Spider web, broken doll, horror clown, vampire, stitches and clever hairstyles: looks that work even if you've never held a makeup brush.
Halloween makeup is scariest for the person who has to do it. Twenty-step tutorials, pro products, results on social media that look impossible. The truth is simpler: the looks that photograph best are the ones with a few clean lines, a well-blended white base and one detail people recognise at first glance.
This guide only covers easy looks made for non-experts: for each one we tell you how long it takes, what you need, the numbered steps, the trick that saves the result and a video to follow. We picked the most-loved ideas from Pinterest and Instagram, for women, teens and kids, with plenty of photos so you can copy them stress-free.
We start with the basic kit, which you probably already have in your makeup bag, then move on to six looks. At the end there are ideas for anyone who doesn't want makeup at all: themed hairstyles and clever costumes that make an impact in two minutes.
Quick answer: which Halloween makeup to choose
- The best Halloween makeup for beginners is the spider web eye, because all you need is black eyeliner and five minutes: six straight lines and three rows of arcs, and a wobbly line doesn't show.
- The best Halloween makeup for little girls is the doll, because it uses blush, black pencil and lipstick, gentle products that don't need white all over the face.
- The best show-stopping Halloween makeup is the horror clown, because a white base, three red lines and a round nose make it recognisable from across the room.
- The best last-minute Halloween makeup is the vampire, because it's your everyday makeup plus a dark lipstick and two drops of fake blood in 10 minutes.
- The best Halloween makeup for kids is the skeleton or stitches, because they only need water-based white and black and wash off with warm water.
- The best alternative to makeup is a themed hairstyle, like the braided octopus or tulle ghosts on pigtails, because it doesn't touch the skin and is perfect for little ones.
The basic kit for easy Halloween makeup (and the tricks that save the result)
The best kit for easy Halloween makeup is water-based white face paint, a black felt-tip eyeliner, a white pencil, a dark red lipstick, a pink blush and a translucent powder, because these six products cover every look in this guide.
You don't need professional palettes. Many looks use products you already own: blush becomes the doll's cheeks, dark lipstick becomes the vampire's blood, eyeliner draws webs, stitches and cracks. The only extras are a white for the face and, if you like a horror effect, a tube of cosmetic fake blood.
What you need
- Water-based white face paint (or a foundation two shades lighter)
- Black felt-tip eyeliner, easier than a brush liner
- Soft black and white pencils
- Dark red or burgundy lipstick and a black lipstick
- Pink or red blush
- Translucent setting powder
- Sponge, fine brush and cotton buds
- Bi-phase remover or cleansing oil
7 beginner tricks
- Sketch everything first with a light brown pencil: mistakes rub off, then go over it in black.
- Do one side of the face, take a photo and copy the photo on the other side: symmetry is much easier.
- Apply white in thin layers with a damp sponge, dabbing: never drag it with a brush.
- Set each layer with a veil of powder: the makeup lasts all night and doesn't smudge.
- Draw black lines with your face still and your elbow resting on the table.
- Fix mistakes with a cotton bud and a drop of remover, not your finger.
- Dark lipstick dabbed on with a finger becomes shadow for eye bags and stitches.
Safety, especially for kids
- Use only cosmetic face products, never acrylic paints or drawing markers.
- Patch-test on the wrist the day before to see if the skin reacts.
- Don't apply colour on the inner rim of the eye and use cosmetic glitter only.
- Remove everything at the end of the night: oil or bi-phase, then warm water and moisturiser.
The best Halloween makeup for beginners: the spider web eye
The best Halloween makeup for beginners is the spider web eye, because you draw it with black eyeliner alone in 5-10 minutes and imperfect lines are part of the effect.
The spider web is the look we recommend to anyone who has never done Halloween makeup. It's elegant, suits every age and works with your everyday makeup: wear it to the office with a dark lipstick and turn it into a costume at night with a hat or a black dress.
The shape is always the same: a centre, a few lines radiating out like spokes and arcs connecting them. You can draw it around one eye, on the temple or over half the face. The bigger it is, the more dramatic; the smaller, the more chic.
The spider web step by step
- Sweep purple or dark grey eyeshadow over the lid and blend it towards the temple.
- Pick the centre of the web, usually the outer corner of the eye.
- Draw 6-8 straight lines radiating from the centre: above the brow, on the cheekbone and towards the temple.
