5 Trendy Halloween Eyeliner Makeup Looks to Try This Spooky Season

Halloween makeup looks are a different breed of outside-the-box. When you think of Halloween makeup, your mind my wander to SFX makeup looks featuring faux blood or spooky, clown makeup that’s gruesome and a little unsettling. There’s certainly a time and place for that, but we’re here to say that Halloween makeup doesn’t always have to be bloody to make a festive statement. 

Softer looks that incorporate our favorite trends, like mermaidcore makeup and siren eyes, are what’s trending this spooky season, and the results are picture-perfect. Even better, they can be easily created with the contents of your makeup bag, like blush, mascara and especially eyeliner. Read on as we share five trendy Halloween eyeliner makeup looks you can recreate, along with step-by-step tutorials for each.

Mermaidcore Makeup

Indulge your inner child this Halloween, and take inspo from everyone’s favorite little mermaid for your makeup look. This mermaidcore costume includes graphic liner in bright shades of blue and purple, with delicate pearl appliques and paired with a wet hair look. Since this makeup puts a spotlight on the eyes, we recommend completing your face makeup first so you can apply the pearls in one step.

1. Create the Wing

Create an open wing that extends past your eyebrow tail with L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Blue or Green. This colored eyeliner has a felt tip for precise application and provides 30-hour wear so you can trick-or-treat in style without having to worry about your eyeliner smudging. 

2. Apply Shimmer to the Lid

Next, fill in the open space on the lid with a purple eyeshadow like L’Oréal Paris Brilliant Eyes Shimmer Liquid Eye Shadow Makeup in Amethyst Quartz. This shimmery, liquid shadow is crease-proof, flake-resistant and adds the perfect dose of light-catching shine to your lids.

3. Apply Eyeliner to the Lower Lash Line 

Use L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Purple to line your lower lash line. Then use a small blending brush to gently smoke out the liner.

4. Define Your Lashes

Ultra long lashes are the just finishing touch this mermaid-inspired makeup look calls for. To match the eyes, use L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Instant Lift Washable Mascara in Galactic Purple for instant lash lengthening and definition. 

5. Finish With Lip Gloss  

Once your eyes are complete, layer on a plumping lip gloss like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Gloss Plump in Mauve Glow.

Editor’s tip: To pair your mermaidcore makeup with a wet hair look, coat your strands in a high-shine hair gel like L’Oréal Paris Studio Line Invisi Gel.

Alien Glam Makeup

If you can’t decide whether you want to go spooky or glam for Halloween say no more alien glam makeup look is just what you need because it combines both.  

1. Create Your Base

Use green or blue face paint to paint one side of your face to start the alien half. Then use a full coverage foundation, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation, to create an even base on the glam side. 

2. Apply Eyeliner and Eyeshadow

On the alien side, apply a layer of black eyeshadow, like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Noir Cest Noir, all over the lid. 

On the glam side, apply a shimmery gold eyeshadow, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine, to the lid.

Next, take a black gel eyeliner, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner, and complete each side of your face respectively. On the alien side, define your eyelid by drawing an oversized wing that lifts upward toward your hairline and fill it in. On the glam side, create a sharp wing in the outer corner, and apply a volumizing mascara, like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara, to define your lashes.

3. Apply Lipstick

On the alien side, apply a pale shade of lipstick that matches the color of your base makeup. On the glam side, apply a deeper shade of lipstick like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in Le Wood Nonchalant.

4. Finish With Setting Spray

To keep both makeup looks in place, spritz on a makeup setting spray like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray and Set Make-Up Oil-Free Setting Spray. This will help to lock in your makeup and prevent smudging or makeup settling into fine lines. 

Fairycore Makeup

This fantasy-inspired makeup look is straight from the pages of a fairytale. The fairycore makeup trend spotlights pastel shades of pink and lavender, iridescent shimmers and ethereal accessories like rhinestones and butterfly clips. If you’re not into the bloody, gory side of Halloween makeup, we think you’ll really enjoy this look. 

