53 Halloween Makeup Ideas for 2025 That Show Your Spooky Side

Halloween makeup doesn’t just complete your costume — it is the costume. A few brush strokes can transform you into someone hilarious, terrifying, or totally unrecognizable. That’s part of the fun. As psychologist Kit Yarrow explains in Psychology Today, the costume you choose reflects your personality, creativity and even your “dark side.” So, whether you're going full zombie or just layering on glitter eyeliner, the right Halloween makeup ideas don’t just change how you look. They change how you show up.

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• Simple Halloween Makeup Ideas for Adults
• Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas for Kids
• Scary Halloween Makeup Ideas
• Cute Halloween Makeup Ideas
• Best Halloween Makeup Ideas for Guys
• Best Halloween Makeup Ideas for Women

Simple Halloween Makeup Ideas for Adults

What makeup do you need for Halloween? Many of these ideas involve makeup products you may already own like concealer, bronzer or eyeliner. Other face paint ideas can be created with simple colored face paint kits available from general retailers and party stores. 

1. Rainbow 

This one’s bold, fun and surprisingly wearable. Use a range of colors to create a layered effect on your eyelids, blending the colors as you move upward for an ombre effect. Or start between the eyes and blend colors outward. A swipe of glitter or a pair of rainbow lashes pushes it from colorful to costume-worthy — no outfit required.

2. Deer

You’ve probably already got all you need for this look. All it takes is bronzer, concealer and a black pencil to turn into a forest creature. Use some eyeliner to black off the end of your nose, then add some bronzer around the perimeter of your face dotted with concealer. Pair the look with a set of fuzzy ears and antlers and you’ve got a strong base for super cute DIY Halloween costumes. 

3. Alien

Simple Halloween makeup ideas? Go extraterrestrial. Green makeup gets you halfway there. Simply add shimmer, jewels or geometric eyeliner to push the look otherworldly, or play with exaggerated shapes to make your eyes seem just a little too large. Finish the look with some subtle scales on your cheeks and forehead. The result is a pretty alien. Other great accessories to really sell the look can be body glitter, adhesive jewels or a fun space-agey wig in bright blue or green.

4. Witch

Witches give you plenty of options for your Halloween makeup ideas. You can go dark and dramatic or green and cartoonish. Think dark shadows radiating outward from the eye and match it with black lips. Or add little details like spider webs and bat wings to the corners of your eyes. Add a witch’s hat or try a crown made of sticks or flowers. Artist tip: For precise spiderweb lines, use a liquid eyeliner pen.

5. Mime

One of the more simple Halloween makeup ideas. White base, black lines and you’re done. You can always personalize it with hearts, stars or a teardrop if you want a little flair. Paint your lips red or black and add striped clothing and you're set.

6. Spider Eyes 

This one’s great if you want to be festive without going full face paint. Sketch a small web with eyeliner around one or both eyes — or go big and turn it into a mask. Pair it with smoky shadow, mascara and liner combination. 

7. Picasso Face

Halloween makeup ideas don’t always have to look like what you’d expect. Cubism plus color equals instant impact. Block off sections of your face with bold shades and let the asymmetry do the work. You’ll end up looking like a Picasso painting. It’s creative, weird and totally costume-worthy — all without needing anything but face paint. Although a simple black or white outfit can really help make your face pop.

8. Tattooed Lady

This is the lazy girl’s way to a great Halloween look. Use printable temporary tattoos to cover your face, chest and arms. Go all out and embrace the carnival-style ink. No makeup brushes, no clean-up, just pure spectacle.

9. Sugar Skull

More beautiful than scary, sugar skull makeup works well for Halloween or Día de los Muertos. Traditionally used to honor loved ones in Mexican culture, this design works best when approached with care and creativity. Use all-over white face paint as a base, then use black or Halloween colors around the eyes and nose to create a hollowed, skull-like effect that can be as simple or as elaborate as desired. For the mouth, draw a line across the face and add stitching. Add a floral crown or embroidered shawl to complete the look. It's always best to practice your Halloween drawings on paper first, before committing to the design.

Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas for Kids

10. Scarecrow

It’s sweet, spooky and works fantastically as a Halloween makeup idea for kids. Draw on a few stitched lines with black eyeliner, add a triangle nose, and finish with a floppy hat and some straw tucked in the collar. Combine the look with some raggy oversized clothes, overalls and a straw hat. Want to get the kids involved with some Halloween craft ideas? Have them create their own hats with flowers, raffia or straw. 

11. Jack-O-Lantern

For Halloween makeup ideas that can be as simple or detailed as you want, go with the Jack-O-Lantern. Orange paint and a black triangle or two turn any kid into a walking pumpkin. Go all in with a wide, toothy smile for an adorable Halloween painting idea.

12. Cat

Like other great kid-friendly Halloween makeup ideas, this one can go either way: adorable or creepy. For a classic look, draw on a little nose, whiskers and maybe some liner flicks for a feline vibe. Add a headband with ears and you’re ready to go — no full costume needed. Or you can go big cat with cheetah spots or tiger stripes and a fluffy onesie.

13. Zombie

Another undead denizen of the spooky season, zombie makeup can run the gamut from cute to scary depending on how you use it. For a classic look, opt for green face paint, hollowed-out eyes and fake blood. But you can level it up with some dramatic latex scars. Or, for a budget-friendly option, use some non-toxic Elmer's glue and toilet paper, then add flesh-colored makeup over the top. This one’s gross in the best way. Pro tip: Let liquid latex dry fully before applying makeup to prevent peeling, and use a stipple sponge to add gritty texture to zombie wounds.

14. Glow-in-the-Dark Skeleton

Great for trick-or-treating after dark, because your kids will be that much more visible. This one uses neon face paint to sketch out a skull over the eyes and cheeks. Pair the makeup with all-black clothes or a dark hoodie. Bonus points for painting bony hands or arms for an extra-cool body paint idea. Remember to charge your glow-in-the-dark paint under a lamp for 10 minutes before heading out.

15. Frankenstein 

Green face paint, stitches and wild hair. Frankenstein makeup is simple and always gets a reaction, especially if you add a neck bolt or a shocked expression. Cover the entire face in green, then add stitching details on the face and neck, black lips. Use a temporary color or spray for hair or choose a wig with messy black hair. Bride of Frankenstein works just as well with a dramatic streaked wig.

16. Wednesday Addams

It’s really as easy as it gets for Halloween makeup ideas for kids. Just pale foundation, dark circles and a black dress — but somehow it still works every year. Finish it off with black lipstick, a braided wig and black clothing. Want to go all in with matching parent costumes? Morticia and Gomez also make great ideas for couples' Halloween costumes for accompanying parents.

17. Weird Barbie

Get the iconic look of Kate McKinnon’s character from the Barbie movie. Scribble wild shapes and swirls across your face, smudge the lipstick and add some colorful eyeliner in all the wrong places. The messier it looks, the better — just like the movie. Pair the look with colorful and mismatched clothes (whatever your Barbie outfit ideas might be) and you’ve got an easy Halloween makeup for a girl.

18. Baby Yoda

Cover their face in soft green, add oversized ears, and you’ve got a Star Wars favorite. The blacked-out eye area gives it some character, and it’s perfect for littles who don’t want anything scary. All they’ll need to finish it off is a brown or tan cape or hooded robe.

19. Pokémon

Keep it cute and simple for babies and toddlers. Just add rosy circles to the cheeks with face paint or blush, throw on a yellow onesie or footie pajamas, and you’ve got a pint-sized Pikachu without much effort.

20. Vampire

Go pale, dark and dramatic. Use foundation a few shades lighter than your skin tone, dark circles around the eyes, and of course, a bit of fake blood at the corners of your mouth. Don’t forget the fangs. It’s an incredibly simple makeup look to pull off.

21. Robot

For a retro Halloween makeup idea great for kids, use silver face paint all over or partially to cover the face, then add seams using black pencil or eyeliner and circular rivets to make the pieces look like they are fastened together.

Scary Halloween Makeup Ideas

22. The Nun

This one’s straight out of your nightmares. Start with a white base, then exaggerate the eyes and mouth with dark shadows and liner. For extra shock value, try yellow or white contacts to really mimic the sinister look from The Conjuring.

