How to become Bela Lugosi's "Dracula" for Hallowe'en

It's no accident that, for decades, the most common Hallowe'en costume is Count Dracula.

Rather than look absurd, with plastic fangs and blood capsules, why note "channel" Bela Lugosi?

You need not resemble him closely - the model in this photo does not. But with teh right makeup - just enough of it, and not too much - the illusion will be as uncanny as Lugosi was himself

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A pale cream-based makeup (Preferably, Mehron's TV2)
• A light setting powder - baby powder will do
• A powder brush
• Eyebrow pencil - black
• Eyeliner - silver
• Eyeliner - black
• Black moustache wax OR
• Black hairspray
• A fine brush
• The costume of your choice

1. Begin with your light base makeup, and apply evenly from your forehead to your neck, remembering your eyelids and ears.
   
   Mehron's TV2 makeup, available from theatrical makeup stores, is perfect - it has no red color to it, hence appears bloodless.
   
   If you can't find such a store, an inexpensive base from your drugstore will do. go for as light a fleshtone as you can get.
   
   Avoid "clown white," which simply looks absurd. Lugosi didn't wear it, neither should you.

2. Set your base with a light powder. Pat it on at first, then brush it lightly off with your powder brush.

3. Draw your eyebrows, like a long, flat S, lying on its side. And, draw them a bit lower than your natural brows. Lugosi did not have high, arched brows - rather, they were heavy and low, and shaded his eyes.

4. With your black eyeliner, add these accent lines:
   * two "frown lines" between your eyebrows
   * a cleft in your chin
   * a "frown line" from each side of your nose to the corner of your mouth
   * a line running from the inside corner of each eye, toward your cheek, suggesting bags under your eyes.
   * a line under each eye (draw it lightly, not thickly)
   * outlines on your upper and lower lips.

5. With your silver or white eyeliner, draw lines next to or above each of your black accent lines (except those under your eyes and on your lips).
   
   Blend the light and dark lines, lightly, with your finger. The effect should be deep furrows.

6. With your black eyeliner, dot your upper and lower lips, and blend. The effect should be dark grey or purplish lips, not black lips.

7. Squeeze a dime-sized blob of black moustache wax into your palms, rub it till it softens, and smooth it through your hair.
   
   The wax will create that uniform, patent-leather look that Lugosi achieved (with a hairpiece).
   
   Shape it with a comb, at first, then use a fine brush to achieve perfect smoothness.
   
   Moustache wax is available in most drugstores. If it is unavailable, that inexpensive Hallowe'en hairspray is OK, but it has no shine and rubs off easily and runs when you sweat. Seal it with a high-shine hairspray.

Tips & Warnings

• If at all possible, rent the full evening kit and a first-class cape. Lugosi's outfit was wool eveningwear, with a satin cape.
• Most people who attempt Dracula makeup draw in a Widow's peak, or wear fangs - Lugosi wore neither of those.
• No need to hollow out your cheeks - Lugosi had a rather fleshy face, without sunken cheeks.
• Skip the black fingernails, they add little. Use some of that light base, on the backs of your hands and on your fingernails, being sure to powder and set it. Or just wear white gloves, like Lugosi's Dracula did in the Opera scene.
• Half the effect is the expression. At his most menacing, Lugosi furrowed his brows. When he smiled, while furrowing, he was at his most terrifying.