Scary (Yet Pretty) Halloween Makeup Looks to Wear This Year

There's no better time than Halloween to let your creative side go all out with creating ornate makeup looks. While costumes may often call for lots of blood and scary details, your makeup can make a lasting impression without being terrifying, if guts and gore aren't really your thing. Whether you want to wear a simple look with just a touch of spooky or go all out with a memorable masterpiece, the choice is simply yours. Keep scrolling for our list of all the scary (yet pretty) Halloween makeup looks to wear this year—you'll certainly be inspired to start practicing right away.

01 of 20

Glam Skeleton

Woman with skeleton bones makeup, brown eye socket shadow, lashes, and red lipstick — @_monicamakeup

A glammed-up skeleton will undoubtedly send a chill through your bones when seen up close (or from far away, for that matter). The red lips and voluminous eyelashes give the right touch of glam to an otherwise perfectly frightful sight.

02 of 20

Ice Queen

As frigid as they come, this ice queen makeup look is certain to blow a chill through the room at any Halloween party. The contouring detail highlights the cold, unapproachable stare of ghost-like royalty.

03 of 20

Masked and Mysterious

Find out what's lurking behind this mysterious masked makeup look—the details show you can't always trust what you initially see. While pretty on the outside, it raises the concern that what's underneath might be much spookier.

04 of 20

Masterful Eye-llusion

Woman with monocle optical illusion eye makeup with detailed eye on lens — Mimi Choi/@mimles

Paired with a soft, delicate makeup look, the optical illusion of the hanging eye can cause some serious feelings of terror when looked at closely.

05 of 20

X-Ray Vision

Makeup artist wears half-full glam look with blue eyeshadow, half-X ray blue face paint — @sarinanexie

X-rays have never been the most comforting of images, yet paired with a pretty and colorful abstract eye, you have the makings of a Halloween masterpiece that's both scary and sweet. The blue shading brings everything to life so perfectly, it looks almost too realistic.

06 of 20

Cat Woman

Turn up the volume on an otherwise standard black cat costume with some red bedazzling rhinestones and winged eyeliner. Not your typical cat eye, you'll be the one to decide when your claws will make their debut.

07 of 20

Fetching Feline

A feline look with just the right amount of highlighter gives this glam a touch of fright, while whiskers and ornate gemstones bring it home. Coming in contact with this look at night might just have you running scared.

08 of 20

Mysterious Accents

Makeup artist wears purple eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick, long lashes, and white spider web over one eye — @kaddsta

Take in the mysterious spider web around the eye finished with bright jewel tones of purple—this creation is pretty and daunting. It's a safe bet when wanting to wear something beautiful that fits within your comfort zone.

09 of 20

Spooky Skull

Bones and all, this skull look is delicate yet determined to instill some fear. Paired with glamorous makeup on one side of the face, it gives the ultimate look of Halloween makeup that's pretty and scary all at once.

10 of 20

Divine Demon

Makeup artist with red body paint, eyeshadow, and lipstick, black facial hair lines, and face gems — @enrica_fox

If the devil's in the details, this look is the perfect example of that, as this mischievous devil is adorned with jewels and perfectly red lips. The line-drawn mustache paired with glittery eyeshadow balances the overall look for a devious finish.

11 of 20

Broken Glass

It's no secret that a shattered mirror can bring upon the worse luck, yet this makeup look seems to be hitting all the right angles of terrifying and mesmerizing in one. With carefully crafted sharp-edged details, it sends the message that broken glass might not be so bad after all.

12 of 20

Heavy Metal Skull

Woman with metallic skull makeup look and heavy copper choker — @the_wigs_and_makeup_manager

Metallic accents and sharp edges give this beauty look a twist. Art deco and metals come together to add a touch of glam to the concept of a creepy skeleton mask.

13 of 20

Cool Cat

Agile, intelligent, and a talented swindler, Catwoman is the ideal image of scary-meets-beauty and strength. Paired with a smoky eye and creepy stitches, this look is the cat's meow for Halloween.

14 of 20

Black Widow

If a spider crawling across your arm doesn't make you want to scream, this recreation of black widows crawling across a face will raise all the hairs on the back of your neck.

15 of 20

Prickling Thorns

Model with copper eyeshadow, burgundy lipstick, and thorn decals around eyes — @face_lace

While thorns might be tiny, all it takes is one prick to draw blood, and these sharp decals that adorn the eyes give off major untouchable vibes. While thorns are found on the most delicate of roses, they still hurt, which is why this makeup look is ideal for keeping any admirers at a distance.

16 of 20

Butterfly Skull

A skull theme ornate with black flowers is an amazing way to add touches of beauty and elegance to an otherwise sinister beauty look. The deep tones of the insects seal the overall color theme to be wickedly enchanting.

17 of 20

Slithering Snake

The simple flick of a snake's tongue is enough to send anyone running in sheer panic, yet this daintily painted snake is almost too pretty to strike fear. Accents of green eyeliner and full eyelashes make this a memorable look.

18 of 20

Entangled Web

Makeup artist with red contacts, smoky spider web eye makeup, and spider design on cheek — @ksasko_makeup

If you've ever walked into a spider web, you know it can be one of the scariest things ever to experience. The recreation of the web here along with the perfectly placed spider gives off the right amount of detail for a perfectly chilling beauty look.

19 of 20

Jack-O-Lantern

Nothing signifies Halloween more than flickering flames in creepily carved pumpkins—the added detail of skin melting here adds a slight amount of gore, while the pumpkin spice colors on the eyes and face bring features to light.

20 of 20

Smoky-Eyed Zombie

Makeup artist with red and black smoky eye makeup and blue lipstick — @nataschap

Zombies can be absolutely terrifying, yet this zombie-eyed dark circle beauty look adds all the right touches of being eery with the use of beautiful color combinations. The red and deep blue tones create something mesmerizing to look at, even if it's still a little scary.

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