This Gory Ariel Little Mermaid Makeup Look is Perfect for Halloween

Shonagh Scott
by Shonagh Scott
16 Materials
$75
2 Hours
Advanced

What would have happened if Ursula literally ripped out Ariel's voice box? Well, this gory Little Mermaid Halloween makeup look explores just that! Follow along with this fun Ariel makeup tutorial to create some impressive FX makeup wounds for a truly scary Halloween Disney Princess costume.


If you haven't seen my other Disney Princess Halloween makeup ideas, take a look at my scary Cinderella Halloween makeup and Beauty and the Beast Halloween makeup tutorials too.

Tools and materials:

  • Red wig
  • Foundation
  • Eyebrow powder
  • Matte eyeshadow
  • Lipstick
  • Makeup brushes
  • Gel Sculpt flesh tone A, B, and C
  • Metal spatula
  • Kryolan liquid latex
  • Kryolan burn wheel
  • Sigma FX brushes
  • Skin Illustrator FX palette
  • TV blood
  • Splatter blood
  • Witch hazel
  • Cotton pads
Applying red lipstick

1. Ariel makeup

First, do your Disney Princess eye makeup. I used the same techniques as my Belle from Beauty and the Beast Halloween makeup. You can follow along with that tutorial first or do your eye makeup as you wish.


Then, use a true matte red lipstick to match the wig color.

Filling in eyebrows with red and brown colors

I used a maroon-brick-colored eyeshadow mixed with brown eyebrow powder for the eyebrows. I rounded the front and arch of the eyebrow and extended the tail slightly.

Cleaning the neck skin with witch hazel

2. Prep the skin

Now, onto the FX makeup! Apply witch hazel to a cotton pad to remove any oils on the skin.

Applying sculpt gel for the wound outline

3. Create torn flesh

Mix equal parts of sculpt gel A and B, and a slightly smaller amount of C. I used a spatula to swipe the product onto the throat in a horseshoe shape. I wanted to get a smooth edge on the outside with a rougher inside edge to look like it’s torn skin. 

Building up the sculpt gel for a thick edge

To make the torn edges, use some more product and build it up on the thicker edge, pulling the product up and outwards. 

Creating shape and texture with sculpt gel

At the bottom, I turned the product inward on itself and pushed it upwards towards the throat to create shape and texture.

Creating vertebrae with cotton pads

4. Create vertebrae

Separate a cotton pad into two halves, then tear them into 2 smaller pieces, so there are 4 pieces total. 

Applying the latex-covered cotton pad

I coated one of the larger pieces of cotton with latex and then folded it into a vertebrae shape. 

Creating the Ariel throat wound

Press it into the base of the throat in the wound area. Repeat with a second piece. Place them about ½ an inch apart.

Placing cotton pads to look like vertebrae

With the two smaller pieces, place them on either side of the top of the “U” to look like snapped vertebrae.

Painting the neck red

5. Create the bloody wound

I used the maroon shade from the burn wheel and covered the entire surface area of the wound. Don’t worry about being neat - it needs to look rough. 

Painting with black to add depth

Next, use the black shade from the burn wheel with the same brush. Paint the seams of the wall to make it look quite dark and deep. Include the outside of all of the bone shapes, especially by the snapped bone, to highlight the absence of bone. 

Adding discoloration to the bones

Use the very tip of the brush to discolor the outside area of the bones. They should be darker at the outer edges.

Applying red outside the wound with fingers

6. Add bloody texture

Make it look like blood has rushed to the surface by applying some of the maroon shade with your fingers outside of the wound. 

Adding highlight to the wound

7. Add highlights to the wound

I mixed yellow and a flesh tone from the burn wheel, then used a brush to apply it to the outer edges of the wound. Add the highlight to the textured area inside the wall of the wound to look like tiny lumps of fat and flesh.

Creating bruising around the wound

8. Make some bruises

I applied foundation on the maroon shade on the outside of the wound to look like painful bruising under the skin. 

Applying wound filler

9. Apply wound filler

The wound filler looks like congealed and thick blood. No neatness is required!

Adding shading with the blood tones

10. Add more blood shading

I used a fine brush and 2 blood shades to paint around the edges, so it looks like fresh blood where the wound split the skin. Add some of the congealed blood to the bone. I also added a slightly diluted version, lightly tapping with my fingers around the outside of the wound. 

Applying liquid blood to the FX wound

11. Time for liquid blood

I applied TV blood with a fluffy brush, pressing all over the entire wound. This gives a fresh, realistic, and glossy appearance.

Placing the starfish on the Ariel wig

12. Add the wig and starfish

Put the wig on. Pull the hair to make a side part, pull the bangs forward, and clip the side part in. I added a starfish to make me more recognizable as Ariel.

Creating blood splatters around the wound

13. Blood splatters

I sprayed splatter blood at the base of the wound so it drips down. I also used some of the dark TV blood and applied it over the top of the wound again. I used my fingers to tap around the wound to make it look more bloodied.

Ariel Little Mermaid Halloween makeup

Ariel Little Mermaid Halloween makeup tutorial

That’s it! A twisted Ariel Little Mermaid makeup tutorial for Halloween. Let me know how you liked this tutorial in the comments or better yet, if you tried it! Happy Halloween!




Products used

Suggested materials:
  • Red wig
  • Foundation
  • Eyebrow powder
See all materials

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