THE 10 BEST HALLOWEEN MAKEUP IDEAS

Updated: 16/10/2026

Spooky season is here, which can only mean one thing: it's time to transform into your creepiest (or most glamorous) self. No costume? No stress. Halloween is the ultimate excuse to experiment with makeup — think bold red lipstick , graphic eyeliner , glitter-drenched lids and face gems galore. For one night only, more is more.

We've done the spellcasting for you and rounded up the best Halloween makeup ideas, from witches, vampires and zombies to Morticia Addams herself — each one guaranteed to trick and treat.

In This Article:

• Witch
• Morticia Addams
• Skeleton
• Devil
• Creepy Doll
• Vampire
• Cat
• Fairy
• Clown
• Zombie
• Halloween Makeup FAQs

SPELLBINDING WITCH

Pointed hat, broomstick, a cackle you've been practising all year — the witch is Halloween's original icon, and there's more than one way to wear it. Going green? Build vibrant pigment across your face with face paint or a richly pigmented green shadow, then sculpt your cheekbones, temples and jawline with a deeper shade. Define your eyes with a black gel liner, add dramatic lashes and finish with a dark lip. Prefer to play the good witch? Keep your base soft and matte , sweep a rosy flush of blush across your cheeks and lids, then add a lifted flick of eyeliner and a sparkly crown. The only question left: good witch or bad?

GOTHIC MORTICIA

Gothic, glamorous and instantly recognisable, Morticia Addams is a beginner-friendly look with serious impact — and with a Gomez by your side, it doubles as the ultimate couples' costume. Start with a foundation a shade or two lighter than usual for her signature porcelain base, then build a dark, smoky eye. Add her trademark contrast with a sweep of matte ivory shadow along the brow bone, and sculpt your cheekbones with a cool-toned contour. Finish with a deep red lipstick and a touch of gloss for full gothic glamour. Just don't be surprised if someone calls you cara mia ...

BARE-BONES SKELETON

Striking, graphic and surprisingly simple, skeleton makeup needs little more than a black liner and your everyday essentials. Start with your usual complexion base, then use a black cream colour or eyeliner to hollow out your cheekbones, shade the tip of your nose and sketch teeth across your lips. Fill in the eye sockets with matte black, softening the edges for depth, then set everything with powder and a setting spray so it lasts long past midnight. Maximum impact, minimal effort.

RED-HOT DEVIL

Sultry, sinister and all about red, devil makeup is bold by design. Pack a warm red or burgundy shadow across your lids, blend it up towards your brows and define your lash line with a black liquid liner. Sharpen your brows into a high, pointed arch, sculpt your cheekbones with bronzer and finish with a matte red lip. Want to go further? Use a red pencil to sketch small horns at your hairline or a pointed flick at the outer corner of each eye. Devilishly good, with very little effort.

CREEPY DOLL

Porcelain skin, wide eyes and a painted-on pout: creepy doll makeup is unsettling in all the right ways. Start with a smooth, slightly pale base, then make your eyes look as wide as possible — curl your lashes, layer on mascara and draw spiky lower lashes with a fine liner. Paint round, rosy circles on the apples of your cheeks and shrink your lips into a small, heart-shaped pout. Finish with hairline cracks across your forehead and cheek, a scattering of freckles and a perfectly blank stare.

BLOOD-RED VAMPIRE

Seductive, dramatic and endlessly wearable, vampire makeup has been a Halloween classic since Dracula first rose from his coffin. Start with a pale, even base, sculpt hollow cheekbones with contour and smudge warm, blood-red tones around your eyes. Finish with a deep red or berry lip, then blot and reapply for a long-lasting, just-bitten stain. Simple, sophisticated and seriously bite-worthy.

LAST-MINUTE CAT

Quick, flattering and almost impossible to get wrong, the cat is the ultimate last-minute Halloween look. Draw a sharp, extended wing, dot the tip of your nose and sketch three whiskers on each cheek. Want to dial it up? Smudge black shadow into your inner corners for an even more feline stare.

ETHEREAL FAIRY

From woodland sprite to otherworldly elf, fairy makeup can be as ethereal or as eerie as you like. Prime your lids with a glitter base, blend iridescent shades across them and press glitter onto the high points of your face. Finish with a metallic highlighter and a few face gems around your eyes, and you're ready to take flight.

KILLER CLOWN

Cute or creepy, clown makeup is a Halloween classic that rewards going big. Start with a pale, matte base, then draw exaggerated arched brows high on your forehead, frame your eyes with bold diamond shapes in a bright colour and add round, rosy cheeks. Finish with an oversized red lip and a dot of red on the tip of your nose. Want it creepier? Smudge black shadow under your eyes and extend your lip colour past its edges for a smile that's just a little too wide.

GHOULISH ZOMBIE

Undead and loving it? Zombie makeup is a Halloween staple for good reason: it's endlessly customisable and it doesn't need to be neat. Start with a base a shade lighter than usual, then use cool grey and taupe shadows to hollow out your cheeks, temples and under-eyes. Smudge a dark kohl along your lash line, sketch cracked veins with a fine liner and finish with a glossy top coat over any wounds for a freshly risen, wet-look finish. Fake blood is optional, but highly recommended.

HALLOWEEN MAKEUP FAQs

Is eyeliner good for Halloween makeup?

Yes. Eyeliner is the most versatile product in your Halloween makeup kit: use it to define your eyes, sketch skeletal bones, draw cat whiskers or add Marilyn Monroe's iconic beauty spot.

Should you put foundation under Halloween makeup?

It depends on the look. If you're covering your face in face paint or bold colour (say, for a green-faced witch), skip it, as extra layers can make the look heavy and prone to creasing. For anything that relies on a base, like a cat, vampire or Morticia, start with foundation to create an even canvas for the rest of your makeup.

What are some easy Halloween makeup ideas?

The cat, the skeleton and the vampire are three of the easiest Halloween makeup looks. All you need is a black eyeliner, a contour shade and a deep red lipstick, and most take just minutes with products you already own.

What helps Halloween makeup stay on?

Lock it in with setting spray and face powder . For looks that need to go the distance, mist setting spray between each layer of makeup, lightly dust powder over the top once you're done, then finish with a final spritz. Your look will stay put wherever the night takes you.

How do you remove Halloween makeup?

Start with a cleansing balm or oil to melt away long-wear and waterproof formulas, then follow with your usual cleanser. For glitter, gently press a piece of tape over the area to lift it before you cleanse, and avoid scrubbing.

When the night is over, make removal just as easy. Our guide to the best cleansing balms has everything you need to melt away every trace of your darkest disguise... enter if you dare.