Time to float.
Some people like to be cute on Halloween, and others like to be creepy. If you fall into the latter category, you’re probably already studying your clown Halloween makeup ideas. For decades, clowns have inspired the most terrifying thriller movies — Krampus, Saw, Poltergeist, and Terrifier are just a few movies featuring clowns that haunt my dreams — and even though clowns are typically a mainstay at children’s birthday parties, there’s no denying there’s something seriously off-putting about them. That makes a clown the perfect Halloween costume when you’re looking to get a few scares from your friends.
Whether you’re a makeup pro who’s ready to break out every tool for your clown look, or you just want to do something simple to your face to have everyone know instantly what you are at the Halloween party, there’s a clown makeup look for you. You can choose to dress up your clown look with false eyelashes and glittery eyeshadow (clowns are just as scary even if they’re glam), or just paint a few lines on your face to go the Pennywise route from Stephen King’s It. Whatever path you choose, let these five clown makeup ideas inspire you to put fear in the hearts of everyone, young and old, this year on All Hallows’ Eve.
Easy Eyeliner Clown Makeup
All you need is a cheap black eye pencil from the drugstore to create this look. If you really want to go wild, grab a cheap red lipstick from the store as well. Draw a triangle on top of your eyebrow and mirror the same triangle underneath your eye. If you make any mistakes, just keep a makeup wipe on hand to harden the edges. Then, with red lipstick, draw a red circle on your nose and rock red or black lipstick to complete the look. This look is so versatile, you can pair it with just about any clothing item as well. Try a white tank top, white button down, black tank, or suspenders to pull the creepy look together.
Rainbow Clown Makeup
This rainbow clown look by NikkieTutorials is kind of like your regular contour, just with using brighter colors. Nikkie creates the entire look using a neon eyeshadow palette that you can use throughout your entire face for shading, contouring, and highlighting. The best part about this look is that you can truly make it your own. Use liquid eyeshadow colors to make the neon dots that round out this look.
Mod Artistic Clown Makeup
If you don’t want to slather paint over your entire face, this look is a great option. You’ll just need three different face paint colors to draw various circles around your face. Primary colors like blue, red, yellow, and white will make you appear clownlike instantly. Grab a white fluffy collar to complete the look, and wear whatever you’d like with it — try a black or white dress, or a button-down shirt and wide legged pants.
Half-Face Clown Makeup
This is definitely a more traditional clown makeup look, but you won’t have to paint your entire face to achieve it. Concentrate on creating a white circle around the center of your face. This will not only help people instantly know you’re going for a clown look, but will also create a clear canvas for the other colors you choose to use. Try any bright blue eyeshadow to create an over-exaggerated eye look. Then, using red lipstick, overline your lips and overdraw a creepy smile that extends out from the corners of your mouth. Hey, you might end up looking so good that you’ll get a few commissions to work a birthday party while you’re out on Halloween night.
Pennywise-Inspired Clown Makeup
This is another simple makeup look for someone who’s at a beginner level. But the best part of this look is everyone will instantly know who you are thanks to the iconic, red-lined look made famous with Pennywise in It. Draw red lips with lipstick and then paint lines out from the corners of your mouth. Extend the lines upward through the middle of your eyes. If you want to be extra spooky, use white face paint all over your face as a base or add some red eyeshadow to the look.
