Get This 'Suicide Squad' Look For Halloween

While getting into the Halloween spirit is all about candy corn and horror movies, playing with makeup truly makes Halloween the epic holiday it is. There may be lots of looks to choose from, but if you really want to be creative, transforming into dressing like Harley Quinn for Halloween makes for one fun look.

I’m no stranger to recreating looks from classic DC comics (sorry Marvel!), so giving myself a Harley Quinn makeover was something right up my alley. Besides, you guys have seen Margot Robbie’s Harley in the Suicide Squad trailer, right?

While Harley isn’t the oldest of Batman’s classic villains, she definitely has become one of the most infamous. Just one Google image search of the character can lead to makeup tutorials or cosplay makeup ideas that won’t disappoint. Even the #HarleyQuinn hashtag on social media provides beauty inspiration that’s totally on point. In short, she’s probably one of the most cosplayed characters ever.

Dying to become your own kind of super villain this Halloween? Here’s how to steal this fun look in seven easy steps.

Step One: Make Your Background

Known for being the Joker’s sidekick and sometimes girlfriend, Harley Quinn isn’t by any means a hero. Yes, she may not be as evil as some other Batman baddies, but girl’s got a serious track record for trouble, even when she’s striking out on her own.

To show off Harley’s delicious crazy side, I really wanted to create a background that was equal parts mayhem and humor. After all, it’s hard not to chuckle whenever Harley opens her mouth. To start, I opted for a backdrop that looked like it came straight out of a comic book. This will make for great shareable photos once you're completely finish.

Making the background was pretty easy. I simply grabbed some white wrapping paper (poster board works too) and used at least seven different pink and red lipsticks as my writing utensils. You basically can write whatever you want, but some misshaped hearts and some “ha! ha! ha!” letters (inspired by classic Killing Joke comic), really capture Harley's madness.

Step Two: Grab A Hair Net and Prime Your Face

I’m pretty challenged in the hair department, so finding a Suicide Squad inspired wig a top priority for me. Amazon has some really great ones, but Etsy is another resource, where you can score some gorgeous wigs. However, if you’re already a blonde and want to use hair chalk, check out Phoebe’s awesome Harley hair tutorial for some serious inspiration.

If you do decide to use a wig, though, you're going to want to use a hair net or bald cap to keep your hair away from your face. This allows the wig to look more natural, and allows it to stay perfectly in place.

Once you’ve secured on your hair net, it’s time prime your face before makeup application. You can pretty much use any makeup primer you want, but it’s important not to skip out on this step, being that primer extends the life of your makeup (you’re going to be wearing a lot of it!), and allows your products to go on velvety, smooth.

Step Three: Start Painting On Your Face

To give your face that clown like appearance, you are going to want to find a product that gives your complexion that pale white color.

White face paint is often recommended for these kind of looks, but can be ridiculously expensive during this time of year. For a more inexpensive, yet effective white facial product, using a white creme eye shadow and some baby powder surely does the trick.

Once your face is perfectly primed, use your white cream eyeshadow (I like the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow In Too Cool ) to completely cover your face. Now it may feel weird to slather such a product all over your face, but know that at least one or two layers should definitely suffice.

Just be aware that your creme shadow may go on patchy, so to help fill in any spaces or cracks, dust some drugstore baby powder on your face with a kabuki brush. Doing this can help set and mattify your face, while adding an even paler pigment to your complexion.

Step Four: Apply On Your Makeup

To tap into Margot Robbie’s Suicide Squad style, you’re going to want to use makeup staples like: red lipstick, black liquid liner, mascara and some eye shadow to perfectly match your wig. But keep in mind that no two makeup looks (or tutorials!) are the same, so it’s really up to you on how you want to create your look.

While it’s pretty easy to swipe on some cherry red lipstick, applying on shadow to the eye area may be somewhat of a challenge. To start, you’ll definitely want to apply lots of pastel pink and blue shadow (I used the pink and blue shades inside the Sigma Fall Softly Eye Shadow Palette) onto each lid. This helps match your wig, and allows you to keep on par with Margot’s look. To perk up your eyes even more, feel free to draw on some cat eyes with your liquid liner. Then, finish with some mascara to help your eyes pop.

Step Five: Draw Some Fake Tattoos Onto Your Face

Differing greatly from her appearances in Rocksteady's Arkham games or in Batman The Animated Series, the Suicide Squad version of Harley Quinn has noticeable tattoos on her face. While you can definitely grab some facial flash tattoos for this sort of job, using makeup is better, being that tattoos won’t set as well on a makeup heavy face.

To start, you can use some lipstick to write anything you choose. While Margot actually has “rotten” on her face in one scene of the film, I opted on using “puddin” on mine, being that Harley’s love for 'Mistah J' is probably something she’s most proud of.

To create tattoos that look a little more realistic, using liquid liner is your best bet, as it allows you to draw all sorts of designs with a thin and precise tip.

I used the Lancome Artliner to create shapes like stars and hearts on my face. It may take a steady hand and a few tries to get this right, but the results are totally worth it.

Step Six: Put On Your Wig

Being that I am no hair genius, using a wig was crucial in making this look come alive. The Internet has some really great ones available, plus the prices aren't too bad. Putting on the wig was a little bit challenging, so be prepared to play around with it (bobby pins work wonders) a bit before you actually get the result you want. However, it's super important to use your hair net or bald cap to keep your natural hair out of sight.

Step Seven: Go Crazy With Pictures

Once your wig is in proper place, you're pretty much finished. So that brings us to the last and final step, which is to go totally crazy with pictures. Your background really should give your finished look that cartoon-comic feel, so feel free to take as much selfies as you want.

If a Halloween party is totally on the horizon, a look like this should totally knock 'em dead!

Images: Courtney Leiva (15)