If there’s one time of year where procrastination is *extra* acceptable, it’s Halloween. Because while you can by all means take a trip to Party City or Spirit Halloween weeks in advance for a full-body Halloween costume, a well-stocked makeup bag always has your back (well, face) at the umpteenth hour. A good, simple Halloween eye makeup tutorial, a trusty black eyeliner, and a steady hand are really, truly all you need to come up with a spooky, sweet, or never-before-seen costume.
Whether you’re ready to whip out the face paint and go full Joker a lá Lady Gaga or are trying to keep it chill with a little faux vampire blood, we’ve rounded up a wide range of Halloween eye makeup tutorials to match every need—and skill level. Channel your favorite TV character with Wednesday Addams or emulate Sabrina Carpenter in the "Taste" music video. Play it classic with a butterfly or cheetah. Or, be a BRAT—literally.
Ahead, you’ll find the 51 coolest, creepiest, and trendiest Halloween makeup ideas for your 2024 celebrations. (For more inspo, check out our guide to the best Halloween makeup on Instagram.)
The Best Makeup and Tools for Halloween
You may need to stock up on a thing or two to complete your Halloween look. Think: colored eyeliners, face paint, makeup brushes, false lashes, and, of course, a great makeup remover. Before you dive right into your makeup look, we've rounded up some must-have products to keep in your Halloween arsenal.
The Best Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas
Sabrina Carpenter
I don't know about you, but I still can't stop thinking about Sabrina Carpenter's "Taste" music video. The mix of the upbeat pop tune and gory cinematics make this look the perfect halloween costume for 2024. Ellie LoVeux was ahead of the game, gifting us with a scarily accurate makeup tutorial to match little miss Carpenter's. With some basic makeup essentials and a pink, shimmery blush, you can recreate this look in no time.
Bratz Doll
We're bringing brat summer into the fall. While we love Charlie XCX's neon green brat aesthetic, let's pay some respect to the most fashionable group of dolls ever with this makeup look. The lip colors they wear are iconic, so we recommend grabbing a bright hue like Lancôme's Juicy Tubes Original Lip Gloss in Game Berry.
Cheetah
Cheetah print has become one of 2024's hottest trends. So why not upgrade from the classic cat to this ultra-glam cheetah makeup look? Isabel Rose connects her extra-wide nose contour and intense winged liner to create the perfect accurate, yet sexy cheetah look. She also keeps her base bronzey and glowy with a basic nude lip, so the focus stays on her eyes and impressive cheetah-printed cheeks. The best part: no ears needed!
Barbie
Who doesn't want to look like Margot Robbie in the Barbie movie? Well, lucky for you, Jackie Wyers recreated the actress' makeup look as Stereotypical Barbie. While she went all out with a wig and colored contacts, the makeup really does speak for itself. Grab some pink eyeshadow and an eyebrow pencil to draw on iconic Robbie's thick brows, and you're good to go. For a couples Halloween costume, just have your other half be a very spray tanned Ken a la Ryan Gosling.
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is all the rage this October, and we can thank Jenna Ortega for that. Rather than opting for the classic teased white wig and intense black eyes circles, try out this Beetlejuice-inspired lipstick hack. All you need is a neon grab and stark black lipstick!
Butterfly
Black liner, a bit of orange shadow, and you're off to the races with this fluttery Monarch look. FYI: Stencils exist, so you don't have to freehand this masterpiece.
Clown
Try a take at the creepy clown. Go gory with drizzles of blood and slashed cuts topping off a relatively straight-forward beat. (Google #ClownCore for even more inspo.)
Ursula
We would never let you be a poor unfortunate soul without a stunning halloween makeup look. That's why this ultimate Ursula glam has got you covered. With some purple contour, teal eyeshadow, and popping red lip, you'll become the queen of the sea. Itszaybaybay even accessorized her look with pearl rhinestones for that extra sparkle.
Cruella De Vil
If she doesn't scare you, evil thing will. This is a surprisingly simple—possibly no extra materials needed—look with a big impact. Satin red lips, envious green eyes, and blotted-out brows painted up with suspicious swirls.
Angel
Before you put on your makeshift halo, make your face look heavenly with this angel-inspired makeup look. The eyeliner looks great in every eye shape and takes just minutes to accomplish. Also, who can pass up an excuse to add sparkly gems on your face? Not us!
Joker
If you're going as a clown for Halloween, and want to get a little creepy, but not too creepy, this is the look for you. Here, YouTuber Jasmine Brown adds glimmering face jewels above her eyelids, giving a new spin on the infamous Batman universe's evil mastermind.
Bat Eyeliner
Sometimes our eyes can do all the talking, and Nikki Tutorials' bat wing eyeliner definitely speaks for itself. All you need is a black liquid liner to achieve this Halloween look inspired by bats. Nikki pairs the graphic liner with bright orange eyeshadow and white polka dots to ensure no one mistakes your Halloween look for a shaky eyeliner job.
