Need an easy and cheap last-minute Halloween costume? Check out my easy DIY zombie makeup tutorial and DIY zombie costume tutorial where I show you step-by-step how to make the whole family look like zombies for Halloween!
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Easy DIY Zombie Makeup and Costume Tutorial
Hey hey friends, Happy Hallow’s-eve!
Today’s I’m so excited to share a fun Halloween tutorial with you – Easy DIY Zombie Makeup and DIY Zombie Costume.
Our boys asked to be zombies for Halloween this year, and instead of fighting it my husband and I decided to join in on the fun and dress up as zombies as well.
But instead of spending $40+ a pop on Halloween costumes we’d probably only wear once, I set out on a mission to DIY our looks instead and I’m so happy with how it turned out!
And of course the makeup artist in me couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share how to do zombie makeup with you.
If you want to learn how to make yourself look like a zombie, how to create an easy zombie costume, and how to do easy zombie makeup for Halloween, then keep reading for my super fun and easy zombie costume and zombie Halloween makeup tutorial.
DIY Zombie Makeup and Costume
The great thing about DIY zombie costumes and homemade zombie makeup is it’s super inexpensive and easy to create.
It’s also a lot of fun and a great way to unleash your inner artist and let your creativity shine.
My boys had an absolute blast helping me make our zombie costumes and it was so incredibly simple.
How do you make yourself look like a zombie?
It’s really quite simple to make yourself look like a zombie, and it comes down to two key elements:
- Zombie Costume
- Zombie Makeup
With both of these steps, you’re essentially going to make you and your clothes look dirty, dingy, and tattered.
How can I make my clothes look dirty for a zombie costume?
There are SO many ways you can make your clothes look dirty for a zombie costume, but here’s some easy and inexpensive ideas:
- Eyeshadow Palette – my preferred method for ease and less mess
- Wet Coffee Grounds
- Paint
- Dirt
DIY Zombie Costumes for Halloween (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
First, let’s start with how to create DIY zombie costumes using plain white t-shirts and everyday items you probably already own.
You might be thinking it will take a lot of time, effort, and expense to create a DIY zombie costume, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can create this zombie costume for cheap and other than some fake blood, you might already have all the essentials at your home.
Remember, we’re going for a worn out, dead, “zombie” look here so feel free to make use of that ratty t-shirt in the back of your drawer that you never wear.
What You Need to Make a Zombie Costume:
- Adult White T-Shirts (short or long-sleeve)
- Kids White T-Shirts (short or long-sleeve)
- Fake Blood
- Eyeshadow Palette
- Makeup Brushes
- Scissors
How do you make a shirt look like a zombie?
Step 1: Grab Some Plain White T-Shirts
For this Halloween zombie costume, we picked up some white t-shirts for my boys and my husband and I just used a couple of old, worn white t-shirts he already had.
Step 2: Dirty Them Up
Next, use an eyeshadow palette like this and makeup brushes to dirty up the shirts with dark colors.
We used black, brown, and burgundy and I let the boys add color wherever they wanted to on the shirts.
The boys really enjoyed this part because they had full freedom in being as messy as they wanted.
To give it a nice zombie touch, I dipped each of their finger tips in the black and had them slide their fingers down the edge of the shirt.
Alternative Methods:
I preferred using an eyeshadow palette for our zombie costumes because it was easy for the kids to do and it wasn’t super messy, but if desired you can also use wet coffee grounds, paint, or dirt/mud to create your zombie shirts.
Step 3: Use Scissors to Cut Slits/Holes
After making the zombie shirts look super dirty, it’s time to make them look even more worn out and distressed.
Use a pair of scissors to add slits, frays, and cuts in various spots on the t-shirts.
I personally found it easier to have my boys actually put on their t-shirts, so I could better see where I was cutting and how it looked.
Some great areas to cut include the neck collar, sleeves, or alongside the bottom of the shirt.
I even added a fun off the shoulder detail on mine, because even zombie girls gotta look stylish, amiright? 😉
Step 4: Paint Your Shirts With Blood
Last but not least, use a bottle of fake blood, and add blood spatter all over your shirts.
I first just carefully poured out blood streams in various spots on the shirt, and then used a plastic spoon and toothbrush to add gory, blood-splattering detail.
Although I felt a bit like Dexter while doing this, the fake blood added the perfect finishing touch to our t-shirts.
FYI: This part can be a bit on the messy side, so I definitely recommend doing it in your garage, outside, or putting a towel or sheet down to catch any mess.