- Connect the spokes with arcs curving inwards, like little upside-down smiles, in three rows.
- Thicken the centre and extend a couple of lines downwards, like dripping threads.
- Finish with mascara, plum or black lipstick and, if you like, rhinestones on the crossings.
Beginner's trick
- Curve the arcs towards the centre: straight ones look like a grid, not a web.
- If a line goes wonky, go over it thicker: nobody will notice.
- For a darker look, draw a tiny spider too: a dot with eight little legs.
Video tutorial: spider web eye step by step (YouTube).
The detail that makes the difference, like in the opening photo: a few fake spiders on the neck and shoulders, and themed legs with spider web tights. The makeup stays the star, but the look becomes a real costume.
Spider web tights
Realistic fake spidersFor matching nails, black or with a tiny spider, see our 3D nail art guide and the nail polish pen for a black manicure in five minutes.
The best Halloween makeup for girls and teens: the broken doll
The best Halloween makeup for girls and teens is the broken doll, because it's done with blush, black pencil and red lipstick, without covering the face in white, and stays pretty even when it's spooky.
The doll is the most photographed Halloween makeup on Pinterest, and for good reason: huge eyes, drawn-on lashes, round red cheeks and a small heart-shaped mouth. There are lots of variations, from the porcelain doll with a crack on the forehead to the wind-up doll with a key on her back, to the ventriloquist doll with two lines at the sides of the mouth.
The secret is in the eyes: draw the lower lashes as little dashes and open up the eye with white pencil on the lower waterline. The rest is pure fun: freckles, hearts, cracks, stitches.
The doll step by step
- Even out the skin with a light foundation or a veil of white, then set with powder.
- Draw two round circles of pink or red blush on the cheeks and soften only the edges.
- White pencil on the lower waterline and black eyeliner on top: the eye instantly looks bigger.
- Draw the lower lashes as straight, spaced dashes, longer at the outer corner.
- Red lipstick only in the centre of the lips, as a small heart.
- Add the detail: a branching black crack on the forehead, freckles with brown pencil or stitches on the cheek.
Beginner's trick
- Draw the crack like a lightning bolt splitting into two or three branches: thin, broken lines.
- For the ventriloquist doll, just draw two vertical lines from the corners of the mouth to the chin.
- Draw the lashes with eyes open, looking up: the lines stay straight.
Video tutorial: easy broken doll, step by step (YouTube).
The wind-up doll: the key trick
The most viral variation is the wind-up doll: classic doll makeup, a gingham dress or white dress with a collar, a red bow in the hair and a big key on the back. Cut the key out of cardboard, paint it gold or brown and pin it to the dress with a safety pin or double-sided tape. Almost zero cost, guaranteed effect.
To finish the doll without buying a full costume, all you need is a tulle tutu skirt and fishnet knee socks: with a white blouse and a bow in the hair, the look is done.
Gretha girls' tulle skirt
Girls' fishnet knee socksIf you'd rather have a ready-made costume, at the end of the article you'll find the colourful doll tutu costume and more dresses for girls.
The best show-stopping Halloween makeup: the horror clown
The best show-stopping Halloween makeup is the horror clown, because a white base, three red lines on the face and a round nose create a look everyone recognises instantly, even in group photos.
The clown with the red balloon has been the most copied makeup for years, from little girls to twenty-somethings. It works because it's graphic: a few red lines rising onto the forehead and running down from the eyes to the corners of the mouth, on pale skin. You don't need to be precise, you need to be bold.
Watch the full transformation in the video below: from bare face to finished clown in fifteen seconds. Then follow the steps, one at a time.
The horror clown step by step
- Apply white over the whole face with a damp sponge, in two thin layers, and set with powder.
- Blend a burgundy or dark red eyeshadow over the whole lid and a little under the eye.
- With red lipstick, draw two long narrow triangles from the middle of the brows up onto the forehead.
- Draw two red lines running down from the centre of each eye and curving towards the corners of the mouth.
- Dark red lips with a thin black outline, and a full round red nose.
- Black eyeliner, false lashes and, for the horror effect, brows drawn higher and arched.
Beginner's trick
- Red lines are easier with a red lip liner, then filled in with lipstick.
- For a round nose, draw the circle outline first and fill it in after: it comes out perfectly round.
- Hair is half the look: two high pigtails or two buns, even fake ones, with a spritz of red colour spray.
