Most sane twenty-somethings (or thirty-somethings) have no intention nor desire to spend $50 or more on a cheaply made costume that they’ll wear once and then store in the back of their closet, never to see the light of day again. Roughly the same amount of twenty- and thirty-somethings also don’t have the creativity or time to handcraft their own costume.
But with Halloween right around the corner, it’s about that time to nail down a hard game plan for October 31, and here’s the perfect solution for all of you time-strapped, student loan-paying off people: Look no further than your makeup bag (and maybe some face paint) for a perfect costume of Halloween beauty.
Here are five cosmetic-centric ideas that will make you the hit of the night.
Deer
Are you caught in the headlights, or is that just a spotlight on you? Regardless, all eyes will be on you with this easy to put together costume. Crack out your contouring kit to create a furry look, and use concealer for the Bambi dots.
Liquid eyeliner will give you that perfect snout, and some definition on your lips. Make your eyes look as big as possible with fake eyelashes and Twiggy-inspired drawn-on lower lashes, and line your eyes with white eye shadow. Finish off your look by sticking some branches in your hair, throw on a brown shirt, and voila! You’re a doe-eyed beauty.
Skeleton
Just like ghosts and pumpkins, skeletons are a time-tested Halloween classic. So why tamper with tradition?
For this costume, you’ll need to pick up a face painting kit (that’s still cheaper than a full-blown, three-piece outfit). On the bright side, you only need two colors (white and black), and a picture for reference.
You can wear dark clothing and keep your face the main focus, paint white bones on a black shirt or leggings, or get full bonus points for going full body paint for the night.
Porcelain Doll
Who doesn’t love a Halloween costume that makes you look and feel pretty all night? Look no further than this darling idea.
The key here is super pale skin, achieved by either white face paint or the palest foundation you can find. Add an obnoxious amount of blush, both bright and obsessively circular, and a defined and plump pout. Finish off with drawn on lashes and wide eyes.
Throw on the girliest dress with the fullest skirt you own, opaque white tights and Mary-Janes. Finally, set your hair in curls that would put even Shirley Temple to shame, complete with a bow.
Pop Art
Who doesn’t love some good Lichtenstein art? The best part about this costume is the clothes don’t really matter (although you can’t go wrong with ’50s era garb), because the makeup will speak for itself.
The key is to draw attention to certain features, like the jawline and the line of the nose, and fill in your coloring with little dots. Pick your angle for the night, which will help you make sure your illustrated lines make sense on your face. When all is said and done you’ll be the liveliest animation of the night!
Mermaid
What girl hasn’t wanted to be a mermaid at one point or another?
To get this awesome look, focus your color palette on greens and blues. Think blue lipstick, green eyebrows, and purple contouring. Take the look up a notch by attaching plastic jewels to your face with eyelash glue, and tint your long, wavy locks with temporary hair dye in a rainbow of colors.
Add a bikini top and some sequin pants and you’ll be the hottest thing in mermaids since Ariel grew legs.