Ghost
One of our favorites to use for creations like this is the Kevyn Aucion Emphasize Eyeshadow Design Palette in Magnify ($46). The cool-toned shadows will give you that ghostly contour sculpt.
Fairy
Life would be a lot better if you could go *poof*, and your Halloween makeup would be done. But just because you don't have your fair share of pixie dust doesn't mean you can't look like you possess magical powers. YouTuber Nyma Tang's quick fairy look is super simple and proves the color green looks amazing on everyone.
Scarecrow
This scarecrow is not your stereotypical warm-toned, friendly face you usually see in your local pumpkin patch. Using orange blush and blue lips will give you an edge this Halloween without pulling out all the stops. Go more messy than proper when applying the makeup. You can use whatever eyeshadows you have at home.
Comic Book Character
Go outside the box this Halloween and turn heads with this pop art makeup look. No fake blood is required for this. All you'll need is a trusty eyeliner and a serious amount of face paint. To make clean-up easier, you can always swap out the tiny dot brush for a q-tip!
Unicorn
The limit does not exist for how much glitter you should use this Halloween. If you need a little push, just look at how fantastic YouTuber Alex Faction's eyebrows look in this totally easy Unicorn tutorial. He uses a pale purple shade from Star Crushed Minerals, but we recommend using a Bodyography Glitter Pigment ($24) for a chromatic effect.
Space Cowboy
Kacey Musgraves hive, please rise, it's our time to shine. This costume is truly the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have a Western glam cowboy, and on the other, you have an out-of-this-world alien. Therefore, there's no better time to go all out. Use those forgotten glittery eyeshadow shades to bedazzle your eyes, then swipe on an intergalactic shiny lipgloss like Stila's Beauty Boss Lip Gloss in Payday ($15) and get going!
Euphoria-Inspired Makeup
The addictive HBO show Euphoria is known for its over-the-top makeup looks by head makeup artist Doniella Davy. Stand out from the crowd and step away from the face jewels with this glittery look from the show's Halloween episode.
Devil
Whether you're partnering with an angel for Hallow's Eve or going solo, don't just throw on horns and call it done! Go outside of the basic box—or, in this case, above your eyebrow—and add a little something extra. Draw on your pointed horns using ColourPop's BFF Liquid Liner in Bright Red ($8). Alternatively, if you have red lipstick lying around, YouTuber An Knook recommends using that and applying it with an eyeliner brush for precision.
Pumpkin
Is it even Hollyween if you didn't try a Promise Phan YouTube tutorial? For seven years, she's been blowing everyone away with her next-level, trippy recreations. Though, she claims this melting pumpkin is beginner-friendly because it doesn't require a lot of products or time.
Masquerade Mask
Your Halloween plans may not involve a fancy masquerade ball, but that doesn't mean you can't channel your inner royalty. This 15th-century mask is made for ultra-glamorous queens who want to win the best Instagram photo of the spooky season.
Shattered Babydoll
What about this scary-sweet beauty look? What stands out the most is this bright white liner. To make your liner look extra snowy, combine MAC's bestselling Pure White Chromaline with Makeup Geek's White Lies Eyeshadow for an ice-white finish.
Spider
Put all those liquid liners you have sitting around to good use to create this creepy-crawly eye. This badass eye is so easy to do yourself—you just need patience. You'll need to free-hand stroke lines across your lid, then add fanned-out lashes for some drama.
Skeleton
This Halloween, bring the smoke back with this sultry skull look. It's the ideal last-minute lewk that requires a few straight lines for a stitched mouth effect. Use a medium-sized, fluffy eyeshadow brush to make blending a breeze.
Princess Shuri
Be as fierce as possible by channeling Princess Shuri this Halloween. This look is seriously so easy, and will require 10 minutes tops with a steady hand for tracing shapes and outlines.
Cat Woman
Reason why a painted eye mask is 100 percent better than a store-bought plastic mask: you won't want to rip it off your head 30 minutes into the night—which means you'll never be left looking like a basic person with nothing but cat ears.
Bear
This adorable costume is so cute and cuddly. The best part? You can pair the makeup with pajamas (a onesie is ideal), so you'll be comfy all night long.
Mermaid
Listen, mermaids will never not be cool (just ask Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah), so embrace your inner merperson with some light glitter, rhinestone pearls, and iridescent scales.
Vampire
Make this Vampire Diaries-esque look even scarier for Halloween by adding some red novelty contacts and a thick, smudgy, smoky eye.
Deer
I mean, sometimes you just want to look ridiculously cute on Halloween—I get it. Behold this fawn makeup, which uses fake lashes and strategically placed eyeliner to make your eyes look in the headlights.
