It’s the most wonderful tiiiime of the yeaaaaar! OK, sure – that song is traditionally associated with the winter holidays, but for a makeup lover like me, October is the absolute best! Below, you’ll find instructions on how to create 4 different Halloween-inspired makeup looks (in varying degrees of difficulty and Halloween-iness), and my go-to makeup look for fall. Enjoy!

{Halloween Inspired Makeup}

Halloween Makeup

While Instagram is currently full of makeup artists proudly displaying their terrifying SFX skills, not everyone can whip out prosthetics and fake blood for the office party. So I’ve created 4 spooky makeup looks that anyone can try, and adapt to their Halloween needs:

• Spiderweb Eyes
• Low-key Vampira
• Candy Corn
• Franken-fine

Spiderweb Eyes

I love how subtle this is! Adding a spooky twist on just one feature is a great way to embrace the season without going full costume. And of course, if you want to amp up the look a bit, you can always draw yourself an itsy bitsy spider.

To create the look:

• First, go through your everyday skincare and foundation/concealer routine.
• Then create a shimmery grey background for the web, to add depth. I used a light grey on my lid and brow bone, and a darker grey for my crease. I then blended the darker grey into my lower lid to create a slight smoky eye effect.
• The next step is the hardest: creating the webs. Go slowly, and remember that it’s easier to darken fine lines than it is to clean up a too-thick patch!
  • Start by drawing 5-6 evenly spaced vertical lines from your eyebrow to your crease, using a fine-tip white eyeliner pen. Imagine that your iris is the centre of the web, and angle each line slightly as needed so that it would cross through the middle of your pupil if you were to continue drawing it.
  • Then add in the horizontal webbing: starting at the top of your outermost vertical line, draw a swoop to connect it to the next vertical, and so on until you reach the innermost vertical line.
  • Next go back to the outermost vertical line, and repeat by drawing another swoop, slightly below the first.
  • Continue this 2-3 times until you’ve filled in all the spaces.

I completed this look with some black eyeliner on my upper lid and my waterline, and a neutral-nude lip.

Ah, what a tangled web (of makeup) we weave!

Key products I used: Urban Decay Naked 2 palette in Pistol and Verve, NYX Cosmetics Coloured Felt Tip Liner in White, Tarte Cosmetics Skinny SmoulderEYES in Onyx, Caryl Baker Nirvana lipstick in Spirit

Low-Key Vampira

I’ve been referring to this look as “if Vampira worked in HR” – this glampire look varies just slightly from everyday makeup, but can easily be jacked up depending on your style and level of comfort!

 To create the look:

• First, go through your everyday skincare and foundation/concealer routine, putting the emphasis on creating an even, pale skin tone.
• Begin by using a white pencil in your waterline, to brighten the eyes.
• Then use a white, pearlescent powder on your eyelids and the inner corner of your eye, followed by a matte grey in your crease, to create dimension.
• Take a red eyeliner and line underneath your eyes, stopping about ¾ of the way along. To intensify this aspect of the look, take a red eyeshadow and smoke out your lower lid.
• Next, use black eyeliner to create a dramatic cat-eye on your upper lid, extending the tip down along the inner corner of your eye and winging it out almost to your eyebrow.
• Add some mascara and throw on a pair of your favourite false lashes, and your eyes are done!
• To finish off this look, nix your usual contouring, since you want to keep your base fairly pale.
• Add a touch of deep red blush (a liquid tint is best for this, since it’ll look much more intense) to make your cheeks look flushed. Finally, bust out your darkest lipstick for a goth pout.
• To drive the vampire idea home, you could even use your red eyeliner to draw a little drip of blood coming out of the corner of your mouth!

I styled this makeup with a fabulously gothic necklace, and an all-black outfit. Vampire teeth optional.

Key products I used: Rimmell Glam’Eyes in Glam Ice, Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon in Fine(Wine), Benefit Cosmetics BeneTint, Wet n’ Wild Comfort Zone palette (Color #10), Kat von D Tattoo Eyeliner in Trooper, NYX Cosmetics Wicked Lashes in Overrated, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Notte.

