The Perfect Cleopatra Halloween Costume for Intermediate DIY-ers

Not sure what to be this Halloween? Instead of joining a group of pals as yet another Snapchat filter, why not stand out with a costume that’s part Ancient Egyptian, part badass babe? Cleopatra is the ultimate Halloween look, and with a little patience, some careful eyeliner, and well-chosen accessories, you’ll be able to craft up a Queen-of-Egypt-inspired Halloween costume that’s sure to blow everyone away. And since not everyone is a DIY pro, we’re going to show you how to do a Cleopatra costume no matter whether you’re a beginner or a master-level costumer.

If you’re not quite a novice but still feel like you have some room to grow when it comes to your DIY skills, you’ll be glad to know that we have the perfect Cleopatra costume just for you: Pair one signature accessory with clothing you may already have in your closet, and top it off with approachable, attention-grabbing makeup that will tie your whole look together. Keep scrolling to find out how.

What you’ll need to bring your look to life:

How to put it all together:

1. Try your hand at styling. Even though you’ve bought a wig with bangs, there’s a good chance that they’re not cut to Cleopatra’s liking. Lay your wig flat and use a pair of ultra-sharp scissors to snip the bangs a tad shorter than they already are. The goal isn’t so much baby fringe as it is micro bangs, so be sure to cut them about an inch up from your brows. To make sure you have the right length, try the wig on first to get a feel for how much to cut.

2. Take your hairstyle up a notch. To achieve major Cleopatra vibes, place a headpiece over your wig. If you feel any slip or are worried about it falling off at any point, pop in a few bobby pins for a little extra hold.

3. Give yourself a glimmering gold makeover. Begin with our flawless face tutorial. Next, apply gold shimmering shadow to your eyelids, going deeper in the creases and expanding beyond the outside corners of your eyes. While you’re at it, bring it down onto the lower lash line with a brighter gold on the inside corners for a little extra pop. For liner, use a liquid to create the eye of Horus. It helps to use a fine tip liner pen or brush with gel liner. When tracing it on, expand the inside corners onto the sides of the bridge of your nose and wing it like an exaggerated cat eye on the outside corners. Add a bold brow using deep brown brow shadow, keeping your arches bold but not exaggerated, and top it off with a set of false gold eyelashes and a bold pink lip. Easy enough, right?

THE FINAL LOOK

Looking for more good costume inspo? Head to our Halloween page.

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Production, Wardrobe, Hair, and Makeup: Misty Spinney

Photography: Kurt Andre

Model: Anjelika Temple

Additional reporting by Rebecca Norris

(All photos by Brit + Co)