Buying guide for best vampire makeup
Whether you’re dressing up for Halloween, a costume party, a fan convention, or another event, a vampire costume is one of the easiest to put together. But if you want the most convincing look, you should pair your costume with high-quality vampire makeup.
Vampire makeup typically focuses on giving you a pale, almost sickly complexion to resemble the undead skin tone associated with vampires. However, other details can vary — you may want to find makeup that helps add dark circles beneath your eyes or contour your cheeks to make your face appear gaunt. Some vampire makeup includes products that can make your lips look bloody.
When you’re looking for makeup to complete your vampire costume, start by figuring out what type of vampire look you want, then determine what kind of makeup best suits your needs. Next, you should decide whether you prefer a makeup set or single products to create your look and whether you need application tools. If you’re still confused about your options, this shopping guide provides all the tips and product recommendations you need to choose the best vampire makeup for any occasion.
How to buy the best vampire makeup
Vampire makeup styles
While all vampire makeup may seem the same, you can create different looks based on your preferred style. The look you choose determines which makeup products you need to create it.
The most common styles of vampire makeup include:
- Classic vampire makeup is the simplest style. It includes white or pale makeup to lighten your skin tone for a sickly look, as well as darker shades to create shadows beneath the eyes and to contour your cheeks and jaw. Some classic vampire makeup kits include red tones, so you can make your lips appear bloody.
- Glam vampire makeup is similar to a classic vampire look, but it includes dark black, gray, and/or red tones to create a dramatic smoky eye. It usually features a deep red lip.
- Gothic vampire makeup is a twist on glam vampire makeup, but it uses black shadows for the eyes and black lipstick.
- Sparkly vampire makeup was made famous by the Twilight books and movies, which feature vampires whose skin sparkles in the sunlight. It still calls for pale face makeup to give your skin a death-like pallor, but you’ll need a glittery highlight product to dust all over your face and provide the sparkle.
Makeup formulas
Vampire makeup is available in various formulas, depending on how opaque you want it to be and how long it needs to last.
Pan: Pan makeup is usually cream-based face paint that offers medium pigmentation. If you only want your skin to have a slight white or gray cast, this type of makeup does the trick. You can sheer it out even further if you use a sponge to dab it onto the skin.
Crayon: Crayon or stick makeup is similar to pan makeup, but it comes in convenient stick packaging, allowing you to apply it directly to your skin. You can then use a brush or sponge to blend it out.
Liquid: Liquid makeup features face paint that comes in a tube. It has a thicker texture and provides fuller coverage. As a result, this type of vampire makeup is opaque if you want to give your skin a fully white or gray tone. Like pan makeup, you can apply it with a brush or a sponge. It generally wears longer on the skin than pan makeup.
Powder: To create shadows, bruising, or a smoky eye, powder makeup works best. You can find white face powder to set your pan, stick, or liquid face makeup so it lasts all night. It’s an especially effective formula for oily skin because it won’t make your face look greasy and can absorb excess oil.
DID YOU KNOW?
For a truly spooky look, you may want to buy a pair of colored contacts to wear with your vampire makeup — red, black, or white look dramatic.
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What features does vampire makeup have?
Kits vs. singles
Most vampire makeup comes in a kit containing multiple products or shades to create your look. These sets are the most convenient option because they include a white or gray shade for the skin, a black for shadows and contouring, and a red for blood effects. Some larger kits contain additional shades to customize your vampire look further, adding bruising or scars.
A kit is usually your best bet for Halloween or other costumes you won’t wear too long. You’ll also get a better value. However, if you need your vampire makeup to last longer, individual makeup products may perform better. They’re higher-quality and wear longer on the skin, making them a smart option if you go to an all-day fan convention or perform on stage.
Tools
Some vampire makeup comes with tools you can use to apply it. For example, many kits include sponges that help apply cream products to larger areas of your face, and some sets come with brushes for more detailed application. Some kits contain sponge tip applicators, which are helpful for applying makeup to your eyes.
Fake blood and prosthetics
Many vampire makeup kits come with extra items to bring your look together. Fake blood is a common addition, allowing you to add blood to your lips or the corner of your mouth. Other kits may include prosthetics such as pointed ears that you can attach with non-toxic adhesives. Halloween vampire makeup kits often include fake teeth with pointed fangs to finish your costume.
You may want to use makeup to add two wounds to your neck to indicate where the vampire bit you. Allow some fake blood to drip down your neck for a scary look.
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How do you accessorize vampire makeup?
Makeup sponges
Makeup sponges let you apply vampire makeup easily all over your face. They’re convenient if you’re using white or gray face makeup to give you a more sickly complexion because you can cover large areas quickly. They can also sheer out makeup if you don’t want opaque coverage.
Makeup brushes
Makeup brushes are helpful for detailed work when applying vampire makeup. For example, you can use face brushes to contour and smaller brushes to apply eyeshadow for a smoky eye or to create shadows and bruises beneath the eyes.
How much does vampire makeup cost?
Inexpensive
The most affordable vampire makeup is usually single products in a cream formula. You can find some kits that contain palettes with multiple shades, but these are likely lower-quality products that work best for Halloween or other occasions when you don’t need your makeup to last long. This makeup costs $1 to $14.
Mid-range
Mid-range vampire makeup is usually higher-quality single liquid products or higher-quality kits with multiple shades or products. These products have a decent wear time, so you can use them when you need your makeup to last longer. Some sets also include prosthetics and fake blood. Makeup in this range costs $14 to $45.
Expensive
The most expensive vampire makeup costs $45 to $114 and is kits that contain high-quality makeup in a wide array of shades and formulas. It offers excellent wear time and comes with prosthetics, fake blood, and more.
DID YOU KNOW?
Set your face makeup with a setting powder in a translucent or pale shade to ensure that it lasts through your Halloween party or other events.
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Tips
- Apply your face makeup to your neck, chest, and hands. You want all of your exposed skin to be pale so your complexion has a sickly tone to it.
- Use gray shades to contour your face and create shadows. Vampire makeup usually calls for making your face look gaunt. Using a light- to mid-tone gray works well with pale face makeup to make your cheekbones and jawline look sharper.
- Dust purple and red tones under the eyes. This helps mimic the look of dark circles or bruises and plays into the undead look you want from vampire makeup.
- Add a red lip. Choose a deep or blood-red color to stain your lips for a glam look. If you don’t have fake blood, you can also smudge the lipstick around your mouth to make it look like you’ve been drinking blood.
FAQ
Q. Can a beginner apply vampire makeup?
A. Vampire makeup is doable for beginners because it doesn’t require much detailed work. For a simple but convincing look, you only have to apply white or gray makeup all over your face to give you the pallid skin tone associated with vampires. If you want a more menacing look, you can add some shading or contouring at your cheekbones and jawline to help you look even thinner and more sickly, as well as some fake blood near your mouth.
Q. How long does it take to apply vampire makeup?
A. Vampire makeup doesn’t have to take long to apply. If you do a classic vampire look, you can apply the makeup in as little as five to 10 minutes. It may take longer if you want to add a smoky eye or other eye makeup. For most looks, you can apply the makeup in 30 minutes or less.
Q. How should I remove vampire makeup?
A. It depends on the type of makeup. Most costume makeup washes off easily with a facial cleanser and water. However, some long-wearing formulas may require an oil-based cleanser to break down the makeup and remove it.
