With Halloween coming around the corner, it’s time to start putting together the finishing touches on your costume with stunning Halloween makeup. Very few things can top an awe-inspired compliment from someone who loves your work. That feeling is even more gratifying if you put the man-hours in yourself. Halloween makeup can make or break your costume and can even constitute nearly an entire look itself.
Halloween has been known as All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Eve, and dates to the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was the night before their new year, marking the start of the cold, pressing darkness of winter.
It was believed that during Samhain, on October 31st, the ghosts of the dead could return. The barrier between the living and the dead was blurred. During the celebrations on Samhain, the Celts wore costumes, animal heads and skins.
Today’s celebration of Halloween is much different, but just as community involved and spectacular. Check out these 50+ creative Halloween makeup ideas for 2022 we have below, and don’t forget to show us how it went if you tried one out!
1. Bride of Roger Rabbit Halloween Makeup
A combo of Jessica Rabbit and the Bride of Frankenstein is an unheard of Halloween makeup look. People will be wondering how you were drawn bad, even if you are not.
2. Rough Day Halloween Makeup
You can create a look that says anything you want it to, makeup is magic – look at her band-aid! This is one of the easiest Halloween makeup looks, yet it does require some makeup application skills.
3. Gold Dusted Flowers
Gold and white really pop on every skin color, so this is a great Halloween makeup look to go back to. It was inspired by cupcake sprinkles, and it’s a lovely Halloween makeup idea, if you want to sparkle in the dark.
4. Jackie-O’-Lantern Halloween Makeup
Looking lit from within, as expected from a Jack-o’-lantern, the detail work of this makeup look for Halloween is simply amazing. It might not be the best option for those, who aren’t that skilled makeup artists, but if you have a friend who could recreate this look on you, you are going to stand out even on this creepy holiday!
5. Comic Wonder Woman Makeup
Diana and Wonder Woman have been getting a lot of cool costume ideas, but to do so with Halloween makeup means you won’t lose any pieces. This is yet another easy Halloween makeup look on this list that you can master yourself.
6. Damned for Halloween
If you are looking for a Halloween makeup style that features just a bit of gore and fright, this is the perfect look. It involves lots of stage blood, scar wax, and a pair of cool vampire-inspired contact lenses.
7. Ice Queen Halloween Makeup
Sparkling highlights and light blues really give a crystalline feeling to this look. Ice Queen is one of the characters that never go out of style, so it’s a great idea to embrace this Halloween makeup look this year.
8. Steampunk Skull Halloween Makeup
Steampunk is one of the greatest aesthetics, and paired with the Halloween skull and the painted neckpiece, the overall effect is amazing.
9. Pumpkin Terror
The negative space is the best asset for this Halloween makeup idea. It makes the look terrifying, while the jaw full of candy corn teeth is a bit whimsical.
10. Broken Face Makeup for Halloween
The broken face look, especially when done to look like a broken doll is quickly becoming a classic. It’s one of those puzzle kind of Halloween makeup ideas that require lots of precision.
11. Rainbow Skeleton Makeup
If Rainbow Brite had a dark side, this would be her aesthetic for Halloween. It’s one of those cute Halloween makeup looks that don’t scare, but still show the artistry and makeup skills of the artist.
12. Half Skull Halloween Makeup
Are skulls popular because we all have one? Or are these skeletons and half skeleton Halloween looks just amazing?
13. Aging Horror Makeup
Perhaps your Halloween makeup look is more conceptual, like the aging diva here. Age is slowly taking over her face from one side to the other.
14. Half Tigress
This is the Halloween makeup look for when you want to stun your audience in more than one way. You need to be a talented artist to emulate this look though.
15. Artsy Clown Halloween Makeup
Swirls and accents set this clown apart. The difference between clown Halloween looks will always be the style of paint.
16. V – V for Vendetta
Not just black and white, but grey and pink are mixed in too! The hand that paints this sort of look must be careful and practiced so that the idea is not lost.
17. Vampire Makeup for Halloween
What would Halloween be without a vampire? The red tinted interpretation works beautifully as a Halloween makeup look, with all the shades of red complementing each other.
18. Holo Galactic Skull
Holo looks are on trend right now, and incorporating the galactic vibe into a Halloween makeup look is brilliant as well. Match that with the right wig or hair color, and some amazing mani, and you are good to go!
19. Edited Freddy Krueger Halloween Makeup
The only thing scarier than this Halloween makeup would be if she could do the voice as well. Freddy Krueger is one of the horror classics that will always find an interpretation on Halloween.
20. Red Queen
The red queen is dramatic, and this Halloween look has a lot of drama and skill in creating it. And, of course, you need the right costume to rock it, too!
21. Skeleton Profile Makeup
This is a great Halloween makeup idea that could be carried out without any additional costume elements. Just the profile and hair are amazing enough!
22. Pointillism
What else can be said but ‘wow’ when it comes to a Halloween look like this? She could be a comic come to life or even an image drawn in coffee grounds depending on the outlook and interest of the viewer.
