This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Halloween might seem so far away, but that ish will sneak up on you faster than you can say candy corn. And, since we take particular pride in our creative-costume prowess (there’s a raging competition in our office each October 31), we’re here to help. We don’t think you need to drop a ton of dough on a pre-packaged (and frankly, kind of cookie-cutter) costume — all you really need for a look that wows is somemakeup know-how and a few inventive accessories.
So, we paired up with Make Up For Ever and makeup artist Jen Evans for an epic Halloween beauty DIY that’ll help you create three awesomely awe-inspiring characters: The Hunger Games’ Effie Trinket, rapper Azealia Banks, and The Great Gatsby’s Daisy Buchanan. Check out these crazy-cool transformations, learn how to recreate them at home, and get ready to cause some of your own thrills and chills on All Hallow’s Eve.
We know we’re going to be seeing plenty of Katniss’ this Halloween — she is, after all, the kick-ass heroine of the year — but we’re going for something a little more extreme than a bow and arrow and braid. We briefly considered trying a Peeta-camouflaged-as-a-rock look, but after careful consideration, decided Elizabeth Banks’ Effie Trinket was going to be our Hunger Games
For this look, Evans focused on the color, choosing a vivid fuchsia for the lids and lips, which was accented by hints of purple and some funky faux lashes.
“Effie’s look reflects her eccentric, luxurious style,” says Evans. “We started with the skin to capture the nuances of the look.” Here, she mixed a white pigment with a light foundation to create a pale flesh tone on Tara’s exposed skin — face, neck, and ears. She then set the foundation with a matte, translucent loose powder.
Using a bright pink powder blush, Evans applied the color on the cheeks in an upward motion, wrapping it up and around the eyes. The color from the cheeks will blend into the color of the eyes to intensify that eccentric effect.
Apply Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #6 — a classic pink — on the lids, blending the color up to the eyelids.
Apply Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow #75 — a neon pink — to the entire eyelid, including under the brow, and the inner corner of the eye. “Carry this color from the outer corner of the eye down onto the cheeks, then blend to diffuse the edges,” says Evans.
Be sure to blend the color all the way up into the brow, so there are no gaps of white skin peeking through.
Apply the pink shadow in a soft line beneath the lash line, connecting it to the color on top at the outer corner of the eye.
Using a plum shadow, apply the color to the outer corner of the eye, blending towards the middle of the eyelid. Evans says that pink and purple shadows should blend together flawlessly — there should be no harsh, defined lines.
Repeat the prior step using a brighter purple hue, making sure to blend the color above the plum in an upwards and outwards direction. Evans says to be sure to connect the shadow under the lower lash line, pulling it up and out to create a lifted effect.
Use a black gel or cream liner, create a thin black line that follows the shape of the eye. Be sure to work the color into the lash line, so there are no gaps.
Apply false lashes — the crazier, the better. We used the same lashes the makeup team for The Hunger Games used on Banks — paper lashes byPaperself. We’re obsessed with the intricate, breathtaking designs of these delicate fringes, which come in full lash strips or half strips.
After the lashes have been affixed and the glue is dried, go over the line with your black liner to blend the seam of the lashes into your natural lash line.
Evans then applied Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner in hot pink #16C. First she lined the lips, then connected the top and bottom lips, filling in the rest of Tara’s mouth with a bright pink lipstick.
Using a brush, apply a dark purple eyeshadow (the same one you used on your eyes) to the very center of the mouth, closest to the teeth. Evans suggests concentrating the color on the middle and then blending it outwards on the lip, so it gradually fades out.
Add a jewel-tone stole, matching blouse, a cotton-candy colored wig, and a fascinator. Now, you’ve nailed the over-the-top amazingness that is Effie Trinket.
Nicky Minaj who? These days we’re all about the fabulous rhymes of one Azealia Banks. Her controversy-courting rhymes and edgy style make her an ideal character to masquerade as this Halloween. If anyone asks you who you’re supposed to be, you can just scream “212!”, flip ’em the bird, and walk away. It’s ok — you’re just in character.
The key to mastering Azealia’s look, which for this DIY we based off of her controversial, banned-in-seven-countries Dazed cover shoot is to focus on hyper-metallic, duo-chrome eyes and balance it out with a neutral lip.
