With a little over two weeks to go, it’s time to start flexing the creative muscles for Halloween. While we will always love simplistic characters and costumes like The Sims, sometimes we want to play up the eeriness but without going over the top. For those in the same boat, we round up all the makeup and nail looks that are fun, magical, and equal parts creepy. All treats, no tricks here!
Makeup
Zara Larsson
A no-brainer Halloween costume for those looking to bedazzle themselves. Zara Larsson’s makeup artist Sophia Sinot has created a treasure trove of playful looks, from Hello Kitty to fruit to summer glam. The key here is to work in small sections, making sure to blend as you go. Oh! And don’t be afraid of colour.
Morticia Addams Makeup
For those trying to emulate a gothic, witchy, or just a supernatural woman in general, Morticia Addams has been the blueprint for years and 2026 is no different. Straight brows, pale skin, sharp contour that turns the face gaunt, a smoky blue eye, and a red lip are all you need.
Euphoria Makeup
Another staple Halloween look ever since the show began airing, the final season that aired earlier this year offers plenty of new inspo to work with. Between Rue’s glittery eyes and Maddy’s dark femme looks, makeup artist Donni Davy recreates the looks and showcases how to achieve them all on her Instagram.
Spiderweb Eyeliner
A Halloween look that can go as dramatic as you want, spideweb eyeliner is pretty straightforward. Created on the outer corner of the eye with an eyelash curler, the look is a simple spiderweb oozing out of the eyes. For more drama, enlarge the web to cover the cheeks.
Tear Drops
Another look that can become full glam, teardrop makeup can also be tailored from fantastical to realistic. The easiest look involves shaping a teardrop with eyeliner at the midpoint of the eyes. To take it further, add glitter and colour and drag the “tear” all the way to the end of the face.
Animal Eyes
Taking inspiration from the plethora of animal prints that we’ve come across this year, animal eye makeup is pretty straightforward. Replicating the print onto the eyelids, it’s a makeup look that does require some precision but also allows room for slight imperfections since natural fur isn’t meant to be perfect.
Retro Future
Thinking back to childhood cartoons, retro future was the best way to describe the makeup styles. The makeup takes notes from the ‘60s era but also adds the era’s ideas of futurism. One character that encapsulates this best is Daphne from Scooby-Doo. Think graphic liners, pastel colours, and a skinny brow.
Vampire Makeup
When in doubt, go for a vampy look. It’s similar to the witchy makeup but involves a lot more red, especially around the lips. To add an even eerier look, you can lightly trace veins across the face with a red pencil to create the look of bloodshot eyes.
Nails
Pumpkin Nails
Starting with the obvious, pumpkin nails work for the entire autumn season and are ideal for those who want their nail art to last longer than Halloween.
Ghostface
Movie nails is another obvious choice, especially if the costume plan is to dress up as that character. But when it comes to Halloween, a Ghostface motif is as natural as the pumpkins and suits those who prefer to keep their nails long. Alongside the character, you can complement the nails with blood splatter nail art or a simple black base.
Crystal Balls
For those dressing up as witches this ‘ween, crystal balls for nails are just par for the course. And the best part about this design is that it isn’t needlessly complicated but involves a purple cat eye with subtle chrome details that mimic a crystal ball.
Spooky French
Switching up the classic French nail, the spooky French is a blank canvas to add playful details to the French nail. This could look like incorporating bats or crosses into the design or changing the iconic white for a neon green instead.
Spider Webs
Complementing the spiderweb makeup are the spiderweb nails, which are spiderwebs precisely drawn on the nails. This look can go a myriad of ways—you can turn the spiderwebs silver with chrome, keep it subtle with a single finger, or add to the creepy factor with a drawing of a spider.
Smoke Effect Nails
Like its name, the smoke effect nails mimic the traces of smoke. A translucent design, it works with a range of colours but pairs especially well with the classic black.
Celestial Nails
Another design the transcend the season, celestial nails, or galaxy nails, takes inspiration from the cosmos, giving the nails an ombre effect as its base and chrome stars, complete with charms as its key detail. Another look for those planning to dress as witches this Halloween.
Dark Aura Nails
And finally, for those unsure about committing to a character design, aura nails in a dark palette easily blend in with the holiday and season. And as long as you stick with a black base, any colour will bring in the moody vibes that Halloween demands.
