As our Instagram feeds fill with pumpkins, our daydreams turn to the jaw-dropping Halloween costumes and over-the-top makeup. It's wonderfully easy to get swept up in the Halloween possibilities. But how do you decide whether to DIY the look or call in a professional?!
LUX Beauty Boutique has teamed up with the Alberta Art Gallery to create two Victorian Gothic looks for its upcoming Refinery: Danse Macabre. The first look is one that, with a little practice, you'll be able to do yourself, while the other showcases the artwork of a professional. To top it all off, Sweet Carousel Corsetry generously loaned us two hand-boned corsets (and everything else pictured) to transport us to a dark, hallowed place.
How To Create The Look
- Lay down a generous amount of black eyeliner all over the eyelid. We like Amaterasu Pencil in black -- it will stay on all night! Smudge it out with a brush or your finger and do not worry about being precise. Messy is good for this look.
- With your black liner, make the shape of where you want the eye look to stop, using soft horizontal strikes. Danielle chose to stop just at the top of the brow, a few centimeters below the lower lash line, high onto the bridge of the nose leaving some skin space in the middle and far out onto the temples.You want the look to be sunken in and spooky, so use your face shape to best assess the placement of the soft lines.
- With your finger, keep smudging out your black liner, building up the colour with more if need be. You want to be very black concentrated in the centre.
- Here comes the black eye shadow! You will need a small brush for packing on the shadow starting at the centre of the eyelid and moving outwards from there using a fluffy blending brush. Once you are happy with the shape and smokiness, use a black liquid eyeliner with a fine tip to create more horizontal lines across the entire eye look to create some texture.
- Use a lighter shade of foundation than you normally would, and set with a translucent powder.
- Apply a generous amount of red mascara. That’s right: RED mascara. Danielle used Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses Expert Mascara. Be messy with it and even get it on the base of your lids and under the eyes. This will add to the creepy effect!
- Use some scrap lace and hold it firm on the skin above the eye socket area with some black gel eyeliner, or face paint press it into the lace with a sponge or large brush. This will give your look even more texture and a little bit of elegance.
- Contour the face with a ruddy red/brown eyeshadow. Using a warmer red colour will make the complexion look slightly sickly, and even more sunken in.
- Pick a blood red shade of lipstick paired with a bold red liner. Overline your bottom lip line to extend the expression of the mouth. Make your Cupid’s bow at the top of the lip sharp and crisp, then fill in your lips full with the liner. Add lipstick on top, and dab it in with your finger. Kevyn Aucoin Cerise Lip Lner and Bloodroses Expert Lipcolour were our picks for this look.
- You are ready for your dance with death.
When To Call In A Professional
Found the perfect look, but worried it might be too complex to pull off on your own? Danielle recommends calling in a professional for “makeup that requires changing the shape of your face, layering multiple colours, and having very precise lines.” She goes on to say, “If you want something put together that will save you the rush and stress of doing it yourself, then treating yourself to a makeup application is the way to go!” Finally, she added, “Beware the things that seem ‘too easy.’”
Danielle showcases her professional flare by creating this creepy anatomical makeup look to danse into the darkness.
Make Up Artistry by Danielle DeCuyper
Styling / Photography by Marielle Elizabeth