10 epic Halloween makeup looks and how to re-create them

Halloween is right around the corner, and that only means two things—yummy candy and dressing up! 

But dressing up doesn’t necessarily have to be putting on cheesy vampire cloaks and witch’s hats. That was soooo 1990’s. With the rise of social media showcasing hidden talents across the globe, these days we all aim to dress up using make-up over shop-bought accessories.

We’ve haunted, we mean hunted, down our top 10 favourite looks you can re-create with the help of makeup to celebrate this year’s Halloween in style.

Go forth and spook. 

Photo: Kaneshia, Adelaine Morin

ALSO READ: THE ONLY MAKEUP TOOLS YOU NEED TO INVEST IN NOW (AND HOW TO USE THEM LIKE A PRO)​

Harley Quinn might commonly be portrayed as a villain or anti-hero, but she still looks awesome in the movie, Suicide Squad. 

To transform yourself into Margot Robbie’s version of Harley Quinn, you’ll have to apply the lightest shade of foundation you can find. Alternatively, you can use white face paint. 

The second key feature of this look is the mismatched eyeshadow. Apply pink eyeshadow onto one eye, and blue on the other. Then blend the shadow downwards to your cheeks. 

Finish of the look with a bright red lipstick and you’re good to go!

Photo: Adelaine Morin/Instagram 

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Here’s another anti-hero look for you if Harley’s makeup is not up your alley. Poison Ivy is a classic villain-heroine who you hate to love, but love all the same. 

To look like Poison Ivy, use red, orange and yellow face paint in place of your contour powder and blend it towards your forehead. Fade the colours into one another for a sunset effect on your face.

Apply the same colours onto your eyelids and complete the look with a forest green eyeliner on your lower lash line and a black wing liner. 

Photo: Charisma Star/Instagram 

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After this year’s remake of the action movie Wonder Woman, we’re expecting many recreations on the 31st. She is life goals after all. 

Want to look like a 2D Wonder Woman? Take a black eyeliner and add a line wherever there is a prominent shadow on your face. For example, your cheekbones, jawline and the sides of your nose. 

Next, highlight the inner corners of your eyes, tip of your nose and lips with a white eyeliner. Finish off by drawing on a Wonder Woman crown in gold and you’re ready to save the day!

Photo: Nikkie Tutorials/Instagram

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If you’re too lazy to add such intricate details onto your face to achieve that pop art effect, you can use a white eyeshadow to create dots. Draw on a few lines with black eyeliner and complete this simple look with a tear right below your eye. 

And if you’re feeling extra, put on a red polka dot dress like this one from Asos to channel retro vibes. No doubt you’ll turn heads with this super cute look. 

Photo: Rachel Wong/Instagram 

ALSO READ: THE ONLY MAKEUP TOOLS YOU NEED TO INVEST IN NOW (AND HOW TO USE THEM LIKE A PRO)

With the recent release of the movie It, the clown makeup is surely a fan favourite. To re-create this glam twist on the scary Pennywise look, you’ll have to start of with a light shade of foundation or a layer of white face paint. 

Take a black gel liner and line your eyes. Smoke it out into the foundation or white paint. Apply red eyeshadow on your eyes and drag it towards your forehead and the corners of your mouth. To glam up this look, apply red glitter onto the shadow. Add the finishing touches by drawing on a red nose and applying a dark red lipstick. Now you’re ready to join the circus. 

Photo: Sophie Hannah Richardson/Instagram

ALSO READ: FALL LIPSTICK SHADES ARE NOT EASY TO WORK WITH – BUT HERE ARE OUR TIPS!

This look is for the girls who want to go trick-or-treating as a clown but still look pretty at the same time. You can start off with a pale foundation shade, or white face paint as your base. Moving on to the eyes, take a green and blue eyeshadow and work the product into your crease. 

Take your favourite colourful eyeliners and create freckles in a triangular shape towards your forehead and mouth. Add falsies to your top and bottom lashes to really make your eyes pop. Contour your face with a purple shadow and finish off with a red nose and bright pink shimmer lipstick. 

Photo: Shan Boylee/Instagram 

ALSO READ: SKIN CARE TIPS FROM 10 GORGEOUS K-POP STARS

This skull makeup is definitely a go-to if you’re planning to stand out from the crowd. To achieve the look, use a black liner to carve out the hollows of your cheeks, teeth and nose. Next, take a black shadow to smoke out your eyes and create a nose contour. 

