75 Brilliant Halloween Makeup Ideas to Try This Year

Whether you're hosting an epic costume party or having a low-key night of handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, Halloween makeup is always a good option for spooky season. It's fairly affordable and not that hard to DIY, and can save even the saddest excuse for a costume. Plus, if you're not really feeling a crowded bar crawl or house party, makeup is the perfect way to add just a touch of spooky spirit to your movie night, a school pickup, or—let's be honest—the inevitable Instagram selfie.

The only problem? Actually choosing a look. If you're feeling stuck, you're in luck: We asked top makeup artists for both super-easy-to-DIY Halloween makeup styles and some complex ones, so you can focus on glamming—and last-minute costume shopping—instead of wasting time coming up for ideas of what to try.

For something especially quick and easy, celebrity makeup artist Lanii Doa suggests a neon skeleton. “This look can be done on the fly for anyone who is in a rush and needs a last-minute Halloween makeup idea,” she says. “It's also cute and supercool.” To DIY, finish your makeup as you usually would, then grab your desired color of face paint; Doa suggests Snazaroo. Keep scrolling for the full how-to.

Whatever your plans—or your style–we compiled the best Halloween makeup ideas to hit our feeds over the years, from pop culture moments (hi, Weird Barbie) to the immaculately detailed, over-the-top Halloween costumes centered around true works for art.

Read on for the the best Halloween makeup looks for 2023, and get ready to screenshot.

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