Since you’ll be working with super-pigmented shadows, Evans recommends applying extra powder underneath your eye to catch any fallout. “The powder will cradle the eyeshadow particles and can be gently swept away with a brush when the eyes are complete.” Apply Aqua Cream in #2 to the lid of the eye.
Using a large fluffy brush, apply a pink blush to the apples of the cheeks.
Apply teal shadow on the eyelid and blend into the crease.
Using a darker teal powder, apply the shadow to the outer corner of the eyelid.
Connect the dark teal shadow on the outer corner with your lower lash line by extending the color down below the eye. Continue lining all the way underneath the eye until you reach the inner corner.
Line your upper and lower lash line with a black liner, making sure to wiggle the color into your lashes and on the inner rims.
Using a super-sparkly metallic silver, push the color into the inner corner of the eyelid and wrap it just under the lower lash line. Blend the edges for a hazy effect.
Thicken up the brows with some brow powder to create a more defined, dramatic shape.
Apply mascara to the lashes — top and bottom.
Glue on voluminous false lashes.
Blend your eyeliner and your false lashes by going over the edge of the lashes with a black gel or cream liner.
Line the lips with a pinky-nude lip pencil, then fill in the lips with a matching lipstick, preferably one with a glossy finish like Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense in #49.
Add a few colorful highlights (we like Sultra‘s rainbow of clip-in options), some heavy-metal accessories, and a bit of cheeky attitude. You’re all set to rock the (Halloween) party.
Carey Mulligan’s channeling of The Great Gatsby‘s Daisy Buchanan was our inspiration for the last look. This Roaring ’20s look features classic makeup enhanced by glitzy accessories for a retro-glam feel.
Evans broke down this look in to three main components: an exaggerated cat-eye, show-stopping red lip, and faux beauty mark.
To start, contour the cheek using a matte bronzer to fake that high, sculpted cheek look.
Use a brush to apply a matte, warm brown shadow to the crease and outer corner of the eye.
Apply a tawny-brown shadow to the outer corner of the eye and underneath the lower lash line.
Be sure to connect the two colors at the outer corner, blending the hues to create a seamless shade transition.
Use a large, fluffy brush to blend the crease color, making it soft and diffused.
Using a small, slanted brush, apply a black cream liner to the middle of the eyelid. Evans says this will help you determine the thickness of your liner. Place the brush on the outer corner of your eye, so the shorter point reaches the lower water line and the longer point aims towards the outer corner of the brow. Without movement, lift your brush. “This will be your guide for eyeliner placement,” says Evans. Repeat on the opposite side of your eye. With your eyes open and not pulling on the corners, extend the liner from the outer corner of the crease to the mark you just made. Connect the liner with the line you made at the middle of the lid. Do the same with the other eye, then tilt your head back and look in the mirror to place the liner on the inner corner of the eyelid, pulling the color towards the outer corner to connect it with that middle line. Repeat on the other eye and you will have two perfectly symmetrical, non-shaky lines.
Fill in your brows with a brow powder, so they look thick and lush.
Curl your lashes.
Line your inner rims with a white pencil to brighten up the eyes and make the dramatic liner pop even more.
Apply a liberal amount of volumizing mascara on the top and bottom lashes.
Use a brown eyeliner or lipliner pencil to draw in a beauty mark just below the outer corner of your lip. Choose whichever side you prefer. Evans says to roll the tip of the pencil back and forth to make a believable mark.
Line the lips with a deep crimson liner. Evans has a three-step system she swears by for the perfect red lip: Line the bow of the upper lip, the middle of the bottom lip, then place liner on the outer corner of the lip and pull it in to meet the middle line on your top and bottom lip.
Use a lip brush to apply a crimson lip color. To make it last well past midnight, Evans says to dip your finger in translucent powder and push it into the lip color to make it last.
To complete the look, tuck your hair under (in a faux-bob) and pin a beaded necklace in place. This pretty style is the perfect option for someone who wants to dress up, but doesn’t want to go too crazy with their costume.
Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh
Makeup by Jen Evans for Make Up For Ever; Models Tara Rasmus, Lacroix Scott, Saira Zia
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