How To Do Zombie Makeup for Halloween
Now that you’ve got your diy zombie costume covered, it’s time to create homemade zombie makeup!
To be honest, this is probably one of my favorite Halloween makeup looks because while this zombie makeup DIY might look complicated, it’s actually quite easy to create.
I also love that you can get as crazy as you want in creating your zombie Halloween makeup, and it’s perfect for both makeup beginners and gurus.
What do I need for zombie makeup?
- Basic Eyeshadow Palette (with dark shades)
- Light Gray Cream Makeup
- Liquid Latex
- Fake Blood Gel
Zombie Halloween Makeup Tutorial
DIY Zombie Makeup Step 1: Use Eyeshadow to Dirty Up the Skin
First things first, you’ll want to dirty up the skin to get an authentic looking zombie face.
For my zombie makeup look, I kept it pretty simple in dirtying up the face with the same black, brown, and burgundy eyeshadow shades from this eyeshadow palette that I used on the t-shirt, and worked this into different crevices on my face, neckline, and shoulder.
I went for a more realistic zombie makeup look, incorporating shades on my skin to give myself that authentic “half-dead” look.
To make my eyes look a little bruised I incorporated a little bit of deep purple and green around the eyes. I also used some light gray cream makeup on my lips.
Zombie Makeup Step 2: Use Liquid Latex For Realistic Zombie Wounds
Next, I used this liquid latex and applied 2-3 layers around the mouth area, on my forehead, and neck.
After I let the liquid latex dry, I carefully peeled back the area and deepened the “zombie wounds” with black and burgundy eyeshadow.
Tip: You can also use thin layers of toilet paper to build up the wound areas and cuts to make them look even deeper.
Zombie Makeup Step 3: Finish The Zombie Look With Fake Blood & Messy Hair
Last but not least, I added in elements of fake blood gel on the wounds and around my mouth and chest.
Although this is completely optional, I also added in some of my favorite coconut oil to my hair to make it look extra greasy and zombie-like (haha).
If you don’t have coconut oil, you can also use lotion, hand cream, or hair conditioner.
This zombie makeup and zombie costume was such a FUN look to create and I’m loving how it turned out!
It honestly only took me a total of like 10 minutes to create the zombie makeup, plus our DIY zombie costumes saved so much money in comparison to buying individual costumes and all the little fake zombie makeup pieces.
Although I might be biased, I’d call this Halloween zombie DIY a success!
DIY Family Zombie Costumes & Zombie Makeup
Here’s our crew all decked out in our zombie costumes and zombie makeup.
As you can see, we just paired our diy zombie t-shirts with jeans and sneakers to keep it extra simple (and comfortable) for trick-or-treating, but you could also make those look “dirty” and distressed as well.
I seriously love these zombie costumes and paired with my easy diy zombie makeup, I think our family looked like the best zombies around!
P.S. My youngest son added a knife headband and I think it added such a fun touch!
WANT MORE HALLOWEEN MAKEUP IDEAS?
Check out these popular Halloween makeup looks next!
- Easy Cracked Pumpkin Makeup
- Easy Scarecrow Makeup
- Easy Sugar Skull Makeup
- Easy Galaxy Makeup
- Melting Ice Cream Makeup
I hope you enjoyed today’s Halloween Zombie Costume and Zombie Makeup Tutorial! What do you think of our DIY costumes and my DIY zombie makeup? Are you a fan of DIYing costumes?
Happy Halloween Everyone! Thanks for stopping by! – Cara
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Hi.i love youre halloween mk up.you mentioned that you can use toilet roll instead of the latex.could you tell me how to mk the scars and also how to stick it onto the face thank you
Thanks, Elaine. You’ll take a sheet of toilet paper and peel the layers to separate them, and then use tiny pieces (or however big size you want) and then build up the area with latex just as you would without toilet paper. Apply the latex first, then the toilet paper, then latex, and build up more if needed. This YouTube video might be helpful to you: https://youtu.be/zfgli9-L5Ew
Have a Happy Halloween!
Can you give more explanation on this for using the latex?
After I let the liquid latex dry, I carefully peeled back the area
Sure – You want to apply a layer, let it dry, apply another layer, let it dry, etc. Then, you will carefully open it and fill it in with eyeshadow/blood to create the “wound”. This is an old tutorial and I need to update it with a video, but I’ve since created other makeup looks using liquid latex and find it best to actually use thin layers of toilet paper if you really want to build it up and make it more realistic. You’ll take a sheet and peel the layers to separate them, and then use tiny pieces (or however big size you want) and then build up the area with latex just as you would without toilet paper. Apply the latex first, then the toilet paper, then latex, and build up more if needed. I hope that helps!
