Tips From These Creative Black MUAs Will Help You Perfect Your Costume Makeup This Year

These are EVERYTHING!

Costume season is upon us and whether you’re dressing up as the Black Little Mermaid or your favorite sea urchin, you’ll need a little makeup to fully commit to the look! While the costume may be on point, the makeup is an immediate enhancer, icing on the cake so to speak, but who are we kidding? It isn’t easy to transform your face into a fictional character.

If you’ve spent years trying to perfect your eyebrows or a lifetime trying to figure out how to get the pigment in your eyeshadow to pop, you know exactly what we mean. The technique required to even add a little contour dimension is, in fact, a skill. However, the girls that get it, get it. The girls who don’t? Well, we’re trying!

Trying to figure out which products to use and how to apply them is a daunting task and one you shouldn’t have to do alone. These days, there are thousands of YouTube makeup tutorials, but the copy isn’t always as great as the original. And more importantly, the cosmetics industry has a long history of racial discrimination, leaving a dearth of diversity in products that are suitable for darker skin tones.

Of course, there have been extreme strides; Black beauty pioneers like Pat McGrath and Rihanna have set the bar with brands that cater specifically to consumers of color. Fenty Beauty alone boasts more than 40 shades of foundation, an ideal choice for anyone looking for their perfect match. There are also other Black-owned products like Supa Cent’s Crayon Case and of course Juvia’s Place, but for those not on social media and in the know, we want to help you out!

As we gear up for the Halloween season, we want to help you pull off that genius costume look. Whether you’re going to the Hallelujah Party, Harvest Fest, or a cute little Halloween bar crawl, we got you. Here’s how you can perfect your Halloween makeup this year with tips from these Black makeup artists. Make sure you follow them to start practicing now:

@IAmKaylaBeauty

These makeup looks are so fun and festive! The colors are popping, the wigs are great and it’s giving options for a good look. Scroll through the videos to make sure you catch the breakdowns and product recommendations.

@iamkaylabeauty I am: She-Hulk #fyp #shehulk #shehulkshow #hulk ♬ original sound - Ryan/Brooke:)

@iamkaylabeauty #AD | I just HAD to incorporate the designs on my jewelry from @betseyjohnson ♬ original sound - Kayla 💕

@iamkaylabeauty So excited for the second Avatr to come out in December ✨💙 #fyp ♬ original sound - Ryan/Brooke:)

@Spotlessadira

Now this is cool! If you’re looking for full on transformations, this MUA is your girl. The theater comes alive with this one, and she has a ton of step-by-step tutorial videos to help you along the way. She even has ways you can add on prosthetics. The transformations are remarkable, and this is sure to wow all who sees.

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@NaezrahLooks

A favorite among MUAs, Naezrah has been responsible for creating a number of makeup trends, mainly the bold under eye color look. For spooky season, she’s back with some fun looks that blend her top tier techniques with funky avant-garde looks that range from a subtle Morticia Addams-esque look to full on Manga characters. You can’t miss with this one!

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@Kam_Eilian

This self-taught MUA is truly letting the creative flag fly! From a Cruella look that’s to die for to a spooky woodsy look that is equal parts terrifying and intriguing, you definitely want to check this out. If you have a little more time and want to practice creating a more intricate look, this MUA is for you. And even if you can’t recreate it spot on, their technique will help you get really close.