Whether you’re really into the Halloween aesthetic, or you’re headed out to a Halloween party, there are plenty of looks you can try without looking spooky or gory.
This year, we’re expecting pop culture to dominate Halloween costume ideas, and the good thing is that a lot of the looks can be put together last minute, and are actually pretty easy to master. In fact, plenty of the Halloween costumes we expect to see this year are actually pretty or trendy (can anyone say Euphoria?!).
Here’s how to nail this season’s hottest Halloween looks using regular makeup products.
Wednesday Addams
Addams Family fans have to wait a little longer for the much-anticipated new series starring Jenna Ortega to hit Netflix, but Wednesday Addams is set to be a popular look this Halloween. Perfect her moody appearance with an all-black outfit, her signature braids, dark makeup and black nails.
Get eyes a la Wednesday by applying a dark eyeshadow across your entire eyelid. wet n wild Color Icon Eyeshadow in Envy (R49.95) is a dark green-grey that suits all eye colours. For definition, line your top eyelids with a black liquid liner like wet n wild H20 Proof Liquid Eyeliner (R84.95), and master Wednesday’s strong eyebrows by filling yours with a good quality eyebrow pomade in dark shade. We recommend wet n wild Ultimate Brow Pomade (R119.95).
Wednesday’s makeup isn’t complete without a dark matte lippie. Any shade of dark red, plum or even black will do. wet n wild’s Megalast Matte Lipstick in Cherry Bomb (R104.95) is flattering on all skin tones and glides on effortlessly thanks to its creamy formula.
Round off the look with dark red or black nails. If you enjoy painting your nails, try wet n wild Shine Nail Color in Black Crème (R37.95). It dries quickly and offers an unbeatable shine. If natural-looking falsies are your thing, we highly recommend Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails in Whatever Red (R175.00). These dark red stick-on nails give you an amazing gel effect and an ultra-smooth finish.
Euphoria
If you’ve watched Euphoria, you’ll know that all of the female characters offer gorgeous Halloween makeup inspo. The clever use of eyeliner, glitter, embellishments and colourful eyeshadows resulted in iconic makeup looks, and best of all is that a few simple makeup steps and your best Y2K outfit is all it takes to be instantly recognizable.
One of the most famous makeup looks from the show is Zendaya’s glitter tears in season 1. This look is much simpler to recreate than you may think – all you need is a glitter eyeshadow. wet n wild’s Color Icon Eyeshadows in Glitter Brass (R51.95) and Glitter Nudecomer (R51.95) are our top picks. It is highly pigmented and long-lasting, meaning your tears will stay in place all night long. We recommend using a thin brush (like an eyeliner brush) to apply this creamy formula. There are no hard and fast rules here, except to go big, and to keep it weighted under the eyes.
If bright colours are more your thig, you’re in luck, because just about every character wears a neon or bold eyeshadow at some point. The bolder, the better, and with this you can really go all out – pair a cat eye with bright eyeshadow or mix clashing colours for a rainbow look. Eyeshadow palettes are a good option when you need more than one colour. Try wet n wild 10 Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Heart and Sol (R179.95), for warm pinks and pastels or Call Me Sunshine (R179.95) for golds and glitters.
Another striking makeup element in the show is the manicures. Think bold, bright, prints and glitter. For ease, we recommend applying good quality stick-on nails, as it’s quite tricky to create patterns or prints using nail tools and polish.
Kiss imPress Press-On Manicures offer gel nails that look and feel like your own nails – and no glue is needed! These false nails are chip-proof, smudge-proof and require no dry time. The range features a wide variety of colours and designs. We recommend Memories (R200.00), a combo of bright red and gold glitter and Fine Lines (R200.00), shades of pink featuring glitter, lines and gemstones.
Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails are ready-to-wear gel nails with an amazing gel effect and ultra-smooth finish. Simply remove adhesive tabs by gently peeling off nail from sides, and the nails are ready to wear. We recommend To The Max (R185.00), a white, pink and glitter set, and Rock Candy (R170.00), a pretty nude and glitter combo.
Marilyn Monroe
The controversial Netflix show Blonde, a fictional take on Marilyn Monroe’s life, is the only excuse we need to indulge in her iconic beauty look this Halloween. Known for sultry eyes, a flawless complexion, red lipstick and her iconic blonde hair, there is no doubt that there will be a couple of Marilyn’s at Halloween this year.
To master Marilyn’s beauty look, begin with a flawless foundation application. Build your favourite foundation until all imperfections are covered and be sure to blend well so that you end up with a smooth finish. We recommend wet n wild Photo Focus Foundation (R139.95) but now (R99.00!) All foundations for R99 till 17th November! This high-performing, skin-perfecting foundation underwent testing under seven different photo lighting conditions to deliver flawless camera-ready makeup every time and has a matte, light-diffusing complex to give your skin no-filter perfection.
Next up are the eyes – Marilyn didn’t wear heavy eye makeup, but always wore a thin line of black liner along her top lash line and she had long, thick lashes. Line your top lash line with wet n wild Proline Felt Tip Eyeliner in Black (R89.95) and then apply a set of false lashes of your choice. Kiss Magnetic Lashes in Faux Mink (R250.00) are dense, dark and flirty. Used with Kiss Magnetic Eyeliner, these lashes stay in place all day long and are ultra-easy to apply.
Marilyn was seldom seen without her signature red lips. We think wet n wild Megalast Matte Lipstick in Sexpot Red (R104.95) is the perfect shade to complete your look. And don’t forget her famous beauty spot on her lower left cheek. Simply tab a spot using your eyeliner pencil (wet n wild’s Color Icon Khol Liner Pencil in Baby’s Got Black, R27.95, does the trick).
Doing your own hair? You’ll need plenty of volume to pull of Marilyn’s famous style. Did you know that dry shampoo does not just soak up grease and oil, leaving your hair looking freshly-washed, but it also helps pump up the volume? We recommend a few spritzes of Colab Dry Shampoo (R99.99) for added volume.
