9 Easy Scary Halloween Makeup Ideas That'll Impress All Your Friends

With influencers and YouTubers creating extravagant looks online, finding an easy, yet scary Halloween makeup idea may seem daunting — but it is actually possible to find a style that'll impress even the most dedicated Halloween enthusiast.

Scary Halloween makeup can be intimidating thanks to gruesome zombies and chainsaw massacre victims of horror films and haunted houses. But there's good news: Makeup tutorials abound online, from how to use liquid latex to create fake wounds to step-by-step guides for doing vampire makeup. They let you dial up the spooky vibes, no cosmetology degree necessary.

And this year, with the pandemic and social distancing putting a damper on traditional Halloween plans, your makeup for all those Zoom parties will be more important than ever. But when it comes to your own scary Halloween makeup style, there's no need to go through 15 practice rounds before you get it right. If you've been searching for a vibe that's still easy, these nine ideas — from creepy dolls to zombies — are a good place to start.

1. Doll

YouTuber Jaclyn Forbes created an ultra-creepy wood ventriloquist doll that would make anyone who saw her in a dark alley run away. The best part is that the look calls for items you've likely already got in your makeup stash.

To get her look, Forbes starts with full-coverage foundation and then uses cream contour under the apple of her cheek. Forbes also applies contour to the sides of her mouth to form a faux mouthpiece, then takes brown eyeliner and draws fake wooden grain lines all over her face and down her neck. Forbes enhances the contour with contour powder, then sweeps bright blush on the apples of her cheeks.

For the eyes, the YouTuber relies on white eyeliner to create the illusion of a larger eye by applying the product into her waterline and bringing it down below her lash line. She then takes black gel eyeliner to outline the eye and applies dark brown shadow slightly above her crease before adding a thick line of eyeliner to her lid. She applies false eyelashes to both the top and bottom of her eyes.

Finally, she moves on to her lips, where she applies red lip liner and red lipstick. For the finishing touches, she uses black eyeliner to draw two lines down by the sides of her mouth and add large faux freckles to her cheeks.

If you want to get Forbes' scary doll look, you'll need:

• Full coverage foundation
• Cream contour
• Brown eyeliner
• Contour powder
• Blush
• White eyeliner
• Black gel eyeliner
• Brown eyeshadow
• False lashes
• Red lip liner
• Red lipstick

2. Clown

You've probably seen the glam clown looks out there, but if you're wanting something that's scary, this creepy, cotton candy clown from YouTuber Leah Halton definitely works.

To get the look, Halton starts by filling in her brows with a pencil and gel brow setter, then uses concealer to highlight beneath and above them. Next, she moves on to the mouth: Using torn tissue strips and liquid latex, she crafts a creepy, extended smile by building up layers at the corners of her mouth. Once it's thick enough, Halton uses scissors to create slits.

Next, she applies matte pink eyeshadow to one eye and matte blue shadow to the other. After blending the shades, she uses concealer to cut her crease and applies matching shimmer shades, then creates wings using black liquid liner.

After her eyes are done, Halton moves to the foundation. She applies it all over her face and directly over the liquid latex and tissue. After her base, she highlights as usual and sets her face with powder before adding contour.

Once her face is complete, Halton moves back to the eyes, drawing triangles above her brow and below her lash line. Then, using black liquid eyeliner, she draws smaller triangles into the colorful ones. With the same eyeliner and eyeshadow shades, she creates a collar down her neck and onto her collar bones. Next, Halton applies rhinestones to the base of the collar and her eyes before adding false lashes.

Halton then begins filling in the open parts of the latex with black eyeshadow before switching to brown and red tones. Once adequately colored in, she uses fake blood to drip over the faux mouth to finish the look.

