Getting a last-minute Halloween costume doesn’t have to involve expensive online orders or hours trying on outfits – some looks can be pulled together with whatever you have in your closet and a good use of makeup. Maria Mukaranda, a beauty editor at Cosmetify, spotlighted four last-minute looks that don’t require any costumes whatsoever.
Harley Quinn
With Joker: Folie à Deux hitting cinemas and showing the iconic Harley Quinn character in a number of new looks, fans can pull off this costume with whatever they have in their wardrobe as long as they get the makeup just right. Lady Gaga’s take on the Queen of Crime has also simplified the look meaning you can get it done with some black eyeliner and red lipstick.
Maria said: “Start by using black eyeliner to draw triangles above your brows and upside-down triangles beneath your lower lash line. Next, apply red lipstick to your lips, using a lip brush to slightly upturn the corners. For the finishing touch, smudge the eyeliner and lipstick to give it a worn-in, chaotic vibe, like you’ve just spent the day trouble-making on the streets of Gotham.”
Skulls
A Halloween staple, this makeup look can seem complex but it can be quite easy to do using just white face paint and black eyeliner, with the former even being optional depending on what type of version you’re doing. Maria shared: “ Simply apply an opaque layer of white all over your skin and sketch out your skeleton details with the black. Pair it with an all-black outfit, and you have an easy, economical, and sustainable Halloween look.”
Creepy doll
Whether you’re looking for a generic creepy doll getup or something more specific like Annabelle or M3GAN, the key to a spot-on doll look is the eyes, according to the expert. This can be a bit more intricate to figure out and needs a few more products than some of the other last-minute costumes.
Doll eyes start with a greyish-brown eyeshadow in the crease of your eye to make them look rounder. Then add white eyeliner to your waterline at the bottom of your eye to give the illusion of larger eyes. Maria specifically recommended NYX’s Jumbo Pencil in ‘Milk’ as a high-quality, affordable option.
Finally, add some exaggerated black winged eyeliner outside of the white eyeliner, to maintain the illusion. Finish off with some false eyelashes on the edges of these wings can complete the creepy doll look.
Zombie
A classic Halloween go-to look, zombie makeup can be incredibly fun because of its chaotic nature; getting it wrong can often mean it looks even better as these undead creatures are known for looking uneven, uncanny and gross. Mari shared: “Start by hollowing out your cheeks, temples, and eyes using a brown eyeshadow. This gives you that sunken, undead look. Next, grab red lipstick or lip liner to add some bloody scars and wounds. To complete the look, just tear up an old shirt you don’t care about.”