Candy Corn
I mean, you can't have Halloween without candy corn, right? This look uses a gradient of white, yellow, orange, and red to create a bright—yet not gaudy—statement eye.
Classic Cat
Ok, a cat might be basic—but it's reliable. While three whiskers is a classic recipe, Haley RiAnne takes things up a few notches. She masters the cat eye makeup, throws on a jet-black upper lip, and even adds a few freckles into the mix. Grab those ears you've had since middle school and you're good to go.
Zipper Face
This one might look complicated, but it's surprisingly easy to recreate. You will need to Amazon prime a zipper (or cut a strip from an old pair of pants), but other than that, it's beginner-level. We love the glitzy night sky demonstrated above, but you can go wild with the fake blood if that's more your jam.
Wednesday Addams
With Wednesday season 2 making its way to Netflix, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a plethora of Wednesday Addams this Halloween. Elevate your braids and black dress with some on-brand makeup. This tutorial is super simple—you don't need be a pro. Just go a little heavy on the eyeliner and you're good to go.
Witch
Dust the cobwebs off of your witch hat from Halloween's past and press play on the above video. Use the video as a guiding light, but feel free to tone down or play up whatever your heart desires. Hey, you can even grab a blonde wig and pretend to be Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus.
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn has your back for a beginner-friendly, mistake-embracing makeup look this Halloween. Because the Marvel character is inherently, well, messy, you can make mistakes with your shadow, eyeliner, and lipstick, and no one will be the wiser.
Scar
I've watched this video 15 times over and remain mesmerized. Every single step is shockingly easy, but the end result looks like a makeup masterpiece. The eyes! The scar! The nose! I definitely would recommend doing a test run before the 31st rolls around, but this Lion King-inspired costume is at the top of my list of Halloween makeup to recreate.
Queen of Hearts
While this one requires a bit of arts and crafts prowess in addition to some makeup chops, the end result is really good. I'm obsessed with every little detail in the video above, but it is customizable. You can cut the fake blood, ditch the décolletage makeup—you do you. Just pretty, pretty please keep the deck of cards headband for me.
Dr. Frank-n-Furter
As a quintessential Halloween movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was practically made to recreate during the holiday. While the whole cast of zany characters lends itself to great costume ideas, Dr. Frank-n-Furter is easily the most iconic and recognizable. Thankfully, the look is essentially an exaggerated smokey eye and red lip.
Bride of Frankenstein
A classic Halloween monster made easy. If you're undecided about a scary or glam Halloween costume, the Bride of Frankenstein is the look to go for. Paint your face white, give yourself a smokey eye, and draw on a gnarly scar to nail the look. Bonus points if you add a white streak in your hair.
Bellatrix Lestrange
Where are my Harry Potter fans at? Bellatrix Lestrange is easily one of the creepiest characters of the series, yet surprisingly easy to recreate. Pale foundation, dark eye makeup, and gaunt cheeks carry the look here. To really seal the deal, paint a Death Mark on your forearm and carry a wand with you the entire night.
Sally from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'
Sally's all-over blue look may seem intimidating, but I promise it's a lot simpler to recreate than it looks. Once you've got the blue face paint down, then it's all about the scars, an icy smoky eye, and red lip. If you have natural red hair (or a red wig handy), you're good to go.
Black Swan
The Black Swan is the perfect costume if you're a fashion girl but want to go with something creepier for the holiday. White face paint, red lipstick, and stripey eye makeup really sell the look.
Violet Beauregarde
No need for an inflatable suit here. You just need a blue nose, easily achievable with blue eye shadow, to dress as the Willy Wonka character. Chewing gum obnoxiously will help you get into character, too.
Chucky
You wouldn't think a two-foot doll could be terrifying, but Chucky certainly is. Give yourself a black eye and several scars all over your face and prepare to scare every child you come across.
The Mask
Interestingly, painting on Jim Carrey's iconic mask is just as easy (and more fun!) as buying one. Give yourself a healthy wash of green color all over, contour with a deeper shade, then go full glam with yellow eyeshadow and big falsies.
Zombie
A blue and purple eyeshadow palette, some fake blood, and a little face paint are all you need to create this scary look. The best part is you don't have to be a makeup pro to become a zombie. The messier the makeup, the more terrifying a creature you become.
Betty Boop
A cutesy, ultra-feminine costume to go with is the iconic cartoon character, Betty Boop. Content creator Ellarie takes you through step-by-step on how to achieve the look, including Betty's signature raised eyebrows and red pout.
Morticia Addams
Maybe you don't like the scary kind of Halloween makeup and that's OK! This creepy matriarch gives you the chance to go glam for the holiday. Give yourself a smokey eye and dark red lip and throw on a long black dress and wig and you're instantly transformed into Morticia Addams.
