Unique Halloween Costumes to Help You Get Your Glam On

You can create your own unique Halloween costumes with little more than some good makeup.

Showing up to a Halloween party in the same costume as someone else? That's the real horror of the holiday. It's hard to be truly original and find unique Halloween costumes, especially when it seems like everyone goes with the old standards. Still, with the right makeup, you can take a costume from bland to glam with a few simple swaps. Skip the same-old and try something new: a costume that's just a little out of the ordinary, but still totally bewitching.

Cat Vs. Tiger

Dressing as a cat for Halloween is a no-brainer: throw on whiskers and a pair of ears and you're done. With a little extra time in the makeup mirror, you can swap out a cat for a tiger costume and catch your friends unawares. Tigers show their stripes, so use a long-wear eyeliner like L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner to outline and fill in thicker stripes that start with a dramatic cat eye (use eyeliner to draw a line across your top lash line, starting from the inner corner of your eye, moving out to the other corner, then swooping up to a wing). Surround your eyes and forehead. Then, use the same eyeliner to fill in a small triangle around the base of your nose and add a few whiskers. Use an orange-bronze eyeshadow, like CoverGirl Eye Enhancers in Golden Sunrise, to cover your entire nose and then create an ombre (a gradual fade from dark to light) effect onto your cheeks. Finish with a dramatic black lipstick, a pair of ears, and a killer catsuit, and go show off your feline side.

Princess Vs. Pixie

Sure, Halloween is the one time you can dress up like a princess and get away with it, but you can be just as pretty (and much more interesting) if you go as something a little more magical. Swap the puffy princess dress for a slim mini-skirt and trade your crown in for a pretty pair of wings and you can be a pixie! For your makeup, start with an understated, fresh look by adding a hint of blush to your cheeks and a nude color for the lips. Then add just the right amount of shimmer: the colors in the Maybelline New York's The Blushed Nudes palette can add sparkle on your eyelids, cheeks, and even the top of the Cupid's bow of your lips. Feeling daring? Use pink hair color to complete your look (you can try a shade from the L'oreal Colorista line if you only want the pixie look for a week or two). With this fab look, you'll be even more magical than a princess this Halloween.

Ghost Vs. Ghoul

Witches, ghosts, and goblins—oh my! Pointy hats and white sheets don't make unique Halloween costumes. Instead of your old standby, consider going as a ghoul, which gives you tons of room to be creative with your overall look. You could use an eyeliner to draw on an intricate sugar-skull-inspired face, for instance, or use a heavy dose of black eyeshadow and smudge it around your eyes to create a simple, ghoulish look. Don't forget the dramatic mascara: try using L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Primer first to make sure your lashes stay full as you party all night long. Add an all-black maxi dress for a ghoulish look that is as glam as it is scary.

Don't run the risk of showing up to a costume party in the same outfit as someone else. With a little creativity and some things you probably already have in your makeup bag, you can pull together unique Halloween costumes that let you put your stamp on all things spooky this season.

By Jae Curtis

These articles are not a substitute for medical advice, and are not intended to treat or cure any disease. Advances in medicine may cause this information to become outdated, invalid, or subject to debate. Professional opinions and interpretations of scientific literature may vary. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise, or medication regime.