40 Halloween Eye Makeup Ideas That Are Actually Easy to Execute

No costume? No problem.

halloween makeup ideas, a trio of photos of three women wearing heavy makeup
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

If there’s one time of year where procrastination is *extra* acceptable, it’s Halloween. Because while you can by all means take a trip to Party City or Spirit Halloween weeks in advance for a full-body Halloween costume, a well-stocked makeup bag always has your back (well, face) at the umpteenth hour. A good, simple Halloween eye makeup tutorial, a trusty black eyeliner, and a steady hand are really, truly all you need to come up with a spooky, sweet, or never-before-seen costume.

Whether you’re ready to whip out the face paint and go full Joker a lá Lady Gaga or are trying to keep it chill with a little faux vampire blood, we’ve rounded up a wide range of Halloween eye makeup tutorials to match every need—and skill level. Channel your favorite TV character with Wednesday Addams or emulate Sabrina Carpenter in the "Taste" music video. Play it classic with a butterfly or cheetah. Or, be a BRAT—literally.

Ahead, you’ll find the 40 coolest, creepiest, and trendiest Halloween makeup ideas for your 2025 celebrations.

The Best Makeup and Tools for Halloween

You may need to stock up on a thing or two to complete your Halloween look. Think: colored eyeliners, face paint, makeup brushes, false lashes, and, of course, a great makeup remover. Before you dive right into your makeup look, we've rounded up some must-have products to keep in your Halloween arsenal.

The Best Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter Makeup Tutorial | Taste MV - YouTube Sabrina Carpenter Makeup Tutorial | Taste MV - YouTube
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I don't know about you, but I still can't stop thinking about Sabrina Carpenter's "Taste" music video. The mix of the upbeat pop tune and gory cinematics make this look the perfect halloween costume for 2025. Ellie LoVeux was ahead of the game, gifting us with a scarily accurate makeup tutorial to match little miss Carpenter's. With some basic makeup essentials and a pink, shimmery blush, you can recreate this look in no time.

Bratz Doll

BRATZ CHALLENGE - HOW TO TURN INTO A BRATZ DOLL - MAKEUP TUTORIAL | MaryamNYC - YouTube BRATZ CHALLENGE - HOW TO TURN INTO A BRATZ DOLL - MAKEUP TUTORIAL | MaryamNYC - YouTube
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We're bringing brat summer back for the fall. While we love Charlie XCX's neon green brat aesthetic, let's pay some respect to the most fashionable group of dolls ever with this makeup look. The lip colors they wear are iconic, so we recommend grabbing a bright hue like Lancôme's Juicy Tubes Original Lip Gloss in Game Berry.

Cheetah

Cheetah print and other retro designs have been back in the spotlight lately, so why not upgrade from the classic cat to this ultra-glam cheetah makeup look? Isabel Rose connects her extra-wide nose contour and intense winged liner to create the perfect accurate, yet sexy cheetah look. She also keeps her base bronzey and glowy with a basic nude lip, so the focus stays on her eyes and impressive cheetah-printed cheeks. The best part: no ears needed!

Barbie

Margot Robbie BARBIE MOVIE Makeup🛼💖👱🏻‍♀️ + '90s Roller Skate Barbie Costume! - YouTube Margot Robbie BARBIE MOVIE Makeup🛼💖👱🏻‍♀️ + '90s Roller Skate Barbie Costume! - YouTube
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Who doesn't want to look like Margot Robbie in the Barbie movie? Well, lucky for you, Jackie Wyers recreated the actress' makeup look as Stereotypical Barbie. While she went all out with a wig and colored contacts, the makeup really does speak for itself. Grab some pink eyeshadow and an eyebrow pencil to draw on iconic Robbie's thick brows, and you're good to go. For a couples Halloween costume, just have your other half be a very spray tanned Ken a la Ryan Gosling.

Butterfly

BUTTERFLY MAKEUP TUTORIAL | Glamnanne - YouTube BUTTERFLY MAKEUP TUTORIAL | Glamnanne - YouTube
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Black liner, a bit of orange shadow, and you're off to the races with this fluttery Monarch look. FYI: Stencils exist, so you don't have to freehand this masterpiece.

Ursula

Ursula from The Little Mermaid | Halloween 2024 Makeup Tutorial - YouTube Ursula from The Little Mermaid | Halloween 2024 Makeup Tutorial - YouTube
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We would never let you be a poor unfortunate soul without a stunning halloween makeup look. That's why this ultimate Ursula glam has got you covered. With some purple contour, teal eyeshadow, and popping red lip, you'll become the queen of the sea. Itszaybaybay even accessorized her look with pearl rhinestones for that extra sparkle.

