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Pop Culture LooksNo. 1215 · The 2026 edition

Recreate Sally's Makeup From The Nightmare Before Christmas

Get Sally's patchwork doll look with this step-by-step makeup tutorial from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Hard

Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at lovetoknow.com.

Recreate Sally's Makeup From The Nightmare Before Christmas
PHOTO · LOVETOKNOW.COM

Learn how to recreate Sally's iconic makeup from The Nightmare Before Christmas. This guide covers everything from a blue base and contoured features to stitched details and bold red lips. Perfect for Halloween or any costume party.

Directions

  1. Start by hydrating your face with moisturizer. Let it sink in completely before smoothing on a primer.
  2. Use a sponge or brush to apply blue cream makeup across your entire face and neck.
  3. Define your brows by filling in gaps with a pencil that's a shade lighter than your natural brow color. Finish by dusting blue eyeshadow over them to set and match the theme.
  4. Contour with blue eyeshadow: apply it to your temples, the sides of your nose, under your jawline, and in the hollows of your cheeks. For highlight, use a pale blue shade on the tip of your nose, the center of your forehead, and your cheekbones.
  5. For large doll-like eyes, put dark blue shadow on the crease and lower lash line, and light blue on the center of the lid. Line your waterline with a white pencil and your upper lash line with black liquid liner.
  6. Coat your lower lashes with blue mascara and your upper lashes with black mascara. Once dry, attach long, fluttery false lashes for extra drama.
  7. Create a stitched effect on the left side of your forehead using black liquid liner: draw a line and then add small perpendicular dashes and X marks. After the liner dries, dab white cream makeup under each stitch to highlight.
  8. Extend your smile upward with black liner, then add lines and X marks on both sides of your mouth. Once dry, apply white highlights under these markings.
  9. Trace the outline of your lips with a black pencil. Fill the outer part of your lips with a deep red lipstick and the center with a lighter, brighter red for an ombre look.
  10. Examine your makeup for evenness, make sure your lashes are secure, and feel free to draw additional stitches on your neck or arms.
  11. Top off the transformation with a red wig or temporary red hair color.

Open the original on lovetoknow.com