Halloween doll makeup is fun and is often more affordable than buying a mask. Doll makeup can be cute, pretty, or even scary, so be creative and have fun.
Preparing for Your Halloween Doll Makeup
Find a photo or illustration of a doll that closely resembles the look you want to create. Tape it to the mirror before you begin applying your makeup. Buy a small cosmetic sponge to spread the makeup evenly over your face for a flawless, plastic appearance. Make sure you have a few cotton swabs dipped in baby oil to erase any mistakes or smudges.
Dress in your costume before you begin so that you do not smudge your makeup after it is finished. Cover your entire costume with a robe or towels to avoid ruining it when you drop a makeup applicator, which is almost inevitable. Pull your hair back in an elastic tie or slick it back with gel before beginning. If you are going to style it, add hot rollers before applying any makeup. Apply any hair dye or color spray before starting.
Creating Your Doll Face
Foundation
For Halloween doll makeup, you will apply a thicker layer of foundation than you would normally use. Dolls are synthetic, and your doll makeup should reflect that. Choose a theatrical greasepaint or leg cover-up makeup. This type of foundation is very opaque, which will help you achieve that doll-like look. Begin by dotting several spots of foundation over your forehead with your index finger, then blend the dots together by smoothing them with your sponge. Continue this in sections over the rest of your face. If you wait to smooth the makeup until your entire face is covered with dots, the foundation may have dried and be difficult to spread. Allow a few moments for your foundation to dry before proceeding.
With the collar or neck of your costume tucked in and covered, be sure that your neck is well-covered with foundation and that it is dry before you uncover your neckline. You don't want any gaps in coverage around your jaw, neck, or scalp as that would mar your doll-like illusion.
Cover your eyebrows and lips well with the foundation so that you can create your own doll eyebrows and lip shapes over the base.
Foundation makeup for fabric dolls, such as Raggedy Ann and Andy, should be matte. Simply dust a generous coat of talcum or face powder over a regular matte foundation or face paint. Be sure not to breathe the powder dust into your lungs, and be especially careful to avoid this when making up a child's face.
Eyebrows
Start from the top and move down, to avoid smudging your makeup. Dolls usually have smooth, painted-on eyebrows a little darker than their hair color. Use a long-lasting liquid eyeliner for your brows if you have a steady hand, or an eyebrow pencil if you are not as sure about your makeup skills.
Draw a curved line from the inner corner of each eyebrow that arches upward toward the outer corner of each eye and trails down, ending about a half-inch past the outer corner of each eye. Then fill the brows in to match the doll in your photo.
Eyes
Dolls have well-defined eyes. Barbie Doll eyes may have bright blue shadow, and Raggedy Ann has no eye shadow, and heavy lashes. If you plan to apply shadow, do that first. Using a steady hand and black waterproof, liquid eyeliner, draw a thin line along your upper lash line. Get as close to the lash line as you can. Using your first line as a guide, draw a thicker line if your doll requires it. Extend each line outward beyond your outer eyelids for a more artificial and wide-eyed look.
Either apply false eyelashes, or apply three coats of heavy, lash-lengthening, black mascara. Coat the tops of the eyelashes of one eye first, then apply a coat to the underside from the bottom (closest to your eye), stroking outward toward the ends of the lashes. Press firmly as you draw the wand up to curl the lashes.
It's Halloween, so if you want to paint your eyes in crazy designs and colors, go right ahead. You are the one who defines what a doll looks like tonight!
Cheeks
Dolls have rosy cheeks. Smile and dot a small circle of pink blush or lipstick over the apples of each of your cheeks. Smooth each circle carefully. Blend the color into your skin enough to smooth it, but not so much that the color disappears. Start small and add more if needed to ensure both cheeks have the same amount of color.
Lips
Begin with a sharpened lip pencil labled extended wear or long-lasting. Use a color that is at least a little darker than your lips, and draw an outline around your lips. Exaggerate your "cupids bow," (the two peaks at the top of your upper lip), even if you have to draw outside your natural lip line. Cover your lips completely with the lip pencil.
Using an extended-wear lipstick, cover your lips inside and up to the outline of the lip pencil carefully and completely. Allow this coat to dry and then cover with any sealant that was packaged with your lipstick.
Optional
Use a long-lasting eye shadow pencil to dot freckles or moles on your face, or to draw skin cracks if your doll is scary or creepy. If your doll has sunken cheeks, blend a darker foundation or smeared eye pencil in the hollows of your cheeks.
Try a Barbie Look!
With tips from Michelle Phan, you can also become a Barbie look-a-like for Halloween!
Get Ready to Party... Doll-Style
Be sure to carry your eyeliner, lipstick and cover-up in a bag or pocket for quick touch-ups if you are attending a party. Your Halloween doll makeup is now complete, and you look like an absolute doll!
