Now that Halloween 2026 has officially passed, I’m happy to take a moment to share a few details of transforming myself into three iconic villainesses: Maleficent, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman, my chosen theme for this year.
I've always loved the theatrical magic of Halloween, but this year I was faced with the interesting challenge of how to recreate these dramatic characters on my mature face, where the inevitable signs of aging, including skin laxity, are more apparent. I’m convinced that a combination of my never-give-up attitude, a little ingenuity, an arsenal of professional makeup tricks, and plenty of patience helped me bring these characters to life.
If you're thinking about bringing your own favorite alter ego to life for a special occasion or next Halloween, here are a few practical tips to consider.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHARACTER
Once I decided on the theme, my first challenge was figuring out which villainesses would work best with my facial features and overall appearance. That's something I encourage everyone to consider before choosing a Halloween look. Not every character or makeup style translates equally well to every face. That doesn't mean you can't have fun experimenting, but understanding your features and working with them can make a positive difference in the final result.
Another consideration was cost. How much could I pull from my existing makeup and wardrobe collection, and how much was I willing to spend? Due to the high cost of quality professional makeup supplies, setting a budget was essential. For example, my choice to opt for an inexpensive synthetic costume wig that I could cut, style, and manipulate rather than investing in a costly human-hair wig made a significant difference in the overall cost.
SOME ADVICE BEFORE BEGINNING
I've learned throughout my career that the most successful makeup looks aren't necessarily the most complicated. Social media tutorials can sometimes make elaborate character transformations look surprisingly easy. What you don't always see are the hours of practice, specialized products, and technical skills behind those seemingly effortless and often highly-edited results.
If you're not experienced at applying makeup and using theatrical products, choose a look that's realistically attainable for your skill level and don't try to recreate every detail perfectly. Otherwise, what should be a fun experience can become frustrating and expensive. Sometimes a few beautifully executed details are far more effective than an elaborate makeup application that doesn't quite come together. So, here's my adventure in creating three iconic villainesses for Halloween 2026!
TRANSFORMATION #1: MALEFICENT – A LITTLE DARK MAGIC
Of all the Disney villainesses, Maleficent has always fascinated me. There's something captivating about her dramatic features, powerful presence, and unapologetically theatrical style. And honestly, who wouldn't enjoy stepping into the role of a slightly wicked fairy for a day?
For this transformation, my biggest obstacle was recreating her dramatically sculpted facial features on my mature skin that lacks firmness. I began by securing my hair beneath a wig cap, creating a smooth foundation for the horned headpiece that would complete the look.
Next came one of my favorite professional tricks: face-lifting tape, and LOTS OF IT! Strategically placed cosmetic face tape helped temporarily lift, smooth, and tighten my face, mimicking the queen’s sculpted appearance. This technique requires some experience and isn't something I'd recommend trying for the first time on Halloween night without practicing beforehand. Keep in mind face taping may not be suitable for everyone, particularly if you're sensitive to adhesives.
I followed with layers of foundation lighter than my natural skin tone to create Maleficent's signature pale complexion. Dramatic eye makeup and exaggerated fantasy-length false lashes helped bring the character to life. The lips were probably my favorite part! I reshaped them using long-wearing lip pencils to prevent color from bleeding and create a full, sharply defined shape, then added a complementary bold lip color.
Lastly, I added the horned headpiece and feathered detailing around the neckline, which pulled the entire look together. The result was dramatic, intimidating, and a blast to create!
TRANSFORMATION #2: POISON IVY – BEAUTY WITH A DANGEROUS SIDE
I've always loved Poison Ivy's seductive style and her connection to nature. With her fiery red hair, vibrant green makeup, and botanical details, she's a character that allows you to get really creative!
This transformation was a little trickier to pull off. Although I didn't need to stretch my skin as much with face tape, I did need to select red and green tones that complemented each other without looking like a Christmas theme.
The inexpensive wig was another challenge. It was so shiny that I wasn't convinced I could make it look anything like human hair. Once again, my theater background came to the rescue! I knew that simply brushing translucent powder through it wouldn't be enough, so I crushed a copper powder eyeshadow, mixed it with translucent powder, and applied the mixture using dryer sheets. To my amazement, it worked like a charm!
Next, I airbrushed my hair and eyebrows to match the wig, then strategically used some of my own hair to conceal the very obvious wig hairline.
The jeweled adhesive accents needed to be applied to clean, dry skin to ensure they stayed in place, while the dramatic eye makeup and exaggerated false lashes were relatively easy to create.
After tattooing delicate vines along my neck and body, I added fresh garden ivy (definitely not poison!) from my own yard, weaving it into my hair and spiraling it around my shoulders to complete the look.
I have to say, after 3 hours, I was delighted with the final result. I even thought my version of this mischievous villainess looked kind of pretty!
TRANSFORMATION #3: CATWOMAN – MY CHILDHOOD IDOL!
Growing up in the 1960s, I was obsessed with a handful of fictional characters, and Julie Newmar's Catwoman from the original Batman television series was at the top of my list!
I have to give myself a little credit for even attempting this transformation. After all, Catwoman has been portrayed by some of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses, including Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry, to name a few. And let's not forget, these women played the character at the height of their careers, not in their mid-sixties!
On the other hand, when it came to makeup, Catwoman was actually the simplest character to recreate because I already had everything I needed in my professional kit. I even had the clothing and accessories in my collection. All I needed (or so I thought!) was her signature pointed mask.
Unfortunately, the three (YES, THREE!) masks I ordered were disappointing. They looked cheap, were far too large for my petite face, and simply didn't fit properly. At the last minute, I decided to take matters into my own hands and paint the mask directly onto my face!
This brings me back to something I mentioned earlier about choosing characters that complement your facial features and overall appearance. Although I don't have Julie Newmar's facial fullness or bone structure, I was still happy with my interpretation and, more importantly, proud that I gave it a try!
And that's a wrap on Halloween 2026! These three transformations certainly challenged my creativity, but they also reminded me how much I love the artistry behind character makeup, so much so that I’m already looking forward to next Halloween!