Last-Minute Halloween Costumes: Face Makeup

Halloween is ONE WEEK AWAY!!! Are you ready? If not, don't despair. Here are a bunch of costume ideas for kids and adults alike that rely on pretty much only makeup. And not even fancy makeup, but stuff you can do with only the ordinary eyeliner, lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow you already have in your makeup collection. You can even add a few costume pieces that are already in your closet to complete the look.

Marionette/Doll

For either a sweet doll face or a marionette, paint some dark eyebrows with black eyebrow pencil or eyeliner, then outline the eyes, dipping below the eyes on the bottom to enlarge them (fill in with white makeup if you have some), then add heavy mascara or draw in exaggerated lashes with pencil. Add rosy pink cheeks and lips, plus a sprinkling of light brown eyebrow pencil freckles across the nose. For a marionette, add black pencil "hinges" from each corner of the mouth down to the chin.

For a costume, any cute sundress or pants and top will work. Add big gloves for a nice finishing touch.

Cat 

Cat makeup is super easy: all you need is black eyeliner. Blacken the tip of your nose and add a line from your septum to your top lip, then dot on freckles and draw whiskers. Outline your lips in black (put on lipstick first, if you like). Winged eyeliner is a nice touch, but not necessary.

If you want to add some costume pieces, wear all black, glue black paper ears onto a headband, and tie a long strip of black fabric around your waist for a tail.

Pirate

This pirate look requires nothing more than a black eye pencil. Stipple in a stubbly beard, draw an outrageous curly mustache, add a gruesome scar, even create an eyepatch! If you want, you can add a headwrap and color it in with bright red lipstick.

To add costume pieces, shred the hems of an old jersey and a pair of too-short pants and throw a bandana around your head. (Parrot on the shoulder is optional.)

Princess/Fairy

For this effect, outline the top of a crown on the forehead with eyeliner, then fill in with dark pink blush or eyeshadow. Add a center gem and fill it in with glittery shadow or highlighter. Add a few long lashes at the corner of the eyes. You can add another eyeshadow "gem" below the lashes on either or both sides.

To add costume pieces, use an old dance costume, nearly outgrown party dress, or whatever other fancy dress-up clothes you have on hand. Add a few glittery hair accessories to add to the bling!

Scarecrow

Another "eyeliner-only" project, to make a scarecrow face simply draw an inverted triangle on your nose and extend a line out from each corner of your mouth, then crosshatch with "stitches." You can add a bit of bronzer (or brown eyeshadow) inside the nose patch and above the cheek lines if you like. Line the eyes as usual and add a few lower lashes. Make a bright pink or red mouth with lipstick and there you go!

Add an old hat and a plaid shirt and jeans and your scarecrow is complete.

Batman/Batgirl

This one takes a tiny bit of artistic skill: Using a black eye pencil, outline a "batman" symbol around the eyes and fill it in. For added drama, color the lips black, as well.

Costume pieces are simple: All black, and throw on a black cape (or blanket, or piece of fabric, or towel) if you have one. Growl moodily when you talk.

Rock Star

Break out all your wild eyeshadow colors for this one: Draw a star around one eye with the most vibrant color of eyeliner you have, then fill it in with various shades of eyeshadow. Add some vivid lipstick and dramatic dark shadow on the other eye.

Costuming can be as wild as your imagination and closet will allow. Fur pieces, bright neon colors, tall boots, anything left over from the 1980s will do.

Happy Halloween!