26 Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas to Try This Weekend
There are two types of people when it comes to Halloween: the super fans who go full out with their costumes and plan ahead, and those of us who are always looking for last-minute (and low-lift) ideas at the eleventh hour. For the folks who fall squarely in the latter camp, we’ve compiled a list of 26 easy Halloween makeup looks that don’t require an art degree or kit and caboodle to execute at home.
RELATED: 21 Creative Halloween Costumes We’re Totally Stealing This Year
1. Doe, a deer
This three-minute tutorial puts the “bam” in Bambi. You can create the look yourself using a generous sweep of bronzer, your everyday eyeshadow palette (i.e., one with lots of neutral tones) and eyeliner. Complete the costume with an antler headband.
2. Wednesday Addams
Classic for a reason, Wednesday Addams has been a go-to Halloween choice for many because all you need to nail her look is a heavy layer of pale foundation, a cool, purple-toned eyeshadow and matching lip color. Don a simple black dress with a peter pan collar and wear a long black wig braided into two low pigtails to finish.
3. Fairy
For something more sweet than scary, this ethereal fairy makeup is an easy look to keep in your back pocket. All you’ll need is a face makeup kit and temporary hair color spray. (Note: You can also copy the look using liquid white liner and your eyeshadow palette.)
4. K-Pop Singer
Channel your favorite K-pop band (in this case, Blackpink) with this dewy-skinned, sparkly-eyed makeup.
5. Catwoman
Here’s a case for painting on your cat eye mask rather than just buying one: it’s more comfortable. No need to readjust it or deal with sweat getting trapped underneath. Just grab a chubby black eyeliner to trace and fill in your mask, then top it off with shimmery charcoal shadow.
6. Rue from Euphoria
The HBO show offers up so much eye candy. Perhaps one of our favorite looks from this season were the glitter tears as seen on Rue. Copy the look with iridescent highlighter and glitter paste. (We swear by the Lemonhead spacepaste.)
7. Snow White
For our Disney fans, Snow White is always an easy costume idea. The key points to this look are candy apple lips, pink blush and a voluminous bob. (If you have longer hair, you can easily curl and pin your ends underneath to create a faux bob.) Add a satin bow and grab an apple for the perfect prop.
8. Clown
If you only have a few products on hand, clown makeup is an easy bet. All you need is dark eyeshadow, black eyeliner and a deep red lipstick to complete the look. Bonus points for the creepy contact lenses.
9. Emoji
Grab some yellow face paint (this YouTuber used Paradise Makeup AQ by Mehron) and decide on your favorite emoji.
10. Space Cowgirl
You’ll need loads of pink eyeshadow and a shimmery lip gloss to recreate this Kacey Musgraves-inspired look.
11. Twiggy
It’s time to grab your liquid eyeliner and get Twiggy with it. Add a dash of floating eyeliner above each crease and extended lines along the lower lashes, and you’re basically done.
12. Scarecrow
It’s hard to believe, but this look was created using a ton of colorful eyeshadow, lipstick and eyeliner to create the stitches on the scarecrow’s face. Toss on your coziest flannel and top it all off with a straw hat to look like you’re off to see the wizard.
13. Mermaid
File this under genius: An easy way to add texture (in this case, scales) to your makeup is to use a pair of fishnet stockings as a stencil.
14. Galactic Space Queen
We love the slapdash application of shadow here. The shapes don’t have to be perfectly symmetrical and the colors are intentionally muddled so you can really have fun with it. Draw on a few accent stars using a fine-tipped white eyeliner and finish with a dab of highlighter along the inner corners of your eyes.
15. Pop Art
What you’ll need: A pot of gel eyeliner and an angled brush to draw in features that will make you look like you’ve just jumped off the pages of a comic book.
16. Violet Beauregard from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Inspired by the 2005 version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this charming tutorial breaks down the character’s look right down the veins popping in her face.
17. Skeleton
Our very own Design Director created this look in minutes using just black liner and eyeshadow.
18. Selena Quintanilla
We could honestly watch Patrick Starr put on makeup all day, but this recent transformation he did paying tribute to pop legend, Selena, tops the list. Fittingly, he used products from the MAC x Selena collection to create this look.
19. Sadness from Inside Out
Admittedly, this one involves quite a bit of face paint, but the technicality of it is still fairly straightforward. Once you get your blue base down, the remaining steps are drawing in your brows and filling in your lips. Put on a bright blue wig and some Harry Potter-esque specs and you’ll be a dead ringer for the Pixar character.
20. Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction
If you can handle a slick of red lipstick and sharp cat eye, you can be Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction. The costume is even easy; all you need is a white button-down shirt and a cropped brunette wig.
21. Cat
What Halloween makeup list would be complete without a cat tutorial? We like this one because it’s not overly complicated and can pretty much be achieved with just a liquid eyeliner.
22. Rainbow Fish
There’s no better use for those colorful eyeshadows you seldom wear than to use them to pay tribute to your favorite childhood tale.
23. Anime Character
For the most kawaii (that’s cute in Japanese) take on monochromatic makeup, add a pop of bright pink of your lids, cheeks and lips and load on the lashes.
24. Mime Makeup
Apply your base makeup as usual. Next comes a series of stars and lines around your eyes and face (which you can follow along with the tutorial above). Put on a striped shirt and practice your miming.
25. The Easiest Removal
And when you’re all done, scoop up some cleansing balm to remove all of the layers of makeup without irritating your skin.
26. Margot Tenenbaum
Arguably one of Gwyneth's most iconic characters to date, Margot Tenenbaum is made for last-minute costume ideas. All you really need is a flat iron to get your hair as close to pin straight as possible, a pink barrette to clip to one side and a generous application of charcoal liner and shadow to complete the look.
