Cat and Kitten Makeup

The face gazing back at you in the mirror is drawn and pale. Your eyes are lost in ominous shadows, and your lips are the color of blood. You look perfect. Every year on Halloween night, beauty takes on a different meaning -- and you become someone new. Unlike a mask, which simply disguises your identity, makeup works an eerie magic: It can turn you into a more frightful, or more fantastical, version of yourself.

Makeup artist Tim Considine of Direct Effects of Los Angeles has made a career of giving ordinary faces shocking, often gruesome, new looks. To create makeup miracles, you'll need some basic supplies such as cream makeup or grease paint, spirit gum or other adhesive, shadows, pencils, and powder. Before using any product, be sure you have the appropriate remover. Some substances can be washed off with soap and water; others, such as spirit gum, call for special solvents. Always apply makeup to a clean face for smooth, even application. Use a light touch. "Stop before you think you've done enough," Considine advises. "You can always go back and apply more, but you'll have a lot more work removing makeup and starting over." Whatever look you decide upon, never use any adhesive on your skin that isn't made for that purpose -- or you may be, quite literally, stuck with your new face. Once your makeup is complete, you may find yourself under its spell -- taking on the traits of your chosen character. Enjoy the transformation. At the end of the night, you'll wash your face and be you again, at least for another year.

With feline noses, our models' faces become catlike even without makeup. Prepare the nose: Using a thick needle, make holes for "whiskers" (bristles from a household paintbrush). If necessary, cut airholes beneath nostrils. Note: Cat noses come in latex or foam latex (foam is more realistic and flexible but more expensive). Don't worry if you make a mistake in positioning; alcohol softens the glue so you can remove and reapply the nose.