1. Create Your Eyeshadow Base

Apply a pastel colored eyeshadow, like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Mademoiselle Pink, to your lids. If you don’t have pastel eyeshadow, you can use powder blush in its place. Take a baby pink shade, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Blush in Confident Pink, and apply it to your lids with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. 

2. Add Shimmer and Eyeliner

Once you’ve applied your base eyeshadow, then comes the fun part — shimmer. No ethereal, fairycore makeup look is complete without a little bit of shimmer or glitter. Reach for L’Oréal Paris Brilliant Eyes Shimmer Liquid Eye Shadow Makeup in Amber Sparkle, and use the doe-foot applicator to apply it all over your lids. Take a fluffy brush and blend the shimmery shadow outward and upward toward your hairline to create a lifted effect. 

Then apply white eyeliner, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in White, to your waterline to add brightness. 

3. Define Your Lashes

For fairy-like, siren eyes, apply a lifting mascara, like L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Instant Lift Washable Mascara, and focus the application on the outer corner of your lashes. Then apply a light layer of mascara to the lower lash line.

4. Finish With Lipstick

Complete your fairy makeup look with your favorite shade of rosy pink lipstick. If you need a suggestion, try L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick in Road Tripping; the soft matte formula includes hyaluronic acid to provide a long-wearing, comfortable finish. 

Haunted Beauty Queen

If you love any opportunity to play with SFX makeup and fake blood, there’s no doubting that Halloween is your favorite holiday. This haunted beauty queen costume does blood in the chicest way — dripping in a healthy layer of red rhinestones, literally. 

1. Apply Foundation 

Apply a full-coverage foundation like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation. A long-wearing formula is important for this look because you want something that will keep your makeup, faux blood and rhinestones intact without smudging. 

2. Create a Smoky Eye 

Use a neutral eyeshadow palette, like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow in Boudoir Charme, to create a simple smoky eye. Start by applying the lightest shade all over the lid, then use one of the darker shades to smoke out the upper and lower lash line. Then use Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner to line the upper lash line and lower lash line, flipping the liner over to use the built-in smudger to smoke out the line.  Finish with a coat of mascara, like L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara, to lengthen the lashes. 

3. Spritz Your Hair With Temporary Red Hair Dye

To begin creating the faux blood, spritz temporary hair color, like L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Red, onto your roots. This hair color is great for Halloween looks because it lasts until your next shampoo.

4. Paint and Bejewel the Blood Drips

With a bright shade of red face paint, use a small brush to draw the drips of blood on your forehead and cheeks. Then take red rhinestones, and glue them onto the drops to create the sparkling, 3D effect. 

Masquerade Makeup 

This masquerade-inspired look marries Halloween drama with festive charm. Since this makeup look extends past the eyes, you’ll definitely want to apply your foundation first. Something matte, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Matte or L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder, are great options because they will prevent the eyeliner from smudging.

1. Line the Upper and Lower Lash Line

Use L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner to line the upper lash line, the lower lash line and the waterline. Use your fingers or a brush to lightly smudge the liner for a blended, smoky look.

2. Create Your Mask

Next, use liquid eyeliner, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Black, to map out the lines that will make up the shape of your mask. Start between the brows and move outwards, creating small lines and swirls to map out the shape. Then use the tip of the eyeliner to connect everything together.

3. Apply Nude Lipstick 

To keep the attention on your intricate eye makeup, pair your masquerade makeup with a nude lipstick like L’Oréal Paris Les Nus by Colour Riche Intense Nude Lipstick in Nu Intense or L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in Sunwash. 

4. Set the Look With Setting Spray

Finish everything off by spritizing on a layer of makeup setting spray, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray and Set Make-Up Oil-Free Setting Spray, to lock your makeup in place for all night long wear.

Next: 6 Makeup Trends to Help You Transition From Summer to Fall Makeup

Photo: Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris, Photo Design: Sarah Duvivier