Hear Me Out: These Clown Makeup Ideas Are Surprisingly Cute for Halloween (2024)

K, I know it doesn’t sound like the ~sexiest~ idea for Halloween, but trust me when I say clown makeup is actually super cute. Hear me out: Clowns don’t have to equal blood, gore, or creepy face paint—you can actually get super creative with bright eyeshadows, fluffy eyelashes, and tons of glitter. The best part? It’s a v customizable look, whether you want something bold and OTT (like this artistic option) or lowkey and subtle (like this quick and easy idea). So to get you on my level, I rounded up the 35 best clown makeup ideas, all of which are guaranteed to kill it this Halloween.

How do you do cute clown makeup?

All you really need to pull off a recognizable clown makeup look are the basic features: points above and below the brows, dramatic lips, and a dot on the tip of the nose. There are roughly a million different interpretations of clown makeup (see: Krusty the Clown vs. Pennywise) that incorporate one or all of those elements, but to make your version extra cute, swap out the fake blood with glitter and throw in some pretty Halloween eye makeup. Now that you've got that covered, the next step is figuring out what kind of cute clown you want to channel this year, because like I said, you've got a million options. Right this way...

Not sure you want to go all out with your clown costume? Try something more lowkey, like this cute eye makeup look. The best part: You can def recreate this one with makeup you already own (all it requires are a few basics, like black eyeliner, a bright eyeshadow palette, and lip gloss).

Don't you just love the blue tones in this clown makeup look? Grab some face paint (blue and white should do the trick), a couple detailing brushes, and blue lipstick to make this costume your own. P.S. Temporary hair dye spray is never a bad idea for Halloween.

Don't be afraid to get super creative with your clown makeup—sometimes, the more abstract, the better. This face paint look is a super cute (and relatively easy!) option for Halloween. Kinda obsessed with the single fake eyelash, NGL.

IDK about you, but this look just screams "birthday party clown" to me. I mean, the oversized bowtie and collar face paint are so spot on. Look closely and you'll notice some super-pretty details too—like soft, feathered eyebrows, a deep-red lip, and winged eyeliner.

If you can't decide between going the scary Halloween costume route or the cute one, go with a look that has elements of both, like this clown costume. Who knew faux blood paired so nicely with fluffy fake eyelashes?

Half-face Halloween makeup is always a good idea—and this cute Pennywise clown makeup is proof. Deck out one side of your face with red and white face paint and the leave the other side super glam and pretty. Genius, right?

Like, clowns don't usually make me happy, but something about this look is so fun and cheery. Probably has everything to do with the perfectly blended neon eyeshadow, pinky-purple lipstick, and cute glitter dot on the nose (just sayin').

What do you get when you combine a little face paint, eyeliner, and red lipstick? This cute clown makeup, obvs. You'll need a steady hand and a bit of patience to recreate the heart on the nose and the teardrop under the eyes, but the payoff will be worth it.

Glam clowns are a thing, right? Well, if they weren't already, they are now, because this bedazzled clown makeup is exactly that. The only nonnegotiable for this look? Tons of purple highlighter, which you'll want to place right on your cheeks.

This clown makeup might look pretty simple upon first glance, but look a little closer and you'll notice the epic paint splatters all over her face. Also, can we just take a quick sec to admire the green and pink color palette?!

Clown makeup doesn't have to be super colorful and graphic, FYI. This green and black look is the perfect excuse to wear a pretty little smokey eye and a touch of black face paint without looking too over the top. Black lipstick is optional but highly encouraged.

And if you do want to wear every color of the rainbow for your clown makeup, look no further than this stunning design. This one obviously requires a decent amount of artistry (I mean, that face paint detailing is seriously next-level), but it's guaranteed to turn heads at your Halloween party.

The soft, muted tones in this clown makeup are so subtle but so good. My favorite detail? The two-toned eyebrows and coordinating eyeshadow. Like, who knew green and pink could look so seamless together? Such a smart pairing.

Everything about this clown makeup for Halloween is so effing cool, but I'm personally obsessed with the exaggerated lips and itty-bitty tear mark. Pro tip: Grab yourself a face-paint palette before you give this look a go.

Don't feel like going super extra with your Halloween makeup this year? Take a softer approach to your clown costume with this cute makeup idea—all you'll need is a pinky-red eyeshadow palette, red lipstick, and a little bit of gold face paint.

If you're in need of something bright and bold, you'll love this rainbow clown makeup for Halloween. A combination of face paint, purple lipstick, star decals, and temporary hair dye will really take this look to the next level.

Speaking of color! If you've drawn your black points around your eyes and corners of your lips but feel like your look needs a little somethin' else, use colorful eyeliner to add a few more points below your eyes.

For this cute clown makeup look worthy of a circus performer, start off with a colorful cut crease before adding dramatic black triangles above your brows and on your cheeks. Throw some red glitter lipstick on to finish the look.

Down to recreate this look? First, grab a pastel eyeshadow palette, white face paint, and false lashes. Then, paint the center of your face with the face paint to create your base. Once dry, use the shades from your palette and fluffy makeup brushes to blend the colors on your brow bones and cheeks. Use liquid liner to create a new dramatic eye shape and apply falsies to both your top and bottom lashes.

For this pretty clown look, you only need three things: silver glitter, white eyeliner, and a peach lip and cheek pencil. Start by drawing the points above your brows and below your eyes with the white eyeliner. Then, use the peach pencil to fill in your lips and trace around the white shapes, and blend out the lines with your finger. Finish with the glitter eyeshadow inside the white shapes.