Video: Halloween Corpse Bride Makeup Tutorial

With Halloween just around the corner, we carried out a Twitter poll, asking all of you avid falsies fans which Halloween makeup look you'd most like us to recreate. Corpse Bride was the clear winner, so we teamed up with a professional makeup artist to provide an in depth, step-by-step tutorial on how to create this gory yet glam Halloween look!

Top tip: Don't forget to buy Halloween false lashes to finish the look

You will need the following items to create this incredible Corpse Bride look:

• Liquid Latex – arguably the most important product if you like to add intricate details and life-like wounds/scars
• Tissue – this is to use alongside the liquid latex to create the illusion of skin
• Fake Blood – any fake blood will work, but we went for one with an extremely thick consistency for a more realistic effect
• Red Paint – most face paints will be fine for this, just try to choose a deeper red colour rather than a bright shade
• The Morphe 35OM palette  – we used the brown and black matte tones from this palette to create shading around the face, as well as bruising
• Tweezers – to tear at the liquid latex and add detailing
• Eyelash Adhesive – to apply your falsies with
• Last but not least, False Eyelashes – for this look, we decided to select a dramatic pair of lashes to really define and enhance the eyes

Step one: cleanse the face

Before any makeup is applied, it is really important that we begin on a freshly cleansed face. You can use a face wipe to quickly complete this step or your personal choice of cleanser, ensuring your skin is fresh and moisturised. This step just allows the liquid latex to stick better to the skin, for a longer lasting hold.

Step two: apply the liquid latex

The next step is to apply the liquid latex. This can be applied using any standard, small sized makeup brush, but one with a flat head tends to work best as the latex will be applied in layers. Simply sweep on a thin, even layer of the liquid latex wherever you would like your wound to be, we went for the neck and applied the latex all the way across.

Step three: layer the tissue

Tear or cut a piece of tissue up and press this down directly on top of where the liquid latex has been applied. Use the makeup brush to gently press this into place, and then apply another layer of liquid latex on top of the tissue. Continue to add as many layers as you require – the more layers you add, the deeper the wound will appear. Once you are happy with the amount of tissue and latex you have applied, secure the final layer by dabbing it into place and ensuring all of the corners are securely sealed to the skin. Leave the latex to dry, before going on to the next step.

Step four: apply foundation to the wound

Once the liquid latex has dried, select a foundation shade that is one or two shades lighter than your skin tone for a pale, deadly effect. We also opted for one with yellowy undertones rather than one with a pink undertone, as this just creates more of a ‘sickly’ look, particularly if you don’t typically have yellow undertones as it provides a dramatic contrast.

Apply first with a small, fluffy brush on top of the wound area, covering the latex and tissue, working your way up from the neck to the face. Be careful not to be rough when applying the foundation directly on top of the tissue, as this may cause it to move, just simply pat it into place.

Step five: tear at the tissue to add detail

Now to add detail! Using a pair of tweezers, delicately pick at the latex, tearing small pieces of the tissue off to create an open wound. Continue this until you have the appearance of a cut in the skin. Make sure to concentrate when completing this step, and be extra cautious of the skin at all times. If any of the tissue tears too much, you can just add another small amount of liquid latex in the required area, as this works as a glue, securing it back into place.

Step six: add colour and shading using eyeshadow, paint and fake blood

Focusing on the outside of the wound area, apply a mix of brown and black eyeshadows with a large, fluffy brush, in soft, circular motions. This will create shading and extra intensity. Then apply a red face paint, in the middle of the wound, to give it the appearance of being open. Use a smaller brush to apply fake blood into and around the wound for a realistic look. Blend all of the colours in and let the excess blood drip down the neck to prevent it looking too neat or perfect. Also ensure all of the latex is covered with shading or blood.

Step seven: apply foundation all over the face and match up from the neck

Using a small fluffy brush, apply the same foundation used on the neck, to the face, dabbing it gently and working your way all the way across the face. Once the foundation has been applied to the entire face, use a large, fluffy kabuki-style brush to blend this out, so there are no harsh streaks or areas that have been missed.

Step eight: create shadows and bruising

Apply the same brown and black shadows used on the neck wound, with a medium-sized powder brush, to specific areas on the face to create shadowing and give the illusion of bruising. Mixing in a purple shadow with the darker shades, will result in a really realistic, bruised look. Contour the cheekbones with the dark shadows for extreme depth and definition. Use a smaller brush to repeat this technique to the corners of the mouth, and any other areas you would like to enhance. 

Step nine: add definition to your eyebrows

This step can be tailored to your needs, and you can add as much or as little product as you like to create your own preferred eyebrow look. We used a dark brown pencil to create hair-like strokes and fill in any gaps for a defined shape. We then followed with a black mascara to softly brush the hairs upwards, creating more of an ‘undone’ appearance. Once you have completed your brows, apply concealer under the brow bone, and across the entire eyelid to prep it prior to the shadow application.

Step ten: add eyeshadow

Sticking to the purple and dark shades, dab eyeshadow all over the lid without being too neat for an intense colour and then softly blend it out for a smoked effect. Alternative between the black and purple until you have the colour you desire. Use a smaller brush to apply the same colours underneath the lower lash line, and blend outwards.

Step eleven

To complete this creepy Halloween look, you of course need a pair of standout lashes. This Corpse Bride look is all about the drama, so we chose the hugely popular Lilly Lashes style Miami as they are full, fluffy and add extreme length as well as volume. Apply these using a long-lasting lash adhesive such as the DUO Strip Lash Adhesive in Clear Tone, and add any extra blood or props for a super spooky finish!

Shop our top Halloween Lashes by clicking here!