Planning to dress up as a vampire for Halloween or just looking for a way to scare your neighbors? Learn how to put on makeup so that you look like a bloodthirsty immortal who hates garlic and glows in the sun.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Gather your supplies
Step 1. Have blood and fake fangs handy
You can buy them at a costume store. The most essential elements of a vampire costume are vampire fangs and fake blood. You can find fangs and fake blood as a set at a costume store or in the Halloween section of a large store like Walmart.
- If you prefer, you can also make your own vampire fangs. You can make them using false nails, a straw, acrylic gel, or a plastic fork.
- Most vampire fangs in stores come with a way to hold them in the mouth or attached to the upper teeth, such as tooth glue or an adjustable mold. Make sure the fangs come with some kind of adhesive included.
- You can also make your own fake blood from basic household supplies if you want to make the costume entirely.
- You can even do this step if you wear braces. It will take a little more work, as you will have to do these on your own to work with the braces. You can use orthodontic wax, if you have it, or use denture glue for a longer lasting result.
Step 2. Find a foundation that makes your skin look pale
To really get the vampire look, you will need to make your skin look very pale. You can do this by using a foundation that is one to two shades paler than usual, or by using a pale face paint.
The shade of the foundation will depend on your skin tone. If you already have a pale skin tone, you may not need to use as much foundation. If you have a darker skin tone, you may need to use a very pale foundation to make your skin appear lighter
Step 3. Choose between a detailed makeup or a simple one
The amount of makeup that you will use on the rest of your face, such as the eyes and mouth, will depend on the vampire look you have in mind. If you are looking for a more glamorous vampire look, you may decide to apply dramatic eye makeup and lipstick. But if you're short on time and are looking for a scarier vampire look, keep your makeup simple and minimal.
- You can also take into account the rest of the vampire costume, such as the clothes and hair. If you plan to dress up in a dramatic wardrobe and a dark wig, you may want to go for the glamorous look. If you are keeping your wardrobe simple, you may want to go for simple makeup.
- For more dramatic eye makeup, you will need makeup brushes and sponges, as well as a palette containing black, red, purple, and gray.
Part 2 of 2: Applying Makeup
Step 1. Start with a very pale foundation or white face paint
Wash and dry your face to make it a clean canvas. Using a makeup sponge or clean fingers, apply a layer of makeup that is lighter than your skin tone on your forehead, cheeks, and under your chin. Spread it so that it covers your entire face, but leaves the area around the eyes and lips exposed.
- You can also use white face paint and apply it with a makeup sponge. To achieve the ideal vampire look, you will need to look very pale as dead.
- It is recommended that you put the makeup base on your neck and chest, especially if these areas will be exposed when you put on the vampire costume.
- To give your face more definition, you can apply a light gray paint or foundation under your cheekbones and jawline to make your face look more hollow and skeletal.
Step 2. Use a pressed powder to set the foundation or paint
To keep your foundation or face paint in place, use a pressed powder in a very pale shade. You can use a brush to spread the powder over your face or apply it with a makeup sponge.
Step 3. Put on an eyeshadow and brow liner
Start by making your brows look more dramatic with a black eyeliner or black eyeshadow. Apply brow liner or eyeshadow to your brows with a makeup brush. This will help highlight your eyeshadow and liner and give you a more pronounced look.
- Then use purple eyeshadow to create dramatic circles under the eyes. Apply the purple eyeshadow on your lids, under the eyebrows, and under the eyes with a makeup brush. Don't be afraid to make the circles show up on your face, they are part of the dead look after all.
- You can also use a red eyeshadow to give your look a bloodier look. Initially, apply black eyeshadow to your lids, making the shadow appear darker on the inner lids. Then, put a red eyeshadow on the black of your lids so that it is just below the eyebrows. Combine the red eyeshadow with the black one a bit. To complete the look, put the red shadow under your eyes to make them look creepy and dead-like.
Step 4. Use a black eyeliner and mascara
Finish off your eye makeup by applying a black eyeliner along the waterline, which is the line under the eye, and blending it in with a makeup brush. Put black eyeliner on the upper eye line and smudge it too. The eyeliner should look faded and blurred with the eyeshadow.
- For a glamorous vampire look, you can choose to create wings with the eyeliner. Use a small, thin makeup brush to draw the wing liner upward on each side of the eyes. You can then darken this wing shape with more eyeliner and blend it with a black eyeshadow.
- You can also apply black mascara to your lashes. This will make your eyes look dark and intense. If you prefer, you can also add black false eyelashes for a more dramatic vampire look.
Step 5. Use lip makeup
Once you have completed the eye makeup, you can move on to the lips. For a dramatic effect, give them a blood red look by using a red lipstick or red lip gloss.
- Before applying lipstick, use a lip liner to make the lipstick stay in place. Next, apply the red lipstick to your lips, making sure to cover them evenly.
- You can also use the lip brush to make your lips red. Start by covering them with lip liner and then use a makeup brush to apply the red gloss.
Step 6. Put on some white contact lenses
You can buy white contact lenses at your local drugstore or costume store. They are not required for the vampire costume, but they will make you look scarier and dead.
- Vampires are often depicted with eye color ranging from soft dark gray to blood red (if they are very hungry). If you prefer, you can get contact lenses that also change the color of the iris to one of these, or any other color in between.
- Insert contact lenses with clean fingers. Avoid smudging eye makeup when putting on your glasses.
Step 7. Complete the look with fangs and fake blood
Complete the vampire makeup by donning some fangs and fake blood. Use the adhesive on the fangs to attach them to the mouth or teeth.
- Put on the fake blood by holding the tube open by one corner of your lips. Let the blood that comes out of the tube slide down your chin and dry. With clean fingers, smudge it slightly at the corner of your mouth to make it look more realistic.
- Repeat the same process on the other side to make it look like you have two long drops of blood in your mouth. Blood will help you look like a more convincing and terrifying vampire.