Halloweekend is officially here, and we're all panicking about our costumes, glam and party plans. So PAPER reached out to 20 of our favorite makeup artists around the world to have them create over-the-top looks that will energize your Halloween spirits. Grab your brushes, ghouls and gals... it's about to get spooky.
What was your inspiration for this look?
The inspiration for each of my looks comes from all over the place, but I mainly pull a lot of creative inspiration from my favorite music, vivid bright colors, and my own experiences and emotions. I've lived with the autoimmune disease Alopecia Totalis since high school, an autoimmune disease that causes all of my hair to fall out.
How did you get into makeup?
After losing my hair, I was searching for new ways to express my femininity so I started playing with bold colors of eyeshadow and eyeliner, and the rest is history! After getting my degree in psychology, I went on to study fashion and beauty makeup at John Casablancas Institute in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
I've had lots of favorites over the years, but the Mike Wazowski body paint look from last year has to be one of my all-time favorites! It was an illusion look, where I had to create one huge eye out of my three-dimensional face so it was definitely one of the hardest looks I've ever created, but absolutely one of my very favorites!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
After creating a different look each day throughout the whole month of October in my annual 31 Days of Makeup series I'm usually pretty exhausted, but this year I'm planning to create a Frankenstein look that stitches together pieces from all of my other makeup looks throughout the series, so I'll be one big patchwork Frankenstein monster!
What was your inspiration for this look?
My inspiration for this look came from my love of making crowns. Crowns are some of my favorite accessories to add to any makeup look and making them is so much fun!! I usually start by deciding on a color or concept for my crown and just start working.
How did you get into makeup?
I started getting into creative makeup in 2017, when I started to see other artists using a lot of colors and coming up with these crazy makeup looks that almost seemed impossible to me, it was super inspiring to see crazy creations I've never seen before, and I wanted to do it too!
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
One of the craziest looks I've ever done, and also one of my favorites was this demon-ish looks I did. I didn't really have an idea of what I was doing but I used a bald cap covered in fake blood and twisted up different colors of string to make it look like veins on my face.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I'm thinking of doing a dark fairy costume, Frankenstein's bride, or maybe even just a cute clown look.
What was your inspiration for this look?
I have an obsession with pumpkins around autumn time and I've always created eyeshadow looks inspired by them. I also got inspired by @emmybroughton_mua who did a whole pumpkin face look. I had to do my own version of it!
How did you get into makeup?
Makeup was my therapy, my safe space & distraction. I got into it because I love anything creative and whenever I felt down, makeup was my way of expressing that. It has got me through some of my toughest times.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created.
I drew a jigsaw puzzle on my face & it took me around 7 hours to complete. I was drawing individual pieces at a time & each piece has a segment of my makeup on it. It was definitely a relief once I finished it!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I am going to be a glitter fairy, any excuse to use glitter pretty much! Some wings, colorful makeup & funky hair. I'm going to be SPARKLING!
What was your inspiration for this look?
My inspiration for this look was Gore and Mutated Zombies. Two of my favorite horror genres.
How did you get into makeup?
Growing up in a Latin household my father and brothers were fairly artistic, from painting portraits and Murals to Street Art. Watching my mother and sisters also played a huge role in sparking my interest in cosmetics.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
The craziest look I have ever created was this prosthetic piece but for a pennywise costume that attached to my chest and jaw. Definitely made me fall more in love with creating prosthetics.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
This year I plan to airbrush my body and apply some prosthetic pieces to like a real-life Avatar.
What was your inspiration for this look?
My inspiration for this look was Greta Gremlin from the movie Gremlins, which was one of my favourites growing up.
How did you get into makeup?
I first discovered my love for makeup when I was 14 and I started face painting for kids at my mum's toy shop on the weekends. I then did some work experience in the film industry makeup department and fell in love with it. I have now been working as a professional makeup artist for 9 years. I started creating looks on myself over lockdown to keep myself sane, and managed to grow a wonderful following, which has just made me fall in love with makeup all over again!
