4 Ways to Apply Skull Makeup For the Day of the Dead

Día de Muertos is a 3,000-year-old Mexican tradition that recognizes the cycle of life by honoring the dearly departed. It is believed their spirits return every year on November 1 and 2 to reunite with loved ones. Día de Muertos teaches us not to fear death because it is part of all our journeys. Fiestas with music, artwork, dance, crafts and storytelling are all part of a Día de Muertos celebration. To help guide the spirits back, an ofrenda (shrine) is created with items they loved while on Earth as well as the four elements air, earth, wind and water, and sugar skulls are an essential part of it all. The sugar is for the sweetness of life and the skull represents death. They are decorated with brightly colored icing, glitter, gems and small flowers.

The tradition of sugar skull face painting shows we are not afraid of death, we accept it as part of the cycle of life. Knowing that inspires us to live our days to their fullest, making the most of every breath we take. There are so many creative ways to paint your face for Día de Muertos, here are four designs to get you started.

Supply List

• Face and body paint: These can be found at the craft store. Do not use acrylic craft paint, it will harden and crack. Use paint formulated to work on skin. Face and body paint usually comes in round cake palettes. You can also find them in tubes and even crayon-like sticks.
• Assorted soft brushes: Use a soft wide brush to apply the white basecoat and thinner brushes for detailed designs.
• Eye makeup: For dramatic eyes, use highly pigmented eyeshadows to blend colors you like.
• Eyelash glue: For attaching gems, sequins and glitter.
• Makeup wipes and cotton swabs: For cleaning up mistakes and cleaning brushes.
• Optional: Face stencils and false lashes.

Black and White Skull Face

The black and white skull face can have just as much personality as a multicolored face. Dress it up with a bright headband or a marigold behind the ear.

1. Paint Base + Eyes

Wash and dry your hands as well as the face you’ll be painting. Dip the soft wide brush (or sponge) in a bit of water and swirl the brush around the makeup cake. Apply a coat of white paint on the face, from side to side and top to bottom. Do not paint around the eye area. Let it dry and add a second coat. When the white paint is dry, use black or charcoal-colored face paint or eyeshadow to fill in the eye area.

2. Add Flowers + Details

Add a black triangle for the nose. You can choose to paint your lips black or red, either way, add lines to represent the teeth. Use a thin liner brush and add dots around the eye areas, as well as a half flower from the bottom of the forehead going up. Add black vines on each cheek and a full flower with swirls at the chin. Make dots by dipping the back of the paintbrush into the paint and dotting on the face.

Full-Color Face

The full-color face is perfect for a day at a Día de Muertos fiesta. You can match it with ribbons in your hair, an elaborate flower crown, jewelry or clothes.

1. Apply a Base Coat

Clip hair away from the face. Wash and dry your hands as well as the face you’ll be painting. Dip the soft wide brush (or sponge) in a bit of water and swirl the brush around the make-up cake. Apply a coat of white paint on the face, from side to side and top to bottom. Do not paint around the eye area. Let it dry and add a second coat.

2. Color Around the Eyes

Use bright colors or highly pigmented eyeshadows to dress up the eye area. Add a contrasting color around the area, and create scallops or small half-circles around the perimeter. Use another contrasting color to add dots inside each scallop. Add a black triangle for the nose. You can choose to paint your lips black or a bright color. Add lines on the mouth and the side of the lips to look like skull teeth.

3. Add Details

Paint a red heart in the center of the forehead with a yellow flame to represent the Corazon Sagrado — a sacred heart. Use a long brush to add whimsical swooshes on each cheek and a blooming flower on the chin. Use a thin liner brush to water down the black face paint and outline all your colors.

Glitter and Gem Face

This version makes the most of Día de Muertos because it incorporates everything bright and shiny, just like an actual sugar skull. (Earrings by Carmen Guerrero of Carmen Creations)

1. Paint Base Coat + Around Eyes

Clip hair away from the face. Wash and dry your hands as well as the face you’ll be painting. Dip the soft wide brush or sponge in a bit of water and swirl the brush around the makeup cake. Apply a coat of white paint on the face, from side to side and top to bottom. Do not paint around the eye area. Let it dry and add a second coat. Use several different eyeshadow colors to fill in the eye area. We used a sunset theme of hot pink, orange and gold.

2. Apply Gemstones

Line the eye area with alternating paint and gems. Apply the gems using eyelash glue.

3. Paint Flowers

Paint orange circles on the forehead and chin, and then paint in petals using red to create the look of marigolds. Use a skinny liner brush to paint vines up and around the cheeks and add leaves around the flowers. Use bright colors for the nose and lips.

Half Face

Painting half your face like a sugar skull for Día de Muertos symbolizes the delicate balance of being alive while also acknowledging the inevitability of death. It’s a way to honor both your living existence as well as your connection to your ancestors. And, as a bonus, it takes half the time to paint!

1. Divide Face + Apply Base Coat

Clip hair away from the face. Wash and dry your hands as well as the face you’ll be painting. Dip the soft wide brush in a bit of water and swirl the brush around the makeup cake. Paint a line down the center of the face vertically, from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin. Add a layer of white paint on the side you'll be painting except for the eye socket area and below the eyebrow. Let dry and add a second coat for an opaque finish. Add bright colors around the eye socket areas.

2. Add Details

Use other colors to add floral petals at the forehead area, on the chin and around the eyes. Use a skinny liner brush to water down some black paint. Fill in a triangle at the tip of the nose, add teeth next to the lips and outline the florals. Add any other details you want.