Day of the Dead is one of the most beloved traditions in Mexico, as shown by the wild success of the Pixar’s Coco. Day of the Dead makeup is one of the most used costume ideas throughout Mexico. From the last days of October and until November 2nd, people of all ages paint their faces white and black for Day of The Dead celebrations.
This makeup is inspired in La Catrina, the popular character created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century, as a satire to criticize the influence of European culture into Mexico, and how many people from that time wanted to belong to a higher class. In recent years the Catrina makeup has been very popular not only in Mexico but around the world. It is a look that you can achieve in an easy way and in just a few minutes.
Here you have a few simple tips to rock that perfect Day Of The Day face paint!
This is what you will need:
- White makeup (be sure to have PLENTY of this, since you will use it all over your face and neck)
- Black makeup – although you will not use it as much as the white one, be sure to have enough of this too, about half the amount of the white one
- Black eye liner
- Make up blender
- Fake eyelashes
- Two brushes of different sizes
- Glitter and/or strasses
1. First of all, be sure to moisturize your skin; seasonal makeup kits tend to be on the cheap side, because you only use them once a year!
2. After you have cleaned and applied a good moisturizer, apply an even layer of white base all over your face, including your neck, ears and neck base, especially if your costume has some cleavage. If you still can see your skin through the make up, apply a second layer of white.
3. Using the black eyeliner, draw two circles around your eyes, to ensure they are even, use a cardboard cut out!
4. Apply black makeup to your eyelids and blend it into your skin until it covers the inside part of the circle.
5. Using the eyeliner draw a triangle on the tip of your nose and fill it with black makeup.
6. Paint your lips black.
7. Starting at the corner of your lips, draw a black line to the center of your cheeks. Draw vertical lines along these lines to simulate the bare teeth of a skull.
8. Draw two tall arcs on top of your eyebrows (think the top half of a heart).
9. Apply fake eyelashes and plenty of mascara to make your eyes “pop”.
10. Time to have fun! Carefully apply glitter and strasses on your cheekbones and around the eye area, you can also use them to draw flowers or anything else you can think of.
You can use Day Of the Dead face paint with pretty much any costume, and it will surely make you stand out at your next Halloween party. Don’t forget to remove all make up before you go to bed to prevent skin breakouts!