Cruella De Vil

CRUELLA DE VIL HALLOWEEN MAKEUP LOOK - YouTube CRUELLA DE VIL HALLOWEEN MAKEUP LOOK - YouTube
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If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will. This is a surprisingly simple—possibly no extra materials needed—look with a big impact. Satin red lips, envious green eyes, and blotted-out brows painted up with suspicious swirls.

Angel

ANGEL MAKEUP TUTORIAL - YouTube ANGEL MAKEUP TUTORIAL - YouTube
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Before you put on your makeshift halo, make your face look heavenly with this angel-inspired makeup look. The eyeliner looks great in every eye shape and takes just minutes to accomplish. Also, who can pass up an excuse to add sparkly gems on your face? Not us!

Joker

JOKER 2019 - Halloween | jasmeannnn - YouTube JOKER 2019 - Halloween | jasmeannnn - YouTube
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If you're going as a clown for Halloween, and want to get a little creepy, but not too creepy, this is the look for you. Here, YouTuber Jasmine Brown adds glimmering face jewels above her eyelids, giving a new spin on the infamous Batman universe's evil mastermind.

Ghost

One of our favorites to use for creations like this is the Kevyn Aucion Emphasize Eyeshadow Design Palette in Magnify. The cool-toned shadows will give you that ghostly contour sculpt.

Fairy

Easy Fairy Halloween Tutorial || Nyma Tang - YouTube Easy Fairy Halloween Tutorial || Nyma Tang - YouTube
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Life would be a lot better if you could go *poof*, and your Halloween makeup would be done. But just because you don't have your fair share of pixie dust doesn't mean you can't look like you possess magical powers. YouTuber Nyma Tang's quick fairy look is super simple and proves the color green looks amazing on everyone.

Comic Book Character

Go outside the box this Halloween and turn heads with this pop art makeup look. No fake blood is required for this. All you'll need is a trusty eyeliner and a serious amount of face paint. To make clean-up easier, you can always swap out the tiny dot brush for a q-tip!

Unicorn

Unicorn Halloween Makeup Tutorial ft Shameless Maya! - YouTube Unicorn Halloween Makeup Tutorial ft Shameless Maya! - YouTube
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The limit does not exist for how much glitter you should use this Halloween. If you need a little push, just look at how fantastic YouTuber Alex Faction's eyebrows look in this totally easy Unicorn tutorial. He uses a pale purple shade from Star Crushed Minerals, but we recommend using a Bodyography Glitter Pigment for a chromatic effect.

Devil

HALLOWEEN Inspired Eye Makeup Tutorial | An Knook - YouTube HALLOWEEN Inspired Eye Makeup Tutorial | An Knook - YouTube
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Whether you're partnering with an angel for Hallow's Eve or going solo, don't just throw on horns and call it done! Go outside of the basic box—or, in this case, above your eyebrow—and add a little something extra. Draw on your pointed horns using ColourPop's BFF Liquid Liner in Bright Red. Alternatively, if you have red lipstick lying around, YouTuber An Knook recommends using that and applying it with an eyeliner brush for precision.

Masquerade Mask

MASQUERADE MASK MAKEUP! HALLOWEEN TUTORIAL | Nikki French - YouTube MASQUERADE MASK MAKEUP! HALLOWEEN TUTORIAL | Nikki French - YouTube
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Your Halloween plans may not involve a fancy masquerade ball, but that doesn't mean you can't channel your inner royalty. This 15th-century mask is made for ultra-glamorous queens who want to win the best Instagram photo of the spooky season.

Shattered Babydoll

What about this scary-sweet beauty look? What stands out the most is this bright white liner. To make your liner look extra snowy, combine MAC's bestselling Pure White Chromaline with Makeup Geek's White Lies Eyeshadow for an ice-white finish.

Spider

3D SPIDER TUTORIAL | AALIYAHJAY - YouTube 3D SPIDER TUTORIAL | AALIYAHJAY - YouTube
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Put all those liquid liners you have sitting around to good use to create this creepy-crawly eye. This badass eye is so easy to do yourself—you just need patience. You'll need to free-hand stroke lines across your lid, then add fanned-out lashes for some drama.

Skeleton

Easy Simple Last Minute Skull | Men Women Halloween Makeup Tutorial - YouTube Easy Simple Last Minute Skull | Men Women Halloween Makeup Tutorial - YouTube
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This Halloween, bring the smoke back with this sultry skull look. It's the ideal last-minute lewk that requires a few straight lines for a stitched mouth effect. Use a medium-sized, fluffy eyeshadow brush to make blending a breeze.

