There are certain go-to Halloween makeup and costume ideas that we like to call "no fails." They are the tried and true, albeit boring, costumes you can throw together in a flash. These said Halloween costumes usually come out of a pre-packaged bag and contain fairy wings, a witch hat, kitty ears, or fangs and never win you any "Best Costume" awards. They also lack the wow-factor your Trick-or-Treaters hope to see when they arrive at your door. So this Halloween, it's time to spice up more than just your apple cider.
The following Halloween costume and makeup ideas we've dug up for you are bound to do the trick. They are fun, fresh and more importantly will fool your neighbors and friends into thinking you've been planning your costume all year long. Each idea comes with a how-to guide for your makeup, hair and outfit, so you can finally look like you didn't run to the Halloween costume store the night of the 30th frantically picking through half-opened costume bags (there's a first for everything!).
And if you do happen to get to the Lindsay Lohan costume idea (spoiler alert), and think "I'm so sick of her" (as are we), we've got tips on how to jazz up age-old no-fail costumes, with makeup tips from MAC Senior Makeup Artist Romero Jennings. His two rules for Halloween costumes are: "You want people to know who you are without telling them," and "you don't want to look like yourself with a bad wig on."
Jennings also recommends taking a picture of your finished makeup look before walking out the door so you can see how you'll look in all the pictures that will invariably come back to haunt you.
So go ahead and check out the 11 new Halloween makeup and costume ideas -- you might just die over them � moohahaha. C'mon, it's Halloween, give us a break. We couldn't help ourselves.
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Betty White
The woman is 88, and while for many that may signal a time of retirement and picking up hobbies like knitting, Betty White is just reaching her prime. Though she is best known for her role on "Golden Girls," she's been showing up everywhere lately. If you want to be eternally youthful, you can't get more fabulous than our sweet Betty.
Get her look: Jennings says the hair is crucial to get this look. Buy a white-blonde wig with curls in it or just curl it yourself. For your makeup, you want to achieve that mature look, so instead of hiding wrinkles, you'll want to emphasize them. A trick that Jennings uses to age people is to shine a flashlight under your face, which will show all the imperfections and etches in your skin. Then, periodically scrunch areas of your face and stipple (with a sponge) foundation over the lines, so that the foundation sticks in the grooves. To deepen your faux wrinkles, go over the lines with a coffee-colored pencil and a white pencil. If you have pointy arches, use an eyebrow pencil to round them out like upside down smiles.
The rest of your makeup should be minimal. For your lips, use a coral pink lipstick like Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Nectarine, $22 to match a coral pink suit. Any boxy suit with a matching skirt that was once popular in the '80s would work for your outfit. Then throw on a pearl necklace and earrings to complete your ladylike Betty White look.
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Sue Sylvester from "Glee"
"Abrasive" is probably an understatement to describe Sue Sylvester from "Glee." No one can ever get tired of this gym teacher's screaming insults through her ever-present megaphone. Having an excuse to be mean is the best way to spend Halloween. This is a new take on your old witch costume go-to.
Get her look: Jennings says actress Jane Lynch clearly has never done Botox as she is chock full of expressions. Her furrowed brows and laugh lines are a must-do with this look. Using a similar technique for the Betty White costume, if you're younger than your 40s, you want to age your face. Jennings also says Lynch doesn't have the smoothest of skin. To manipulate her skin tone, try "Wrinkle Stipple," a wrinkling agent you can find at most costume stores. Then stipple foundation right over it. Do this all over your face. Use minimal makeup, and top the look off with a shaggy blonde boycut wig, an Adidas tracksuit and a megaphone.
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Neytiri from "Avatar"
This epic movie won three Oscars, and then came back into theaters in 3D only to rake in another $1.6 billion and grab two more Golden Globes. There's no question that "Avatar" is one of this year's epic motion pictures with everybody wanting to be blue. Neytiri proved to be a strong female warrior and whom best to emulate this year but "Avatar's" leading lady?
Get her look: Jennings says, "You can achieve this look with two things." Face paint in sky blue and electric royal blue. Before you apply the colors, prep your face with a light moisturizer that isn't too heavy or oily so that the paint stays on. Cover your entire face with the light blue shade by stippling the paint with a brush. After you've painted your face light blue, go back over and stripe your face with the darker shade to get the tribal stripes of Neytiri. Then get white face paint and dot under your eyes and on your nose.
To get that ethereal, other-worldly look, Jennings suggests adding sparkle over the white dots with shimmer like Stila All Over Shimmer Eyes, $10. Finally, line your waterline with a white eye pencil then draw a thin line on the lids with a liquid black eye liner. Add some beaded dreads, tribal wear, and you're ready to jump on a bird and fly away!
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Lady Gaga
Since she first stepped into the music scene last year, Lady Gaga took the music industry by storm. At this year's MTV Video Music Awards, this diva stole the show (as expected) by changing her outfit three times until finally ending up in a dress made out of meat with a matching hat and purse (yes, it was real meat, her hairstylist actually had to bobby pin that slab to her head). Gaga never fails to top her previous outrageous act. Whether it's wearing heel-less platforms or flipping off fans at a baseball game, Gaga is the 2010 icon to go down in the books.
Get her look: Whatever outfit you choose for this costume, Gaga's basic makeup look is to get her large eyes, which she digitally enhanced in her "Bad Romance" music video. Jennings says to first line your waterline with a white pencil like MAC Eye Kohl Pencil in Fascinating, $14.50. Use a white shimmery eye shadow to rim your lower lash line, focusing on the corners. Then use a brown gel liner like Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Espresso Ink, $21 to line the bottom of your lash line, letting it gradually disappear into the whites at the corner.
You definitely want to use false lashes with this look. Jennings suggests gluing three strips of false lashes together the night before. Then, attach them all at once to your top eyelid. Use a demi strip on the bottom as well. For your wig, get a long gray wig and slightly curl the edges. Part the hair in the middle and attach some crazy headpiece to your head (your pick).
There are certain go-to Halloween makeup and costume ideas that we like to call "no fails." They are the tried and true, albeit boring, costumes you can throw together in a flash. These said Halloween costumes usually come out of a pre-packaged bag and contain fairy wings, a witch hat, kitty ears, or fangs and never win you any "Best Costume" awards. They also lack the wow-factor your Trick-or-Treaters hope to see when they arrive at your door. So this Halloween, it's time to spice up more than just your apple cider.
The following Halloween costume and makeup ideas we've dug up for you are bound to do the trick. They are fun, fresh and more importantly will fool your neighbors and friends into thinking you've been planning your costume all year long. Each idea comes with a how-to guide for your makeup, hair and outfit, so you can finally look like you didn't run to the Halloween costume store the night of the 30th frantically picking through half-opened costume bags (there's a first for everything!).
And if you do happen to get to the Lindsay Lohan costume idea (spoiler alert), and think "I'm so sick of her" (as are we), we've got tips on how to jazz up age-old no-fail costumes, with makeup tips from MAC Senior Makeup Artist Romero Jennings. His two rules for Halloween costumes are: "You want people to know who you are without telling them," and "you don't want to look like yourself with a bad wig on."
Jennings also recommends taking a picture of your finished makeup look before walking out the door so you can see how you'll look in all the pictures that will invariably come back to haunt you.
So go ahead and check out the 11 new Halloween makeup and costume ideas -- you might just die over them � moohahaha. C'mon, it's Halloween, give us a break. We couldn't help ourselves.
