How to Do Perfect Jack Skellington Face Makeup for Halloween

Maria Dotz
by Maria Dotz
4 Materials
$30
20 Minutes
Easy

This year for Halloween, I’m going as Jack Skellington from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. Let me show you how to do this DIY Jack Skellington face makeup. It is very straightforward and easy to do at home as it doesn’t require many different materials.


For a couples costume, you can also check on my other tutorial on How to Do The Nightmare Before Christmas Sally Costume Makeup.


Let’s get spooky!

Tools and materials:

  • Face primer
  • Face paint in white and black
  • White makeup powder
  • Liquid eyeliner
Priming face ready for the Hallowen makeup

1. Apply face primer

Start by putting on a headband and tying your hair back to ensure it is out of the way. Then apply some face primer to protect your skin. Rub this in all over your face.

Painting the face white like Jack Skellington

2. Paint your face white

The next step is to paint your whole face with white face paint. I'm using a paint that you can put on your fingers and then rub it into your face.


You want to bring the paint down so that it covers your neck as well. You don't need to apply it around the eyes, as we will be painting that area black.


Once done, dip a brush or a little sponge into some white makeup powder and brush the powder onto your face.

How to do female Jack Skellington makeup

3. Paint your eyes

Next, dip a brush into your black face paint and apply it around the eyes in a big circular shape that is sort of like an asymmetrical tear shape on its side.


First, draw the outline of the shape and then proceed to fill it in.


As you can see, the black area doesn't cover the whole of the eyebrows; rather, it cuts through the eyebrows. Paint the parts of your eyebrows that aren't included in the black area with white face paint.

Jack Skellington Halloween makeup

4. Fill in the black area

Using both your finger and a brush, fill the eye area in with the black face paint. Use some liquid or gel eyeliner for the parts closest to the eye.

Doing scary Jack Skellington makeup

5. Paint your nose

To make your face look more like a skull, paint two black nostril marks on your nose.

Jack Skellington face makeup tutorial

6. Paint your lips

Next, we're going to create Jack's distinctive mouth. Using a fine brush, start by drawing lines from either side of the mouth, going all the way up the cheeks. Then paint your lips black.


Lastly, using your liquid eyeliner, draw little vertical lines over the wide mouth to create the stitched effect.

Jack Skellington face makeup with black paint

7. Paint your forehead

To ensure that your face paint looks seamless, paint a black line at the top of your forehead that blends into your hairline.

Creating the Jack Skellington neck

8. Paint your neck

Jack Skellington has a really skinny neck. So, to finish off the look, draw two lines on your neck and fill in the two outer sides with black paint. This will create the illusion that you have a skinny, bony neck like Jack's.

Jack Skellington face makeup

Jack Skellington face makeup tutorial

We are done with our scary Jack Skellington face makeup! The finished look looks so authentic and very true to the movie. Considering how easy it was to achieve, I’m super happy with the way it turned out.


I also love how disguised I am - no one will be able to tell that it’s me under all the face paint! Now all I need to do is get the rest of my outfit together, and I’m ready to spook people out!


Let me know what you think of this DIY Jack Skellington face makeup in the comments below.


DIY Halloween crafts

Planning a Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween party? For more Tim Burton and Pumpkin King inspiration, discover Hometalk's best DIY Nightmare Before Christmas decorations here.

Suggested materials:
  • Face primer
  • Face paint in white and black
  • White makeup powder
See all materials

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