Halloween Makeup Tutorial: Alternative Lace Mask

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Dressing up as anything you desire – and getting away with it — is pure fun.

Last year I went as a sugar skull, so my face was completely covered in face paint. It was fun to be incognito with a completely transformed face, but this year I’m choosing a costume that’s more subdued. I love the idea of creating a masked look, but ditching the actual mask in favor of something more creative.

I reached out to one of our co-workers, Sasha, who’s trained in the world of makeup, and she had the brilliant idea of creating an alternative mask using lace and eyeshadow. The result is ethereal, moody, and entirely enchanting… the perfect combination for All Hallow’s Eve. Sasha walks us through the simple steps, below, to get the look!

What you need:

The first step is to find the proper lace material. It’s best to use an open pattern, so that the eye shadow can transfer through to the skin. Cut a strip off that’s about the same size and width as the one pictured.

You also need:

Makeup Brushes (Sasha used a variety brushes: foundation, concealer, powder, eye primer, and stippling)

Foundation (product used in tutorial: MAC Studio Sculpt)

Concealer (product used in tutorial: NYX full coverage concealer)

Setting powder (product used in tutorial: MAC Skinfinish Natural)

Eye shadow primer (product used in tutorial: NYX eye shadow base)

Eye shadows (product used in tutorial: MAC Gesso and Carbon)

Setting Spray

Step One

Prep and prime face as you normally would (lotion and/or face primer).

Step Two

Apply a full coverage foundation.

Step Three

Apply concealer and a setting powder. (Apply eye shadow primer if you plan on having a part of the lace on the eye lid)

Step Five

Prep the areas where you plan on having the lace design with a shadow or powder that is a few shades lighter than your complexion (in this case, I used a bright white shadow).

Step Seven

Position the lace on your face (I started with the cheek bone), and spray the part of the lace touching the skin with setting spray.

Step Eight

Use a blending brush and apply an eye shadow of your choice by stippling the shadow onto the lace, making sure it goes into all of the negative space in the material. Black shadow will show best for this, but you could even try an ombre look by using different colors.

Step Nine

Once you feel the shadow has filled the negative space, peel the lace back. Continue the same technique on different areas of the face until you are satisfied with your design.

Step Ten