Dark arts: Halloween make-up essentials
AS THE witching hour approaches, add a touch of gothic glamour to your make-up for a sultry Halloween, says our Beauty Editor
All Hallows’ Eve is the ideal time to experiment with the vampish and supernatural looks you might not normally dare to wear. Whether it’s blood-red lips, sunken, smoky eyes or velvet-textured nails, do it right and the result should be more treat than trick. And if it doesn’t work out? Just pretend it’s all part of your fancy dress.
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Create the crushed velvet theme with your nails. The new Rimmel Velvet Matte Polishes (£4.49; 0345 070 8090) have a spookily hocus-pocus finish – initially glossy, it transforms to a plush, matt texture in seconds, with no top coat required. File nails to a pointed stiletto shape and paint with Purple Opulence, every goth’s favourite accent colour.
Press-ons are another fancy-dress quick fix. Channel blood-soaked nails in the most glamorous way possible with House of Holland by Elegant Touch’s Ombre Ombre! (£7.99; 020 8756 3463). The tips of these talons are dipped in plush red polish for a dramatic fade effect.
No glamorous goth look is complete without a bewitching scent. Blood Concept Black Series is a quartet of fragrances with mysterious notes inspired by darkness. B Drip (£98; 020 7629 1892) is the most intriguing, with top notes of gunpowder and Earl Grey tea and base notes of guaiac wood and leather. It’s urbane yet unique and lingers long enough to justify the scary price tag.
Urban Decay’s palettes are my go-to when I’m in a devilish dither. Smoked (£35; 0844 800 8877) is like black magic with 10 eye shadows in a gothic zipped clutch. Prime lids with the cult mini Eyeshadow Primer Potion included and create a smoky eye with a hit of colour. I love the gunmetal grey of Asphalt or Loaded’s witchy emerald topped off with the carbon black Perversion Glide-On Eye Pencil for definition.
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Not a fan of full-on costumes? You could always go subtle and simply dress up your lashes. Eylure has two limited-edition false lash kits, Spooky and Batwing (£6.95 each; 020 8756 3463). Batwing offers a plush, heavier look, while dainty Spooky is an arachnophobe’s nightmare. Before applying, trim with nail scissors to fit your eye shape for the most convincing cobweb effect.
For a more subtle, eerie look, try Miss Sporty’s Goth Me Up Top Coat (£1.99; 0345 070 8090). The polish may look deepest black in the bottle but it’s surprisingly sheer when painted on. Apply one coat over any pale or bright colour to create a smoky, dark finish.
To dial smoky eyes up a notch, apply Illamasqua’s Powder Eye Shadow in Obsidian (£15.50; 0844 984 1700) over the entire lid. It’s a highly pigmented, rich black that will give you gothic colour intensity until midnight and beyond.
For a bewitching twist, blend in a fiery red with a soft brush using Daemon (£15.50). My foolproof magic spell for crease-free lids and extra longevity is prepping with an eye primer first.
If you want the focus to be on your luscious lips, new Nars Velvet Lip Liners (£18; 020 7313 5592) are available in 12 pigment-rich colours – Nihiwatu is a cardinal red that makes quite a statement, and the velvety matt finish is perfect for creating a soft-focus spooky stain. For long-lasting colour, fill in your lips completely and then blot with tissue, creating intensity in the centre for a vampish twist.
The new Topshop Cheek Jelly in Museum (£7; 0344 984 0264) is ideal for a vampish flush. Simply dip your fingertip into the jelly-like solution and apply with a brush or fingertips to your cheekbones for sheer, buildable colour – the most subtle way to do gothic glamour.
