How To Do Cat Makeup for Halloween

With October comes pumpkin spice lattes (and hair transformations), crisp autumn breezes, and of course, Halloween. If you’re looking for a costume that you can throw together for last-minute parties, cat makeup is the way to go. This classic Halloween makeup look is cute, flattering, and easy to achieve using products you probably already have at home (which means no last-minute trips to the Halloween supply store). Plus, there are ample ways to customize the look. If you need proof, keep scrolling. Here, we’re sharing a basic cat makeup tutorial that takes just seven steps to complete. Bookmark this page to come back to when the Halloween party invites start rolling in.

How To Do Cat Halloween Makeup in 7 Easy Steps

Traditional cat makeup has a few key elements: A bold cat eye (naturally), a defined cat nose, and of course, whiskers. You can also add lipstick, gloss, contour, and highlighter to take your look to the next level. Ahead, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about nailing your Halloween makeup look.

1. Prep your skin

Proper skin prep helps ensure your products apply smoothly and evenly and can help extend the wear of your makeup—a must if you plan on sporting your cat makeup to an all-night party.

Cleanse and moisturize

Start by washing your face with a gentle cleanser to remove any dirt, oil, or debris that could interfere with your makeup application. We love the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser because it provides gentle exfoliation for extra-smooth skin. Afterward, pat your skin dry and layer on your toners and serums as usual. Don’t forget to cap off your skin prep routine with a moisturizer—dry skin can make your makeup look patchy. Try the L’Oréal Paris Collagen Filler Moisture Filler Anti-Aging Moisturizer for intense, long-lasting hydration without a heavy or greasy feel.

Apply primer and foundation

After allowing your moisturizer adequate time to absorb, smooth on the L’Oréal Paris Prime Lab Pore Minimizer. This silky makeup primer blurs pores, smooths the skin’s appearance, and helps prolong makeup wear for up to 24 hours. With regular use, it also helps refine the skin’s texture.

Next, even out your complexion with a lightweight foundation such as L'Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation. We recommend blending it out with a damp makeup sponge for a seamless, your skin-but-better effect.

2. Create your cat eyes

An exaggerated, defined wing is, arguably, the most important part of your cat Halloween makeup look. Here’s a breakdown of how to achieve the look with eyeshadow and liner.

Apply eyeshadow

First, cut a small piece of tape and place it onto your skin so one edge just touches the outer corner of your eye and the other grazes your brow. This isn’t strictly necessary, but the tape placement makes it easier to create a sharp (and even) cat eye without tons of clean-up.

Once you have the tape positioned on both sides, sweep a neutral-toned eyeshadow over your entire lid. Then, apply a darker shadow—we like the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Brown Bliss—to the outer third of your eyelid, blending the pigment toward your brow to begin building a cat eye shape. You can also use this shade along your lower lash line in place of eyeliner.

Draw a cat eye

Next, use a small eyeshadow brush and a deep black eyeshadow, like the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Noir Cest Noir, to trace your upper lash line. When you reach the outer corner, follow the line of the tape to create your wing shape. Use a clean brush to lightly blend the edges for a blurred, smokey effect.

When you’re satisfied with your cat eye shape, remove the tape. Then, use a gel or liquid eyeliner such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner to trace your upper lash line. Extend the line outward, following the shape of your shadow wing, to complete the cat eye effect.

Add mascara

Round out your cat eye makeup look with a coat or two of the L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Instant Lift Waterproof Mascara for instant lift and volume. Add an extra coat to the lashes at the outer corner of your eye to create a feline-like shape. For extra drama, add some false lashes.

3. Sculpt and define your features

Contouring isn’t strictly necessary for a cat makeup look, so if you’re in a rush to get out the door, feel free to move on to the fourth step. If you have the time, though, a bit of contour and highlight can go a long way in creating a sculpted, cat-like appearance.

Contour

Accentuate your bone structure and fake a more sculpted appearance by using contour to “carve out” your features. You can use a contour product for this, or reach for the L’Oréal Paris Infallible True Match Radiant Serum Concealer in a color one to two shades darker than your skin tone. Draw the concealer onto the sides of your nose, beneath each cheek bone, and along the temples, then blend for a subtly-sculpted effect.

Highlight

After blending out your contour, apply a small amount of the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer to areas the light would naturally hit. Usually, this includes the cheekbones, brow bones, and Cupid’s bow (though if you prefer a glowy look, there are several other areas you can apply highlighter). Be sure to blend the product well—you don’t want any harsh stripes of shimmer detracting from your cat Halloween makeup.

4. Add a cat nose and whiskers

To nail your Halloween-ready cat face, paint (or draw) on a cat nose and whiskers—it’ll help tie the whole look together.

Outline a cat nose shape

Use a black eyeliner pencil to draw an upside-down triangle on the tip of your nose. The base of the triangle should sit right where the bridge of your nose meets the tip, and the point of the triangle should extend down your septum (that strip of flesh that separates your nostrils). The L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner is perfect for this, as it offers up to 36 hours of waterproof and smudge-resistant wear.

Fill your cat nose in

Using the same eyeliner, fill in the triangle shape completely to complete your cat nose. Then, draw a thin line from the bottom point of the triangle down to the top of your upper lip. You can also add small dots on either side of this line to help mimic the look of a cat’s muzzle.

Add whiskers

Lastly, draw a few thin, long lines extending from the apples of your cheeks toward the perimeter of your face to create the illusion of whiskers.

5. Define the cat lips

Adding a deep, rich lip color to define and accentuate your lips is a beautiful way to tie together your cat face makeup look.

Line your top lip

Start by reaching for a deep, reddish-burgundy lip liner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lip Liner in Truly Burgundy. Use the bold shade to trace your upper lip line (or, if you want to fake the appearance of fuller lips, you can slightly overline your top lip). Flick the liner upward ever so slightly at the outer corners of your top lip to create a shape reminiscent of a cat’s mischievous smile.

Apply a long-lasting lipstick

Halloween festivities often involve a lot of talking and snacking, so you’ll want to use lipstick that can hold up throughout the night. We recommend giving the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick in Wine Not a try. The matte-finish formula wears for up to 16 hours and boasts a hydrating feel for comfortable, all-night wear.

6. Set your look

If you don’t want to spend half of your night in the bathroom touching up your makeup, setting your look is a must. To ensure your cat makeup stays all evening long, mist your face with the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray. The unique aerosol applicator dispenses the setting spray in a fine mist, allowing it to evenly coat your face without leaving behind any droplets. A three-to-four-second misting is all you need to lock your cat makeup in place for up to 36 hours.

7. Accessorize

You can wear your cat Halloween makeup with pretty much anything you choose, but a pair of cat ears—store-bought or homemade—is a must to complete the feline effect. We recommend opting for a cat ear headband, as it’s easier to slip on and off than clip-on ears. Then, style your hair as you see fit—beachy waves, sleek ponytails, and messy buns all pair well with the classic cat ensemble.

Next Up: 5 Halloween Eyeliner Makeup Tutorials

Photo Credit: Beauty HQ, IG/@_beautyhq