Step-By-Step Halloween 2016 Makeup Guide

Makeup is perhaps an older tradition than even Halloween itself. With origins dating back as far as 5,000 years ago, the first lipstick was used by the ancient Sumarian to decorate their faces, mainly on the lips and around the eyes. Of course we still use these practices today but we certainly have a lot more options available to us. What better way to show off your love for makeup or your movie like creativity skills than on Halloween. You don't have to be an expert to pull off a great costume this year. Makeup artist, Vito Palazzolo breaks it down for us step by step in an easy DIY makeup tutorial. Here are some of the most trend setting Halloween looks for this upcoming Halloween season.

Harley Quinn

• Start with a face and body cream in white and a foundation brush. Dab the cream onto the brush and with circular motions apply the cream generously all over your face for a pale look.
• Then take a damp beauty blender and with a jumbo white eyeliner pencil apply directly to the base (lid) of your eyes.
• Using a fluffy eye shadow brush, buff and blend the white liner all over the eye. This will give the shadow something to cling to so that your shadows come out nice and vibrant.
• Using a fluffy powder brush and an invisible powder, apply the powder all over the face to set the cream foundation.
• Then use a red eye shadow with a fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply to the base of your right eye. It doesn't have to be neat. Follow up with a bigger blending brush to buff the edges around the base (lid).
• To create tears apply red shadow under the eye with the same brush to create "tears" down the right side of your face. Pull the color down your cheek or desired length. Doesn't have to be neat.
• Next, using the same brush apply a black or maroon eye shadow color in the outer corner of your eyes to create a "smoky" effect. Follow up with a bigger blending brush to buff the color onto the lid using wind shield whipper motions.
• With a flat shadow brush, use the same red eyeshadow and apply in the middle of the lid with tapping motions closest to the lash line to create a vibrant hue. Apply under the eye as well. You can also use this brush and shadow to add more vibrant color to your "tear" marks.
• Repeat steps 5-8 on the left side of the eye with a blue eyeshadow. Instead of using maroon on the crease for step 7 use a black shadow.
  Take the flat shadow brush, black eyeshadow and apply to the upper and lower lash line. Follow up with a blending brush and buff out to outer corner of your eye.
• Moving on to the brows, use a brow pencil and follow the natural shape of your brow to create a defined brow to stand out against the pale makeup.
• Take your thumb and smudge the eye shadow colors outward on your face to make the look more worn and realistic looking.
• Finishing at the lips, use a red liquid lipstick and apply directly to the lip. Doesn't have to be perfect. Take the corner of your finger and smudge the lipstick outwards from the corners.
• Optional: Using a sparkly blue and red eyeshadow pat all over the eyes. Finish up with a blending brush to make it seamlessly blend into the existing eyeshadow.
• Apply a coat of mascara to the upper and lower lashes.
• Complete the look by using a liquid eye liner to draw a little heart onto your cheek.

Mermaid

• Before applying this technique, apply your foundation, contour, and brows and then proceed with the following steps.
• To start, use a cream eyeshadow in gold and apply the product with a large crease brush onto the eyelid.
• Apply a neutral tone with a fluffy blending brush to your crease while buffing and blending back and forth.
• Next, starting on the inner corner, apply a hot pink shadow with a fluffy blending brush all the way up to the brow and along the edge of your nose.
• Apply to the outside corners of your eyes as well and blend outwards toward your temples.
• On a duo fiber eyeshadow brush, apply an iridescent powder or shadow underneath the brow.
• Then, take a large fluffy eye shadow brush and apply a green or blue iridescent powder onto the high plains of the face ( top of the nose, above the brow, upper lip, cheek bones.) Don't be afraid to be heavy handed with the powder.
• Using a fluffy eyeshadow brush, apply a sparkly light pink eyeshadow onto the inner corners of your eye as well as a little in the center of the eye lid.
• With a blending brush, apply a teal colored eyeshadow into the outer corner of the eye. For a more intense blue apply a sparkly shade of blue atop of the previous blue.
• Next, going back to the hot pink color used in step 3, use the same brush to go over the outer corners to soften the edges.
• To create realistic fish scales, cut a strip of old fish nets and drape over your forehead. You can fasten the fish net still with bobby pins or have a friend help you with this step.
• Using a flat eye shadow brush, apply an aqua blue eye shadow over the fish net appliqué. Then layer another color on top. We suggest using a light green atop the previous blue to define the scales and give a realistic look.
• Repeat step 10 onto the contour area of your cheek bone to create another scale effect. Buff the same two colors onto your hairline to pull the scales together for a cohesive look.
• Finish with a fluffy brush and an iridescent high liter, tap of the excess, add atop of the green highlighter from earlier.
• Finally, using a big fluffy powder brush, use a shimmer white eyeshadow and brush/buff over the flat plains of your face.
• Take a small shadow brush and apply a cobalt blue color to the under eye back and forth in windshield wiper motions.
• Apply a coat of mascara to the upper and lower lashes.
• Complete the look with a chromatic beige lip cream.

