Leo Martínez
Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, is a Mexican tradition where the living celebrate the dead with vibrant face paint and costumes. The face paint, also known as sugar skull makeup, is often done elaborately with intricate details and bright colours. To achieve this look, one must start with a clean face and pull their hair back. A white base is then applied to the entire face, followed by black eyeliner and eyeshadow. Spiderwebs are drawn on the forehead and cheeks, and small dots are added around the eyes. The lips are painted with bright lipstick and a horizontal line is drawn across the middle with black lip liner. This look is a fun way to celebrate the Day of the Dead and can be achieved with various paint and makeup products.
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What You'll Learn
Pull hair back and secure it
Pulling your hair back is an important step when painting your face for Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, celebrations. This Mexican tradition involves elaborate face paint and costumes, so it's crucial to keep your hair out of the way. Here are some detailed instructions to achieve this:
Pulling Hair Back for Day of the Dead Face Paint
Start by gathering a section of hair about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) wide from your hairline. Twist this section away from your face and secure it at the back of your head with bobby pins. This creates a pouf with volume, ensuring your hair doesn't lie flat against your scalp. Smooth out any bumps with your hands or a brush before twisting and securing.
If you have shorter hair, consider creating a braid along your hairline, framing your face. Gather additional pieces of hair as you braid towards your ear and secure the end with a hair elastic or bobby pin. This braid will act as a headband, keeping your hair back and out of your face.
For longer hair, you can opt for a slicked-back ponytail. Use gel or hairspray to slick your hair back and secure it with bobby pins over your ears. You can also create a half bun by pulling the top half of your hair back and securing it with a hair elastic. Then, twist the elastic and pull your hair through halfway to form the bun, leaving the bottom half of your hair loose.
Alternatively, part your hair in the middle and twist the front sections away from your face. Pin them in place for a chic look. You can also use a clip to hold your hair back, choosing one that's suitable for your hair type—a bulkier clip for thicker hair and smaller clips for thin hair.
By following these steps, you can effectively pull your hair back and secure it, ensuring it stays out of the way while you apply your Day of the Dead face paint. Remember to have your picture reference ready and your tools and supplies easily accessible for the next steps of your transformation!
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Wash, moisturise and prime face
To prepare your face for Day of the Dead face painting, there are several steps you can take to ensure your skin is clean and ready for makeup. Firstly, it is important to wash your face with a gentle cleanser that suits your skin type. This ensures your skin is fresh and clean before you begin. If you wish, you can also exfoliate your skin, which will leave your face feeling smooth and ready for makeup application.
Next, you should apply a moisturiser. This step is important as it can help your makeup last longer and appear smoother. Allow the moisturiser to sink into your skin for at least five minutes. You can also apply any skin serums or products with SPF before moisturising. Once the moisturiser has been absorbed, you can blot any excess with a tissue or paper towel.
The final step is to prime your face. Primer is a preparatory product that creates an ideal base for your makeup, helping it to stay in place and appear smoother. It can also offer additional benefits such as brightening the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and adding moisture.
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Apply a white base
To apply a white base for Day of the Dead face paint, start by washing your face with water and a gentle facial cleanser or soap. This ensures your face is clean and oil-free, creating a smooth base for the makeup. Pull your hair back tightly to keep it out of the way during the process. Next, apply a water-based white makeup product, such as Ben Nye, to your entire face. Avoid using grease-based products, as these can be more difficult to work with. White Kabuki makeup is another good option for creating an even base. You may need to apply several coats of white paint to achieve the desired opacity. For example, one source recommends applying four coats of white paint to create an opaque base.
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Use black paint or eyeliner for the nose
Day of the Dead face painting, also known as sugar skull makeup, is a time-honoured Mexican tradition where the living celebrate the dead. There is no right or wrong way to do it, as long as it is a representation of yourself or a deceased loved one. Here are some tips for using black paint or eyeliner for the nose:
Start by applying a base coat of white paint to the face, avoiding the eye area. Let it dry and add a second coat. You can then use black paint or liquid eyeliner to emphasise the nose. Start on the bridge of your nose and paint at least to the tip, forming a triangle with rounded points. You can fill in this triangle with black paint or leave it hollow and just outline it with black eyeliner. You can also paint the whole nose, covering the nostrils if you want to.
If you want to add some extra details, you can use a skinny liner brush to water down some black paint and add teeth next to the lips or outline floral petals that you've painted on the forehead, chin, and around the eyes. You can also add dots around the eye area with the back of your paintbrush.
Remember, there is no one right way to do Day of the Dead face painting, so feel free to get creative and make it your own!
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Draw spiderwebs on the forehead and cheeks
Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, is a Mexican tradition where the living celebrate the dead with elaborate face paint and costumes. The face paint, also known as sugar skull makeup, is usually vibrant and colourful.
To draw spiderwebs on the forehead and cheeks, start by drawing two lines on your forehead, like the points of a triangle, with the point facing your nose. Then, draw a third line through the intersection of the first two lines. Fill in the web by connecting all three lines with wavy horizontal lines. You can also add spiderwebs to your shoulders or chest, depending on the type of shirt you're wearing.
You can further decorate your face paint by adding small crosses and hearts. Using black eyeliner, draw a small cross on your forehead and one on each cheek. Using red lipstick, draw a small heart on your chin. These touches symbolise the love and spiritual aspects of Day of the Dead.
You can also add flowers to your look. Keep it simple with a single flower on the cheek or create a bouquet starting at the temple and continuing down to the jaw. You can also draw petals around your black eye makeup.
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Frequently asked questions
Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, is a Mexican tradition where people celebrate the dead with elaborate face paint and costumes. The face paint is often in the style of a skull, decorated to represent a deceased loved one or the person wearing the face paint.
First, pull your hair back and make sure your face is clean and dry. It's also important to have clean hands so you don't get dirt on your face.
Use paint that is well-pigmented so that the bright colours show up clearly. You can use water-based theatrical makeup or white face paint.
Apply black eyeliner to both eyes, covering the waterline and halfway up the upper eyelid. Then, use an eyeshadow brush or blender brush to blend eyeshadow from the eyeliner up to the eyebrow. You can stick to black and white or add some colour.
Use black paint or liquid eyeliner to paint a triangle with rounded points starting at the bridge of your nose and extending to at least the tip. You can also paint the whole nose if you want.
Note: This answer assumes that by "glasses", you meant eyewear, not drinking glasses.
