How to Be a Scary Vampire for Halloween

Halloween vampires love candy.

Trendy Halloween costumes emerge every year, but certain costumes are timeless. Among the classic characters is the vampire. The sleek black hair, the sharp fangs and the long black cape never go out of style when it's time to trick-or-treat. Of course, you can go out and buy the costume, but you can also stay home and make your own outfit with a few articles of clothing, some makeup and a few accessories.

Things You'll Need

• Light foundation or powder
• Dark gray or black eye liner
• Dark gray eye shadow
• Black eyeshadow
• Mascara
• Pink or light-red lip or eye pencil
• Dark eyebrow pencil
• Burgundy or black lipstick
• Light concealer
• Formal dress or suit
• Temporary black hair dye
• Spray-on white hair color
• Costume fangs
• Fake blood
• Costume contact lenses

Instructions

Makeup

1. Apply and blend very light powder or foundation all over your face and blend a little onto the neck just past the jaw line.

2. Line eyes heavily with a dark gray or black liner. Apply a dark gray shadow on the upper lid and the lower lid, exaggerating under eye circles. Add a black shadow into the crease. Blend all these shadows to create a smoother line.

3. Apply mascara to your eyelashes.

4. Line in and around your waterline with a pink or lighter red colored lip or eye pencil to give the appearance of bloodshot eyes.

5. Darken and define your brows with a dark eyebrow pencil.

6. Apply a burgundy or black lipstick to the lips, or apply some light concealer to the lips to give your face a pale, more "dead" look.

Dress

1. Guys: Wear a white dress shirt with a black suit to get the desired look.

2. Ladies: Wear a formal dress with black satin, lace, or velvet material or accents to look the part.

3. Find a cape in a costume store or create your own by cutting some fabric into a long rectangular shape and keep it around your neck with a brooch.

Hair

1. Use a temporary dye to color your hair black if your hair is not dark already.

2. Add white-colored streaks to your hair using spray-on dye for a classic vampire look.

3. Female vampires: Wear your hair in a glamorous up do or half-up do.

Accessories

1. Purchase a pair of fangs that slip over your teeth.

2. You may wish to add drops of fake blood coming from your mouth or on the costume for an over-the-top creepy vampire look. You can buy fake blood and fangs from costume stores.

3. Order colored contact lenses from a retailer that sells costume lenses. A very pale light blue or amber lens will do the trick.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your eye doctor before ordering contact lenses.