Video: the full horror clown transformation in 15 seconds.
Video tutorial: cute, easy clown, ideal for beginners (YouTube).
You can make the tulle collar by gathering a metre of tulle onto an elastic, or choose the ready-made girls' horror clown costume with grey tutu and pompoms.
The best Halloween makeup isn't the hardest one: it's the one people recognise at first glance and that lasts until the very last treat.
The best last-minute Halloween makeup: vampire and witch in 10 minutes
The best last-minute Halloween makeup is the vampire, because it starts from your everyday makeup and only adds red eye bags, dark lipstick and two drops of fake blood at the corner of the mouth.
When the party is tonight and there's no costume, vampire and witch are your two winning cards. Both use products you already have and read instantly, especially with an accessory on your head or in your hand.
The vampire plays on contrast: pale skin, red eyes and almost-black lips. The witch plays on the eyes: dark shadow all around, black lips and a tiny spider drawn on the cheek.
The vampire step by step
- A lighter base than usual and powder: the skin should look pale.
- Blend red or burgundy eyeshadow under the eye and in the crease, like dark circles.
- Black eyeliner winged towards the temple and plenty of mascara.
- Burgundy or black lipstick, dabbed in the centre for a 'bitten' effect.
- Two drops of fake blood at the corner of the mouth, left to drip on their own.
- For grown-ups: fake fangs; for kids, better to draw two little white fangs on the lip.
Beginner's trick
- Don't smear fake blood: place one drop and let it run, so it looks real.
- No fake blood? Red lipstick melted with a drop of gloss works perfectly.
- A black choker hides collar marks and completes the vampire.
Video tutorial: easy vampire for beginners (YouTube).
The witch: dark eyes and a spider on the cheek
Black or dark grey eyeshadow all around the eye, blended with a finger, black lipstick and a tiny spider drawn in eyeliner under the eye: it's the simplest witch makeup there is, and it works on little girls and grown-ups alike. With the hat on, the costume is complete.
Video tutorial: witch makeup with spider web eyeliner (YouTube).
Two accessories that turn the makeup into a costume with nothing else: the foldable witch hat, which opens at the party and folds back into your bag, and the claw gloves for witch or vampire hands.
Foldable witch hat
Claw gloves with nailsFor the outfit, a short black dress you already own is perfect. For complete outfit ideas, read our guide to women's Halloween outfits and last-minute dark looks.
The best Halloween makeup for kids: stitches, skeleton and corpse bride
The best Halloween makeup for kids is stitches, because it takes one black colour and a white pencil in 10 minutes, needs no base on the face and washes off with warm water.
Stitches are the perfect makeup for kids who can't sit still: a black line across the face, lots of crossed white stitches on top and a black dot at each end of every stitch. Draw them on the forehead, across the mouth or along the whole cheek, like a rag doll.
For older kids or mums there's the skeleton and the corpse bride: pale face, deep black eyes and, for the bride, a lace veil. They're the most dramatic looks in the guide, but the technique is the same: white in thin layers and black with a fine brush.
Stitches step by step
- Draw a thin black line where you want the wound: from forehead to chin or from the corner of the mouth to the ear.
- With the white pencil, draw short slightly curved dashes across the line.
- Every so often cross two dashes into an X for a more realistic effect.
- Add a black dot at each end of the dashes: these are the thread holes.
- Lightly go over the black at the sides of the white dashes to make them pop.
- Natural lips or a touch of dark lipstick, and you're done.
Beginner's trick
- White shows up better if you go over it twice, letting it dry in between.
- On small children avoid the eyelids: stitches look great just around the mouth.
- For the skeleton, the same kit is enough: white all over, black circles around the eyes, an upside-down heart nose and teeth drawn on the lips.
Video tutorial: easy and quick skeleton (YouTube).
With skeleton makeup, the easiest costume is a bone jumpsuit: you'll find them at the end of the article, from the silver skeleton jumpsuit for women to the skeleton pyjamas for kids.
The best alternative to Halloween makeup: hairstyles and clever ideas
The best alternative to Halloween makeup for kids is a themed hairstyle, like the braided octopus or tulle ghosts on pigtails, because it doesn't touch the skin, doesn't run and makes everyone smile.
Not every child tolerates makeup, and not every mum wants to remove it at ten at night. Halloween hairstyles are the answer: craft googly eyes, a few hair ties, a piece of white tulle and you're done.