Related: Best Halloween Costumes For Fall 2016

Skull

• Using a black crayon liner, start from the brow and "map" out the eye of the skull. Essentially your making circles around the eye. Then once you get to the brow, make an angry face and draw along your natural creases. This step doesn't have to be very neat because we'll be going back later and filling in more.
• "Map" out your skull nose by drawing a V in the middle of your nose and tracing down to create that hole in the face look. Go under the nose and up to the middle of the nose. Then carry the line down to your cupids bow to create the start of our teeth.
• Starting from the hairline by your ear follow the contour area of your cheek all the way across and curve down to the lip.
• At the top of your heads hairline (where the widows peak would be), draw a half circle so it looks as if you're wearing a mask and then add in some cracks so it looks as if your mask is decaying.
• To "map" out the teeth, draw straight lines, half the size of the one leading up to your nose, on the upper lip.
• Using a jet black cream, and a fluffy shadow brush, fill in all the areas of where there would be holes in a skull. Start with the eyes followed by the nose. Don't forget to get under the nose and edges of nostrils. Then apply the cream to the outer edges of where your "map" mask half circle is over by the hairline. Go in with the black right around the face line and enhance the "mapped" out line for a dramatic effect. For a cohesive look apply the cream at the hairline to connect the half circle to the face line.
• Next, using a white cream and an angled foundation brush, fill in the skull and start to clean up the black lines with the white. If you get a grey or streaky look that's okay you can always go back and layer more over the top. When you get to the mouth area use a small angled foundation brush for better precision. Apply the same white cream to the lower lip.
• Using a big fluffy powder brush and translucent setting powder, apply over all the painted areas to set the cream.
• With a blending brush, go in with a grey toned eye shadow and shade around the outside of the eye. Then continue to blend around the edges of the skull to give more depth. Next, apply above the brow lines to make an angry effect.
• Use a small detail brush and the same color on the edge of the nose "hole" to look more realistic. Again around the edge of the brows and eyes for an angry look. As well as where the black is in the teeth.
• Using a darker brown tone and a blending brush, further blend the edges and details on your skull more for a more dimensional look. In addition, buff back and forth above the eye brow.
• With the smaller detail brush and brown shadow, go back in to the areas you did before with the grey and further deepen those shadows.
• Follow up with a clean pencil brush and blend all those brown and greys to add greater definition.
• Using a bigger fluffy blending brush that's more pointed, use black eye shadow and go over those black cream areas. Start with the eyes as those are the most important because they move, then apply to all the edges of the skull.
• Using an angle brush and the black cream, go back in and redefine the teeth and draw straight lines downs. They don't have to be perfect. Then redefine the cracks in your skull. You can go in with a liquid liner for a more defined crack.
• Go back in with a blending brush and touch up any harsh lines for a more natural look all over the skull.
• Finish with a bright red liquid lipstick on the lower lip and buff it out below your mouth with your finger. Then add a darker shade of red liquid lipstick atop the brighter red for a realistic effect.

