My inspiration for this Halloween look was a fall fairy prancing home through a damp, leaf-covered forest floor early in the morning after an all-night dance party with her fairy friends.
To really sell the fairy angle better, I even got some elfin ears, but, uh, getting those suckers to peek through when your hair is teased out “to here” and there are leaves and berries all over the place is really hard!
Hey, man. I tried.
My goals for this look were to…
- Make my skin look both muddy and shimmery, like I’d been prancing around in wet leaves. I figured that fairies partying all night long in the forest would tend to get a little dirty, but being magical creatures, they’d still retain their elfin glow.
- Wear fall leaves in some big-@ss hair
- Wear autumnal colors on my eyes
- Freak out my neighbors — because that’s how I roll 🙂
It’s weird, but I think that even with the dirty skin, the look still ended up kind of bridal/Victoria’s Secret.
Too bad about the elf ears, because I think they would have taken the look to the next level.
If you’re on the market for Halloween makeup-based ideas, this one was actually pretty easy to achieve, as far as the makeup goes.
The (muddy) skin
Even though I wanted my skin to look dirty, I still started with my regular foundation, MAC Face and Body, to smooth everything out.
Next, for the muddy/glowy effect, I mixed MAC Monster FX Tinted Mixing Medium in Dirt from the Rick Baker collection ($22) with shimmery MAC Old Gold Pigment ($21), and then stippled that randomly around my face, neck, shoulders and arms with a MAC 159 Duo Fibre Brush (although any skunk brush should do).
When it was dry, to create sort of an earthy feel, I contoured my face with MAC Give Me Sun Bronzer.
Then, because I really wanted a noticeable glow, I highlighted my cheeks, nose and cupid’s bow with a bronze highlighter, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Perfectly Poised ($33), from the new Divine Night holiday collection.
The big-@ss hair
Today marked three days since my last shampoo/conditioner session, which I did because I wanted my mop to actually look a little dirty and “lived in.” I think that made it easier to go bigger with the hair.
I also used hot rollers yesterday, so I had some leftover curls.
To lift my roots and boost volume, I applied a dry shampoo to the roots and teased the top layers, then sprayed hairspray all over everything to keep it big.
Next, the leaves and berries, which I snipped from a couple of plastic garland strands I got from Joann (on sale for $4!), and tied them into pieces of my hair with some brown paper jewelry cord ($3), also from Joann.
The autumnal eyes and lips
I think you could really do whatever you want for THE eyes and lips, especially if it incorporates autumnal colors like coppers, dark purples, golds and maybe greens, and as much glitter as possible to go with the fall fairy’s skin.
I used the following products from the MAC Rick Baker and Divine Night collections…
- MAC Divine Knight Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Raven (on my lids as a base)
- MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in Pure White (crease and brow bone as a base)
- MAC Eye Shadow in Folie (crease)
- MAC Eye Shadow in Carbon from the Rick Baker Monster’s Bride Pro Palette (the outer corners and lower lash lines)
- MAC Eye Shadow in Brun from the Monster’s Bride Palette (brows)
- MAC Glitter in Reflects Gold (all over my lids)
- MAC Divine Night Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline (water lines)
- MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash (upper and lower lashes)
- MAC Divine Night Lipstick in You’ve Got It and MAC Plushglass in Nice Buzz (lips)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Agata says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:04 pmCudos for creativity. This looks like very editorial. Well done Karen!
Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:18 pmThanks Agata. 🙂 Are you doing any halloween looks this year?
Vanessa says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:18 pmI love seeing you in a different light. This is creative and has a nice distinctive look. Thumbs up 🙂
Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:23 pmThanks, Vanessa. This was a lot of fun. 🙂
What are you doing for halloween this year?
hanna says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:24 pmI love how professional this look! Great job!
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Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 6:30 pmThank you, Hanna!
Natalie says
October 24th, 2013 at 5:46 pmThis is such an awesome look! I’m such a last minute halloween-er that I always have trouble coming up with a good costume. This is such a great idea.
