Whether you're a fan of the animated character Jack Skellington of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," a Shakespeare buff looking to channel your inner Yorick or a procrastinator who waited until the last minute to throw together a costume, this classic step-by-step skeleton makeup tutorial will get you ready for a spooky party in no time. With a little face paint, eyeliner and eyeshadow it's easy to create this affordable Halloween costume. Get ready to contour your way beyond the grave.
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Things You'll Need
Primer
White face paint
Beauty blender
Black crayon pencil
Black face paint
Flat brush
Black liquid liner
Translucent powder
Powder brush
Black eyeshadow
Eyeshadow brush
Pencil brush
Flat pointed brush
Step 1: Apply Makeup Primer
Apply primer to your face and neck. This will give the makeup something to adhere to and help ensure the look withstands all the monster mashing that you're bound to be doing.
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Step 2: Apply White Skeleton Face Paint
Apply white face paint to your face and neck with a beauty blender for that translucent effect. Be sure to apply paint to your lips and ears, but leave your eye area bare as you'll fill this in later with black paint.
Step 3: Outline Eyes in Black
Use a black crayon pencil to trace a circle around your eyes, following the curve of your brows.
Step 4: Outline Nose in Black
Make an "M" shape with one arch higher than the other over your nose.
Step 5: Draw Base of the Teeth
Draw lines from the corners of your mouth to create the base for the skeleton teeth. From the lines you drew from the corners of your mouth, draw a "V" shape toward your ears with the black crayon pencil.
Step 6: Fill in Skeleton Makeup Eyes
Use a flat brush and black face paint to fill in your eyes. Don't worry about make the circles perfect — it'll be more realistic if it's a bit smudged and uneven.
Step 7: Fill In Skeleton Nose
While you're at it, fill in your nose as well.
Step 8: Accentuate Brow Bones
Extend lines from your eyes with a brush to accentuate your brow bones.
Step 9: Easy Skeleton Makeup Teeth
Use black liquid liner to create "teeth" by drawing vertical lines over your lips. To create the optical illusion of a skeleton's jawbone, be sure to make the longest line in the middle of your mouth and make them progressively smaller as you get closer to your ears. Make sure you have the same number of lines on each side of your mouth and do your best to draw them evenly.
Step 10: Fill In Cheeks
Use black face paint and a flat paint brush to fill in the hollows of your cheeks. Then, smudge black paint into your hairline and blend. Keep it messy for a more realistic skeleton look.
Step 11: Set Makeup With Powder
Use translucent powder and a powder brush to set the white skeleton Halloween makeup.
Step 12: Apply Black Eyeshadow
Use black eyeshadow and an eyeshadow brush to set the black paint and prevent creasing.
Use the black powder to smudge the outlines of the black paint at the hairline, the brow bones, the tip of your nose, and the hollows of your cheeks.
Step 13: Shade in the Teeth
Use a pencil brush to shade in the teeth with black powder. Create a "V" shape on the top row of teeth and an inverted "V" shape on the bottom row.
Step 14: Whiten Skeleton Teeth
Use a flat pointed brush to fill in the teeth with white paint to make them pop. Use quick flicking motions to avoid smudging the black shadow too much.
Step 15: Add White Highlights
Highlight your forehead and your cheekbones with white paint.
Step 16: Blend Jawline and Cheeks
Use a powder brush to apply black eyeshadow along your jawline, blending into the hollow of your cheeks.
Step 17: Finish Skeleton Makeup Tutorial
Now that you know how to paint a skeleton face, you're ready to drag your bones onto the dance floor!