7 Easy, Cruelty-Free Halloween Makeup Ideas

Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year. The entertainment gets spooky, the clothes become cozy, the weather gets chillier, the leaves begin to fall, and pumpkin spice-flavored things pop up everywhere. Best of all is getting to dress up. If you’re in need of inspiration, we’ve gathered up seven practical ideas inspired by recent movies and television shows, plus cruelty-free Halloween makeup ideas to try this year.

7 cruelty-free Halloween makeup ideas

All of the looks below were picked because they can be pulled off with everyday makeup—in other words, you don’t need to seek out that high-grade stage makeup that you may never use again. It looks good for one day, but it more than likely ends up going to waste, lost in a makeup drawer until its last days.

We also picked only cruelty-free, vegan, and clean beauty products, meaning that each product wasn’t tested on animals and is also free from all animal products.

Here at Kinder Beauty, we’re about beauty that doesn’t come at a cost to animals or ourselves—so every product is also free from ingredients that have been linked to human or environmental harm, including parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and petroleum. See our standards page for the full list of excluded ingredients.

Now, let’s get to the makeup—here are seven clean and cruelty-free Halloween makeup looks for the spookiest day of the year:

Harfoot or Hobbit

Thanks to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, many viewers have been introduced to harfoots, the predecessors to hobbits that dress in well-worn cottagecore clothes and wear plants in their curly hair.

Although they don’t wear makeup, we can totally see harfoots or hobbits wearing earthy tones of green, brown, and bronze on their eyelids. Add a touch of rosiness to your nose and face and if you weren’t born with them, add freckles using a freckly pen. We also recommend using a hair product that adds texture, as these food and drink-loving creatures almost always have a mop of curls.

Shop the look:
Freck Beauty pen, for cute freckles
Tower28 Beauty Tinted Balm, for rosy cheeks
IBY Beauty Fireside Eyeshadow Palatte, for earthy-toned lids

Alice or Sophie from Bodies Bodies Bodies

This year’s hit Gen-Z locked house murder mystery horror, Bodies Bodies Bodies, delivered iconic dialogue and stealable Halloween looks between the main cast.

We love the baby blue eyeshadow and light blush with glow-stick necklaces that Rachel Sennott’s Alice wears throughout the movie. As lead character Sophie, Amandla Stenberg rocks dark grey reverse cat eye makeup and berry-colored lips.

Shop the look:
Baseblue Cosmetics Palette, for Alice’s baby blue eyeshadow
Athr Beauty Desert Rose Lip + Cheek Oil Stain, for Sopho’s berry lips
Mob Beauty Cake Liner, for Sophie’s reverse cat eyes

Harley Quinn

Suicide Squad ushered DC fans into the new, finally-free-from-the-Joker era of Harley Quinn. And thanks to HBO’s animated series Harley Quinn, the psychiatrist turned villain turned antihero’s legacy continues.

The modern Harley Quinn’s makeup is characterized by red eyeshadow over the left eye and blue over the right (or vice versa, if you’re the cartoon version of the Gotham City Siren, not Margot Robbie), bold eyeliner, dark or bright red lips, and pale or white face makeup, depending on your complexion.

Shop the look:
Ilia Clean Line Liquid Liner, for Harley’s bold eyeliner
Baseblue Cosmetics Palette, for blue and red eyeshadow
Johhny Concert Liquid Matte Lipstick, for red lips

Death from The Sandman

Death from Netflix’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman comics still brings the goth vibes. Good Place actor Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s vamp-ish look is practical enough for everyday fall makeup and her costume—black pants, black tank top, heavy boots, and a silver ankh pendant necklace—is easy enough to cobble together on short notice.

Shop the look:
Axiology Rich Pigment Lipstick, for burgundy lips
Han Skincare Cosmetics Palette, for smoky eyes
PYT Beauty Liquid Eyeliner, for cat eye eyeliner

A Targaryen or Velaryon

House of the Dragon has introduced Game of Thrones fans to a whole new cast of white-haired nobles and political intrigue. The most important aspect to your Targaryen or Velaryon costume—whether you want to be Daenerys, Rhaenyra, or another member of the distinct-looking houses—is to look regal and clean.

Shop the look:
Tower28 SuperDew Highlighter Balm, to highlight your features
Laritzy Old Rose Lip Gloss, to subtly emphasize your lips
Ilia Brow Gel, for perfect brows
Pure’am Face Oil, for a dewy glow

A witch from Hocus Pocus

With Hocus Pocus 2 finally here, it’s time to pay homage to the witchy Halloween classic starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. While each member of the trio of wannabe menaces each has her own unique makeup look, they generally stick to dark eyeliner, smoky eye colors, and a pop of red on the lips and cheeks.

Get the look:
Au Naturale Eternity Lipstick, for witchy lip colors
Alima Pure Natural Definition Eye Pencil, for smoky eye-ready eyeliner
Athr Beauty Moonlight Crystal Palette, for mystical eyes

Catwoman

Truth be told, every version of Catwoman from her 82-year history is purrfect for Halloween. But here, we’re looking at the cool Zoë Kravitz from Matt Reeve’s The Batman and the campy Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton’s 1992 movie, Batman Returns.

Both versions of the noir-inspired femme fatale wear a cat eye, but while Kravitz’s Catwoman uses a clean liquid liner on her top lid, Pfeiffer’s is heavy and exaggerated all around her eyes. For lips, Kravitz wears a neutral color whereas Tim Burton’s feline villain wears a glossy red lip.

Get the look:
100% Pure Pencil Liner, for Kravitz’s cat eyes
Ilia Clean Line Gel Liner, for Pfeiffer’s eyes
100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Matte Lipstick, for the base of Pfeiffer’s lips
INNBEAUTY Candy Apple Lip Glaze Oil, for the top layer of Pfeiffer’s lips

In Conclusion …

Halloween makeup doesn’t need to be complicated or impractical. You can easily recreate the look of characters by using everyday clean makeup that won’t go to waste once the spooky celebrations are over. Need more ideas? Just turn to your favorite form of media.