This year I have a Halloween party to go to, and normally I'd dress up as something cutesy, so I thought I'd do something different and get creepy with it! And what's more creepy than dead things? I'll admit, normally I get scared pretty easily, so I figured that if I was something scary, I wouldn't get frightened! So this year I'm going as a dead geisha, and putting my own spin on traditional geisha makeup.
Since it's pretty simple to do, I thought I'd give you guys a makeup/hair/costume tutorial, perfect if you're looking for a last minute Halloween look!
Taken By Surprise Tutorial: Scary Geisha Makeup
Here are my inspirations for this look.
Image credit clockwise: makeup-playground, labellemel, tumblr, videojug.
1. Apply a liquid foundation all over the face using a stippling brush, which will create a porcelain look. Conceal any redness or blemishes with a liquid concealer and concealer brush, which will help your skin get that flawless look. Then finish off your base with a translucent matte powder applied with a kabuki brush.
Taken by Surprise Tip: I don't like to use face paint, hence no white geisha face. BUT by using a foundation with SPF in it, the sun-protecting ingredients reflect light, so when someone takes your picture using a flash, your face will go ghostly white!
Foundation: Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation in "Soft Beige" Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in "Light 10" Powder: Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder in "Silky Beige" |
This was taken using a flash - how deathly white do I look! Since Halloween parties are generally at night, you'll look like a ghost in all of the photos, perfect for this look! |
2. Using a dark eyebrow pencil, create thick and angular eyebrows. The bigger, the better! Let them fall into a point along the sides of your nose - it creates a scary cartoon kind of look. As a guideline, line your brows about 1-2mm from the natural shape to thicken them up.
Eyebrow Pencil: Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil in "Black Brown" |
3. To create that bruise/dark circles kind of look as if we're dead, apply a deep burgundy eyeshadow under your eyes where your dark circles would be if you had them (Hopefully you don't! Sleep is important!). At the outer area of the shadow, bring it up to a point at the end of your eyebrows, like a wing.
Eyeshadow: Beauty Essentials Palette in "Essential Eyes" |
4. Apply a shimmery pink over the burgundy, staying within the shape you've created. Also apply on your lids.
Eyeshadow: Lancome Michelle Phan Glam Eyes in "Lid" |
5. Using a purpley blue shade, apply in the outer area of the burgundy/pink, to give your eyes some dimension. While we're trying to create a bruise effect, we also want the eye makeup to reflect the silk of a kimono.
Eyeshadow: Lancome Michelle Phan Glam Eyes in "Crease" |
6. Then using a blue-toned silver, apply to the inner corners and slightly blend into the burgundy/pink. Also apply in the outer third of your lids.
Eyeshadow: Lancome Michelle Phan Glam Eyes in "Highlighter" |
7. Taking a matte white eyeshadow, highlight your brow bone to make your brows look higher.
Eyeshadow: Beauty Essentials Palette in "Essential Eyes" |
8. Because we have a defined line where the eyeshadow bruise ends, use a blending brush to soften the edges and create that black-eye look. Don't worry if they aren't even, bruises are never the same!
9. Open up your eyes by lining your waterline with a white kohl pencil, and follow that with a black kohl pencil along your lower lash line. Apply liquid eyeliner in a thin line along your top lash line and create two wings - these represent the long lashes that geishas often had.
White pencil liner: Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in " Pure White" Black pencil liner: Coral Colours in "Magnetic Midnight" Liquid liner: Lancome Artliner |
10. Using a gel eyeliner, gently press the product along your lower lash line in three square shapes. These make your eyes look doll-like, but kind of creepy at the same time!
11. Curl your lashes and apply a thickening and lengthening mascara. You can also apply fake lashes at this point, but I'm a bit useless at falsies, so I'm happy with just mascara haha
Mascara: Model Co Extension Mascara & Lash Fibres Duo |
12. Cover your lips with a liquid concealer and blend into the skin around your mouth using your fingers, then set with translucent powder. Using a red lip liner, create a square heart shape in the centre of your lips, then fill it in with a matte red lipstick using a lip brush.
Taken By Surprise Tutorial: Scary Geisha Hair
1. It's best to have a few-day-old hair, because the more matted it looks, the better! If you have freshly washed hair, grunge it up using dry shampoo. Using a curling iron, curl your hair so it sits in loose waves.
2. Create a middle part and secure the left and right front sections with floral pins. If you have a fringe/bangs like me, split that in half and use the pins to pull it back.
3. Using a teasing comb, back comb/tease your hair in random sections so it's messy and doll-like.
Taken By Surprise Tutorial - Scary Geisha Costume
1. Short Japanese style kimono - I got mine from Cotton On Body, it's actually for wearing over your pjs! Tie it at the back rather than the front so yo can see your dress underneath.
2. Draped dress - Mine's from Dotti and the draped front reminds me a bit of a kimono. Plus the bodice looks like the bandage style tops geishas would wear under their kimonos.
3. Ripped tights or mid-length white socks - For that dead/crazy look, ripped tights are great and you can create the ladders yourself. For a more traditional look, you can wear white socks (mine were a pair of my old school ones!)
4. Any neutral heels - Mine are from Wittner and are just black heels with thick straps across the front. Plain shoes are best for this look, because we want the focus to be on the makeup and kimono!
5. Fan - for a real geisha look, carry a small fan around with you. You can get them from two dollar shops or just make one yourself by folding a piece of patterned paper.
The final look!
Do I scare you? |
With white socks. |
Trying to be scary hahaha |
What are you dressing up for for Halloween? Tweet me a picture at @hi_JLY or leave a comment below!