23. Marionette

Turn yourself into a creepy puppet with two simple lines — one under each corner of your mouth to mimic a hinged marionette. Add cracks, big lashes or fake joints to take it further. There’s something unsettling about that frozen smile.

24. Human Ouija Board

Let your face do the spirit summoning. Write “yes” and “no” across your forehead, outline a planchette around one eye, then turn your chest into a letter board. Add celestial symbols, a spooky top and a blank stare to complete the look.

25. Evil Clown 

Always good for a scare, create a horrific clown using an all-over white face paint as a base for creepy details and accents. Paint exaggerated shapes around your eyes and mouth, then build from there. It's a classic clown face, but scarier and distorted. Use fake blood around the eyes and mouth for a terrifying visage. Pair with a creepy black, green or red wig.

26. Creepy Doll 

You either love dolls or think they’re incredibly creepy. And doll Halloween makeup ideas play on this. Overdraw the eyes with exaggerated lashes, use blush to give that rosy-cheeked look and add a tiny heart or freckles for flair. You can also create cracks and seams in the porcelain that allow real skin to show through for an even spookier effect. 

27. Chucky or Bride of Chucky

All you need is some fake stitches and the right outfit to pull off this killer doll look. For Chucky, grab a striped shirt, red wig and draw jagged scars across your face. Or opt for the Bride of Chucky with dark, dramatic eyeshadow and lashes, black lips and a red heart-shaped tattoo on your chest. 

28. Ghost 

White base, dark shadows and a little imagination. Ghost makeup can be creepy, ethereal or even elegant, depending on how you do it. Smudge out your eyes, hollow your cheeks and add a soft veil or glow-in-the-dark paint for something otherworldly.

29. Freddie Krueger

You’ll find plenty of tutorials to help recreate Freddy’s scarred skin. Start with red and black paint applied strategically to look like burn wounds. You can also use adhesive liquid latex or tissue mixed with non-toxic Elmer’s glue to add some depth and dimension. 

30. Headless Marie Antoinette

This one’s a showstopper. Use red face or body paint to draw a dripping “cut” around the neck, then go full rococo glam on the face — powdered cheeks, beauty spots, dramatic lashes. Add a towering white wig and a fancy gown for full effect.

Cute Halloween Makeup Ideas

31. Dragon

For a memorable Game of Thrones-inspired Halloween makeup idea, use shimmering scales made with the fishnet-stocking trick and add bold eye details that mimic wings or fire. Rich purples, greens and blues work great here, and you can build it out with horns or a tail if you’re feeling extra.

32. Unicorn

This one's all about magical vibes. Go heavy on glitter, highlighter and iridescent shadow. Use light pinks, purples and blues to create a glowing, fantasy-inspired makeup look. A unicorn horn headband completes the costume.

33. Forest Elf

Elf makeup calls for soft pastels, glitter and shimmer. Use pinks, purples and greens to create a dreamy look with delicate lines and a bit of shimmer across the cheeks and temples. Add pressed flowers or leafy face stickers for a woodland feel.

34. Ice Cream Cone

For an easy Halloween makeup idea, use colorful face paint to mimic the look of drippy and melting ice cream below a paper cone attached with clips or a headband. For a more colorful look, add a candy-colored wig.

35. Bumble Bee

Yellow eyeshadow, black stripes and sparkly accents turn this into one of the sweetest, simple Halloween makeup ideas. Add a little wing shimmer across your temples or stick on black rhinestones for the bee effect. Pair with bee wings or antennae.

36. Batwing Eyes 

Paint a pair of wings that stretch from your eyes toward your temples or draw small bats flying across your cheekbones. This Halloween makeup idea plays with symmetry and shadow in a subtle way.

37. Ladybug

Great for little kids or playful adults, ladybug makeup is all about bright red and black dots. Use red face paint on the cheeks and forehead, then layer on small black circles. Add a black headband with pipe cleaner antennae to finish it off.

Best Halloween Makeup Ideas for Guys

38. Beetlejuice

This messy look is perfect for guys who want something chaotic and fun. White face, dark purple eyes and green slime accents around the hairline give you that grimy undead glow. Toss on a striped suit and you’re done.

