How-To: Dark Shadows-Inspired Makeup

Danse Macabre meets disco in Tim Burton’s newest flick, Dark Shadows. To celebrate, we’ve created a blood-sucking look with a groovy twist. Transform yourself into a sassy vamp and boogie the night away with this easy tutorial!

1. • Face primer
2. • Eye shadow primer
3. • Foundation 1 or 2 shades    lighter than your skin tone
4. • Dark cream liner  
5. • Eye shadows in mid-toned    brown, dark brown, red,    black, off-white, shimmering    white, shimmering salmon
6. • Black pencil liner
7. • Black liquid liner
8. • Red lipstick
9. • Plum lipstick

After prepping your face with primer, evenly apply a foundation one or two shades lighter than your skin tone to give a dewy effect (we opted for Cover Fx Total Cream Foundation in E0) and set with loose powder (we chose Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Face Powder in Snowy Pink).

Apply eye shadow primer, then blend a dark cream liner onto your lid and up to your crease with your finger (we used Kryolan Cream Liner in Slate Grey). Using your fingers will warm the product, making it easier to blend.

Mimic the gaunt, undead look by hollowing out your eye sockets. Start with a mid-toned brown shadow and shade the color into your crease, (we opted for a medium brown from NYX’s Crimson Amulet Collection) and blend with a fluffy brush.

Pat a deep red shadow over your lid (below your crease), then softly blend the color into your crease (we chose Sugarpill Pressed Shadow in Love+). Darken your crease socket with a dark brown shadow (we used a deep brown color from NYX’s Crimson Amulet Collection). 

Using the same cherry Sugarpill shadow as before, contour the inner corner of your eyes—extending to your brows—and blend inwards. Then, drag black shadow below your lower lash line to add further dimension (we opted for Sugarpill Pressed Shadow in Bulletproof). Gently pat the red pigment under the center of your lower lash line, into the black shadow. 

Highlight under your brow using a matte white shadow (we used an off-white color from NYX’s Crimson Amulet Collection).  

Apply a black pencil liner to your waterline and tightline (we chose Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L). Make sure to set with shadow to ensure stay-put pigment.

To lighten up the look, blend a shimmering white shadow into your inner corners (we used a sparkling shadow from NYX’s Crimson Amulet Collection).

Capture Johnny Depp’s menacing arches using dark brown eye shadow and a stiff angled brush! Define and thicken as appropriate.

With a large fluffy brush, blend the mid-toned brown shadow down the sides of your nose. This trick slims and defines your nose, giving it a sharper, more angular look akin to a night creature.

Dab a shimmering, salmon shadow to the center of your lid (we used a color from NYX’s Crimson Amulet Collection). This adds a necessary lightness to your heavy shadowing. Then sweep a thin line of liquid liner above your lash line (we opted for Urban Decay 24/4 Liquid Liner in Perversion) and place voluminous false lashes over the line.

Using the mid-toned brown, dark brown, and red shadow, contour the hollows of your cheek with a light hand and blend downward. Use the brown shadow to darken your chin as well.

Start by smudging a scarlet lipstick in the center of your lip (we chose Rouge Dior in Iconic Red). This will act as a vibrant highlight for the overall shape. Then, apply a plum lip color (we used Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick in Crush 23), with a lip brush to the edges of your lips, blending into the scarlet hue. To finish, deepen the outer corners of your lips with Sugarpill’s matte black shadow.