Face Paint BasicsNo. 2998 · The 2026 edition
How to Apply Basic Horror Face Makeup
Learn to create a spooky sunken-eye and hollow-cheek look with this easy 4-step horror face makeup tutorial.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at lovetoknow.com.
This tutorial walks you through a basic horror face makeup that emphasizes sunken eyes and hollow cheeks. You'll apply dark circles around the eyes, find and color the cheek hollows with gray or brown, and blend everything for a ghoulish finish.
Directions
- For a gaunt, hollow-eyed effect, sweep dark makeup across your upper eyelids and beneath your eyes in a broad circular motion, then blend until smooth.
- Pull your cheeks inward to locate the natural depression beneath your cheekbones—that's your target area.
- Using blush or stage paint in a shade like gray or brown (perfect for a spooky zombie look), color in that hollow section.
- Softly blend the color with your fingertips or a makeup sponge so there are no harsh edges.
More photos
Photos hosted by lovetoknow.com.