If you want to get Halton's scary clown makeup, you'll need:

• Brow pencil
• Brow gel
• Concealer
• Liquid latex
• Tissue
• Matte and shimmer blue and pink eyeshadows
• Black liquid eyeliner
• Foundation
• Highlighter
• Setting powder
• Powder contour
• Rhinestones
• False lashes
• Black, brown, and red eyeshadow
• Fake blood

3. Stitched-Up Mouth

YouTuber Reika Gideon created this sewn-mouth bridal look for spooky season that features some brutal details. For her look, Gideon doesn't show the cut crease and winged eyeliner look she gave herself, but the beauty of this gory creation is that you can craft your own bridal makeup however you'd like before moving on to the sewn-up mouth tutorial.

With her face already finished, Gideon begins applying liquid latex around her mouth. She then layers tissues on top before applying additional layers of latex and tissue. Next, she applies foundation on top of the tissue and latex, then sets it with powder. After that, she uses red shadow to give the latex the appearance of skin. Once blended, Gideon cuts her mouth free of the latex and uses Halloween makeup to color her lips a deep brown shade, layering red over the top. When finished, she takes fake blood and coats her lips and the latex, surrounding them in the gruesome product.

Finally, Gideon pokes holes into the latex attached to her skin and threads yarn through it for a sewn-up appearance. As a finishing touch, she goes back in with the blood to make things even gorier.

If you want this brutal bridal look, you'll need:

• Liquid latex
• Tissue
• Foundation
• Setting powder
• Red eyeshadow
• Black, red, and brown Halloween face paint
• Fake blood
• Yarn

4. Zombie

YouTuber Melissa Alatorre's zombie look is light on the gore but heavy on the scary, making it perfect for those not looking to go full-on gruesome.

For her look, Alatorre first mixes her own foundation with a white shade to create a paler base and applies it all over her face. She then moves on to contour, where she exaggerates her usual style for a more gaunt look. Using the same contour shade, she creates circles around her eyes for a skeletal appearance and sets her face with setting powder, then creates even more dimension using powder contour.

Moving on to eyes, Alatorre uses dark cream shadow all over her lid, then smudges it out using a brush before blending olive, gold, red, and brown eyeshadows into her crease and outer corners as well as below her lower waterline. Then, with a kohl eyeliner, she tight lines her upper and lower waterline.

For the lips, she layers three liquid lipstick shades — brown, burgundy, and black — to the center of her lips to create a hollowed effect, and smudges the color to the edges.

As for the scrapes, Alatorre applies black lash glue over her skin, allows it to dry, and then tears bits of it away to create the look of an open wound. Finally, she uses fake blood to make them more realistic.

If you want Alatorre's zombie look, you'll need:

• Foundation
• White foundation mixer
• Cream contour
• Setting powder
• Powder contour
• Translucent powder
• Dark cream shadow
• Olive, gold, red, and brown eyeshadow
• Black kohl eyeliner
• Brown, burgundy, and black liquid lipstick
• Dark lash glue
• Fake blood

5. Scarecrow

YouTuber Sonjdradeluxe's scarecrow makeup doesn't get gory, but it's still spooky. For the Halloween makeup, she applies foundation, highlighter, and contour as usual before using bronzer to shade the front of her brows and her crease for an angry appearance. Next, she uses a cool tone bronzer to shade an extended mouth before creating shaded patches on her face.

For the eyes, she uses deep brown shades to create a smoky look with a dark inner corner, wing, and heavily smudged lower lash line. Taking the same shadow, she deepens the extended areas around her mouth and the inner portion of her lips. Next, using a light concealer, Sonjdra creates a patch on the tip of her nose.

Then, she moves to her mouth, where she draws large stitches over her lips using brown shadow before taking the concealer and applying it between the marks to make them stand out. She also uses a highlighter pen to create fake stitching on her skin.

Using brow pomade, she creates bold, hair-like strokes in her brows. Then, using brown gel eyeliner, she outlines the tip of her nose to give it the appearance of patched fabric before using it to draw stitches over the extended mouth she drew earlier. She does the same to the "patch" around her nose.

