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!

Great Halloween Costumes for Kids

Can you believe that Halloween is only about a month away?!?? Well, considering that Christmas decorations have been in the stores for two months, you probably can. But anyway, if you have kids, you'd better get yourself in gear to start planning their costumes. (Unless, like me, you took the easy way out and bought their costumes at Costco back in July. But I digress.) Now, depending on what kind of parent you are, you may be looking for anything from a unique, clever, creative costume to something that can be tossed together from what you have around the house to your kid's favorite comic book or video game character. Fortunately, I can help you out with any of those options and more.

Costumes For Two

If you have two kids and you want to coordinate their costumes, there are plenty of options.

If you can come up with a large box, a laundry basket, an empty (or not) bottle of detergent and package of dryer sheets, and some dirty laundry, this adorable washing machine and laundry basket is the duo for your kids. Don't forget the socks and underpants on the head. That's what really makes it art.

Even easier to make from stuff you have around the house, put one child in a striped shirt and an old beret (or a scally or golf cap turned sideways), paint on an outrrrrrageous mustache and goatee with black eyeliner, then cut out a cardboard artist's palette and paint multicolored circles on it and there's your artist. And what would an artist be without a work of art? So have child #2 paint an old pillowcase with a face hole cut out (you can brace it with an old picture frame or leave the pillow at the back for support) - or use a large piece of cardboard - and there's your masterpiece. Add a few colorful drips of paint on their candy-collecting buckets and you're good to go!

If you want to go all-out on your paired costume, check out this fabulous magician and his assistant. With a few yards of velvet cloth to make a matching cape and tablecloth, a simple top hat, a rolling cart of some kind, an old pair of pantyhose, a pair of sparkly shoes, a saw (real or fake), and a couple of large cardboard boxes, you can astonish everyone with this clever costume.

Favorite Characters

Whether your kids are into superheroes, video game characters, TV show or movie characters, I bet you can find something they'd like below.

If you're willing to shell out for a Superman T-shirt (or if your mini-fan already has one), toss an open shirt and tie over it and throw on some horn-rimmed glasses, and Clark Kent is turning into Superman right in front of your eyes!

If your little monster prefers video games to comic books, the Mario Brothers are easy. Add two big yellow felt circles with a sharpie X on them to a pair of overalls, pair with a green T-shirt and baseball cap for Luigi and red shirt and cap for Mario (don't forget to add the proper initial!), plus a quick eyebrow pencil mustache, and they'll be off to rescue the princess in no time.

If you have a couple of empty gallon milk jugs, a little bit of artistic skill, and a Star Wars fan in the family, you can follow these directions to make a fabulous stormtrooper helmet. Paired with white sweatshirt and sweatpants (you can gussy those up with black electrical tape, if you're up for it, or just leave them plain) and a Nerf gun, you can happily miss every target in the neighborhood. 

If you're willing to invest in a crazy wig, any of the characters in "Inside Out" are doable. For Sadness, a blue pageboy pairs with a long turtleneck sweater, tights, oversized glasses, blue lipstick, and a hangdog expression. For Disgust, a green flip wig, pink neck scarf, sleeveless green dress, and a sneer will do the trick. For Joy, a light blue pixie wig, flowered dress, and a big grin is all you need. For Anger, make a cardboard crown of fire and big red eyebrows and wear it with a shirt and tie and a scowl. And for Fear, a bowtie and a sweater vest with white clown makeup around the eyes, black felt eyebrows, and a deelybopper headband - along with a terrified expression, of course - and you're all set. 

Animals

Most kids love to dress up as their favorite animals, whether it's a sweet kitty, a scary lion, or something a bit more...unusual. Check out these cute creatures!

Start with a clear umbrella and add long strips of ribbons, rickrack, crepe paper, mylar streamers, or whatever you have on hand. Wear over any solid color outfit, and you'll have yourself a sweet jellyfish who won't sting anybody. 

Start by stitching (or stapling or safety-pinning; I won't judge) an old, mushy pillow into a loop as shown and add a couple of ties to the "corners". Tie the bottom pair to beltloops (or to each other around the wearer's waist) and make long loops of the second that go in front of the shoulders (you can even use elastic). Rig up a couple of eyestalks on the hood of a sweatshirt (hot glue on ping pong balls if you don't sew), and you've got a fast-moving snail. 

For an easy but spooky spider costume, stuff two pairs of long black socks with fabric or newspaper. Stitch them onto the sides of a black sweatshirt and then attach them to the elbow of the sweatshirt with lengths of clear nylon thread or fishing line. Add black gloves and dark jeans or black pants, and you have an eight-legged creepazoid. (Adding multiple eyes to the hood is optional.)

Last Minute

When your child informs you that they've been invited to a Halloween party that starts in half an hour, what do you do? You grab whatever's handy, of course. Here are a few last-minute costumes you can throw together with what you already have around the house. 

A plaid shirt, jeans, boots (or sneakers), an old hat, and a few silk flowers - you can add freckles and stitches with eyebrow pencil if you want to get fancy - and you have an adorable scarecrow. 

If you have a white (or other light-colored) sweatshirt and sweatpants, create an outline with black electrical tape. Make a simple mask using a paper plate, Sharpie, and string, and you're a stick figure. 

Got a solid color T-shirt? Got some duct tape? Depending on the color of each, you can transform that T-shirt into a pumpkin, Charlie Brown, a skeleton, a bumblebee...or anything else your imagination can come up with. 

When all else fails, grab an old sheet and a pair of scissors. Hey, it's a classic for a reason, people. 

