Make-Up How-Tos

Main Menu

Countdown to Halloween!

Make-Up How-Tos

Tip 1: Choose What's Right for You
Try out different types of paint to see which you find the best for working with, such as paint in kits to those in tubes.

Tip 2: Sponge Don't Brush
If you're wanting to cover a large area or put on a base color, use a sponge to apply the paint rather than a brush, it'll be quicker. Having a different sponge for different colors eliminates the necessity of washing out the sponge during a painting session (the same applies to brushes).

Tip 3: Be Patient and Think Thin
Let the first color dry before applying a second. If you don't, they'll mix and you'll probably have to wipe it off and start again. Also, rather than applying one thick layer of paint, which may crack, apply a thin layer, let it dry, then apply another.

Tip 4: Visualize the Finished Face
Know what you're going to paint before you start, don't make it up as you go along. Kids aren't known for their patience and won't be able to sit still why you ponder what to do next. Have a basic face design fixed in your mind; you can always add special touches to this once you're finished.

Tip 5: Special Effects
The paint you're using will work as a basic glue. To create bumpy noses or big eyebrows, soak a bit of cotton wool in the paint, place on face, cover with a piece of tissue, and paint. Puffed rice or wheat make ideal warts; simply cover with a bit of tissue and paint. For an extra-ghostly effect, apply a light dusting of flour once you've finished painting the face (be sure to get your subject to close their eyes tightly).

Tip 6: Use Stencils
If you're not confident painting freehand, or are short of time, why not use a template? Stars, hearts, flowers will all stencil onto a cheek. Have stencils in a few sizes to hand, to allow for small and larger faces.

Tip 7: Temporary Tattoos and Glitter
Even faster than stencils are temporary tattoos. Glitter is also great for a quick, dramatic effect, but it gets everywhere and is very hard to get rid of!

Here are a few looks to try and tips on how to do them!

Ghost Face

Start by painting the whole face, including the lips, with a pale color, such as white, a light grey, or a light blue. To emphasise the ghostliness, you ideally want it to be a cool color, not a warm one, so stay away from pale oranges and reds.

Then paint a very dark color, such as black, around the eye, filling the eye-socket area (from the top of the cheek to the eyebrow). There's no need for the two to be identical. You can use the same dark color for the rest of the face, which makes life simple.

At this stage the ghost will look like someone gave it two black eyes...

After you've done the eyes, paint the tip of the nose in the same dark color. Then add a few stripes going up towards the eyes.

For variations, paint only the tip of the nose black, paint the entire nose black, or only one half of the nose.

The next thing to paint is the mouth. Paint a line along the top of the top lip, extending it along either side of the mouth. Then paint short vertical lines from this, down over the lower lip, like 'teeth'.

For a variation, paint the lower lip black too, so there's a black line at the top and bottom of the white 'teeth'.

Finish off the face by adding a few scowl lines on the forehead.

For variations, make the scowl lines vertical rather than horizontal, add a few drops of red blood at one or both corners of the mouth.

Classic Clown

A simple clown face is an relatively easy and fast design to paint, if you stick to the basic, key elements. Whether or not you paint the whole face a color – traditionally white for a clown – before you start creating a face is up to you and how much time you have. If you're at a party, it'll help speed up your 'production line' to have an assistant who can do the 'under layer'.

So, where to start? Think of a clown and what do you think of first? A bright, prominent nose. But don’t limit yourself to red; using other colors for the nose will immediately make the faces you’ve painted different.

And what's the second thing you think of with clowns? A huge, wide smile. Make it much larger than the actual mouth, going above and below the lips and out onto the cheeks.

For variation, change the way the smile ends, for example using a round circle (like here), small curve, or sharp point (or one of each).

Paint the eyebrows in a color that will stand out, exaggerating the size (length and width) a bit, to make them more prominent. And don’t limit yourself to following the natural curve of an eyebrow -- make the angle sharper, or the two eyebrows different.

Now ‘color in’ the area between the eyebrows you’ve painted and the eyes. For variation, paint down onto the cheek on the sides of the eyes, as shown here.

Once again, varying the shape you paint here will create differences between the faces you’ve painted. Also consider adding another color.

Making large round eyes (especially with a prominent outline) is known in clown circles as the “racoon look” and is regarded as a scarey clown face, especially if it’s done in dark colors. Perfect for Halloween!

Add a small splash of color, such as a star to a cheek, and you’ve finished.

Vampire

An extremely pale face is a must here. You must look as if you have never stepped out into the sunlight. I suggest using foundation from a costume shop meant for other deathly costumes. Before applying any type of face paint, I suggest slathering your face with a foundation primer or moisturizer. This keeps makeup from appearing cakey, especially if you have dry skin. Apply a puff of powder over entire face to keep it in place. You can use white baby powder here to keep the white effect.

For the perfect vampire makeup, you want a smokey eye. The trick here is to use eyeshadow for the smokey bits, over an eyeliner. You can choose a dark gray, brown or black. Any dark eyeliner and eyeshadow will do you. Apply eyeliner on the inside of eye, on the top and bottom. Then take a dark eyeshadow and apply around the perimeter of the eye. Blend well.

And don't forget the teeth. No vampire is complete without a new set of fangs. There are lots of styles to choose from including retractable fangs, realistic fangs that actually attach to your teeth with dental putty and the onld standby of inserts that fit over your own teeth.