The Makeup Tutorial That Will Turn You Into A Vampire In Time For Halloween
From Bram Stoker's Count Dracula to Edward Cullen of the 'Twilight' series, we've long been entranced by vampire lore. The mesmerizing gaze of these dangerous, yet alluring mythological beings draws in innocent victims — just close enough for the bite, draining them of blood with their fangs and in turn, creating a brand new vampire. The belief that these creatures were real was widespread during the Middle Ages, as a bleeding mouth was one of the symptoms of the plague, via History. These fictitious monsters not only hold steady roles in novels, films, and shows, they make for excellent Halloween costumes. Pale skin, red lips, some sharp fangs, and you're nearly set. It's really one of the top Halloween costume hacks. Take inspiration from your favorite on-screen vampire story whether it's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Interview with the Vampire," "True Blood," or "What We Do in the Shadows."
The garb for a vampire get-up can be relatively simple — a long black dress or black cape and white shirt (perhaps with a drop or two of fake blood) are just about all you need. It's a great option if you want a last minute DIY Halloween costume. But to get a gasp or two at this year's All Hallows Eve party, try going the extra mile with a seriously impressive (and pale) face of makeup.
Try a modern vampire makeup look
You may associate vampires with something a bit more eerie or ancient — think the ghostly Victorian era. But a modern-day vampire makeup look is a fun take on the creepy classic. Following suit with the vampires of "Twilight," this look could almost pass as fairly normal — but with a tinge of mystery. It's the amber-colored contact lenses and white fangs that'll make onlookers do a double-take. Check out these Golden Twilight Halloween Contacts from WickedEyez, which are perfect for this vibe.
Once you've made your complexion a shade or two paler than usual with your favorite foundation, Brit + Co recommends using the Pop Beauty Sunshine Palette to really capture the eye of this modern vampire. The reddish brown and white shimmer eye shadow make for a beautiful and mysterious gaze. Use your favorite black eyeliner to create a cat eye and a dark shadow to lightly smudge the liner for a smokey look. Long false lashes are also great for this seductress.
These deep, autumn colors paired with the amber contact lenses may as well transport you straight into a scene from "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn."
Final touches that'll spook
To wrap-up this modern vampire baroness, you obviously need the right teeth — oh, and a lip color that's perfectly vampy. These fangs from Party City look nearly real. As for your lips, Brit + Co recommends using a black liner to fill in most of your lips. Then, take a deep blood-red lipstick and apply it just to the center of your lips, blending slightly, as though you've just finished up a midnight snack.
Lastly, an auburn wig will really tie together this modern vamp. Checkout this one on Amazon or peruse your local Halloween shop.
Our fascination with these fictional monsters doesn't seem to be dying down anytime soon. The publication of "Dracula" in 1897, via Britannica sparked a continual onslaught of vampire-inspired media which society seems to hunger for relentlessly. And while we don't live in actual fear of these monsters as we once did, the myth has truly permeated our culture — not unlike venom through blood.