How to Create Morticia Addams's Iconic Beauty Look for Halloween

Somewhere between Charles Addams's original The Addams Family cartoon, which debuted in The New Yorker in 1938, and the Broadway take on the movie, Morticia Addams became as central to October and Halloween as the jack-o'-lantern. It was Anjelica Huston's turn as the macabre matriarch in Barry Sonnenfeld's 1991 film, however, that solidified the character's iconic status. Morticia is the most glamorous member of the Addams family, with waist-length black hair and a body that looks like it was poured into her skintight black gown. Ahead, we've rounded up a few tips on how to create a Morticia Adams-inspired look for Halloween.

Hair

Luckily, there's no need to break out real hair dye at this time of year. You can score a long black wig or temporarily color your real locks black with black hair color spray ($4) and wash it out the next morning. If you have blonde hair, we'd recommend going with a wig, since there's always a chance of your hair becoming semi-permanently tinged with a new, pigmented product.

Makeup

Pile on the Foundation

Thing probably wasn't doing Morticia's makeup, but it was still quite heavy-handed. (Ba-dum-tss.) Start with a foundation a shade or two lighter than your natural skin color, like KVD Beauty's Lock-It Tattoo Foundation ($41), and blend like your life depends on it. Next, sweep Almay's Clear Complexion Powder in Light ($12) or Ben Nye's Banana Light Powder ($16) on top.

Darken Eyebrows with Pencil

Use the darkest eyebrow pencil you can find, like Rimmel's Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Black Brown ($4) to fill in your eyebrows.

Coat Your Lids in Eyeshadow

Don't invest in a fancy frosted eye shadow unless you want to. Instead, coat your lids with Wet n Wild's Color Icon Eyeshadow Single in Sugar ($1) and use Maybelline's Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner ($9) to line your entire eye, dragging it out into a dramatically sexy cat eye on top. Use an eyeshadow brush to apply Jones Road's The Best Eyeshadow in Smokey Grey ($25) across the middle of the lid and pile on as much Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black ($8) as you possibly can on both the top and bottom lashes.

Paint Your Pout with Red

The NYX Suede Matte Lipstick in Spicy ($8) stays on forever, meaning you can eat candy all night long.

Add Long Red Nails

But the best part about Morticia's goth-meets-sexpot look is easily her nails. They're long, sharp, and blood-red, the better with which to chastise Wednesday and Pugsley. Glue on a pair of stiletto-style press-ons ($6) and you're good to go.

For even more Morticia Addams inspiration, take a look at the below tutorial.