The octopus is the favourite: a high bun with two giant eyes stuck on top and eight braids hanging down like tentacles. The ghosts are even quicker: two pigtails, a ball of white tulle on each and two little eyes.
The braided octopus step by step
- Gather a high ponytail in the centre of the head, leaving one section per side for a slicked fringe.
- Split the ponytail: half for the bun, half for the tentacles.
- Roll half the ponytail into a round bun and secure it with pins.
- With the remaining hair, braid 6-8 thin plaits hanging all around, closed with clear elastics.
- Stick two big googly eyes on the bun with a dot of hot glue on a bobby pin or double-sided tape.
- Set everything with hairspray and, if you like, add a bow or a little sparkle.
Beginner's trick
- Googly eyes stick better on a flat bobby pin that you then slide into the bun.
- If the hair is short, make the braids with coloured clip-in extensions.
- For the ghosts: a cotton ball wrapped in white tulle, tied onto the pigtail with two googly eyes.
Video tutorial: octopus hairstyle for girls (YouTube).
Clever ideas for mums and makeup-free looks
For mums-to-be, the most shared costume online is the bump with little hands: a fitted white T-shirt, two doll hands and two little feet sewn or glued on, and a pumpkin bucket in hand. For a trendy look without makeup, a horror mask with an oversized pink sweater, a bow in the hair and knee socks is the sweet-and-creepy mix taking over TikTok.
For the bat or any dark look, the accessory grown-ups and little ones both love is the bat backpack with wings and a lace heart, which you'll use all year round. At a party in the dark, the LED glasses replace eye makeup.
Bat Backpack
Glowing LED glassesMore ideas for home and party in our guide to budget Halloween decorations.
Costumes to match your makeup: bones, skeletons and dresses
Your makeup is ready, only the outfit is missing. For a sure match, pick a piece that echoes the theme on your face: bones for skeleton and stitches, tutus for doll and clown, a cape for the vampire. Here are the costumes from the Halloween Special collection that go best with the looks in this guide.
Dolce Muerte jumpsuit
Silver bones skeleton jumpsuit
Skeleton bodycon dress
Skull Arms Dress
Horror clown costume
Colourful doll costume
Corpse bride tutu
Dracula pyjamasMore kids' costumes: the skeleton pyjamas, the skeleton mermaid and onesies for the whole family. For dark jewellery, browse necklaces and women's accessories.
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Easy Halloween makeup: frequently asked questions
What's the easiest Halloween makeup if I can't do makeup?
The easiest Halloween makeup if you can't do makeup is the spider web eye, because it's done with black eyeliner alone in 5-10 minutes: six straight lines from the corner of the eye and three rows of connecting arcs. Finish it with spider web tights or a few fake spiders.
What's the best Halloween makeup for kids?
The best Halloween makeup for kids is stitches or the skeleton, because they only need water-based white and black and wash off with warm water. For girls, the doll with blush and black pencil is even gentler. Kids who hate makeup can go for the octopus hairstyle or tulle ghosts.
What do I need to do Halloween makeup at home?
To do Halloween makeup at home you need water-based white face paint, a black felt-tip eyeliner, a white pencil, a dark red lipstick, a pink blush and a translucent powder. With these six products you can create the spider web, doll, clown, vampire and stitches.
How do I do easy horror clown makeup?
Easy horror clown makeup takes four moves: a white base set with powder, two red triangles on the forehead, two red lines running from the eyes to the corners of the mouth and a round red nose. It takes about 20 minutes; complete the costume with the girls' horror clown costume.
How do I remove Halloween makeup without irritating my skin?
Halloween makeup comes off best with a cleansing oil or bi-phase remover, massaged onto dry skin and then rinsed with warm water. Don't scrub: let the oil work for a minute, wipe with a cotton pad and finish with a moisturiser.
How much is shipping at Dream Shop and can I pay in instalments?
Shipping at Dream Shop is free on orders over €100, you can pay in 3 interest-free instalments with Klarna or cash on delivery, and returns are free. Halloween is on 31 October: order costumes and accessories a few days ahead.
Makeup done? Now the costume
Skeleton jumpsuits, girls' costumes, spider web tights, witch hats and accessories: all in the Halloween Special collection. Free shipping over €100, Klarna in 3 interest-free instalments and free returns.
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