Easy Halloween Costumes for Kids

A few years ago, I finally learned my lesson, and now I buy my kids’ Halloween costumes at Costco the first week they appear in the store (which is usually around mid-August), before they sell out (which is usually around late August). I sew, and I’d love to make their costumes, but the ones at Costco are so inexpensive (and reasonably well-made) that I can’t compete with the cost. But there are plenty of easy and inexpensive costumes that you can make yourself, either ahead of time or at the last minute, so I thought I’d post a few ideas for those of you who either aren’t fortunate enough to have a Costco nearby, or who just like to be a bit more creative. Here are ten simple costumes that you can make or put together quickly and inexpensively with easy to find materials.

Raining Cats and Dogs

What you need:

• Your child’s usual rain gear (raincoat, boots, rain hat)
• An old umbrella
• Stuffed cats and dogs
• Fishing line or heavy-duty thread
• Needle

What to do:

Stitch a few stuffed animals on top of the umbrella, then sew lengths of the fishing line onto the edges of the umbrella and attach a few more, so they look like “it’s raining cats and dogs.”

NOTE: You can also make a similar "rain cloud" costume by gluing or stitching puffs of cotton batting or white tulle or chiffon to the umbrella instead of the stuffed animals. 

Stick Figure

What you need:

• White or light colored pants and long-sleeved shirt
• Paper plate
• Narrow elastic
• Stapler
• Black electrical tape
• Thick black marker (or black paint and a small paintbrush)

What to do:

Using the black marker or black paint, draw a smiley face on the paper plate. Staple the elastic to both sides at a comfortable length to hold the mask in place. Have the child put on the pants and shirt and put on electrical tape to form a stick figure.

Lego Block

What you need:

• Cardboard box large enough to fit over the child’s torso
• Heavy, sharp scissors
• 12 plastic Solo cups OR 12 plastic cups from single-serving applesauce or fruit cups
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Glue gun
• Spray paint

What to do:

Cut armholes and a headhole in the cardboard box (be sure the holes are big enough that the child can get in and out, but not so big that the box slides down his or her shoulders). Using a ruler and one of the cups, trace 6 evenly-spaced circles each on the front and back of the box in the pattern above. Use the glue gun to glue on the cups. When dry, spray paint the whole box and allow to dry. If you want to get really fancy, you can use a smaller box to make a matching hat. Extra points for having the child wear a shirt and pants the same color as the block!

Elmo from Sesame Street

What you need:

• Red hoodie
• Two large Styrofoam balls and one slightly smaller one (oval, if possible)
• Black paint or Sharpie
• Orange paint
• Glue gun

What to do:

Paint the small Styrofoam ball orange and allow to dry. Use black paint or Sharpie to add “pupils” to the large balls. Using glue gun, attach eyes and nose as in photo above. Be generous with the glue!

Wyldstyle from Lego Movie

 

What you need:

• Black hoodie or long-sleeved shirt
• Purple (or pink) and blue electrical or masking tape
• Purple (or pink) and blue hair spray or clip-in hair extensions
• Hair elastic
• Brown eye pencil
• Pink lipstick

What to do:

Make a pattern of pink and blue swooshes on the right side and right arm of the sweatshirt, using the photos above as a guide. Use the hair elastic to make a small high ponytail on the left. Spray in hair streaks or clip in extensions as shown above. Add freckles using the eye pencil and some pink lipstick to complete the look.

Artist

What you need:

• Black beret or soft, floppy hat
• Black long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt
• Large piece of cardboard
• Pencil
• Several colors of paint, including white
• Large paintbrush
• Sharp scissors
• Black ribbon or cord (yarn will work in a pinch)
• Black or brown eye pencil

What to do:

Cut out the shape of an artist’s palette from the cardboard, including a large “thumb hole”. Paint white. When dry, add blobs of several colors of paint. Using the point of the scissors, make two holes or slits near the top and thread the ribbon or cord through, making a large enough loop to slip over the child’s head. Use the eye pencil to give the child a tres magnifique French mustache!

Mike Wazowski from Monster Inc./Monsters University

What you need:

• Light green T-shirt
• White, dark green, and black felt
• Sharp scissors
• Glue gun
• Optional: Dark blue or black baseball hat and light blue felt

What to do:

Cut out three concentric circles from the felt, with white the largest, dark green much smaller, and black slightly smaller. Glue onto each other and the shirt to form the eye. Cut a thin smile from the black felt and glue to shirt under the eye. If you want to add a Monsters University hat, use the template here to cut an M and a U from the blue felt and glue to the baseball hat.

Bert from Mary Poppins/Chimney Sweep

What you need:

• White dress shirt
• Dark pants
• Suspenders
• Red bow tie
• Newsboy (or similar) cap
• Old broomstick or dowel
• Pack of black pipe cleaners
• Small piece of black felt
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Brown or black eye pencil or dark foundation makeup

What to do:

To make the broom, criss-cross pairs of pipe cleaners at the top of the broomstick or dowel and glue in place. Repeat until broom looks full. When finished, cut a black felt circle about 2 inches across and glue over the top of the stack of pipe cleaners. (Good photos and directions here). Use eye pencil or foundation to make dirt smudges on the child’s face. 

Rosie the Riveter

What you need:

• Denim or plaid shirt
• Red bandana or red polka-dot scarf
• Jeans

What to do:

Fold the bandana into a rectangle and wrap around child’s head, tying in front. Roll up the shirt sleeves above the child's elbows and knot the front shirttails at the waist.

Skeleton

What you need:

• Black long-sleeved shirt (or hoodie) and pants
• White duct tape or masking tape (extra bonus points if you can find glow-in-the-dark tape)
• Scissors

What to do:

Following the photo above, cut strips of tape and stick onto shirt and pants to form a simple skeleton. 

Happy Halloween!!!