Princess Shuri

Marvel Comics Black Panther Princess Shuri Makeup/Cosplay Tutorial - YouTube Marvel Comics Black Panther Princess Shuri Makeup/Cosplay Tutorial - YouTube
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Be as fierce as possible by channeling Princess Shuri this Halloween. This look is seriously so easy, and will require 10 minutes tops with a steady hand for tracing shapes and outlines.

Cat Woman

Easy, DIY Sexy Catwoman Halloween Makeup! - YouTube Easy, DIY Sexy Catwoman Halloween Makeup! - YouTube
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Reason why a painted eye mask is 100 percent better than a store-bought plastic mask: you won't want to rip it off your head 30 minutes into the night—which means you'll never be left looking like a basic person with nothing but cat ears.

Bear

This adorable costume is so cute and cuddly. The best part? You can pair the makeup with pajamas (a onesie is ideal), so you'll be comfy all night long.

Vampire

Vampire Halloween Makeup Tutorial 2015 | Makeup By Leyla - YouTube Vampire Halloween Makeup Tutorial 2015 | Makeup By Leyla - YouTube
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Make this Vampire Diaries-esque look even scarier for Halloween by adding some red novelty contacts and a thick, smudgy, smokey eye.

Deer

Forest Fawn Costume Makeup DIY Antlers - YouTube Forest Fawn Costume Makeup 
DIY Antlers - YouTube
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I mean, sometimes you just want to look ridiculously cute on Halloween—I get it. Behold this fawn makeup, which uses fake lashes and strategically placed eyeliner to make your eyes look in the headlights.

Classic Cat

Easy How to Kitty cat Halloween makeup tutorial - YouTube Easy How to Kitty cat Halloween makeup tutorial - YouTube
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Okay, a cat might be basic, but it's reliable. While three whiskers is a classic recipe, Haley RiAnne takes things up a few notches. She masters the cat eye makeup, throws on a jet-black upper lip, and even adds a few freckles into the mix. Grab those ears you've had since middle school and you're good to go.

Wednesday Addams

WEDNESDAY ADDAMS Makeup Tutorial - YouTube WEDNESDAY ADDAMS Makeup Tutorial - YouTube
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Wednesday Addams's signature pigtail braids have always been pretty easy to recreate for anyone needing to throw together a costume at the last minute, and with Wednesday being a hit on Netflix, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a plethora of lookalikes this Halloween. Elevate your braids and black dress with some on-brand makeup. This tutorial is super simple—you don't need be a pro. Just go a little heavy on the eyeliner and you're good to go.

Witch

How to Get Witch Makeup Look Tutorial | NYX Cosmetics - YouTube How to Get Witch Makeup Look Tutorial | NYX Cosmetics - YouTube
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Dust the cobwebs off of your witch hat from Halloween's past and press play on the above video. Use the video as a guiding light, but feel free to tone down or play up whatever your heart desires. Hey, you can even grab a blonde wig and pretend to be Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus.

Harley Quinn

HARLEY QUINN EPIC MAKEUP TUTORIAL (Suicide Squad Halloween Costume Idea 2016) - YouTube HARLEY QUINN EPIC MAKEUP TUTORIAL (Suicide Squad Halloween Costume Idea 2016) - YouTube
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Harley Quinn has your back for a beginner-friendly, mistake-embracing makeup look this Halloween. Because the Marvel character is inherently, well, messy, you can make mistakes with your shadow, eyeliner, and lipstick, and no one will be the wiser.

Scar

Disney's Lion King 'SCAR' Makeup Transformation !!! - YouTube Disney's Lion King 'SCAR' Makeup Transformation !!! - YouTube
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I've watched this video 15 times over and remain mesmerized. Every single step is shockingly easy, but the end result looks like a makeup masterpiece. The eyes! The scar! The nose! I definitely would recommend doing a test run before the 31st rolls around, but this Lion King-inspired costume is at the top of my list of Halloween makeup to recreate.

Dr. Frank-n-Furter

Dr. Frank N Furter Makeup Tutorial👄🖤【The Rocky Horror Picture Show】| Halloween 2022 | Madalyn Cline - YouTube Dr. Frank N Furter Makeup Tutorial👄🖤【The Rocky Horror Picture Show】| Halloween 2022 | Madalyn Cline - YouTube
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As a quintessential Halloween movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was practically made to recreate during the holiday. While the whole cast of zany characters lends itself to great costume ideas, Dr. Frank-n-Furter is easily the most iconic and recognizable. Thankfully, the look is essentially an exaggerated smokey eye and red lip.

