Vampire makeup is all about sharp angles. From a bold cheekbone contour to precisely shaped eyebrows, everything is chiseled to the very last bit. Applying a bloody matte lip and dotting on a false beauty mark isn’t too difficult…but those vampy eyes? Often, nothing in makeup is more challenging than nailing that perfect smoky look. With Halloween around the corner, the shadowy smolder is a style that goes with almost every costume. Here is your guide to getting it right.
Because eye makeup can be messy, be certain you do it before your other makeup. Doing eyes later on could potentially mean messing up your foundation. To begin, take an eyelash curler and pinch your upper lashes tightly to create long, high sweeps. Then, use an eyelash enhancer and coat both your top and bottom lashes heavily, focusing on the tips for defined length. Next, take a tube of mascara in the deepest shade of black you have and begin layering. Three coats of the product is typically a good amount for costume makeup. (If you desire, pop on a little extra. Spidery fake eyelashes, like the ones model Karlie Kloss is sporting in the picture above, add an extra oomph to the face.)
The next thing you’ll want to reach for is a shade of under-eye concealer that is just a shade or two lighter than your skin in that area. Take the under-eye concealer and apply it to your eyelid, working it in from the inner corners to the far corners and up the brow bone. When you are finished, you should have a pale base across your upper eye area on which to then apply eyeshadow.
And now for the daunting part…
For Halloween themed looks, stick with darker, cool-toned colors. A good combination for our Karlie-inspired vampire makeup would be a heavy shade of black, a smokier shade of charcoal-grey, and a medium-to-light taupe color. Use the black to darken the crease of your eyelid. This adds dimension to the smoldering artwork. Next, take the grey shade and brush it outwards and upwards. (Start in the middle and travel towards the outer corner, and up the brow bone at the same time.) However, drop the grey brush before you actually reach the outer corner. For the outer third of the eyelid, swap the grey for the shade of soft taupe. Use this to taper off the edges, giving the smokiness an elongated, fading effect.
For the bottom portion of your eyes, sweep the taupe coated brush underneath the bottom eyelashes. Then, swapping back to your grey brush, darken the outer corner of your bottom lashes, sweeping upwards at the end and blending the color into the outer corner of the upper lid. This technique leaves a feminine, cat-like effect. To elongate the eye from the other side, dab highlighter in the inner corners.
As a final touch, chose a creamy eyeliner in a dark grey shade. Smudge it outwards to create a wing-like effect. Blending the eyeliner outwards and into the eyeshadow will enhance the elongated shape you created before. Once you’ve finished, don’t forget the important step of retouching your mascara. Because eyeshadow powder often sticks to eyelashes, use one coat of mascara to reblacken them. Now, take a look in the mirror. Your eyes are ready for a night out.Â