Candy Corn

This look is super quick and fun to create. Bonus points if you’ve got a white wig to top it all off!

To create the look:

• First, go through your everyday skincare and foundation/concealer routine.
• Then contour and highlight as you would normally.
• To keep with the candy corn colour scheme, use a coral or orange blush on your cheeks.
• The eyes are the key to this look.
  • Start by using a pearlescent white on your brown bone, then add a bright yellow shadow on your lid, and, finally, transition between the yellow and white by using an orange on your crease and blending up into the brown bone.
  • Use a few coats of your favourite mascara to complete the eyes.
• The last step for this look is to find the perfect orange lipstick. Even though candy corn is very matte, I wanted to add a bit of sparkle, so I mixed a metallic orange lip liner with a coral gloss.
• To really emphasize those candy corn colours, wear a white wig (or powder your hair), with an orange top and yellow pants or skirt – you’ll look delicious!

Key products I used: NYX Cosmetics Electro Liner in Powerlines, L’Oreal Infallible Paints in Jet Set Blond, Wet n’ Wild Comfort Zone palette (Color #1), Rimmel Glam’Eyes in Glam Ice, Elizabeth Arden Gelato Colour Crush Cool Glow Cheek Tint in Coral Daze, NYX Cosmetics #LOTD Lip of the Day Liquid Lip Liner in Hex, Annabelle Big Show Lip Shine in Rave

Franken-Fine

Credit to Ben Stiller’s character in the movie Dodgeball for giving me the perfect name for this look. This is such a fun way to go full Halloween but still feel fabulous.

To create the look:

• Use a white body paint on your face, neck, and chest to create a base.
• Then apply green body paint over top (or, if you’re like me and misplaced your green body paint, mix a few green eyeshadows together and use a kabuki brush to apply them over the base).
• Next, contour those classic Frankenstein cheekbones using a dark green eyeshadow.
• Darken your temples, the sides of your nose, and your jawline to further emphasize your bone structure.
• Then, glam yourself up! I chose a metallic lime green eyeshadow to play off of the green skin, and I used a classic black eyeliner and plush false eyelashes to really create a contrast between the creepy skin and glam features.
• A bright pink lip gloss was the final step for the face.
• To go the extra mile, draw some cracks and cuts on your face and neck. Use a red lip liner to draw a few fine, spidery lines in strategic places (I chose to do the iconic Frankenstein forehead cut and a take on the neck stitches).
• Once you’ve traced the cuts, enhance them by using deep red and orange eyeshadows over top, then add some purples and blacks along the edges to create depth.
• For the neck stitches, I used black eyeliner to trace curved lines at regular intervals over the cut, then added little dashes of white directly on top of the black to create the illusion of a high point.
• To simulate Frankenstein’s classic square hairdo, I rolled up three hair rollers above my forehead, and left the rest of my hair loose around my shoulders.
• Wear a green tank top and a blazer, and you’re… aliiiiiiive!

Key products I used: Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer in Light, Ben Nye MagiCake in Cloud White, Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Tenant Palette in Graffiti and Exu, NYX Cosmetics Wicked Lashes in Overdone, Benefit Cosmetics Punch Pop! Liquid Lip Colour in Cherry, Caryl Baker Nirvana Lip Liner in Candy Apple, Kat Von D Eyeliner in Trooper

Fall Makeup

Not into the whole Halloween scene? Here’s a fall look I call the “Pumpkin Spice Latté”:

• Apply a peach eyeshadow to your lid, then blend a coppery metallic shade into your crease.
• Add a matte, deep brown in the corner and blend inwards to shape the eye.
• Finish with brown eyeliner and your favourite mascara.
• Once you’ve completed the eyes, warm up your skin with a glowy bronzer on your cheeks;
• Anchor the look with a coffee-coloured shade of lipstick. Absolutely perfect for those crisp autumn days

Key products I used: Pür Cosmetics Soirée Diaries palette in Snazzy, Stunner and Twinkle, Caryl Baker Visage lipstick in Spirit, Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

What looks will you be creating this season? Tag me if you try out some of the ones I’ve listed above – I’d love to see your spin on these Halloween inspired makeup looks!