Adult Halloween Makeup Tutorial: Medusa

Strike a pose this Halloween with a mystical Medusa look. It will take about 30 minutes and a combination of cream and everyday makeup to transform into the mythical figure.
Woman dressed as Medusa for Halloween

Adult Halloween Makeup Tutorial: Medusa

Strike a pose this Halloween with a mystical Medusa look. It will take about 30 minutes and a combination of cream and everyday makeup to transform into the mythical figure.

Strike a pose this Halloween with a mystical Medusa look. It will take about 30 minutes and a combination of cream and everyday makeup to transform into the mythical figure.
By: Colleen Herman

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Materials Needed:

  • glue stick
  • light liquid foundation with hints of pink
  • metallic purple and gold cream makeup
  • metallic blue, dark purple, gold and white eye shadows
  • black eyeliner
  • black liquid eyeliner
  • false eyelashes and adhesive
  • translucent powder and puff
  • makeup brushes and applicators
  • curly wig (optional)
  • snake headpiece or hair clip (optional)

Apply Foundation

Flatten the eyebrows by rubbing a glue stick over the outside edge of the eyebrows in the direction of hair growth (Image 1). Once the glue is dry, dab on translucent powder and brush away any excess (Image 2). Use a makeup sponge and a very light foundation with hints of pink to cover the entire face. Blend it over the glued-down portion of the eyebrows as well as down the neck. Then, lightly go over your eyelids (Image 3).

Dramatize Eyes

Use a medium makeup brush to apply purple metallic cream makeup over the eyes and over the outer edges of the brow (Image 1). With a smaller makeup brush, add cream gold metallic makeup to the outside and inside edge of the eyelid (Image 2). Set the cream makeup with translucent powder.

Contour Face

Add contours to the face using a medium makeup brush to apply blue metallic eye shadow under the cheekbones (Image 1). Then, add the blue eye shadow along the side of the nose, under the jaw line (Image 2) and along the hairline (Image 3). Finish it off with a swipe of blue eye shadow just under the eyebrow (Image 4).

Emphasize Lips

Use the blue eye shadow on lips, then line with black pencil (Image 1). Tip: Make sure to accentuate the Cupid's bow.

Woman lining lips for Halloween makeup

Emphasize Lips

Use the blue eye shadow on lips, then line with black pencil. Tip: Make sure to accentuate the Cupid's bow.

Intensify Eyes

Next, focus on the eyebrows. Use a black eyeliner pencil to mimic brows just above your natural ones (Image 1). Be sure to make them nice and thick. With a small makeup brush, blend the inside of the brow down to the top of the nose (Image 2). With an eye shadow brush, add dark purple eye shadow to the outside of the eye lids, carrying the color just under the blue eye shadow (Image 3). Apply the purple to the inside corner of the eye and blend down onto the nose. Grab a larger makeup brush and sweep the purple eye shadow over the center of the cheekbones.

Line Eyes

To add some fun details around the eyes, use black liquid eyeliner and a steady hand. Slowly draw a line just below the lash line under one eye and extend up and out, ending in a curl on the upper cheekbone (Image 1). Then, add a few more swirls (Image 2). Next up is creating the appearance of large eye lashes. First, draw a line on the upper lid. Then add lashes off that line, sweeping upward. Repeat this on the inside area of the eye (Image 3). Use the same technique for the other eye, but this time just draw the eye upward. Finish it off by lining the eyes normally (Image 4).

Add Metallic Touches

With an eye shadow brush, add gold metallic eye shadow to both the lower eyelids and the corner of the eyes, as well as the bridge of the nose and the center of the forehead (Image 1). With a large makeup brush, apply a white metallic shadow under the eyebrow bone (Image 2), apples of the cheeks and the center of the lips. Add mascara to the top and bottom lashes. Finish the look with false eyelashes. With eyelash glue, attach the false lashes to the top lash line (Image 3).

Finishing Touches

Add a curly wig and snake hair accessory and the transformation into a Gorgon is complete.

Woman in Halloween makeup and costume

Finishing Touches

Add a curly wig and snake hair accessory and the transformation into a Gorgon is complete.

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