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created.
Probably my Voldemort look, I had a full face of prosthetics, bald cap, and contacts on.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I'm going to an Alcatraz-themed party so I will be dressing up as an escaped prisoner!
What was your inspiration for this look?
My inspiration was @the_wigs_and_makeup_manager on Instagram she does the craziest skull makeup looks. I initially got into makeup when beauty gurus on YouTube were becoming big around 2012/2013 and I got my first job so I could buy my own makeup products to play around with.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
My craziest looks are my celebrity transformations, I don't think I can pick just one. I transform myself into different celebrities every week.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
As for what I'm dressing up for Halloween I'm not sure, probably something last minute, I'm not a plan-ahead type of person, especially during covid!
What was your inspiration for this look?
Beetlejuice is a character I look forward to creating every year! For three years, I've been painting a different Beetlejuice-inspired makeup look during October, and this year I wanted to create a glam version. I used inspiration from fellow artists @abbyroberts & @fancyflutie to create this Beetle Babe.
How did you get into makeup?
I've loved makeup for as long as I can remember, but in 2018, my life was in a big transition period and I turned to my passion for makeup to provide a creative outlet. I started playing around with body paints and tried to replicate Halloween looks I found on Pinterest. I started an Instagram dedicated to my makeup, and did my first "31 Days of Halloween," and there was no looking back. I haven't put my brushes down since.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
The "craziest" look I've ever done has to be an optical illusion look that I did in 2019 that looks like a great white shark is eating my body! That one seems to freak everyone out.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
For Halloween this year, I plan to dress up as a feminine Chucky doll.
What was your inspiration for this look?
Heath Ledger Joker! He was an incredible actor and hands down my favourite Joker! Pulling up lots of reference images I tried to capture his quirks in my look!
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
The craziest look I've ever created… might be my Chucky look! Only because the hand-painted items of clothing on that piece took over 8 hours and the whole look took 10 hours to complete!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
For Halloween this year I will be pulling out the simple skull! Eyeliner and shadow and I'm good to go!
What was your inspiration for this look?
My inspirations for the looks were derived from favorite shows/animes! I tend to get the most inspiration through entertainment.
How did you get into makeup?
I got into makeup when I started middle school to fit in with the "popular girls", but later ended up using it as a way to stand out rather than fit in.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created.
I think the craziest look I ever did was when I transformed myself into Pinhead from Hellraiser. It took me HOURS, especially because the pins didn't want to stick.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I'm still indecisive about what I want to dress up as, but I'm thinking of either a Castlevania character or Jolyne from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure!
What was your inspiration for these looks?
I've always been someone who focuses on the little things such as always trying to look perfect, and this costume allowed me to get a bit messy and grungy without any fear of not feeling perfect.
How did you get into makeup?
I got into makeup when I was 15 after I discovered the art of drag, the beauty and grace they carried took my breath away and I never looked back.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
I've had a few crazy costumes but there was one year where I painted my entire body head to toe blue and glued rhinestones one by one on my whole face. I'm not sure what I was but it was one of the coolest, hardest looks I've ever done.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
This year I haven't had much time to think about it but I have a few ideas in mind… one being a bunny which is so original, I know. I was also thinking of being a cow because I look cow print, but we'll see what I'm feeling on Halloween!
How did you get into makeup?
As a little girl, I was not attracted to clothes, makeup, hair, or barbies. All I was dreaming about was basketball. When I turned 15 this came to an end. I started to follow Paris Hilton's style because she was my favorite personality. When I first put makeup on, inevitably It became an obsession.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created.
Last year, I transformed into a devil. Indeed, the power of face paint and eyeshadow turned me into an eye-catching monster walking on the streets.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I am trying to put together my Halloween makeup and costume. This year, I'm thinking of going as a dead queen killed by her husband in the 18th century coming up for revenge.
What was your inspiration for this look?