All your Halloween looks have been amazing! Will you be doing any tutorials or tips for Holiday pics?
– Claudia
http://www.justalittleblush.com/
Thank-you! Yes, I’m planning a couple holiday look posts that I’ll be sharing soon! 🙂
That is so cool!
Thanks Rebekah!
This seems super simple and the boys looked like they had fun creating their costumes! Your makeup looks gross (compliment lol).
It really was and so much fun! I shudder at the thought of spending $40 or more on each of our costumes..lol and thank-you! 🙂
That is crazy impressive. Truly!!!!! WOW!
Thank-you so much! 🙂
You looked FABULOUS girl. I love your zombie family costume!
Thank-you! It was so much fun to dress up as zombies this year!
Your makeup looks simply amazing! Straight from the scenes of TWD. Love it
Thanks Jacque! It was definitely a fun costume look to create this year! 🙂
Zombies freak me out so when I saw this picture all large on my screen I was like ahhhh she looks legit! You did such a good job! Happy Halloween!
Haha sorry about that! Thank-you though! Your little one looked absolutely adorable this year!
Wow! This turned out so good girl! I wish I was as good with makeup as you are. I can’t get over how professional this looks! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
Thanks so much Pamela! That means a lot! 🙂
Awesomely creepy job with the zombie make-up! Yet, somehow, despite the gore, you’ve managed to still maintain your beautiful eyes!
Aw thanks Cait! It was so much fun!
This HAS to be my favorite makeup tutorial of yours – you’ve hit scary, gory, and excellence all in one look! Amazing job, Cara!
Aw thanks so much Summer! I had never really did anything creepy like this before so it was SUPER fun!
This looks so realistic! You did an amazing job.
Thanks Marissa! 🙂
Oh wow! I never would have guessed your make-up took 10 minutes. It looks like it took hours!
Thanks! It honestly is so much easier than it looks!
Wow, this is awesome! Super creepy, but awesome. Make up is amazing!
Thanks Kelsie! It was so fun!
This is definitely creepy looking. You did a good job.
Thanks Jasmine!
OMG, that is downright scary! You did a great job with this makeup. I am super impressed.
Thank-you! Haha, my husband definitely doesn’t need to get on my bad side right? 😉
This is just so awesome!!! So spooky and too perfect for halloween!
Thanks Kristen! Halloween is my fave!
Your halloween makeup looks so great!!! I didn’t get a chance to celebrate maybe next year!
xo, Jessica || The Petite Diaries
Thanks Jessica! Oh that’s a bummer.. but yes definitely next year! 🙂
Fantastic job on the makeup it looks really scary . Have fun tomorrow and post pics !!
Thanks Sammie! I’m looking forward to helping the boys get dressed up this evening! 🙂
You are so creative! Thee zombie face looks way too real!
xoxo,
Berniedette | PetiteAndToned.com
Thank-you! It was super fun to create and Halloween is always my fave! 🙂
Holy cow, that looks crazy real! Great job! xx
http://hollyhabeck.com
Thanks so much! Gotta love Halloween! 🙂
Me and your Mommy loved it. Great Job and I know the boys had a great time doing this and will love dressing up like Zombies. Love you guys
Thanks! We’re looking forward to all dressing up this evening but wish we could trick or treat at your all’s house. Plus I want Mom’s sausage balls and spider brownies! 🙂
AH! So scary! You look AMAZING. Y’all totally nailed these costumes.
Thank-you! It was so much fun to create!
Your makeup is off the charts amazing. This look is SO cool- awesome mom alert 😉 hope you guys have a blast trick or treating!
Thank-you! We’re so excited for this evening! Hope you all have a nice evening as well! 🙂
Cara, you’re truly amazing! Your zombie makeup is so realistic! I wish I was half as good as you! LOL!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Aw thank-you! I enjoy it so much!
This looks so freaking awesome! I could get the kiddos to join me and be a zombie family ?
Thank-you! I can’t wait until this evening!
Wow that looks so realistic!
Thank-you! 🙂
This looks amazing, great job! I wish I had some talent to do this to myself, cause I would so do this tomorrow for work.. lol
Thank-you! It was SO fun to create!
This is so cool and looks different to other zombie looks I’ve seen – you have some real skill!
Thanks so much Kirsty! It was fun to create!
YIKES! but the makeup looks awesome!!
Thanks! haha I can’t wait to get all the boys dressed up this evening!