3 Terrifying Makeup Inspirations from Junji Ito’s Characters – THE Sugarblossomdiary

It’s that eerie time of year once more! Tired of the typical Halloween makeup centered on classic costume figures like witches and vampires? For something a bit more offbeat this Halloween, why not draw inspiration from characters crafted by Junji Ito, the renowned Japanese manga artist known for his spine-chilling horror stories such as Tomie, Uzumaki, Hanging Blimp, Slug Girl, and Long Dream? Numerous adaptations of Ito’s work have found their way into films, anime, and video games, and his terrifying characters have sparked the creativity of many cosplayers. For this Halloween makeup inspiration, I attempted to recreate the looks of three iconic Junji Ito characters: Azami Kurotani from Uzumaki, Tomie Kawakami from Tomie, and Hideo from Shiver!

Uzumaki

The story:

Shuichi Saito, a high school student, and his girlfriend Kirie Goshima reside in a peaceful town gripped by a supernatural curse centering around spirals. Shuichi discovers his father’s peculiar obsession with spiral designs. As the curse envelops the town, it draws in victims, including Kirie’s fellow student Azami Kurotani, whose visage is consumed by the spiral.

The makeup:

This Halloween makeup inspired by Azami focuses on black and white hues. I crafted a spiral headpiece using a child-sized paper mask, placing the concave side facing up to enhance the drawn-in illusion. To mimic a fake sticky eyeball, I repurposed a ping pong ball and affixed it to the mask. The mask was then glued onto a headband and positioned on my forehead after my makeup was complete.

For the base, I applied CLIO’s Veganwear Ceramide Velvet Cushion (#2 Lingerie) to achieve a ghostly white complexion (I also used this cushion as a base for my other Halloween looks). For the eyes, I utilized FOCALLURE’s Stay Max Smooth Eyeliner Gel (#1 Midnight Black) to create a sharp cut crease, and romand’s Zero Matte Lipstick (#20 Red Dive) for my lips, opting for a deep burgundy hue.

My take:

The Veganwear Ceramide Velvet Cushion foundation was richly hydrating, so I allowed it to settle before setting with powder, delivering excellent full coverage. I also used a dab of the cushion foundation on my brows to give them a slimmer appearance.

Using FOCALLURE’s Stay Max Smooth Eyeliner Gel proved to be a breeze, crafting a quick cut crease and smoky eye. The intense pigment created a dramatic effect that blended effortlessly and remained intact. I also used the eyeliner on my brows, and it applied smoothly even over the foundation. Although romand’s matte red lipstick felt slightly drying, this was fitting for capturing Azami’s drained appearance, and the striking color was stunning.

Tips:

If you have the time and the skills, consider drawing the spiral directly on your face for a more accurate and striking visual. Should you use a foundation shade not matching your skin tone, be sure to blend it down onto your neck as well!

Tomie

The story:

Tomie Kawakami is an immortal entity who drives men to obsessive infatuation, causing them to harm her. Even when dismembered, Tomie can regenerate, each severed piece sprouting into an individual Tomie. Aware of her allure, Tomie engages in modeling for artists and photographers, yet her fragmented self often appears in the resultant artworks.

The makeup:

Using Flower Knows’s 6 Shade Eyeshadow Palette (#02 Black Swan) provided the perfect foundation for crafting my Tomie-inspired spooky look. I applied the white, gray, and black shades for a gradient smoky effect on the upper eyelid, utilized the dark red shade along the lower lash line, and added a shimmer of pale blue at the inner corners.

For a lush, bitten-lip effect, I selected too cool for school’s Pleur Tint (#5 Plash), while the beauty mark beneath my left eye was drawn with MACQUEEN’s MQNY Waterproof Pen Eyeliner (Deep Black). To complete the look, I used THE FACE SHOP’s fmgt Easy Gel (#1 Black Over) for glossy nails.

The mask I am holding was hand-drawn with a marker pen, MIZON’s Velvet Matte Lipstick (Private Red), and CLIO’s Veganwear Ceramide Velvet Cushion (#2 Lingerie). Using a Q-tip, I smoothed out the lipstick and painted the lips and red veins on the mask. A jet-black wig rounded out the ensemble, with some strands artfully placed to give the appearance that the mask is attached to my face.

My take:

The Flower Knows palette is ideal for Halloween makeup—I’m particularly fond of the red shade and see numerous possibilities for future use. Although I applied the CLIO foundation on both my face and the mask, there was a mismatch in hues, likely because I didn’t set the mask with powder as I did with my face.

Reflecting on my creation, I may have gone a bit overboard with the black eyeshadow and lip tint. I realize now that a cleaner eye and a lighter lip color would have better captured the horror of Tomie, who appears deceptively normal until her monstrous side is unveiled. Regardless, I relished the process and adore every product utilized in this look.

Tips:

Given the potent pigmentation of the Flower Knows palette, use darker colors sparingly, building intensity slowly as needed.

Shiver

The story:

Yuuji realizes that his neighbor Rina, who is often confined to her home due to a chronic ailment, has strange holes appearing on her arms. She sees a doctor regularly but becomes distressed during his visits. Yuuji confides in his friend Hideo about Rina, who eventually falls victim to the same curse.

The makeup:

The focus of this Halloween makeup is the unsettling holes scattered across the skin. I employed MACQUEEN’s MQNY Waterproof Pen Eyeliner (Deep Black) to create trompe l’oeil holes on my face and hands. For a frosty touch on my right eye, I used FOCALLURE’s Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow (#14 Ocean Light) and Glittering Liquid Eyeshadow (#S02 Polar Star). I also applied CLIO’s Veganwear Ceramide Velvet Cushion (#2 Lingerie) on both my face and lips to produce a pale, sickly appearance.

For attire, I donned a long-sleeve shirt fully buttoned, providing a nod to Hideo’s chills while also making it easier not to draw holes on my arms and neck. My hair was styled with Utena’s Matomage Hair Styling Stick, allowing me to avoid wax with my already marked hands. For a polished finish, I chose romand’s Mood Pebble Nail (#00 Crunky Black) for my nails.

My take:

I initially thought that creating this Hideo-inspired makeup would be challenging, but it was simpler than expected! The MACQUEEN eyeliner was intuitive to work with, and with practice, drawing the holes became easier. The key to achieving a dimensional effect with the holes is to deepen the bottom and create streaks around each one. While using my non-dominant hand to draw on my dominant hand posed some difficulty, the final results were satisfactory.

The FOCALLURE eye glitters were highly pigmented and smooth, offering enough boldness to stand out independently. I enjoyed incorporating a touch of glamour into this makeup look with the liquid glitters.

The Matomage Hair Styling Stick was user-friendly and effectively held my hair back for the photos, but I might choose a stronger wax if I set my hair before marking my hands.

Tips:

The black eyeliner adheres better to bare skin, so it may be advantageous to skip powder or foundation on your face. (In my case, this made the holes on my face appear lighter than those on my hands).

Removing the Makeup

As for the heavy makeup from these Halloween looks, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it came off using Mandom’s Bifesta Micellar Eye Makeup Remover paired with Rohto Mentholatum’s Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil. I pressed a cotton pad soaked in eye makeup remover against my eye for ten seconds before gently wiping away the makeup. For the black holes I applied to my hands, the cleansing oil worked perfectly.

Every moment spent crafting these Halloween looks was a joy, from conceptualizing and researching aesthetics to selecting and testing products, as well as designing props. Remarkably, I used fewer products than I anticipated for each look—I didn’t even employ false eyelashes! I hope you too enjoy experimenting with quirky makeup this Halloween!

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