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On the hunt for a whimsical, show-stopping look this Halloween? Look no further than natures own colorful queen—the butterfly. This costume, though definitely a classic, is anything but boring. With bright, bold colors, shimmer, and shine, butterfly makeup is perfect for those looking to unleash their creativity, try out some new techniques, and have some fluttering fun.
We scoured the Internet—ahem, YouTube—to find the best Halloween butterfly face makeup tutorials worth trying this year. While choosing our favorites was tough, we landed on a select seven that are not only breathtakingly ethereal but also surprisingly easy to master. We spoke to makeup artists, Glenn Brownell and Jamie Dorman for their tips and tricks on how to complete the ultimate metamorphosis.
Whether you choose to go subtle or for full-on drama, these easy butterfly makeup tutorials are going to help you emerge from your cocoon, unfurl your wings, and fly!
Meet the Expert
Jamie Dorman is a celebrity makeup artist whose work can be found in Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, and Glamour.
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Crazy Colorful Butterfly
While vlogger Beats By Deb is known for her bright eye looks, this one takes the cake. Were obsessed with this bright butterfly look. From blue to green, pinks, and purples, Deb shows us how to use almost every color of the rainbow to create the ultimate butterfly effect, complete with glitter. The end result is perfect for Halloween and beyond. When doing colorful eye looks, make sure to prep the lids properly, "Normally I want an eye base to be translucent so you can see the lid through it, but in this case when you’re doing something intricate you want something opaque to create an even canvas to work with," makeup artist, Glenn Brownell says. Try MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot Eyeshadow ($25).
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Mermaid Butterfly
Cant decide between between a mermaid or a butterfly? You dont have to! This aquamarine interpretation of the classic monarch vibe is everything we want from a memorable costume and makeup moment this Halloween. Beauty lover and vlogger Divide.N.Contour walks us through the look of our fin-tasies. Copy it by using the Just My Luck palette ($14) from Colourpop– it has the perfect combination of blues and greens. When working with super-pigmented shadows, fallout can be an issue. "To prevent fallout, tap excess powder off of your brush, and tip your head back as you apply shadow. If the product has a lot of fallout, it may be necessary to hold a tissue under your eye while applying," celebrity makeup artist, Jamie Dorman, explains.
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Butterfly Princess
Blue lashes, yellow lids, pink hair, and a smattering of periwinkle butterflies make for butterfly perfection from YouTube vlogger Sherliza Moé. For a look like this, Brownell recommends to start with the eyes first. Moé used the Shimmering Vision ($81) cream eyeshadow palette from Kryolan and topped it off with blue glitter. And in case you decide to go all out and rock the wig, Nicki Minajs very own mane master, Kendall Dorsey, gave us his best tips and tricks on how to wear it just right.
"Start with the eyes first, especially if you’re using things like loose glitters and pigments, otherwise things will get messy. Then you can wipe any fallout clean without having to patch up any of the rest of your makeup," Brownell explains.
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Snapchat Butterfly
Its no surprise that weve translated a lot of our favorite social media filters into real-life Halloween looks over the years. (Baby fawn, anyone?) Alas, the oh-so-popular golden butterfly filter is one of our go-tos, and thanks to My Pale Skin, we have a glittering how-to tutorial just in time for Halloween. The headpiece may be the star of the show here, but were lusting over the simplicity of gold shimmering lids, wispy ink-black lashes, and the perfect nude pout.
While this look may seem daunting, Dorman reminds us, "For first-time costume makeup applying, I would recommend choosing products with textures youre familiar working with. If you tend to use a lot of powder eyeshadows, get powder pigments. If you use more creams, get cream-based makeup. It will be easy to create new looks with textures you already know how to work with."
Some golden butterflies are essential to nailing the look, and we love these decal stickers ($6) from Amazon. Think of this one as butterfly Halloween makeup for the minimalist.
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Babydoll Butterfly
With all of the scary costumes that come with Halloween, we understand if you want something completely different. This baby-pink butterfly makeup courtesy of Miss Make Over is the ultimate antidote. The process is surprisingly easy to master, and she even explains the magic behind her DIY headpiece, which, of course, is essential. Our favorite part? The larger-than-life lashes that tie the whole look together. The House of Lashes Iconic False Lashes ($12) will give you this doll-like effect right at home.
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Butterfly Fairy
Vlogger Julia Graf describes this Technicolor take on Halloween butterfly makeup as "butterfly fairy," and wed have to agree. The skys the limit as far as your color palette goes, but were big fans of the way Graf interspersed bright pops of magenta, fuchsia, and electric orange and yellow. To make this look really pop, Graf first applied white face paint all over her neck and chest. Replicate this look at home using the Vivid Brights Crème Color ($9) from NYX—just make sure you prep your skin properly before applying an all-over face color.
"For costume makeup, I prefer to use lighter moisturizers that soak into the skin. A lot of costume makeup is water-based and will work best on moisturized skin that isn’t greasy. I like Paulas Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer ($37)," Dorman shares.
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Classic Monarch
Is it a coincidence that the classic colors of the monarch butterfly are an exact match for Halloweens trademark twosome? This year, show off your spooky black-and-orange vibe via an adorned décolletage and eyelids, accented by a blood–orange–stained pout. New Zealand–based beauty and fashion blogger Judy C. takes you through the totally doable metamorphosis step by step. Want to try this look at home? Make sure you have a fine-tipped eyeliner for all the intricate details. Our favorite is the Fine Line Felt Tip Eyeliner ($14) from Sephora. One final tip from Brownell: "Makeup, especially this kind of makeup, should be fun, not stressful! Have a visual guide and keep the photo in front of you while you’re working on it. Break it down in steps and focus on one detail at a time so it doesn’t get overwhelming. Or If you can swing it, sit back and hire a pro."