How To Do Vampire Makeup

Doing your own vampire makeup can be a five minute breeze, or a more involved procedure, whichever is to your taste. Some vampires look entirely human, some just have fangs to give them away and some transform into undead creatures of the night with glowing eyes.

The first and most important thing to do is deciding how simple or complex you want your vampire costume and makeup to be.

If you watch vampire movies, you'll see lots of variation for how vampires look. There are some common beliefs to how vampires look and act, but you don't necessarily have to follow those. Vampires are often very pale as they avoid sunlight, but sometimes vampires are portrayed as able to go out during the day. Their eyes are frequently bold and dramatic to emphasize their hypnotic powers. Some have visible fangs but fangs are not required. Many people who dress as vampires have a tendency to accent their wardrobes with period clothing, and the color scheme tends towards the darker and deeper ends of the spectrum but you don't have to stick to that.

Deciding how you want to look ahead of time is a good way to save time and money when it comes time to put together your vampire costume. Once you decide what type of vampire you are, then you can move on to makeup and accessories...

The popularity of the vampire image in modern culture has lead to a greater variety in how they look and act from when they first appeared during the 1800s. Back then, it was pretty universal that vampires were ugly and evil-looking, a far cry from the stylish and sophisticated image that we have today.

Seriously Undead - Some vampires are more akin to zombies, being more like the walking dead who are up and about for a snack. Discolored skin (bruises and decay), wounds (scratches and scars) and blood running down the chin is a good look for this type of nightcrawler.

Period clothing - Just how old IS your vampire character? Just about any historical period would be possible for a vampire costume. Corn-starch is good for making "dust" on outfits that are supposed to be very old or for vampires that just climbed out of their crypts. Don't use baby powder as it turns to paste when it gets moist.

Modern Gothic - Perhaps your vampire keeps up with a more modern style and is fashion-conscious. Club wear or fetish fashions could work for these characters. Long coats, shiny PVC and big boots go well with dark lipstick and fingernail polish.

Everyday Vampire - Does your vampire keep a low-profile? Are you a vampire still in high school? This type of vampire might just prefer to dress in dark but casual styles. Formal wear (tuxedos and long dresses) also works well for those of you vamping it up at costume parties.

Paleness - some people do white foundation makeup to get that "no sunlight" look, but I find that using a white face powder is often a lot easier to apply and less messy to remove. Use a powder puff or brush to dust the powder across your cleanly-washed and dried face. For non-Caucasian vampires, a face powder that is in the same color family as your skin but lighter is a good option. If you do want to use foundation makeup, you don't necessarily have to go white. One or two shades lighter than your regular skin tone will make you look much paler than usual.

Note: If you want to be a "Twilight" vampire, remember that you'll glitter in sunlight and make sure to get some body glitter or shimmer powder if you want to recreate that effect. However, if you do go the glitter route, it will sparkle if any light falls on you, not just sunlight.

Eyes - lining the eyes with a black or dark brown or dark gray eyeliner increases the focus and it can also be used to darken the eyebrows a bit. The lining can be subtle or heavy, as you wish. Those with a very generous budget might want to try special "vampire eyes" contact lenses. Just lining the outer half of the upper and lower lash lines can make the eyes appear less squinty than if you outline all the way around. Try both to see which way you like best.

Cheeks - most often no emphasis is put on the cheeks which keeps the focus on the eyes and mouth. For a more sinister look, using a dark gray eyeshadow, you can shade under the cheekbones and along the temples to make the face appear more gaunt.

Lips - vampires can have very pale lips (just dust over with the powder) or they can be dramatic with lipstick. Favorites seem to be either blood red, deep burgundy or glossy black.

Fake blood - if you want to have some fake blood on your lips or dripping down your chin slightly, it's really easy to make some by mixing up a few tablespoons of corn syrup with a few drops of red food coloring. Add a single drop of blue to the mix to get the red to be less orange and more like real blood. This is cheaper than purchasing fake blood and is non-toxic and ok-tasting to have in your mouth. Watch out for dripping it on white clothes as the food coloring can stain.