Is your Halloween costume inspired by the spooky style of Natalie Portman in the movie Black Swan?
In this step-by-step tutorial, a professional makeup artist from Tricoci University of Beauty Culture explains how you can create the dark and feathery style of a Swan Lake ballerina.
This Black Swan makeup tutorial shows you how to recreate this look.
Step 1: Prep Your Skin
Whether you’re preparing for Halloween makeup or your daily makeup routine, start with a freshly washed face and be sure that your hands are clean.
Step 2: Create a Makeup Base
Using a makeup sponge, apply pore perfecting face primer all over the face and blend well. This will give you a flawless look that reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines. It can also help absorb skin oils that could cause your makeup to smudge over time.
We’re using airbrush makeup in this tutorial. Create an even skin tone by applying an airbrush foundation. Begin application at the hairline and work your way down and around the face.
If you don’t have access to an airbrush at home, use a liquid foundation that matches your skin’s color, and be sure to blend.
Step 3: Define Shape of Eye Makeup
Using a charcoal-colored eyeliner pencil, sketch the outline of the eye shape that will eventually be filled in with black makeup.
You can create the shape through a series of lines:
- Start at the inner corner of the eyebrow and create a vertical line down along the side of the nose. Stop at the nose’s indentation.
- Next, create the upper line above the eyebrow. Again, start at the inner corner of the eyebrow. Create an outward swoop that extends diagonally to the hairline.
- For the bottom edge, you’ll create a subtle s-curve. Starting at the indentation of the nose, create an upward curved line that arches to a point directly below the eye. From here, begin to curve the line out and up, extending all the way to the hairline.
- At this point, you can adjust the shape as needed until you get the right shape. Repeat the entire process with the other eye.
Step 4: Start with a Silver Shade
Using an iridescent face makeup in the shade Radiant Silver, follow the outline of the sketch you’ve created.
Step 5: Outline with Shimmer
Using an iridescent shade called Lustrous Taupe, outline the upper and lower edges of the eye shape to create a shimmery edge that fades to skin tone.
Step 6: Fill In Eye Shapes with Black
Creating the rich black eye makeup takes three steps:
- Create a dark gray color by mixing iridescent Lustrous Taupe with vivid True Black. Use this color to go over the outline again and further define the shape. Hold the airbrush closer to get a sharper edge.
- Next, create a solid dark tone by filling in the entire eye area with True Black.
- On the eyelids, applying black glitter makeup to add sparkle to the look.
Step 7: Create Feather Edges
Using a thin makeup brush and white-water activated face paint, draw thin feathery streaks. Start at the top edge of your eyebrow and extend upward toward the forehead. Create additional feathery lines that start at the outer corner of the eye, extending outward.
Step 8: Add Highlights, Glitter and Sparkle
Using a silver glitter eyeliner pencil, add highlights to the white feather lines. Switch to a darker silver glitter eyeliner and add in some contrasting shadows.
Next, apply gems or glitter sparkles to the corners of the eye using Spirit Gum adhesive.
Step 9: Add Red Lipstick
Line lips in red using a red lip liner. Then color the entire lips with the red lipstick. The red shade we used was the MAKEUP FOREVER from the 12 Flash Color Case. Be sure to blot lipstick to remove excess as needed.
Step 10: Finish the Look with Colored Contact Lenses
Red-colored contact lenses add to the spooky drama of the Black Swan makeup. Don’t forget other costume accessories such as a small crown around a high ballerina hair bun.
Are you ready to take your makeup to the next level? Train to become a professional makeup artist in the Esthetics Program at Tricoci University.