyeliner before the operation, or post-operation chaos with red marks and blood.
The pumpkin look is achieved with orange face paint , smoky eyes, black vertical stripes, a blackened nose and lips, and a simulated stitched mouth drawn with a pencil.
Frankenstein's bride requests green eyeshadow, scars drawn with black and white eyeliner, and black lipstick.
The ventriloquist doll requires a white pencil in the eye, red lipstick, freckles with brown pencil, pink blush, long black eyelashes drawn under the eye and black lines going down towards the chin.
The clown look is built around a round red nose, black triangles above the eyebrows, and a wide red mouth. The glamorous skeleton look uses thin black lines around the mouth, black blush in the hollows of the cheeks, a drawn nose bone, and a gold highlighter.
The zombie prom queen starts with glamorous makeup, to which are added drops of blood and runny mascara. The scarecrow combines smoky eyes, black lines on the nose, orange blush, and a rustic costume.
What is the origin of Halloween?
Halloween has its roots in a Celtic festival of Irish origin : Samhain, a celebration of the god of death. In the Celtic calendar, October 31st marked the last day of the year. On that night, the boundary between the living and the dead disappeared.
To ward off spirits, the Celts donned frightening costumes and lit fires. This ritual is the distant ancestor of our modern disguises.
In the 19th century, the Irish brought this tradition to the United States during their mass immigration.
The festival evolved into Halloween , which was gradually adopted by many countries. New traditions enriched the celebration: trick-or-treating, decorating carved pumpkins, and of course the elaborate makeup we know today.
A centuries-old story that still inspires our most creative looks every autumn.