I was inspired by the amazing horror story called The Haunting of Bly Manor. The action is happening in the 17th century - Viola Willoughby haunts Bly Manor because her husband cheated on her with her sister. Viola got sick and ended up suffocating. Now she is back from death looking for revenge.
What was your inspiration for this look?
Back in 2014 when the Pop Art Makeup trend originated, 12 year old me dug out the old cheap, crusty, cream paints I had held onto from Halloween's past and recreated it to the best of my ability. That was my first true experience experimenting with makeup, and the Pop Art look has held a special place in my heart ever since.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
Every year since childhood, I've conceptualized a grand costume for Halloween. In my senior year of high school, I created a 1950's zombie diner waitress costume from scratch! It's forever been my favorite costume, most extravagant, and even won the costume contest at my high school for it!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
Aside from the 6 costumes created for my social media, my best friend and I are dressing up as the classic Daphne and Velma duo from Scooby-Doo!
What was your inspiration for this look?
Me and my sister, Charlotte Roberts, started the monster high trend last Halloween. It was heavily inspired by the monster high dolls. This year I was inspired by Operetta as a lot of people suggested it because I have red hair.
How did you get into makeup?
I always did makeup for Halloween whilst growing up and ended up being the designated makeup artist. When I got older, I joined social media and got inspired by many creators such as Nikki Tutorials and Jaclyn Hill.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
I did the look inspired by china plates and it took me so many hours! Literally, 14 hours to complete but was so worth it.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I don't have just one specific costume for Halloween. The whole month is dress-up at the Roberts' house. You can check my socials for all the looks I've done so far. I have so many more crazy looks planned.
What was your inspiration for this look?
I'm a big fan of the Monster High characters and did a series of looks based on them last year! So, I thought I would revisit this year with Draculaura!
How did you get into makeup?
I've been doing makeup for as long as I can remember, it originally started with me and my sister creating a YouTube channel together when I was nine. We both watched many beauty gurus on youtube and wanted to be like them.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
It's hard to say as I'm always trying to top what I've done before but I would have to say my corpse bride look from 2020. If I remember it took about ten hours (not including prop-making) and is probably one of my most complete transformations!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I don't want to give it away completely as I like to keep things a surprise but I will say she's a famous classic horror character!
What was your inspiration for this look?
As with many of my best looks, this look came to me when I was lying in bed half asleep. I wanted to convey the theme of an estranged lover, trying to prove their love to their significant other.
How did you get into makeup?
Makeup began to be a passion of mine around age 15. Being the only 'male' in our friend group at the time, my friends CONSTANTLY begged me to let them put makeup on me. I was hesitant about the idea at first, mostly because it took so long, but eventually, I gave in. When I looked in the mirror I was instantly in love with how I looked, it just felt so right. After a while, I began to play in makeup myself, and over time saw the true art it could be. The rest is history.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
Ahhh, this is a hard one, but I think it has to go to one of my recent Halloween looks. I recently did a look transforming myself into Aku from 'Samurai Jack'. For this look, I had to hand-cut pieces of black cardstock to create a headpiece similar to that of the character's, as well as hand-cut pieces of red vinyl for the flames on the character's eyes & beard. It was definitely one of the most time-consuming looks I've created, taking around 12-14 hours for the creation of props + makeup.
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
To be honest, I'm always SO indecisive when it comes to putting together a Halloween costume that I push it off until the very last minute. So this isn't set in stone, but my fiancé and I are contemplating on going out as Rose & Greg from Steven Universe. If we don't, we will probably just throw something simple & spooky together.
What was your inspiration for this look?
I'm doing a Disney Halloween collaboration with BlendBunny of Blend Bunny Cosmetics and this was my take on Jafar's genie!
How did you get into makeup?
I fell into makeup after I lost my last job. It helped me focus on feeling anything other than powerless.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
This look is my current favorite, it was the most technically challenging I've done in a long time! It's hard to make lightning look realistic!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I will proudly be dressing up as a third-year Gryffindor, with my Hufflepuff older sisters! We bought authentic uniforms to take with us to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Halloween this year!
