Wednesday Addams makeup is the easiest character look of the season, and the hardest to get right, because it is all about what you leave out. Pale matte skin, a plum black lip, softly shadowed eyes and two neat braids. No blush, no glow, no smile. Here is the whole look step by step, the braids, the dance version, and the Enid look for whoever comes with you.
What makes it read as Wednesday
Three things carry the character from across a room: a pale, completely matte face, a very dark matte lip, and two long braids falling in front of the shoulders. Get those three right and a black dress with a white collar finishes it. Get the base too white, add shimmer anywhere, or leave the hair down, and it turns into a generic goth look.
Our roundup of trending Halloween costumes ranks this against the other character looks of the year if you are still choosing.
Wednesday Addams makeup, step by step
1. Make the base paler, not white
Use a foundation one or two shades lighter than your skin, or mix a drop of white cream into your usual base. Blend it past the jaw and down the neck, because a pale face on a warm neck is the giveaway. Set everything with a matte powder.
2. Take every bit of warmth out
Skip blush, bronzer and highlighter completely. If you contour at all, use a cool gray taupe very lightly under the cheekbones, just enough to stop the face from looking flat.
3. Shadow the eyes softly
A matte gray brown in the crease and smudged under the lower lashes. It should look tired, not glamorous. Add a thin line of dark pencil on the upper lash line and skip mascara on the lower lashes.
4. Define the brows
Fill the brows a shade darker than usual and keep them straight rather than arched. Wednesday never looks surprised.
5. Paint the lip plum black
Line the lips with a dark plum pencil, fill the whole lip with it, then press a plum black matte lipstick on top. Blot, then apply a second coat. A matte finish matters here; gloss breaks the character instantly.
Wednesday Addams hair: the two braids
Part the hair straight down the middle, from the forehead to the nape. Split each side into three strands and braid tightly, starting just behind the ear so the braids hang forward over the shoulders. Tie with small black elastics and smooth any flyaways with a little gel.
Short hair can still do it: two small braids at the front with the rest tucked away reads the same in photos. The look is also stronger with very dark hair, and a temporary jet black shade or a sleek straight long style is worth trying on a photo before you commit. For more ways to finish a costume with hair, see our Halloween hairstyles guide, and for darker shades that last past October, hair ideas by season.
The dance look
For the famous dance scene version, keep the pale base and the dark lip, then take the eyes deeper: a black smoky shadow blended up into the crease and a slightly sharper line. Swap the collared dress for a long black tulle gown. Keep the braids. The contrast between an elegant gown and a completely blank face is what makes it memorable.
The Enid look, for the friend who comes with you
Wednesday's roommate is the opposite in every way, which is why the two costumes work so well together. Bright pastel pink, blue and lilac eyeshadow with glitter, rosy cheeks, a glossy pink lip, and soft waves streaked with pastel pink, lilac and blue. In HairGlam this look is called Rainbow Werewolf.
If someone else is going as Wednesday's mother, our Morticia Addams makeup guide covers the blood red lip and the long sharp wing. And for a group costume from a different show, the Stranger Things makeup guide has Eleven, Max and Vecna.
See Wednesday on your own face first
A very pale base and a black lip look striking on some faces and harsh on others, and it is hard to judge from a photo of someone else. HairGlam's Halloween Studio puts the Deadpan Goth look, braids included, on a photo of your face in seconds. Your first 4 Halloween looks are free, on iPhone and iPad. Try Wednesday Addams makeup on your own face in HairGlam before you buy the lipstick.
Try Wednesday Addams makeup on your own face
Your first 4 Halloween looks are free. 39 face paint and costume looks, no mess, nothing to wash off.
Character names describe costume looks only. HairGlam is not affiliated with the shows or films mentioned.
Questions people ask
What makeup does Wednesday Addams wear?
How do I do Wednesday Addams braids?
Can I do Wednesday Addams makeup without white face paint?
What costume goes with Wednesday for a friend?
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