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Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 6:33 pmHi Natalie,
Me too. Infamously last minute! Do you have any ideas yet? I have another one that’s super easy called My Favorite MAC Artist. You can easily do with stuff you already have around the house. Here’s the link:
My Favorite MAC Artist Halloween Costume
Chaitra says
October 24th, 2013 at 6:16 pmWow Karen! I love the usage of fall leaves, the different colors! Very well chosen! 🙂
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Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 6:33 pmThank you, Chaitra!
Chelsea says
October 24th, 2013 at 7:55 pmLove this! Faerie costumes are my favorite – I’d dress like a faerie more often if it were more socially acceptable.
I was Medusa for a party last night, but I’m doing faerie for a party I’m going to with my little cousins – I don’t want a scary costume because I want them to play with me!
Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 8:33 pmHi Chelsea,
Ooh, how fun! How did you handle the snakes for Medusa’s head?
Chelsea says
October 25th, 2013 at 5:24 pmI bought a bunch of glow in the dark rubber snakes from Target and clipped them in my hair! I tried to do some snakeskin on my hairline too, but that didn’t go as well as planned.
Sylvia says
October 24th, 2013 at 8:14 pmSuch a cool idea! I’m especially loving the eye makeup.
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Karen says
October 24th, 2013 at 8:34 pmHi Sylvia,
Thank you. Got any makeup plans for halloween this year?
Happy almost Friday!
Gowthami says
October 24th, 2013 at 10:14 pmThis is super creative and you are stunning!! <3
Gowthami recently posted … D.I.Y Beauty : Almond & Honey Face Scrub
Karen says
October 25th, 2013 at 7:48 amThanks!
Vanessa | Spicy Beautiful says
October 24th, 2013 at 11:55 pmThis totally reminds me of an episode from ANTM (British Invasion)… High fashion, baby!
Karen says
October 25th, 2013 at 7:48 amThanks Vanessa. 🙂
poo@beautyandmakeupmatters says
October 25th, 2013 at 1:20 amHatss of Karen.. I am just floored by ur creativity!! <3 <3
U look superb.. face makeup is onething but what u did with your hair is just awesumm.. U should be on the cover page of some magazine or may be the face of some new launches.. 🙂
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Susan B says
October 25th, 2013 at 7:38 amAwesome look! I was actually going to go as a fall fairy this Halloween and I will use this guide as an inspiration.
Karen says
October 25th, 2013 at 7:48 amHi Susan,
If you take any pics I’d love to see them. 🙂
Kim says
October 25th, 2013 at 10:33 amThis is really cool! Very creative and I love your fall leaves. OMG, can you get NuFACE to send you a Trinity Facial Toning Device so you can review it (and hopefully tell us it’s a miracle worth the cost)? Yes, I just got my Sephora email. 🙂
Karen says
October 25th, 2013 at 10:45 amOMG…the name of that device is super scary to me! I would only try it if it works on muffin tops.
Kim says
October 25th, 2013 at 12:13 pmGurl, if it works on muffing tops, sign me up for a couple! 🙂
Jnnlopez says
October 25th, 2013 at 3:46 pmI think you just gave me my costume idea! I love love this look! Your hair looks so cool here too.
fancie says
October 25th, 2013 at 5:43 pmI LOOVEEE this!! You look absolutely gorgeous and glowy! I definitely want to be a fairy now lolol. I have no idea how to make myself look muddy though. You nailed it!
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renu says
October 25th, 2013 at 10:47 pmvery pretty.
Laure says
October 26th, 2013 at 3:57 pmWhoa, Karen, you look positively glowing.
Too bad about the ears, but you look stunning regardless.
Laure recently posted … Swatches | All Purples Eve
Kristine @ Orchard Bliss says
October 27th, 2013 at 4:08 pmGreat look! I agree, some elf ears would have worked very well.
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