Next, using black eyeliner, she makes the stitches and the line of her mouth bolder before shading in the inner part of her mouth for a hollow appearance. Then, using red shadow, she shades the "puncture marks" from her fake stitches so they look inflamed.

For a finishing touch, she smudges more black liner on her lower lash line and applies fake lashes.

To get Sonjdradeluxe's scarecrow look, you'll need:

• Foundation
• Highlighter
• Cream contour
• Powder bronzer
• Brown-toned eyeshadows
• Concealer
• Highlighter pen
• Brow pomade
• Brown gel eyeliner
• Black gel eyeliner
• Red eyeshadow
• False lashes

6. Queen of Hearts

For those not looking to go full gore, YouTuber Ashley Nicole Stiles created a Queen of Hearts look with just a single scary element — cards embedded in her skin. To get the Alice in Wonderland inspired makeup, Stiles applies foundation and concealer as usual and sets her face with loose powder. Once done, she heavily contours her face and exaggerates the look by applying translucent loose powder below where she applied her contour powder. Next, she moves to her brows, using a pencil to fill in sparse areas. She then uses concealer beneath them to highlight her brow bone and blends the product onto her lid as an eyeshadow primer.

For her eye look, Stiles takes burgundy shadow and blends it into her crease before layering more color into her other corner, and darkening the shade using a bit of smudgy black gel eyeliner. Next, she takes a matte white shade and applies it over her lid before blending the same burgundy shade along her lower waterline. For a final touch, she takes black pencil eyeliner and tight lines her lower waterline.

Next, she uses red liquid lipstick and a small pencil brush to draw hearts from her temple down to her collarbone, and applies the same color to her lips. She adds blush and false lashes before moving on to the gory parts.

For her embedded cards, Stiles creates homemade wax using cornstarch, petroleum jelly, and foundation and applies a line of it along her forehead, sealing in a torn queen of hearts card. To make the wound appear deeper, she applies black gel liner along the edges and applies fake blood. She then repeats the process for smaller card pieces by her temple and ear.

To get Stiles' Queen of Hearts look, you'll need:

• Foundation
• Concealer
• Translucent powder
• Powder contour
• Brow pencil
• Burgundy eyeshadow
• Black gel eyeliner
• Matte white eyeshadow
• Black pencil eyeliner
• Red liquid lipstick
• Pencil brush
• False lashes
• Cornstarch
• Petroleum jelly
• Cards
• Fake blood

7. Vampire

Thank YouTuber Maryam Maquillage for this vampy beauty look, the perfect mix of sexy and scary.

To get it, Maquillage uses foundation slightly lighter than her skin tone, highlights, then heavily sets her face with translucent powder. Next, she sculpts her face using both cream and powder contour before moving on to her brows. She uses a dark brow pomade to emphasize her arch. Next, she takes a mix of warm brown, burgundy, and black eyeshadows to create a smoky eye, and tight lines both water lines with a black pencil liner. Then, using black liquid eyeliner, she extends the inner corner of her eye with a thin line and applies false lashes.

For her lips, she applies black lip liner before adding red lipstick all over and black liquid lip to the corners. She blends the colors to create an ombre effect.

To amp up the vampy makeup, she takes purple eyeshadow and works it into the areas she previously contoured. She then uses the same color to give her undereye an even smokier look. Using red shadow, she applies a wash of color around her mouth to fake a bloodstained appearance and adds red gel eyeliner to her waterline to make her eyes appear bloodshot.

For the final scary touches, Maquillage takes purple liquid eyeliner and the same red gel eyeliner and creates small faux veins below her eyes and at her temples. Next, off-camera, she adds red contacts and fangs. Finally, she uses fake blood to create drips at the corner of her mouth for a freshly fed appearance.

