It’s that spooky time of year again! Whether you’re trick-or-treating or going to a Halloween party, we’ve gathered some of our favourite face paint ideas that’ll make you look the part.
1. Skull
Let’s start with a Halloween classic. Bring out your inner ghoul with a simple skull design. You can’t really go wrong with this easy idea – it’s great for both kids and adults.
2. Dinosaur
Create a talking dinosaur! And if dinosaurs aren’t your thing, this fun face painting idea works for other creatures too (you could try a shark, turtle or even a puppy).
3. M&Ms
Image: Beauty By Bree
Embrace trick-or-treating with M&M face paint. The great part is that you can use your prop bucket to carry your sweets too.
4. Monster
Unleash your inner beast with monster face paint. If you don’t want to commit to a full face, this one works just as well as a smaller piece.
5. Spiderman
We don’t think Spiderman will ever get old as a costume idea, so we had to include it on the list. Will your spidey senses be tingling this Halloween? Remember to avoid the delicate eye area.
6. Wonder Woman
Image: Fiestas by Jordi
While we’re on the topic of superheroes, Wonder Woman is a great go-to. If you don’t want to buy the whole get-up, a simple crown, blue eyeshadow and star face design will let everyone know exactly who you are!
7. Sugar Skull
If you can’t wait for Day of the Dead (which falls on November 2), sugar skull face paint also makes a great Halloween costume. Want to see how it’s done? Check out our sugar skull face paint tutorial.
8. Rainbow
If the kids can’t sit still for a face painting session, we’ve got a solution. Load up your paintbrush with different colours and create a rainbow with one stroke. If they’re trick-or-treating, paint a bucket or basket to give them a pot of gold that they can collect sweets in.
9. Mermaid
Make a splash this Halloween with mermaid face and body paint!
10. Sketch
Image: Sattin-lynne
Turn yourself into a walking artwork with this creative idea from Sattin-Lynne. Paint your face white and then follow your natural contours with a fine liner paint brush to make yourself look like a drawing. Avoid painting the delicate area around your eyes and use eyeshadow or a face powder instead.
11. Butterfly
Butterfly designs are a crowd favourite when it comes to face painting. There are plenty of beautiful variations out there which makes it easy to find one that you like.
12. Witch
Image credit: Small Friendly
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without a few witches out and about. Get out the green face paint and transform your look with this stunning idea by Kat. This one is a bit complicated to apply and remove, so we’re suggesting this one for adults only. To create this look you’ll want to lay down a primer first (unless you want to be green for days!) and avoid using face paint around the delicate eye area (we’d recommend an eyeshadow here instead). Once you’re ready to clean it off, Kat recommends using a wet face towel to remove the excess, then using a makeup remover to get rid of the remainder and a facial foaming cleanser to clear your pores.
13. Tiger
Image credit: Fiestas by Jordi
Feeling fierce? Tiger face paint might be just the costume for you this Halloween.
14. Cat
Since we’re already on the topic of cats, here’s a face paint idea for those who are feeling a little bit cute this year.
Quick Tips
Safety
- Avoid eyes, mouth, nasal passages
- For hygiene and sensitive skin reasons, don’t paint close to the eyes or on the mouth and nasal passages. If you would like to add colour near the eyes or on the mouth, we’d recommend using eye shadow or lipstick.
- Don’t paint people with sensitive skin or allergies
- If you, or someone you’re planning to paint, have skin allergies or sensitivities, do not apply face paint. You can always choose a fun costume instead!
- Do a patch test
- Before applying face paint, do a patch test on the inside of the elbow and wait 30 minutes to check for a reaction (such as redness or itching). If irritation occurs discontinue use and remove the paint straight away.
Application
- Keep it clean: Wash the area you’re going to paint with warm, soapy water and dry it before applying face paint. If you’re painting multiple people, you should also change your brush water frequently. Last but not least, make sure your brushes and sponges are clean before each use.
- Use a primer: Sometimes using a primer or a lighter face paint colour as a base coat can help make stubborn colours easier to clean off later. Common stubborn colours that can leave a tint on the skin include red, green, blue and black.
- Build up colour: Apply a base colour with a damp sponge or applicator and then apply a second coat to build up stronger hues as required.
Removal
- Use warm soapy water to remove face paint. Since Mont Marte Face n Body Paints are water-based, you can remove them with warm soapy water. Wipe any excess paint off with a wet towel and then gently wash your face with warm soapy water or your regular foaming facial wash. There’s no need to scrub or use harsh removers.
- Do not leave face paint on your skin overnight. Do your skin a favour and make sure it’s clean before you go to bed. You’ll thank yourself for it when you wake up in the morning.
- Fixing stained skin. Certain face paint colours are stronger than others and may be a bit harder to remove (i.e. red, green, blue and black). If this happens, you can try using a gentle baby shampoo to gently work the colour out.