Vampire

• To start, use a fluffy blending brush and a grey toned eye shadow. Sweep the shadow under the eye to enhance your eyes natural "bags." When finished, apply the same color on the top of your eye lid to create a hollow effect.
• Next, use a darker brown shade with grey undertones and with the same brush buff the shadow onto the eye lid and under eye.
• With the same brush apply a burgundy color to the inner and outer corners of the eye. Then apply the color from the inner corner to below the eye to create a "dark circle" effect.
• Next, take a bright red eye shadow and again with the same brush layer over the burgundy color and blend into the inner corners of the eye.
• With a small eye shadow brush, use black eye shadow and apply to the upper lash lines of the eye.
• For a "bloody" effect, take a bright red liquid lipstick and from the inner and outer corners of the eye create "tears" that extend down to the cheek bones or desired length. Use your finger to smudge the "tears" for a realistic effect. Then, take a darker burgundy liquid lipstick and apply atop of the tears for a more dynamic look.
• Using a black eye liner pencil, line the lower lash line of the eye for more definition.
• Inside of the eye on the waterline, use a red eyeliner pencil to give your vampire a blood thirsty look.
• Going back to step 4, use the same brush and bright red color and apply under the eye.
• Using the same liquid lipstick from step 6, apply directly to the lip and smudge with your fingers below the lip onto the jaw.
• Apply fangs if desired.
• Optional: Add contour for a more traditional hollowed out look Vampire.

Zombie

• Using an old brush and duo eye lash glue, apply a small amount onto your hand and with the brush apply to the desired area where your wound will be.
• Next take a single piece of toilet paper, make sure there are no hard edges, and apply directly onto the glue. Add another layer of glue around the edges. Layer on more toilet paper around the edges to make your desired wound shape. Apply more glue on top.
• With a fluffy blending brush, use a maroon eye shadow color and apply on the upper eye and below the eye where the eye naturally forms a "bag."
• With the same brush, use a bright red eye shadow and layer atop of the maroon color for a "sick" look.
• Next, take a stippling brush and with a darker cream concealer, tap and blend color around the hairline and high plains of the face (forehead, nose, cheek bones, upper lip.) Follow up with a yellow toned concealer and blend below the eyes.
• Using the same blending brush from step 3, apply a burgundy eye shadow under the eye and then layer a little black eye shadow onto the top and bottom eye. Take your thumb and smudge the eye shadow outwards so it looks a bit more messy.
• Use a super fine liner brush, take a blueish green shadow and apply fine lines around the lower eye and pull down to create veins. Draw some additional veins around the wound to make it look "infected" as well. With the same brush apply a darker shade of green atop the existing color for a more dimensional look. You can use an aqua greenish color with the same brush to add more depth to the veins as well as a little red eye shadow.
• Use your thumb to blend out the edges to make the veins look like they're disappearing into the skin.
• Going back the wound, take a pair of tweezers and rip a hole into the toilet paper. Pull in a couple of different directions. Peel the paper back for an open wound effect and create desired shape.
• Using a bright red liquid lipstick, fill the inner part of the wound. Doesn't have to be neat.
• With a small fluffy eye shadow brush, use a brown color eye shadow with grey undertones to apply on the wound to give it a "dirty" effect. Rub your fingers over the edge of the wound to smudge the eye shadow and to create texture. Follow up with a green color and apply around the open wound to create a "bruise." Then layer over the green the yellow cream concealer from step 5. Blend with your finger.
• With the dark brown concealer from step 5, apply with the same fluffy eye shadow brush from step 10 and add to the edges of the open wound areas.
• Next, go in with a fine detail brush and with some black eye shadow layer around the edges for a "rotting corpse" look. Keep going back with more of the green and grey to blend over for a cohesive look.
• For the inner part of the open wound, go back in with a slightly darker red liquid lipstick and apply to the center.
• For the lips, use a bright red liquid lipstick and apply directly to the upper and lower lips. Use your fingers to smudge all over your jaw and down to the neck. Follow up with a darker red liquid lipstick and layer atop of the bright red for a more dimensional look.
• Returning to the wound, use a black eye shadow on a pencil brush and shade in darker areas around the wound.
• With a deep red gloss, apply atop the black and to the inner parts of the wound for a "Wet" effect. As well as a little on the lip area.
• With the same stippling brush from earlier, apply a little black shadow and tap onto the outer lip areas. You can use your finger to blend.

Related: How To Turn Your Home Into A Haunted House

Merissa Principe is a teacher and a freelance travel blogger from NYC. Teaching early childhood education has provided Merissa an opportunity to travel all over the world and live in new places. Be sure to follow her at Citygirlriss.wordpress.com for all things travel, beauty, fashion and New York City.

Vito Palazzolo has been a professional makeup artist for 11 years. He currently works at Anastasia Beverly Hills and is all about being creative and getting the most out of everything he does. You can follow him on instagram for even more makeup looks @vitoOo