If you love Maquillage's sexy but scary vampire look, you'll need:

• Foundation
• Highlighter
• Translucent powder
• Cream contour
• Powder contour
• Brow pomade
• Warm brown, burgundy, black, red, and purple eyeshadow
• Black pencil eyeliner
• Black liquid eyeliner
• False lashes
• Black lip liner
• Red lipstick
• Black liquid lipstick
• Red gel eyeliner
• Purple liquid eyeliner
• Red contacts
• Fangs
• Fake blood

8. Devil

YouTuber ahlecks kicks off her devilish look by applying foundation, concealer, and contour as she usually would before adding blush and bronzer on top. Next, she uses a brow pencil to fill in and shape her brows. For her eyes, she uses a mix of neutral browns, reds, and burgundies to create a smoky effect. Using black eyeliner pencil, Alexandra tight lines her lower waterline, then uses the red eyeshadows to give her cheeks and temples a flushed appearance.

Next, she moves to the horns, using white eyeliner to trace where she wants the accessories before applying liquid latex over the outlines. Once the latex has dried, she applies the horns and goes back in with a layer of liquid latex to create the illusion of the horns protruding from her skin. While that's drying, she applies false lashes. She then moves back to the horns, where she uses tissue and more liquid latex to build up additional faux skin around them. As that dries, she applies red liquid lipstick before returning to the horns and shading the latex with foundation to blend it into her skin. Then, using red face paint, she adds color around the horns for an irritated look from where the horns have burst forth.

For the finishing touches, she smudges her lips for a messy look and adds fake blood around the horns and below her eyes.

If this devil look speaks to you and you want to try it for yourself, you'll need:

• Foundation
• Concealer
• Cream contour
• Blush
• Bronzer
• Brow pencil
• Brown, red, and burgundy eyeshadows
• Black pencil eyeliner
• White pencil eyeliner
• Liquid latex
• Fake horns
• Tissue
• False lashes
• Red liquid lipstick
• Red face paint
• Fake blood

9. Frostbitten Elsa

For those looking to hop into winter as soon as Halloween ends, this frostbitten Elsa look will let you enjoy both the holiday and the upcoming season.

YouTuber Glam&Gore (whose name is Mykie) first works on the eyes. She applies bright purple shadow all over her lid and then, using a brown shade, blends the purple into the crease before applying winged eyeliner. Next, she uses black gel eyeliner to extend her eyes' inner corners and lines just the outer portion to create a bigger appearance. To finish off the eyes, she adds white pencil eyeliner to her bottom waterline and adds false lashes. With the eyes done, she does her foundation, concealer, and contour as usual and applies bright pink lip liner and lipstick.

Mykie then moves on to the scary parts. She amps up the highlight on her face using a liquid shimmer foundation. She then applies glitter adhesive to her cheeks before adding silver glitter. Next, it's time for liquid latex, which Mykie applies to the portions of her face where she wants "frostbite" to set in. She applies three to four light layers, allowing them to dry in between, then begins ripping away at bits of it to create the appearance of peeling skin.

Using black eyeshadow, she begins creating faux dead skin around the fake wounds, making sure to add it to her lips as well. Next, she takes red eyeshadow and adds it to the inside of the "wounds" for the appearance of a second layer of skin. Using blue and purple eyeshadow, she creates veins all over her face and down her neck.

Finally, to give the appearance of ice, she uses face-safe adhesive and sticks blue rock candy to her brows, by her nose, mouth, inner corners of her eyes, and on her false lashes.

If this alternate frozen version of Elsa speaks to your scary vibes, here what you'll need to get the look:

• Purple, brown, blue, black, and red eyeshadow
• Black liquid eyeliner
• Black gel eyeliner
• White pencil eyeliner
• False eyelashes
• Foundation
• Concealer
• Contour
• Pink lip liner
• Pink lipstick
• Shimmery white foundation
• Glitter adhesive
• Glitter
• Liquid latex
• Face-safe adhesive
• Blue rock candy