Halloween is right round the corner which means it's time to start thinking about your costume and Halloween makeup. We're invested. For many beauty lovers, Halloween is the makeup highlight of the year. It's the main occasion where it's permissible (coughs, preferable) to decorate our faces with clever designs, special effects and layers of face paint. That said, there are plenty of low-lift ways to nod to spooky season with little details and wearable themes. Whether you want your Halloween makeup to be creepy, gory and covered with fake blood, or cutesy and adorable, we've got all the inspiration you need.

As for what's trending for 2026? Look to pop-culture moments. Toy Story gave us a fifth film, complete with an original soundtrack from Taylor Swift. The Odyssey gave us some gorgeous mythological method dressing. And our obsession with all things nineties and noughties continues. Elsewhere, the classics like vampire, witch and siren makeup continue to headline.

The biggest Halloween makeup trends for 2026…

Check out the top trending 2026 halloween makeup inspo below.

Chucky Makeup Tutorial

Chucky doesn’t have to be so scary after all. This tutorial takes all of the elements of the famous Child’s Play character but makes them glam.

@annehathaway / Instagram

Take inspiration from the scariest film of 2020, the remake of Roald Dahl's The Witches, and recreate Anne Hathaway's character The Great High Witch's spellbinding look.

@jamescharles / Instagram

Makeup influencer James Charles always wows with his masterpiece makeup creations, including this double-take concept.

@abbyroberts / Instagram

Abby Roberts shot to fame for her incredible TikTok transformatins. This Halloween, she's blessed us with a number of seriously impressive makeup looks sure to inspire and scare.

Cruella De Vil

Disney treated us to a sneak peek of Emma Stone playing Cruella De Vil in the 2021 live action spin-off of 101 Dalmatians. But get in early with this mash-up Cruella-dalmatian creation by @annalingis.

• Meltdown in progress

  Feel like you're having a meltdown? Perfect. V on brand for Halloween. Here's how to make it fashunn.

@annalingis / Instagram

Mystic witch

Have nothing but your makeup bag to make "fetch" happen? No problemo. Dig out your vampiest palette and give this mystic witch look a go.

@makeupbytammi / Instagram

Creepy cute clown

Equal parts creepy and cute, this is a good middle ground if you're not sure which direction to go in.

The alien inside

Keep half of your makeup perfectly intact, then experimental with the special effects for the other side of your face. Note: alien eye may obstruct view when pumpkin carving/watching scary movies. That's commitment, right there.

• Bloody hand print

  Looks effective and it's easy to do. Cover your hand in red face paint, splat it on your face, add a fake blood-stained knife to make it extra freaky. Done.

@tasha_caroline / Instagram

Melting

When you're so damn hot, even your makeup can't handle the heat.

@lisamarie_murphy / Instagram

Creepy crawlies

Biggest fear: waking up with a spider on your face. Time to make it happen and scare your housemates.

Freaky face mask

Who'd have thought face masks would reach nightmare status in 2020? Now (much as we appreciate them saving our lives and everything), they've earned a place under "miserable". Switch it up with this spooky version instead.

• Undercover Frankenstein

  There's a monster in all of us, just waiting to get out...

@sylkiesly / Instagram

Wax work

If you're good with special effects, hop on board this Halloween trend with a little help from Ben Nye's Scar Effects Gel.

@cakefacerj / Instagram

Silent scream

Even though this is a phenomenal Halloween look, the thought behind this is very meaningful. @CakeFaceRJ, the creative behind the look shared, "With this look, I tried to depict how we feel inside, when thoughts come from a dark place, or anxiety is taking over, when we want to tell someone how we really feel and it’s hard to put into words. I wanted to use this to raise awareness that talking about our feelings and our own daily battles is important, it’s not wrong and it’s better to talk about it than to keep it in. The more people talk about it, the more others will open up".

@nicolefrancisss__/Instagram

Pumpkin

How can one turn a cute vegetable into something totally creepy? It's all in the jagged edges and blacked-out mouth.

@sarahmcgonagall / Instagram

David Bowie

Ever since the English singer's death in 2016, his Aladdin Sane album cover has become a favourite to recreate.

@yeddifermua / Instagram

Pennywise

The remake of '90s classic It sparked a whole new wave of creepy Pennywise costumes, which you can easily recreate with products already in your kit.

@jack_serna21 / Instagram

White Walker

Game Of Thrones might be no more, but the show's White Walkers were possibly the freakiest thing to come out of it. Why miss an opportunity to wear horns on your forehead?

Shutterstock

Jessica Rabbit

Heidi Klum is without a doubt the queen of Halloween costumes. Just look at this Jessica Rabbit transformation. Check out how she did it here.

@makeupnbeyond / Instagram

Black Panther

We'll never not love the Marvel movie, Black Panther. Hence a makeup homage is definitely on the cards.

@abbyroberts / Instagram

Botched

Raid your first aid kit, grab a bandage and combined with the contents of your makeup bag, you have yourselves a Halloween smash hit.