23. Bayou Witch Makeup for Halloween
As a Halloween makeup look, the Bayou witch looks complete with a pet snake. It is done creepy and beautifully well here, and it is incredibly detailed in a way that shows it took time.
24. Gingerbread Girl
The Gingerbread taking over for the Halloween look is sure to make an impression at any costume party. What this look requires is lots of face and body paint, deft hands, and quite a bit of time!
25. Pastel Clown Halloween Makeup
The clown is a common costume on Halloween, but there are a lot of different ways to customize the look, and pastels are on trend.
26. Corpse Bride Makeup
She is one of the coolest characters Tim Burton has created. She is a perfect option for a Halloween makeup look, with interesting elements.
27. Skull Gurl
The supposed hard aesthetic of the skeleton against the soft lightweight curls will go down as a notoriously beautiful Halloween makeup look.
28. Moonbow Skull Halloween Makeup
Highlights and metallic blended with dark shadow options make the impression that you can do the most with a little Halloween makeup magic.
29. Pumpkin Skull Makeup
This is a Halloween makeup idea that tap-dances into the realm of intense and scary. The feeling is definitely Halloween inspired!
30. Wicked Stepmother
Not the fairest of them all in this form, but this is the perfect use and command of sculpting out a face with makeup for Halloween.
31. The Other Coraline Makeup for Halloween
If only Coraline let her sew the buttons! This is a great makeup idea for Halloween, where you could decide to be the doll or Coraline as the ‘other mother’s’ daughter.
32. Scarecrow Halloween Makeup
You can scare a lot more than crows with this Halloween makeup look and a skilled light hand. Oh, and don’t forget your straw hat!
33. Creative Skull Makeup
The touch of gold is unexpected, and the carried away side of the face looks like it is worth more than just a glance. This is a fantastic Halloween makeup idea for those who want to take the classic skull look to the next level.
34. Fairy Halloween Makeup
Perhaps you want a Halloween makeup look that is a little more low-key and fairy-inspired, and if so, this is the ideal choice for you!
35. Open Mouth Halloween Makeup
‘Exposed’ bone and flesh are a popular Halloween theme, either as a victim or zombie, perhaps even a monster. The real trick is keeping the blood looking fresh.
36. Slashed
A simple enough concept for Halloween – a gash here, a slice there, and you’re on your way to a perfect Halloween look.
37. Alien in Disguise
Another example of SFX makeup for Halloween being well used is the half alien look, and the division between the two faces. The extraterrestrial look nearly glows, it’s amazing.
38. Comic Star Halloween Makeup
The look appears simple, but it’s gorgeous and complex and interesting from all angles. This is one of those Halloween makeup ideas perfect for divas that don’t want to scare at the party.
39. Rockabilly Zombie Halloween Makeup
Metallic paint and just a touch of sparkle work wonders for this stylishly designed undead Halloween look. This was inspired by one of the looks spotted at Gucci’s FW 2017 runway show, and it’s amazing!
40. Black Swan Makeup for Halloween
Just a bit manic in the quest for perfection, here it is beautifully splayed and accented with just the right number of feathers.
41. Reality Melts Away
SFX makeup effects can really sell a look. Here it’s perfectly played with the skeleton paint, creating one of the coolest Halloween makeup looks – the melting one!
42. Spooky Kitty
Adorable is not a strong enough word for how cute and spooky this cat makeup for Halloween looks. The strong cat eye is beyond perfection.
43. Sketchy Clown Makeup
Clown looks that are creative, unique and eye-catching in an artsier way like this are unexpected and perfect for Halloween.
44. Pennywise Halloween Makeup
Pennywise’s signature look is pretty intense, but this is a great, softer version that can be done for Halloween.
45. Jaclyn Lantern
Very little screams Halloween like a Jack-o’-lantern. This is a perfect Halloween choice that can be pulled off with makeup alone.
46. Crystal Skull Halloween Makeup
Just a touch of crustal, not too much and customized to her face makes this a great costume choice for Halloween. This is a nice way of adding a luxury touch to your Halloween makeup.
47. Precious Metal Skull Makeup
This is a showstopper of a Halloween look with clever color choices and techniques. The jeweled additions on the face and the neckpiece are excellent accent pieces as well.
48. Inner Galaxy
A steady hand and clever placement can work wonders. Showing the endless starriness inside will gather compliments left and right.
49. Candy Girl Halloween Makeup
She’s already covered in treats, so she’s probably out to play tricks! Covered in candy is a great look for Halloween, plus you can take your treats with you this way.
50. Peach Blossom Makeup
The soft peach color and beautifully painted blossoms are a lighter take on a full coverage Halloween makeup look. The pink contacts are a great touch!
51. Harley Quinn Makeup for Halloween
Just a dab of danger and a smudge of mischief, along with the signature pale skin and use of pink and blue, and you have Harley Quinn’s look. It looks like body paint was included in this look, but the touch of crazy really sets off the look.
Photos via Instagram