What was your inspiration for these looks?
My inspiration for this super glam Halloween look is Marie Antoinette. She was a true icon of style and makeup in the 17th century. Her style was all frill, feathers, and bows which I love! It's a super fun transformation for Halloween and sure to turn heads at any party.
How did you get into makeup?
I got into makeup in my teenage years after getting my makeup done for proms/homecoming dances it sparked my interest. I loved watching YouTube tutorials late at night and practicing how to do a smokey eye on myself. I eventually decided to film a makeup video for fun. Fast forward to now where makeup is my career and I get to create looks every day. It's truly a dream to wake up and say this is my career. Makeup is my passion!
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
The craziest look I have ever created was an underwater mermaid look. I used a silicone modeling compound to create scales, tons of glitter, and a lot of SFX techniques to create the look. Definitely check It out on my YouTube channel!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
I will be dressing up as a skeleton this year. Since I have created multiple looks this month for social media - it's been Halloween every day for me! I usually will create something very simplistic to celebrate Halloween and pass out candy.
What was your inspiration for these looks?
I've always loved horror movies, especially the Saw films. In my opinion Jigsaw's mask is one of many iconic symbols within the horror/scary movie genre. This year for Halloween I wanted to recreate some of my favorite characters and Jigsaw was at the top of my list, but of course, I had to add a little glam to the overall look. (I was also inspired by a look that @vivid_lids did, however, I wanted to put my own twist on it!)
How did you get into makeup?
By accident, actually! When I was in college my best friend landed a role in a show and his character was a drag queen. When he told me about it he mentioned that he was nervous about getting into makeup for the show, so I had offered to get all glammed up with him in hopes that he would feel more comfortable. I was fascinated by the whole process and that was the moment that I fell in love with makeup!
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created.
This year I was extremely inspired by finger waves, but I wanted to put my own creative flare to it. So, I applied a bald cap and individually glued down crystals that resembled the hairstyle. It took a long time (9+ hours) but the end look was BEAUTIFUL. Hands down one of my most favorite/craziest looks!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
American Horror Story is one of my most favorite series, Hotel specifically. So, this year I am dressing up as The Countess (played by Lady Gaga)!
What was your inspiration for these looks?
This look is a recreation of Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad. I loved that they went back to her original black and red colors so I had to do it!
How did you get into makeup?
I got into makeup during my high school days. Never stopped since! But I definitely got better at it in my college days too.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
I feel like this might be the craziest look I've done since I'm wearing a full costume with a tight corset top underneath the jacket. I'm not too huge on doing outfits with my looks and especially wearing tight clothing cause I'm such a tomboy. But this costume was too good!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
For Halloween, I'm dressing up as Yelena Belova from the recent Black Widow movie cause it'll be cold out and I'll be comfortable in that cute vest she wears!
What was your inspiration for these looks?
The movie Coraline was my inspiration for this look. I love how the movie expresses the idea of alternate worlds, so I wanted to include the duality of that in this look.
How did you get into makeup?
I got into makeup by watching Michelle Phan tutorials when I was in 5th grade! I loved seeing her transform into different characters, and also create very simple looks that enhance one's natural features.
Tell me about the craziest look you have ever created?
The craziest look I have ever created was with some neon pigments. I experimented with the neons all over my face, and it looked awesome under black light!
Can you share what you're dressing up as for Halloween this year?
For Halloween this year, my best friend and I are dressing up as Lizzie McGuire and Isabella from the Lizzie McGuire movie!
- Benny Drama's Zodiac Signs as Halloween Costumes - PAPER ›
- 4 Rising Designers Sketch Their Fantasy Halloween Costumes ... ›
- An Old Barneys Store in New York Is Now a Halloween Shop - PAPER ›
- Meet TikTok's Tell-All Beauty King Kevin Kodra ›
- Velma Is Officially Confirmed as a Lesbian ›
- The Clermont Twins Go "Scary Movie" Sexy For Halloween ›