You can add specks of glitter onto the teeth, inner corners of your eyes and eyebrows to ensure you shine the brightest out of all the guests at that party you’re going to. To be extra immersed in your character, draw on bones with a black liner onto your hands and put on a black tube dress, like this one from Adelyn Rae.

Photo: Nina Nikcevic/Instagram

ALSO READ: 5 EASY-TO-USE METALLIC MAKEUP PRODUCTS FOR ANY OCCASION​

If you’re not a fan of the previous dark and glittery look, you can try creating this purple skull. Apply purple shadow on all the contours of your face. Continue by drawing out the teeth of the skull with a purple gel liner. Take a white liner and colour between the teeth to enhance the colour of the purple liner. 

Highlight your face with a white shadow to bring out the purple contour, and there you have it, a simple yet glamourous Halloween look. 

Photo: Katy/Instagram

ALSO READ: 4 EASY STEPS TO GET A FLAWLESS, MATTE COMPLEXION​

The sugar skull is one of the most prominent icons of the Day of the Dead festivities in Mexico. It is also simple Halloween makeup look.

All you need is to look up for pictures online and use bright-coloured eyeliners to outline the shapes that are usually drawn on the sugar skull. You can also unleash your creativity by drawing on your own designs. 

Photo: Dehsonae/Instagram

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This is a more toned down prettified version of the sugar skull makeup. Instead of using bright-coloured liners, take a white liner and draw your desired design. Pack on golden glitter onto your cheeks and contour your face with a darker brown to emphasise the hollows of your cheeks. 

Try sticking pearls in a semi-circle below your eyes and also on your lips to imitate the skull’s teeth. Put on a white flowy dress like John Zack’s Off Shoulder Dress.

Photo: Kaneshia/Instagram

ALSO READ: COLOUR CORRECTING: THE BEAUTY TRICK FOR ZERO EYE BAGS AND WHITER TEETH

Aren’t unicorns the most magical creatures? Well, it might not be a real animal, but you can definitely bring this fictional character to life with this look. 

Take shimmer shadows in colours of the rainbow and apply it to the sides of your face. Continue by bringing the colour up to your forehead. Apply glitter onto your cheeks and eyelids and finish the look off by using a white liner to create freckles all over your face.  

Photo: Charisma Star/Instagram

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Another magical creature that us girls have loved at some point of our lives is a mermaid and you can easily re-create this ethereal look with a few simple steps. Dig out a fishnet stocking that you have in your closet and put it over your head. 

Take your favourite bright-coloured shadows no matter matte or shimmer and apply it onto your face. This will create a scale effect. Carefully remove the stocking and apply your favourite eye makeup and complete the look with a glittery lipstick.   

Photo: Bare Simplicity/Instagram 

ALSO READ: 4 EASY STEPS TO GET A FLAWLESS, MATTE COMPLEXION​

Alice in Wonderland is a classic story from our childhood and surely everyone is familiar with the Mad Hatter and his quirky personality. 

To achieve this look, start with a white base for your face. Continue by applying blue and purple eyeshadow on each eyelid. Draw on your brows with a bright orange shadow that should match the colour of the Hatter’s hair. And end off by contouring your face with a purple shadow. 

Photo: Charisma Star/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 CLEANSING STICKS THAT WILL MAKE TRAVELLING SO MUCH EASIER

What’s Alice in Wonderland without the Cheshire Cat? To create its large grin, take a black gel liner and draw on a smile that stretches to your ears. Use a white liner and carve out sharp teeth then use the same black liner to shade between them. 

Create a cat-eye with your black liner and don’t forget to line the inner corners of your eyes to enlarge them. End off with stick-on jewels on your eyes, cat nose and whiskers. Grab a friend and the both of you can go to a party as the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat. 

Photo: Kelly Nelson/Instagram

ALSO READ: COLOUR CORRECTING: THE BEAUTY TRICK FOR ZERO EYE BAGS AND WHITER TEETH

And last but not least, we couldn’t help but include another mad woman, we mean Mad Hatter, as this is none other than our very own associate editor Nicola, dressed up for last year’s Halloween!

To fully immerse yourself into the character, we suggest getting Asos’ Halloween Top Hat and Oversized Blazer.

Photo: Nicola Watson/Instagram

ALSO READ: TOO FACED IS RELEASING A NEW UNICORN THEMED HOLIDAY COLLECTION AND WE CAN’T WAIT