Day of the dead halloween costume ideas

Halloween costume and makeup trends change from year to year. Be it popular series like Game of Thrones or Stranger Things, to political scandals and celebrity mishaps, Halloween costumes have now come to echo much of what’s going on in popular culture—for better or for worse.

But if you’re looking for a last-minute option, chances are you’ll need to stick to some of the more tried-and-true option. Here in Austin, sugar skull makeup and Dia de los Muertos costumes have become a staple Halloween costume for women. Luckily, it’s also one of the easy DIY Dia de los Muertos costume (or Day of the Dead) Halloween costumes we can help you with!

How to Make Your DIY Dia de los Muertos Costume for Halloween

With less than $5 and about an hour of shopping at your local Goodwill, plus another hour of crafting at home, you can put together this authentic costume, including DIY flower crown AND easy sugar skull makeup from pantry staples. The best part is you can wear the flower crown, dress, and scarf again for Austin City Limits, Fun Fun Fun Fest or Eeyore’s Birthday—or just wear the dress and some fake blood to put together a Carrie costume, a classic Halloween creeper of a movie character!

What you’ll need for your Day of the Dead Halloween costume:

• White dress
• Black lace (or white lace dyed with RIT)
• Scarf or window textile
• 5 or 6 silk flowers (preferably ones with a flat base)
• Headband
• Glue gun

How to assemble your costume:

1. Using a hot glue gun, apply a nickel-size amount of glue stick to your headband, starting a thumb’s length from the bottom on one side, and press the base of your silk flower firmly in place.
2. Repeat until all flowers are in place, each a thumb’s length apart, to create a crown.
3. If you’re using silk flowers with removable bases, separate the flowers one by one and drape your silk scarf over the tack base, then put the flower back on top.
4. Repeat until your scarf is secured to your flower crown. If you don’t have silk flowers with removable bases, draw a thick line of hot glue across the back of your headband (behind the silk flowers) and press your scarf firmly in place, repeating in sections.

Easy Sugar Skull Makeup for Your Costume 

Use the cheap and easy DIY recipe below to create your authentic sugar skull makeup, or to save time check out the selection of readymade face paint available for purchase in the Halloween section of each of our Goodwill stores.

What you’ll need for the makeup:

• Cold cream
• Cornstarch
• Food coloring
• Flat makeup brush or small paintbrush

How to create and apply the makeup:

1. In a small bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of cold cream and one teaspoon of cold water.
2. Add food coloring, then whisk immediately using a small knife or spoon, taking care not to let the cornstarch sit in the wet ingredients for more than a few seconds or it will clump.
3. Once combined, add additional drops of food coloring until desired color is reached, then apply.

Be sure to wash your face and any area to which you'll be applying makeup, then dry thoroughly.

1. Apply a thin coat of cold cream to your entire face.
2. Using a cotton ball, gently pat cornstarch over the cold cream, taking e care not to let any pieces of cotton stick (or use your fingers).
3. With the flat makeup brush or paintbrush, apply a thin layer in long strokes and let dry completely.
4. Pat with cornstarch and repeat, as many times as necessary, to get the smooth, even look you desire.

For a step-by-step tutorial on how to get that authentic design, check out this 5-minute sugar skull makeup video tutorial from beauty blogger Amanda Ensing.

Get What You Need for your DIY Dia de los Muertos Halloween Costume

Goodwill’s got you covered for all of your last-minute Halloween costume needs. Visit one of our Goodwill retail locations to find budget-friendly items and makeup to craft a look that’ll be a hit this Halloween.

Death and Life are coming together in sugar skulls and clothes of colorfull or black.

Catrin and Catrina, or the traditional man and woman day of the dead mexican outfit

The Сatrina statue, traditionally depicting the dead in the calavera style, is a symbol of feasting these days.

Vibrant elements are everywhere, from fancy ribbons and frills to traditional skull masks.

All the mexican symbolls to meet the death – skulls, skeletons, calavera makeup and flowers in day of the dead traditional suits

A girl prepared in accordance with all the rules - and the right traditional outfit and treats in the form of fruit and sugar skulls are also there

Black women's dress glowing in the dark for night festival

The idea of a glowing dress for the day of the dead

The idea of a dress for going to the festival

Men in bright day of the dead clothes with irreproachable sugar skull makeup and grand hats.

The more outrageous the better. Headdress in the form of a fruit bowl - why not?

Headdress in the form of a fruit bowl

One more half-face sugar skull makeup with marry bright colors.

A masterpiece of sugar skull man’s make up and gorgeous suit with rhinestones and sequins

Dead ancestors are the guests of honor that day and and people wear the festive clothes with women sugar skull and a-la skeleton clothes.

Men's Suit with Skull Mask

Fallen angel costume with big black wings

Men's luminous accessory for night festivals

The girl in this colorful day of the dead suit with joyful sugar skull makeup is ready to see her ancestors.

A great day of the dead halloween costume idea is a Japanese-style headpiece made from sticks and bright flowers.

A red dress, a black shawl, bright traditional calavera makeup, floral headdress - a classic option, but every time something new.

Flowers in the hands, flowers in the headdress and flowers in the makeup - floral motifs rule!

Bright stripes on the traditional ornament on mexican costumes pass perfectly with flowerish headdress and sugar skull makeup

A charming couple, bright and smiling. Smile always decorates!

The idea of the black queen's outfit for the day of the dead

The idea of a shiny dress for the day of the dead

The idea of a luminous outfit with a crown for the day of the dead

Juicy colors of mexican day of the dead clothes are combined with very bright sugar skull makeup.

Another awesome sugar skull makeup and fine festive and mourning dia de los muertos outfit

Prominent calavera makeup with bright flowers

A wonderful combination of carrot red and turquoise in clothes and makeup. Terrifyingly beautiful!

Red is a favorite color in clothes and make-up for the Day of the Dead.

Women's 3D Skull Masks by ETEREshop

Men's 3D Skull Masks

Shiny 3D mask glows in the dark by ETEREshop

Traditional masks for women's day of the dead halloween costume

Day of the Dead festivities unfold an explosion of color and life-affirming joy.

Rich clothes, Catrin makeup and skeleton elements in the Day of the Dead outfit here. Awesome.

Another wonderful image - makeup not only on the face, but also on the entire décolleté area. Very skillfully!

Perfect combination of deep lylac and malachite colors. Sad but gorgious!

Black and white sugar skull makeup, bright red decoration on the head and malachite-colored eyes - a very unusual, but memorable look!

Ideas of a women's shiny corset for the festival

3D Skull Mask for the day of the dead

Women's accessory for the day of the dead

Shiny embellishments make this makeup more dressy and festive.

Skulls as decorations in the hair, tattoos on the chest and arms, a lot of rhinestones and jewelry - an unforgettable image for such a holiday.

The perfect combination of color and skillful makeup - the images are tender and ravishing!

Unusual, but beautiful makeup in the calavera style - gold background, sequins and strays - bohemian!

Heavy gold chains pass golden makeup. Flawless color choice!