It's September, which means that Halloween is creeping up on us very soon! Now's the time to start thinking about your costume, whether it be scary, cute, funny or a mix of all three! Of course, when you're organising what to wear, it's important to think about your makeup, too. It's the perfect time for those amateur (and not-so amateur) MUAs and SFX artists to show off their skills and really go all out.
When looking for Halloween makeup inspo, our first point of call is always the blogger community. These guys are insanely talented, possess unmatched creativity, and aren't afraid to really go for it. We're always constantly floored by the cool looks they come up with, including everything from Shaaanxo's rainbow zipper face tutorial (4.4 million views and counting!) to James Charles' Insta-famous Mad Hatter.
Our Fave Blogger Looks From Halloween 2016
Last year's Halloween was no exception when it comes to wacky, weird and wonderful blogger looks. We've rounded up last year's smash hits for your consideration this Halloween season--whether you're planning on rejigging an old fave, or looking for something new to bring to the party, these stellar attempts are sure to give you the inspiration you need to do so.
Nicole Guerriero -- Demented Fortune Teller
Albeit quite low-key for Nicole, this demented fortune teller look from last year's Halloween is a total stand out for us! It's the perfect creepy costume for those who love makeup, but aren't feelin' a full SFX-heavy look on the night. A little face painting, some gold lips and cold contouring helps to give her a possessed vibe without requiring you to spend hours creating a face using latex or heavy-duty paints.
Use a grey-based shadow to carve out the cheekbones for a little sunken definition in the face. A red liner, lipstick or shadow can be dragged down from the lower lash line in vein-like strokes with a thin brush, creating the illusion of extremely bloodshot eyes. Top everything off with coloured contacts and a complementary lip of your choice--go for bold or unusual colours for that odd, mismatched vibe.
Shaaanxo -- Zombie Makeup Addict
If you're a regular Instagram addict then you surely spotted the 'baddie' trend of 2016. Consisting of 'on-fleek' makeup, complete with sharp contouring and bright highlighting, Insta baddies are known for wearing 'sports luxe' brands like Adidas and are definitely the type to sport a dangly pom-pom statement earring. Now that you've got someone in mind (don't deny it!), peep NZ beauty queen Shaaanxo's insane interpretation of the trend.
To give her baddie look an infected zombie edge, Shannon has repurposed an old makeup sponge and adhered it to her chin with some liquid latex. This easy-to-use SFX tool is key if you're wanting to give the effect of wounds or dripping skin--keep an eye out for our tutorial using liquid latex in the lead up to the big night! Dabbling some green and yellow around the wound gives Shannon's look a festering feel. She's also kept up the baddie theme with unblended contour and highlight--after all, zombie Shan has probably been more preoccupied with her decaying flesh rather than buffing out her base.
Chrisspy -- Gangster Clown
With the remake of Stephen King's "It" hitting cinemas recently, we're convinced clowns will be downright everywhere this Halloween--and those of us with clown phobias will be staying firmly indoors as a result. If you don't want to go for the traditional white face and red cheeks combo, though, this tutorial from mega-babe Chrisspy might be the one for you. It's simple, sultry and has that scary edge without any blood or gore.
Create Chrisspy's look by starting ultra-simple--do your makeup like it's any other day, buffing out a natural layer of foundation and defining the eyes and brows. Once you've applied the glam face of your choosing, it's time to add in the gangster clown elements. With a grey or black shadow, begin to carve out the designs, including a heart around the eye and a mask-like section over the lip area. You can add depth to this by working in other colours and blending out, building up the pigment as desired. Then, simply pop on some vampy red lipstick and you're good to go--it's honestly that simple.
Glam & Gore -- Dark Fairy
Glam & Gore, AKA Mykie, is the queen of SFX on YouTube for a reason--she's innovative, on-trend, and definitely knows her stuff. She's created some of the most skilful, spooky Halloween tutorials throughout the years using her enviable expertise, but we've got to pick out 2016's Dark Fairy look as (one) winner. This look might seem a little intimidating for the average gal or guy trying to amp up their Halloween look, but we promise you'll be able to recreate it with some dedication and patience.
The focus of this look are the fairy's eyes, which are covered with a layer of dripping skin (ew?!). Grab out your handy liquid latex again to create these, adding in some cotton wool to give the pieces of 'skin' thickness. Then, it's just a matter of painting your entire body in whichever fairy-like colours you think will work, and overdosing on the glitter. You can totally mimic this look without the creepy eye area, too--replace the hollowed-out sockets with a different coloured contact and a glittery cut crease eye look.
There you have it--our fave Halloween blogger looks from 2016. We're so excited to see the creative makeup ideas they come up with this year--stay tuned for a wrap up when it's all over!
Don’t forget to check out the Theatrical & Halloween section within our RY MUA Shop for the best brands and products to use when creating your Halloween looks! Happy spooking, guys and ghouls!