Easy DIY halloween makeup tips you can try at home

Whether you’re heading to a party, dressing up for trick-or-treating, or just want a spooky vibe, the right Halloween makeup can completely transform you.

As a professional face and body artist, I’ve learned that you don’t always need professional products to make an impact. With the right tricks, you can create fun and effective DIY Halloween makeup looks using what you already have at home plus a few extra products.

Here are my top tips for easy Halloween makeup:

1.Prep your skin for long-lasting halloween makeup

Your skin is the base of your look and face paint can be drying. Prep your skin with moisturiser to stop cracking and flaking and only use liquid foundation (if you must!), but don’t use powder foundation as it’ll make it difficult for the face paint to sit on top.. 

Pro tip: If you’re using white face paint, apply it with a sponge (a cut up baby sponge is best) or a kabuki brush in layers - I always go for a sheer, translucent base as you want to be able to easily layer other colours on top.

2. Focus on bold shapes, not tiny details

The best easy Halloween makeup looks are simple but striking. Instead of stressing about fine lines, try bold shapes:

• Spiderweb eyes - Draw triangles from your eye corner, then connect with curves.

• Cat eyeliner - Go dramatic with thick, extended wings.

• Skull makeup - Dark circles around the eyes, hollow cheekbones, and a blacked-out nose.

These designs look impressive and you want to make an impact from a distance or in photos. Other people will be too busy having a good time to study you in detail!

3. Use what’s already in your makeup bag

You don’t need a special Halloween kit. Everyday products can be repurposed into spooky effects:

• Black liquid eyeliner - stitches, cracks, spider legs.

• Red lipstick - fake blood, vampire lips, dramatic shading

• Eyeshadow - great for bruises, zombies, contouring, and smoky looks.

Pro tip: Experiment on your arm first, see what works and try not to be too perfect. 

4. Add realistic texture for spooky effects

Texture makes your look come alive (or undead!).

• Smudge dark eyeshadow for sunken, zombie-like eyes.

• Dab reds, purples, browns and greens with a sponge for bruises.

• Use a toothbrush to make blood splatters

Pro Tip: If you have red and black face paint, try loading the brush with red and then swiping a little black on one side. Practice making scratch marks using the brush. The black will give the gashes depth and make them more realistic.

5. Choose one feature to highlight

Not every look needs a full face. Sometimes, minimal Halloween makeup is even more powerful:

• Bloody lips with pale skin.

• A single stitched scar or scratches across the face (see Pro tip above)

• Glittery skeleton eyes.

7. Lock it in with setting spray

After all your hard work, you want it to last all night. A setting spray (or even a light mist of hairspray from a distance) keeps your Halloween makeup in place through whatever dastardly fun you have.

8. Removing it

You don’t want to look like a zombie when you wake up (if you can help it!) especially if you have used face paint.

Use plenty of cleanser (or if you don’t have any a gentle liquid soap). Massage whatever you’re using into the skin neat. This will lift the products off, rather than pushing them into the pores of your skin. Then wipe with a tissue or damp flannel. Rise and repeat.

Pro tip: If any colours are subborn, massage in a little olive oil or oil based cleanser and it should lift off easily - never be tempted to scrub!