Bride of Frankenstein

Bride Of Frankenstein Halloween Makeup Tutorial | Shonagh Scott - YouTube Bride Of Frankenstein Halloween Makeup Tutorial | Shonagh Scott - YouTube
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A classic Halloween monster made easy. If you're undecided about a scary or glam Halloween costume, the Bride of Frankenstein is the look to go for. Paint your face white, give yourself a smokey eye, and draw on a gnarly scar to nail the look. Bonus points if you add a white streak to your hair.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Where are my Harry Potter fans at? Bellatrix Lestrange is easily one of the creepiest characters of the series, yet surprisingly easy to recreate. Pale foundation, dark eye makeup, and gaunt cheeks carry the look here. To really seal the deal, paint a Death Mark on your forearm and carry a wand with you the entire night.

Sally from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'

SALLY (NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS) MAKEUP TUTORIAL | Halloween Makeup - YouTube SALLY (NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS) MAKEUP TUTORIAL | Halloween Makeup - YouTube
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Sally's all-over blue look may seem intimidating, but I promise it's a lot simpler to recreate than it looks. Once you've got the blue face paint down, then it's all about the scars, an icy smoky eye, and red lip. If you have natural red hair (or a red wig handy), you're good to go.

Black Swan

BLACK SWAN EYE MAKEUP TUTORIAL - YouTube BLACK SWAN EYE MAKEUP TUTORIAL - YouTube
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The Black Swan is the perfect costume if you're a fashion girl but want to go with something creepier for the holiday. White face paint, red lipstick, and stripey eye makeup really sell the look.

Violet Beauregarde

VIOLET BEAUREGARDE HALLOWEEN MAKEUP TUTORIAL | ASHTOBERFEST RETURNS - YouTube VIOLET BEAUREGARDE HALLOWEEN MAKEUP TUTORIAL | ASHTOBERFEST RETURNS - YouTube
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No need for an inflatable suit here. You just need a blue nose, easily achievable with blue eye shadow, to dress as the Willy Wonka character. Chewing gum obnoxiously will help you get into character, too.

Chucky

CHUCKY GLAM MAKEUP TUTORIAL🔪Halloween makeup | Elle James - YouTube CHUCKY GLAM MAKEUP TUTORIAL🔪Halloween makeup | Elle James - YouTube
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You wouldn't think a two-foot doll could be terrifying, but Chucky certainly is. Give yourself a black eye and several scars all over your face and prepare to scare every child you come across.

The Mask

THE MASK tutorial l Easy halloween makeup - YouTube THE MASK tutorial l Easy halloween makeup - YouTube
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Interestingly, painting on Jim Carrey's iconic mask is just as easy (and more fun!) as buying one. Give yourself a healthy wash of green color all over, contour with a deeper shade, then go full glam with yellow eyeshadow and big falsies.

Zombie

Easy ZOMBIE Halloween Makeup that ANYONE can do!! Affordable Awesome! - YouTube Easy ZOMBIE Halloween Makeup that ANYONE can do!! Affordable 
Awesome! - YouTube
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A blue and purple eyeshadow palette, some fake blood, and a little face paint are all you need to create this scary look. The best part is you don't have to be a makeup pro to become a zombie. The messier the makeup, the more terrifying a creature you become.

Betty Boop

BETTY BOOP MAKEUP TUTORIAL Brown/Dark Skin Friendly | Ellarie - YouTube BETTY BOOP MAKEUP TUTORIAL Brown/Dark Skin Friendly | Ellarie - YouTube
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A cutesy, ultra-feminine costume to go with is the iconic cartoon character, Betty Boop. Content creator Ellarie takes you through step-by-step on how to achieve the look, including Betty's signature raised eyebrows and red pout.

Morticia Addams

Morticia Addams Halloween Makeup Tutorial | Angela Lanter - YouTube Morticia Addams Halloween Makeup Tutorial | Angela Lanter - YouTube
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Maybe you don't like the scary kind of Halloween makeup and that's okay! This creepy matriarch gives you the chance to go glam for the holiday. Give yourself a smokey eye and dark red lip and throw on a long black dress and wig and you're instantly transformed into Morticia Addams.

Emma Aerin Becker
Freelance Beauty Writer

Emma Aerin Becker is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire, where she deep-dives into makeup, skincare, and hair trends, rounding up the latest and greatest products. She has a lifelong love of style and beauty — especially when it comes to the way the latest trends and must-have products intersect with celebrity and culture. Emma also works for People magazine as a writer on their parents team, where she stays on the pulse of pop culture and covers breaking celebrity parents news daily. She has been working in the industry for four years, covering topics such as beauty, fashion, pop culture, celebrity news, and entertainment. Her words have also appeared on The New York Post’s Decider.com, Aspen Magazine, Philadelphia Style, Boston Common, Capitol File, College Fashionista, The Crescent, and ViaNolaVie.

With contributions from