clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Halloween Makeup Tutorials You Can Use With So Many Costumes

From zombies and vampires to Miley and Bowie.

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

The internet is already about 70% makeup tutorials, but when it comes to the Halloween variety, there's a dire shortage of looks that can be repurposed in multiple ways. Want to copy this super-intricate snowflake princess look? You'll have to find an exact replica of Elsa's dress from Frozen to pull it off. Love this unique cat-eye? Hope you've got an Edie Sedgwick pixie cut to match, or a really expensive wig.

To come up with Halloween makeup tutorials that'll work for more than one costume, we tapped Rouge NY makeup artist Samantha Jozic to craft some looks for us. Each one can be used at the very least three ways, so that no matter what how you're dressing this Halloween, your makeup will go with it. Below, your guide to transforming yourself into a Jem and the Holograms character (or David Bowie, or a Cirque du Soleil performer), and more.

Miley Cyrus / The Year 1994 / EDM Festivalgoer

STEP ONE

Use a brush to sweep lime green opaque cream liner or gel liner over the entire eyelid. Draw a cat-eye shape at the corners — Samantha recommends versions by Inglot and Anastasia. Then, top with mascara. "Don't be afraid of it looking clumpy!" she says, adding that Too Faced's Better Than Sex will do the job well. Pro tip: Leave the tube slightly open overnight and the mascara will become dryer and clumpier.

STEP TWO

Line the lips using cherry lipliner, and feel free to exaggerate! When applying, be sure to do so while smiling — otherwise, you'll pull on your lips, and the line won't end up straight. Samantha uses Julie Hewett's Femme Noir, then tops with a bubble gum pink lipstick from Face Stockholm.

STEP THREE

To add the glitter, Samantha first applies a highlighter all over the face. Then, using an eyeshadow blending brush, she dots the loose glitter (she uses Violet Voss, but regular fine-grained craft glitter will do) starting at the hairline and coming down over the face, as though it's raining. "Apply the glitter like you would a highlighter," Samantha explains, "so that it hits where the light normally would."

STEP FOUR

Onto the smiley face! First, use yellow body paint or cream shadow to draw two ovals and a mouth, then line with black liquid liner.

STEP FIVE

On the other cheek, use lipliner or lipstick to draw tiny flower petals, and outline in black liner.

STEP SIX

Pile your hair up into some messy buns, throw up a peace sign or two, and you're done!

VAMPIRE / Bride of Chucky / ZOMBIE [INSERT ANY CELEBRITY'S NAME HERE]

STEP ONE

This step's pretty straightforward: Go ham with white or nearly white foundation.

STEP TWO

Add a super-skinny, Marlene Dietrich-esque brow (hey, there's another option!) by tracing the top line of your natural brow with black liquid liner. Then, use a fluffy brush to apply black eyeshadow all over the lid, and apply black eyeliner to the under-eye.

STEP THREE

Use taupe eyeshadow (Samantha uses M.A.C in Coquette) to contour the face. If you haven't already mastered the technique, just draw a big number 3 on each side, starting at the temples."Think of a skull," Samantha says, "and anywhere you'd see a hollowed-out part, contour there." Then, apply a deep burgundy lipstick (she used Sin Noir by Julie Hewett), extending the cupid's bow into tiny points.

STEP FOUR

To create freakishly realistic wounds, start by drawing lines around the neck with the same red lipstick you just used.

STEP FIVE

Go over the red lines with black liner at the center.

STEP SIX

Top them off by dusting brown shadow over each, and applying a dab of fake blood, and you're done!

JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS / DAVID BOWIE / Cirque Du Soleil Performer

STEP ONE

Stencil your desired shape — it can be anything, and it doesn't have to be perfectly straight or symmetrical! — with white or nude pencil liner. Then, smudge the inside of the line with a brush.

STEP TWO

Trace over the white outline with orange body paint or powder eyeshadow — feel free to substitute any equally bright color. On the inside, use a complementary color, like a bright pink blush (lipstick works, too!).

STEP THREE

Sweep bubblegum pink shadow or lipstick over the eyelid, then top with a frosty pink shadow — Samantha uses's M.A.C's Pink Freeze. To create the cat eye, use black liquid eyeliner (Samantha likes L'Oreal's version) and start at the outer corner. Then, flick the line slightly upwards, and complete the triangle by bringing it back to the corner. Extend the line all the way across the lid, then along the lower lash line. Add mascara to both eyes.

STEP FOUR

Time for glitter! To prevent it from spreading to other areas of the face, Samantha applies Scotch tape to the outer edge of the outline. Then, dab cream highlighter over the desired area (it acts as a glue!) and apply the glitter with a blush. Repeat on all sides of the shape.

STEP FIVE

Outline the shape with black eyeliner, and feel free to add artsy details.

STEP SIX

To create a dramatic cheek, Samantha uses an unlikely tool: a Metrocard! Place one just under your cheekbone, then apply blush (she likes Kevyn Aucoin's Myracle) along the edge. Add a bright fuschia or orange lipstick, and you're done!