Zombie makeup has become one of the most popular looks for Halloween, cosplay events, and themed parties and it’s easy to see why. There’s something so fun about transforming yourself into the walking dead.
It’s messy, creative, and doesn’t have to be “perfect” because, let’s face it, zombies aren’t supposed to look neat. Some people love the realistic horror look with gory wounds and dripping blood, while others go for a more playful or glamorous version of the undead.
The best part? You don’t need to be a professional makeup artist to pull it off. With some paint, shadows, fake blood, and maybe a little tissue paper or liquid latex, you can create a look that’s spooky, dramatic, or even stylish.
Below, I’ve gathered 13 zombie makeup ideas that range from classic to creative, so you can find a version that fits your vibe.
1. Classic Hollow-Eyed Zombie
This is the “movie-style” zombie look that most people picture. Start with a pale base foundation or white face paint to remove all warmth from your skin.
Next, use dark grey, purple, or green shadows under your eyes and around your cheekbones to make your face look sunken. Blend it out so it looks natural but still sharp enough to create depth.
Finish with pale or grey lips, and if you like, add a hint of fake blood on the corners of your mouth.
2. Vibrant Green Zombie
If you don’t want to look too realistic but still creepy, go for a bold green zombie. Cover your face with a neon or muted green base, then add black shading around your eyes, jawline, and nose.
Use red paint or lipstick to create small bloody cuts or scars across your face for contrast. This style is more cartoon-like but stands out beautifully in photos or under party lights.
3. Rotting Flesh Zombie
This one is all about texture and discoloration. Start with a pale or grey base. Add layers of green, yellow, purple, and brown shades across your face to mimic bruises and decomposition.
Stipple on the colors with a sponge to make it look uneven and blotchy, just like rotting skin. You can even tear up tissues, stick them on with liquid latex, and paint over them to create peeling flesh.
4. Night-of-the-Living-Dead Style Zombie
If you want something easy but haunting, go minimal. Apply a pale or grey-toned foundation all over.
Add hollow shadows around your eyes, temples, and jawline. Keep it clean no blood, no latex, just the simple, ghostly undead look. It’s quick, effective, and doesn’t take much effort.
5. Zombie Bride, Nurse, or Cheerleader
This is a fun twist where you mix costumes with zombie makeup. For a zombie bride, wear your pale base, add dark sunken eyes, and then smear fake blood down your chin while wearing a wedding veil.
A zombie nurse can rock a white outfit stained with fake blood and a pale face with bruises. A zombie cheerleader can go for messy hair, dark eyes, and torn cheer clothes. It’s a mix of character play and undead style.
6. Half-Exposed Skull Zombie
This is more advanced but really eye-catching. Paint one side of your face normally (pale skin, sunken eyes) and the other side as if your skin has peeled back to reveal bone.
Use white face paint to draw the skull base, black for cracks and outlines, and some red or brown for the flesh edges. The contrast makes it look like half-human, half-decayed skull.
7. Pop-Art Zombie
For a creative and less scary look, try a pop-art zombie. Cover your face with a bold color like teal or green. Then use black eyeliner to draw dramatic outlines around your features (jaw, nose, brows, lips).
Add white dots or highlights on your cheeks and forehead to mimic comic-book art. Finally, create a few cartoonish “wounds” outlined in black with red inside. This zombie look is unique, fun, and Instagram-worthy.
8. Apocalypse Survivor Zombie
This combines a rough survivor look with zombie details. Smudge brown, grey, and black around your face to mimic dirt and ash. Add fake cuts across your cheek or forehead, and use red lipstick or paint for blood.
Make your lips look dry and cracked with dark liner. Messy hair and torn clothing will make it look like you just survived (or didn’t survive) the end of the world.
9. Minimalist Everyday Zombie
Not in the mood for hours of makeup? Just go simple. Apply a lighter foundation than your skin tone. Add dark purple or grey under your eyes for a tired, lifeless effect.
Pale out your lips with concealer or light lipstick. This gives you a subtle undead vibe without all the gore. Perfect for last-minute parties.
10. Glam Zombie
Mix scary with stylish. Start with a pale foundation and contour with grey.
Do your eye makeup glam with eyeliner, lashes, or shimmer shadow, then add wounds or fake blood on your cheeks or mouth. It’s half runway, half horror movie. You’ll look both scary and gorgeous.
11. DIY Wounds Zombie
For this, you don’t need expensive tools—just tissue paper, glue, or liquid latex. Tear small pieces of tissue, glue them to your skin, and layer them to create fake scars or ripped skin.
Paint the inside with red and black, then cover the edges with foundation to blend. Add fake blood, and suddenly, your face looks ripped open. It’s messy fun and super effective.
12. Radiation-Infected Zombie
This one looks like you’ve been exposed to toxic waste. Start with a greyish-green face base. Add black veins with eyeliner branching from your eyes and mouth.
Smear black or dark red paint around your lips to look like infected blood. The dark tones combined with sickly greens give a mutated, radioactive vibe.
Conclusion
Zombie makeup is more than just painting your face pale it’s about imagination. You can go full gore with dripping wounds, keep it simple with hollowed eyes, or even glam it up with glitter and lashes.
The beauty of zombie looks is that they can be as easy or as complex as you want. No two zombies have to look alike, which means your creativity is what makes your version stand out.
So grab some paint, fake blood, and tissues, and get ready to join the undead army.
