Halloween on the fly: 3 great faces
Even if you don't have a costume, makeup can get you in character.Christine Martinez is made up as Nicki Minaj at Newsday's studios in Melville. (Oct. 7, 2011) Credit: Bruce Gilbert
Scary.
Suddenly it's Halloween. You're going to a costume party and you haven't even thought about it. Or your kids are ready to make the candy rounds and -- yikes! -- they don't have a get-up.
"Makeup is the most straightforward way to get a Halloween look," says MAC Cosmetics senior artist Fatima Thomas, who was only too happy to show us how. Along with MAC trainer Jessica Roberts, Thomas worked her makeup magic on three Long Islanders, creating attention-getting looks for the dress-up holiday in less than 40 minutes.
Citing tough economic times, Thomas advises "using your MacGyver-like skills instead of breaking the bank buying a leopard costume or something like that." And, she says, it's likely you already have a bunch of stuff around the house, including baby powder to create pale skin, eyeliner and cheek color. "Halloween is for everybody," says Thomas. "You get to become your fantasy, more so than any other holiday, and a lot of us can let out our inner craftsperson, and our inner kid."
So who are you going to be on Halloween? We offer three very different ideas for the holiday.
1. Nicki Minaj
The model Christine Martinez, 26, Northport. Gymboree teacher, aspiring actress, self-professed drama queen
On Halloween "I love it," said Martinez, whose last costume was "Dead beauty," with a face that was half-skeleton, half-glamour girl.
How to "Nicki is brown," said Thomas, who used MAC's Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in a darker skin tone to mimic the singer's complexion. After that she highlighted cheekbones and forehead with a lighter powder and then used a peachy copper tone blush and added bright pink blush on the apples of Martinez's cheeks, because, she says, "Nicki likes her pinks." To replicate Minaj's almond-shaped eyes, she used dark brown eye shadow and liner across the eyelid, pulling both out into a wing. She topped that with big, false eyelashes and finished with a juicy bubble gum pink lipstick (this one's called Saint Germaine) because, says Thomas, "That's Nicki's signature."
Tip If you have a smaller mouth, overdraw a little.
2. The cool, modern vampire
The model Zach Winn, 15, Manhasset. 10th-grader at Manhasset High School
On Halloween He's distinctly laissez-faire, though born with eyebrows that work like a charm for this look. His last costume? "I think it was a Hoosier basketball shirt from Indiana University."
How to Thomas used MAC face and body foundation to achieve the vampire pallor, but you can work with any whitish foundation -- just don't overdo. "His brows are great already, so all I have to do is darken them a little and follow their natural shape," she said. If you aren't as blessed, emphasize and shape your brows with dark eyeliner. Smudge a bit of reddish shadow around the bottom of the eye (the one here is MAC's Passionate). The major trick for creating that haunted look is using plum-colored eye shadow (this shade is MAC Quarry) in the contours of the cheeks and under the eyes. Add a touch of bright-red cream lipstick inside the lips and a little trickle down the side of the mouth for that "just-fed" look. "He's definitely 'Team Edward,' " Thomas said.
3. Snow White
The model Camille Coribisiero, 66, Port Washington. Fourth-grade teacher at John J. Daly Elementary School for 20 years
On Halloween "I'm famous for Halloween. I decorate my whole front lawn, and I've been everything" (except Snow White), including a clown, wicked queen, Minnie Mouse and Raggedy Ann.
How to Start with a dewy foundation. "Even though she's pale, Snow White has a healthy freshness," said Thomas, who used MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in light on top of the foundation to add glow to the skin. Add really bright, rosy blush on the apples of the cheek, darken brows and use pencil around eyes, adding false eyelashes. Lips are key to the look -- outline them in long-wearing lip liner, and fill in with a bold shade of red, such as MAC's Ruby Woo or Russian Red. Start whistling while you work it.
Tip When it's over, most important, said Thomas: "Don't sleep in your makeup. If you're wearing lashes, take them off and wash your face."
