Witch makeup comes in three strengths, and the easy witch makeup version is the one most people should do. A strong brow, black liner, a deep lip and undone hair say witch without a single drop of green paint. Here are all three looks step by step, from the ten minute modern witch to the full green witch, and the witch hair that finishes each one.
Wavy Long
Messy Bun
French Braids
Jet Black
Plum
Emerald GreenChoose your witch
| Look | Time | Face paint | Reads as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern witch | 10 minutes | No | Chic, dark, could be a normal night out |
| Classic witch | 25 minutes | No | Storybook witch with a hat and a hooked nose shadow |
| Green witch | 45 to 60 minutes | Yes | The Wizard of Oz style, full commitment |
The modern witch is the one to choose if you are going out to dinner first or you want to reuse the products afterward. The green witch is the one that wins the costume contest. For how these compare with vampires and skulls on time and difficulty, see our sorted list of Halloween makeup looks.
Look 1: the modern witch, easy witch makeup in 5 steps
1. Build the brow
Brush the brows up and fill them one shade darker than usual, with a slightly sharper arch than you normally draw. The brow is the whole character, so spend two minutes here.
2. Cool the base
Your usual foundation, set with powder, then a cool toned contour under the cheekbones and along the temples. No warm bronzer. Skip blush or use a mauve rather than a pink.
3. Wing the liner
A black wing that extends further than usual, plus black on the lower waterline. If you have purple or dark green shadow, smudge a little under the lower lashes.
4. Darken the lip
Deep purple, blackberry or black. Line, fill, press on the lipstick, blot, and coat again. A deep plum is the most flattering of the three on most skin tones.
5. Add one detail
A small drawn moon or star at the outer corner of one eye with liquid liner, or a dark nail. One detail, not five.
Look 2: the classic witch
Start with the modern witch, then push it toward the storybook.
Take the base one shade lighter and matte. Deepen the contour so the cheeks look hollow, and add a soft gray shadow down each side of the nose and a touch at the tip to suggest a hook without drawing one. Bring the eyeshadow up into the crease in gray or purple so the eyes look sunken, and draw two or three fine lines from the outer corner of each eye with a brown pencil. Keep the lip dark.
A pointed hat, a messy bun under it, and loose pieces around the face finish the classic witch. If the hat is coming on and off, pin the bun low so the hat sits level.
Look 3: the green witch
This one is face paint, and the technique matters more than the color.
Prime the face and neck. With a damp sponge, press on a thin layer of green water activated paint over the face, ears and neck, down to the collar. Let it dry, powder it, then add a second thin layer where the first looks patchy. Contour with a darker green or a green mixed with a little black under the cheekbones, on the temples and down the sides of the nose. Highlight the tops of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose with a lighter green.
Then do the eyes and lip as for the classic witch: heavy brows, a deep gray or black socket, a black lip. Set everything with a fine setting spray held at arm's length. Thin layers, powder between them, and no wide smiles until it is set are the three rules that stop green paint cracking.
Witch hair for all three looks
Witch hair is undone. Long loose waves with a center part are the default and they survive a hat. A low messy bun with pieces pulled out works on medium hair. Two French braids that look a day old suit the classic witch, and a braided crown suits a forest witch.
Color changes the read completely. A temporary jet black turns any of these into a classic witch, a deep plum or emerald green matches the modern witch's lip, and a silver streak sprayed at the front says wicked stepmother. The full list of updos and styles by costume is in our Halloween hairstyles guide, and our hair ideas by season guide covers which shades carry into November.
See the witch on your own face first
Heavy brows and a black lip suit some faces and overwhelm others. A center part with long waves lengthens a round face and can drag an already long one. That is a photo decision, not a tutorial decision.
HairGlam's Makeup Studio puts a deep plum lip, a black smoky eye and a winged liner on your own photo today, and the Hair Studio renders long waves, a messy bun or a temporary black or green shade in the same picture. The new Halloween Studio has the Modern Witch, the Green Witch and the Emerald Sorceress among 39 face paint and costume looks, and your first 4 are free. Try the witch look on your own face in HairGlam before you buy the green paint.
If you want the same dark lip with a different story, our vampire makeup guide is the pale, sleek version of tonight. The sugar skull makeup guide is the one for people who enjoy an hour with a fine brush.
Try witch 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 is the easiest witch makeup?
Do I need green face paint for witch makeup?
What hair goes with witch makeup?
How do I stop green face paint from cracking?
Read next
Hair ideas by season: what to change in fall, winter, spring, summer
Vampire makeup: an easy look in 6 steps, and the hair that sells it
Sugar skull makeup: the classic, a half skull and a skeleton version
Halloween hairstyles: 14 easy looks that finish the costume
Halloween hair color: 12 temporary and vivid shades to test first
