Subtly Strange Makeup for Haunted Girls

As you've probably noticed, we love Halloween makeup around these parts (tutorials! fairies! zombies!). It's so much fun talking fake blood and glitter eyeshadow that we're horribly sad at the thought of our vampire days being numbered. Once Halloween departs, there's no excuse to go around looking like a total creep... or is there? If you drift through the days feeling subtly haunted, why stop when All Hallows' Eve does?

1. Consumptive contouring. Ah, consumption, that romanticized disease that turned out to be the horrible thing we now call tuberculosis. For the days when you wake up feeling a little bit melodramatic and frail, like Mimi in La bohème, Ruby in Anne of Green Gables, Fantine in Les Miserables, or Satine in Moulin Rouge, you'll want your palest foundation and some serious contouring chops. There are tons of great contouring tutorials on YouTube, but make sure you interpret them in your palest colors — no bronzer here, please. And definitely no flushed-with-life cheeks.

2. Witch lips. Take the whole plum-lipstick-for-fall trend a little bit further, and — cue the cawing of a raven — you look like you know how to cast spells. A purple lipstick that's just flirting with black won't get you fired, but it's definitely going to have mortals casting you worried looks as you slink past. Chanel has a gorgeous red-black called, appropriately, Rouge Noir; Kat Von D makes a purple/brown lipstick called Homegirl, and Revlon Black Cherry is a fantastic dark lipstick for only five bucks.

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick, $21, Sephora; Revlon Lipstick, $8, Amazon

3. Evil eyes. Don't just give someone the evil eye, wear it. Red eyeshadow is surprisingly beautiful, and like any shocking trend, you can also interpret it very, very subtly. You wouldn't want anyone knowing all your secrets, now, would you? Here's a gorgeous tutorial for a stunning red cat-eye; personally, I like a wash of pink just on my lids, like pinkeye chic.

4. Feverish doll cheeks. Somewhere between everyday blush and clown makeup, there lies a realm of strange beauty called Your Favorite China Doll Came to Life and is Now Going to Kill You. In old novels, authors would say a woman's "color was high" when she was manically excited or trying to hide some sort of secret. That's the look we're going for here — too flushed to be good. Just apply a little more blush than normal to the apples of your cheeks, and dab a little highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones.

5. Ghost lashes. Ooooooooo! You probably already know that white eyeshadow is the most flattering thing ever, but slap some white mascara on top of that (IT EXISTS) and you, my friend, are ethereally phantasmagoric. Think it's going to look freaky? Check out my ghost-makeup Pinterest collection, which I compiled solely for your peace of mind. This look is my favorite: ghostly, but strangely innocent.

Bloody Mary Mascara, $15, Amazon