39. Jack Skellington

Another classic Halloween entertainment character, A Nightmare Before Christmas’ Jack Skellington, is an easy look to recreate using makeup. Start with a white base, then add deep black around the eyes and stitched lines across the mouth to recreate this Tim Burton classic. A black pinstripe suit completes the look and works perfectly for dynamic duo ideas with Sally.

40. The Joker 

This popular DC character makes a chilling Halloween makeup idea for guys. Create a variation of creepy clown makeup that employs red, black and blue to create diamond shapes around the eyes and the trademark split smile. Add a green wig or colored hairspray to finish. 

41. Jigsaw

Creepy and unmistakable, this one’s all about the cheek spirals and puppet-like smile. Use white paint for the base, black for the hollowed-out eyes and red for the mouth and cheek swirls. Add dark hair and a serious stare.

42. David Bowie

Channel Ziggy Stardust with Bowie’s iconic lightning bolt in red and blue across your face. All you need is red, blue and black face paint to create the lightning bolt emanating from your hairline. For a clever variation, try it in shimmering gold or silver (or both!)

43. Creature From the Black Lagoon

Lean into the old-school horror with green and blue shimmery face paint or eyeshadow to create reptilian gills over a green base, perfect for this Hollywood classic monster. Use fishnet stockings as a stencil to create scaling and draw large, exaggerated lips that mimic the creature’s large mouth. 

44. Hulk

Sometimes you just want to go green and rage out. Cover your face and neck in green paint, then sketch in comic-style muscles or shadows with black liner. Torn clothes are optional but encouraged.

45. Terminator 

Go cyborg with half-and-half face paint — silver and black on one side, human on the other. Use a red contact lens for the robotic eye and black to sketch wires or plates. Bonus points for aluminum foil or costume prosthetics.

Best Halloween Makeup Ideas for Women

46. Black Swan

For a pretty and distinctive Halloween makeup idea for women, mimic Natalie Portman’s iconic and chilling look in Black Swan’s final scenes. Use sharp lines and winged shadow to mimic feathers, with pale skin and red lips for contrast. It’s eerie, elegant and a little unhinged — just like the movie. For an extra-spooky touch, add red contacts. 

47. Retro Makeup

Pick an era and go all in. Think dramatic lashes and powdered faces for the 1700s, perfect red lips and waves for the 40s, or neon eye shadow and bold brows for the 80s. It’s a fun way to play with beauty history.

48. Mermaid

Always a classic, mermaid looks vary from simpler to more detailed. Think blues and greens with a lot of shimmer and sparkle that evokes the sea.

Create scales using the fishnet trick mentioned above in strategic places. Or just decorate around your eyes for a more subdued look. Feel free to layer on the glitter, shimmer and crystals. 

49. Sally

For a fun couple's Halloween costume idea, become Sally to his Jack Skellington. Start with a light blue face paint as your base, then use a pencil or eyeliner to draw stitched details on your face. Use liner or long faux eyelashes to create her wide and expressive eyes.

50. Goth Glam

While a goth look works any time of year, this variation adds a little glamor and grandeur to the ordinary all black. Dark, dramatic eyes and dark red or black lips prevail, but glam adds a bit more shimmer, crystals and softness to the look. 

51. Ursula

One of Disney’s classic villainesses from The Little Mermaid, this look is easy to recreate and makes a creepy Halloween makeup idea for women. Start with a purple or lavender base, then use black and blue makeup to create dramatic sea-witch eyes, plus bold red lips for drama. Top it off with a white wig and a little sea witch attitude.

52. Ice Queen

For an ice queen look, use silver and blue tones to create a frosty appearance. White eyeliner and light blue lipstick can add to the effect. Use face gems or glitter to mimic frost. Add snowflake face stickers or a glittery crown to bring it home.

53. Harley Quinn

Harley’s messy, mismatched makeup is part of her charm. Use pale foundation, blue and red shadow smudged under each eye, and draw on her signature heart. Bonus points for two-toned pigtails and a smirk.

The best Halloween makeup ideas don’t just make you look the part — they help you feel it. Creepy, cute, chaotic or glamorous, whatever you choose says something about how you want to show up this season. So lean into it. Smudge the eyeliner, sketch the fangs, pile on the glitter. Then go be the version of yourself that only Halloween lets out.

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