Halloween is the ultimate playground for makeup enthusiasts, and I’m always thrilled to experiment with new looks to surprise my friends with creative costumes. Last year, the most requested look was a classic cat, so I’ve put together this easy-to-follow cat makeup tutorial to help you achieve a purr-fectly spooky Halloween transformation.
Step 1: Prime Your Canvas
Start with a smooth base by applying a matte makeup primer. Halloween nights are all about fun and capturing memories, so I recommend using a primer like Smashbox Photo Finish Primer to create a long-lasting, oil-free foundation for your cat makeup. This ensures your look stays flawless through all the Halloween festivities.
Applying matte primer for cat makeup halloween, step one
Step 2: Lay the Foundation
Next, apply your favorite full-coverage foundation evenly across your face, neck, and even your ears. If you happen to have a foundation shade slightly lighter than your usual, Halloween is the perfect occasion to use it. A slightly paler complexion can enhance the “ghostly” vibe often associated with All Hallows’ Eve. For this tutorial, I’m using the budget-friendly yet effective Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation in shade #01 Creamy Vanilla, blending it seamlessly with a beauty blender.
Applying full coverage foundation for halloween cat makeup tutorial, step two
Step 3: Conceal and Brighten
Concealer is essential for a polished cat makeup look. Choose a reliable concealer to brighten under your eyes and cover any imperfections. I’m using the Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in shade #10 Light, applying it with my trusty e.l.f. Cosmetics concealer brush for precise application and blending.
Step 4: Define Your Brows
Now it’s time to shape your brows! For this Halloween cat look, bolder brows are better. While I have a detailed eyebrow routine tutorial here if you need more guidance, for this specific look, aim for dark brown or black brows to add intensity and frame your feline features.
Applying eyeshadow primer, step in halloween cat eye makeup tutorial
Step 5: Eyeshadow Primer for Longevity
To ensure your dramatic cat eye makeup lasts all night, apply an eyeshadow primer. This will prevent creasing and keep your eyeshadow vibrant. My go-to is Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, which I apply with my fingertips across my entire eyelid for maximum hold.
Step 6: Crafting the Cat Eye with Eyeliner
Now for the most transformative part – the eyes! This cat eye makeup is a bit more elaborate than your everyday look, so allocate around 15 minutes just for your eyes.
Using Too Faced palette for cat makeup halloween eye tutorial
First, take a large eyeshadow brush and sweep a translucent ivory eyeshadow shade across your entire lid, up to your brow bone. This creates a smooth base for blending. I’m using the shade ‘Ivy’ from the Too Faced by NikkieTutorial The Power of Makeup Palette.
Drawing winged eyeliner for cat makeup halloween tutorial
Next, grab your favorite thin black liquid eyeliner. I’m using the Too Faced Sketch Marker. Line your upper lash line as you normally would for a winged eyeliner, but this time, exaggerate the wing, making it more dramatic and feline. Ensure the wing extends outwards and upwards, but doesn’t quite reach the tail of your eyebrow.
Continuing with the same black eyeliner, move to your lower lash line. Extend the liner from the inner corner of your eye, drawing it inwards towards your nose to create a sharp, elongated inner corner. Then, connect this line seamlessly to the outer wing you created on your upper lid. This step is crucial for achieving that signature cat-eye shape in your halloween makeup.
Detailed cat eyeliner application for halloween makeup tutorial step by step
Step 7: Adding Golden Glam and Glitter
Elevate your cat eyes with some golden shimmer and glitter accents.
Pick up a golden eyeshadow with an angled brush and carefully draw a thin line just above your black eyeliner on the upper lid. Aim for the golden line to be roughly twice as thick as the black liner. For this look, I’m using the ‘Irresistible’ shade from the Too Faced by NikkieTutorial The Power of Makeup palette applied with an Inglot angled brush. You could also use an eyeshadow stick like the e.l.f. Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in shade #81103 for easier application.
Line your lower inner corner with a golden or even a green liner to enhance the feline effect. A basic eyeliner from e.l.f. Eyeliner & Shadow Stick would work well.
Applying golden eyeliner for cat halloween makeup look
Now, take a glittery black eyeshadow and apply it to your crease, emphasizing the depth and dimension of your eye look. It’s important to leave the space between the golden eyeliner and your crease eyeshadow-free to highlight the golden accent.
Adding black glitter eyeshadow to crease for halloween cat makeup
For a final touch of sparkle, apply a generous amount of white glitter to the inner corner of your eye to make them pop and appear wider. Add a subtle touch of the same white glitter just under your brow bone to highlight.
Applying white glitter to inner corner for cat eye halloween makeup
Step 8: Lashes for Drama
No cat makeup look is complete without dramatic lashes! Choose the most voluminous false eyelashes from your collection and apply them using hypoallergenic lash glue. For this tutorial, I’m using the Dramatic Lash Kit by e.l.f. cosmetics, which are perfect for creating those bold, out-of-the-box lash looks ideal for Halloween cat costumes.
Step 9: Contour for a Feline Nose
Let’s contour your nose to give it a more refined, cat-like shape.
Contouring nose for cat halloween makeup tutorial, step nine
Using a small eyeshadow blending brush, apply your favorite powder contour product to create two parallel lines down the sides of your nose. I’m using ‘Chocolate Soleil’ from the Too Faced by NikkieTutorial The Power of Makeup palette. Then, connect these parallel lines to the inner corners of your eyebrows and soften any harsh lines with a blending brush.
Highlighting nose for cat halloween makeup tutorial, step ten
Apply a thin line of highlighter down the bridge of your nose. This will visually elongate it and make it appear thinner and more delicate. I’m using the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Illuminating Palette for a radiant highlight.
Enhance your cheekbones by applying contouring powder just beneath them to create definition. Then, using a highlighter brush, apply a generous amount of the same highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, skipping blush for this look to keep the focus on contour and highlight.
Cheek contour and highlight application for cat makeup halloween
Step 10: The Cat Nose and Whiskers Base
Now for the iconic cat nose!
Take a thick ink eyeliner and carefully outline the bottom part of your nose to create that distinctive “cat nose” shape. I’m using the Intense Ink Eyeliner by e.l.f. cosmetics because of its thick applicator, but you can also use the Too Faced liner from Step 6 if you prefer.
Using a thin eyeliner, draw a delicate line from the tip of your nose down through your cupid’s bow to the center of your upper lip. This creates the vertical line characteristic of a cat’s nose and mouth area.
Drawing cat nose and mouth for halloween makeup tutorial
Step 11: Ombre Cat Lips
For the lips, I’m going for a stylish ombre effect using two lipstick colors. Black on the outer edges of both the upper and lower lips, and red in the center of the lower lip. Start by applying a red shade like Stila Stay All Day Matte Lipstick in Bisou as a base, and then carefully layer a black shade on top, blending it towards the red in the center to create the ombre effect. I’m using Moisturizing Lipstick by e.l.f. cosmetics in Black Out for the black.
Applying ombre lips for cat makeup halloween costume
Step 12: Finishing Touches – Whiskers and Setting Spray
Finally, for the finishing touches that truly bring the cat look to life!
Pick a sparkly white eyeshadow or a highlighter and draw a small circle on each side of your nose, where whiskers would naturally originate. Then, use a liquid eyeliner to carefully draw a few whisker dots on each side of your face to complete your cat transformation.
Drawing whiskers for easy cat makeup halloween tutorial
And that’s it! Your easy-to-repeat cat makeup tutorial is complete. To ensure your Halloween makeup stays flawless all night long, I highly recommend finishing the look with your favorite setting spray. Now you’re ready to prowl into Halloween with your stunning cat makeup!
