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Halloween is the time when all bets are off, and you’re not only allowed but encouraged to deck yourself out in any fashion! And we are always ready to kick off our Halloween costume-making run as early as possible here at B+C. Let’s keep it real: We love channeling our inner Wonder Woman, but pulling off a slightly gory costume like a zombie is a little more challenging. Here we’ve created an approachable zombie Halloween makeup tutorial so you can still feel like a babe while staying true to Halloween’s spooky vibe. Keep reading for the how-to.
How to Replicate This Babe-worthy Zombie Costume
Step 1: Zombie Halloween Makeup Prep
Apply a full-coverage foundation like Too Faced Born This Way Foundation ($45) that’s one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. This will help with that sallow, not so full-of-life look.
Step 2: Contour
First, contour the hollows of your cheeks, temples, around your hairline, down into your jawline, and your neck using a neutral bronzer like NU Evolution Bronzer in Portofino ($38), then go over these spots with a deep gray shadow to add that cold, deadly vibe.
Step 3: Start Zombie Eyes
Contour: Use a fluffy shadow brush to apply a deep charcoal shadow to the inside and outside corners of your eyes.
Blood Base: Apply a red eyeshadow to the center of your eyelids, along your under-eye areas, and up into your temples.
Highlight and Deepen: Add a silver shimmer to your brow bones and a deep black to the crease underneath your eyes.
Step 4: Back to Your Base
Now apply Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation ($42) to the t-zone of your face with a flat foundation brush to brighten and give more dimension to your overall look.
Step 5: Start Bite Wound
Contour: Apply the same charcoal shadow around the corners and lower lip.
Wound Prep: Apply Mehron Spirit Gum ($13) to the center of your lip, extending above and below your upper and lower lip line. Let this dry for around 2-5 minutes.
Step 6: Add Veins To Your Zombie Halloween Makeup
While the spirit gum dries, move on and apply Ben Nye Créme Colors in Gray ($8) with a very fine-pointed paintbrush along your forehead to create veins. Apply Ben Nye Créme Colors in Fresh Cut ($8) in random places over the gray to give a more realistic finish.
Step 7: Complete Bite Wound
Apply Ben Nye Créme Colors in Red ($8) over the spirit gum you applied to your lip before. Mix in a little maroon and black to take the look to the next level.
Finishing Touches
Start off by applying white squiggle lines similar to the veins on your forehead coming out of your eyes to get the base and shape right.
Now, using a variation of the gray, maroon, red, and black créme colors, create the depth in all the veins coming out of your eyes. Apply a little mascara and deepen your brows if needed. You can really elevate this look by adding a pair of light gray contacts like we put on Kristina!
Share your looks with us by tagging us on Instagram, and for more costume inspiration, follow us on Pinterest. You can also check out our other Halloween Makeup Looks!
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This post has been updated.
Costume Styling/Hair/Makeup: Misty Spinney
Photographer: Kurt Andre
Models: Kristina Elkus
