How to Apply Gothic Make Up

Whether your living the lifestyle, looking for a look to compliment a costume or just needed a different look for a night on the town the Gothic makeup can be a challenging task. How much is enough and how much is too much? Or is there such a thing? Here are some tips to help you along with applying your gothic makeup.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Face powder
• Eye liner
• Eye Shadow
• SPF

1. For a Gothic look you don't want any sort of bronze look so it's best to wear an SPF on your face of at least 30 or higher. It's also a good idea to apply this to any expose skin such as the neck, shoulders and arms as well.

2. 
    
   Coffin Dust by Manic Panic

   Depending on how light you would like your face the most common way to lighten the face is by using a porcelain or translucent loose powder. Just blend all over your face making sure you blend it well into the neck line to avoid any sort of makeup line. Most all makeup companies make this. To help the powder stick to the face longer you can apply the lightest shade of foundation available.

3. 
    
   Face Cream by Manic Panic

   If you want the subtle white face look, lighter than what effect the powder will give there are special makeups available. Try a cream with powder finish such as Manic Panic Goth White. It can also double as an eye shadow foundation as well. To apply to the face use a foundation brush to gently apply all over the face using sweeping motions, then blend well. Apply again if not light enough for your taste. However a subtle white like look is sexy but white, white look is to much. Again, make sure you blend this well into the neck. If you have trouble use a light loose powder or foundation to help lighten the neck as you go down to blend into the torso of the body.

4. 
    

   Get some black eye shadow. Cover the top eyelid angling it as you extend out, giving a cat eye effect. Use silver, smokey gray or deep plum on the mid and upper lids if you want some color. Use a plum undertone on under the lower lid for a nice Gothic look.

5. 
    

   Apply a heavy, long lasting eyeliner the top lash line and inner eyelid. Apply the eyeliner on the bottom lip. Get the top line and bottom line of eye liner to meet on the side further from your nose and extend it out. Some have better luck the liquid eyeliner, some like to use pot eyeliner and some take eyeliner pencils and melt the eyeliner with a lighter (careful not to burn yourself). This gives a heavier, longer lasting eyeliner but again you must be careful not to burn yourself. You should try different types and find the one that suits your needs best and which you have more control over.

6. 
    

   To accent the eyes more apply a nice, non clumping black mascara in 2 or 3 heavy layers. Fake eyelashes can also give character to your Gothic look but these are difficult to put on daily. Most attach by applying a thin line of fake eyelash approved glue and actually gluing it onto your right above your lash line. If you want a more dramatic effect get some green contact lenses.

7. Blush is optional. However if you do use blush you will want to use a cool color and apply it to the apples of your cheeks. If you are wearing heavy makeup the rouge (cream blush) will work better. Just take sponge wedge and pat it in the rouge (careful not to get to much) and dab it on the cheek and blend.

8. 
    

   For Gothic lips depending on which you are going for either use a blood red, deep plum or black. The stain works really well when dealing with red. This is a liquid that comes in a roller ball applicator. Hold the ball on your middle parts of your lips longer. This will stain them more and give them more of a bee-sting look.
   
   Be sure to use a lip liner for a more defined look. If you use the deep plum or black lipstick you can use your black eyeliner as a lip liner. If you can't find a deep enough plum lipstick, put black eyeliner on your lips. Then apply the lipstick and use a lip brush to blend.

9. 
    

   To achieve Gothic nails many opt for fake nails. If you are lucky enough to have your own the popular colors are plum, greens, grays, black, dark blue and of course red. For nights out use some black light glowing neon colors.

10. Just have fun and remember that it takes practice to get your Gothic look perfect!

Tips & Warnings

• Men can use the same principles for the face, eyes and nails. I don't want to single you guys out but I think it is more common for the guys to wear black on the lips but who wants to be common?
• If you use a lighter to heat your eyeliner please be careful and be aware if you are in school these are not allowed on school grounds.
• Do not wear heavy makeup if you have eye conditions and have greater chances of getting infections of the eyes.

Resources

• Manic Panic Gothic Makeup

[daisy1963]

on 9/8/2009 Great tips...thanks so much!

[sonni57]

on 4/14/2009 Good article on how to apply gothic makeup sounds easy enough.