Sugar Skull Makeup Tutorial

Directions

1. Cover your entire face with a white cream makeup, but leave the eye areas empty for later black filling. I recommend Kryolan Aquacolor because it doesn't dry out or crack like other white makeup.
2. Paint large black circles around your eyes and an upside-down heart shape on your nose to mimic the nasal opening of a skull. I use the Wolfe Brothers FX palette, which is reasonably priced.
3. Apply your chosen eyeshadow color around the eye openings. I use a bright pink from the Pigment Cosmetics Brights palette, then add deep fuchsia near the black edge and blend with a clean fluffy brush.
4. Using face paint, liquid liner, or gel liner, draw teeth outlines over your lips. Extend the teeth about an inch past your lip edges, and draw a thin black line through the middle to hide your lip contours.
5. Add scalloped edges around the teeth, nasal opening, and eye cavities. Fill the eye cavity scallops with black (since gems will be glued there), but leave the teeth scallops unfilled.
6. Using eyeshadow on a small detail brush, color in the scalloped outlines. Choose a color complementary to your main makeup colors, such as one opposite on the color wheel.
7. With liquid liner, gel liner, or black face paint on a tiny brush, add small details. I outlined a flower on my chin and scrolls on my cheekbones and jawline. Other traditional decorations include hearts, dots, or flowers.
8. Instead of brown contour, use bright colors. Start with the darkest color (like violet) at the bottom of your cheekbone, then blend a slightly lighter color just above it.
9. Use the same technique (outline, shade, and color with eyeshadow) to draw a spiderweb, diamond, marigold, or other design on your forehead. I chose a spiderweb.
10. Using pointy tweezers, dip flat-backed gems (from craft stores, bead stores, or eBay) in dark lash glue, wait about 30 seconds until tacky, then apply to your face in your desired design.
11. Once everything is dry, dust with translucent powder (like RCMA No-Color Powder) and spray with a cinematic setting spray (like Ben Nye's Final Seal). False lashes won't show against the black unless they are sparkly or colorful.