Halloween 2025’s most haunting makeup look? Still, Wednesday Addams. Known as the iconic pale, poker-faced child of doom, our favorite moody heroine has had a serious glow-up since Netflix’s hit series premiered in 2022. Played by Jenna Ortega, this modern Wednesday wears a chalk-white foundation and stiff braids that make up her soft-goth aesthetic. With spooky season around the corner, it’s the perfect time to channel her icy composure and deathly stare in your Halloween look.
Achieving the Signature Wednesday Addams Look
The key to recreating Wednesday Addams' signature makeup is to focus on a pale, matte complexion, shadowy eyes, and deep, muted lips. This tutorial breaks down the steps to achieve her effortlessly spooky aesthetic.
Eyeshadow
For the eyes, the goal is a soft, shadowy effect rather than a harsh black line. Start by applying an eye primer to your lids. This step is crucial to keep your eyeshadow crease-free and ensure the look lasts throughout the night.
Using a cool-toned eyeshadow palette, sweep a taupe or grey shade onto your crease. Then, blend a matte charcoal or black shade over your lids. To further define the eyes, smudge a similar shade lightly along the lower lash line. You’re aiming for a soft, shadowy eye and not a harsh black ring.
In follow-up videos, it was revealed that the makeup designer used MAC script on the top and under the eye, and MAC carbon to act as an eyeliner. Smudged MAC carbon and glitch in the matrix were used on the top lash line to create a smoky eye look.
Eyeliner and Mascara
Next, line your upper lash line with a gel or pencil eyeliner. Smudge it slightly with a brush or fingertip to maintain the soft, blended effect. For that characteristic heavy-lidded stare, apply two coats of volumizing mascara to both the top and bottom lashes.
The actual products used on set for accuracy included MAC script (£17) on the top and under the eye, and MAC carbon (£17) to act as an eyeliner. Smudged MAC carbon and glitch in the matrix (£17) were used on the top lash line to create a smoky eye look.
Lips
Complete the look with a deep berry or plum matte lipstick. Blot once to achieve a diffused, worn-in appearance. For an exact replica of Ortega's look, makeup designer Tara McDonald exclusively revealed that Wednesday is wearing a MAC lip pencil in Nightmoth (£18) with clear lip balm.
Expert Breakdown: Step-by-Step
For those who prefer easy instructions, makeup artist Ciara O'Shea breaks down Wednesday's look:
Step 1: Base Preparation
“Start with a matte primer to give the skin a velvety finish before applying a matte foundation and working in a powder foundation. I'd recommend MAC's Studio Fix Powder Foundation. The idea here is to have a beautiful matte, opaque, and flawless base, so keep each layer light and considered for the best finish.”
As for freckles and contour, the makeup designer used a sheer tinted foundation as Ortega’s base so as not to cover up her natural freckles.
Step 2: Eye Makeup
“The quickest way to get the eyes done is to use a cream eyeshadow like Victoria Beckham's EyeWear sticks. Use them all over the eye and under the lower lash, then get a soft blender brush and smoke it out around the eye and up to the browbone. Next, take a black eyeliner (Glamour suggests ByTerry Crayon Blackstar Eyeliner) to the root of the lower lashes and outer corner of the top lashes and keep it soft and gentle, nothing too harsh. Finish with lots of light layers of mascara - Clarins Wonder Perfect 4D is a lengthening mascara that's fantastic for this.”
Step 3: Cheeks and Lips
“Give the cheeks a soft contour using a product like Makeup by Mario's Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick that helps create that ‘hollow’ effect on cheeks and has a matte finish, then add your lip in a rusty, plummy shade - 19/99 Beauty Tinted Balm in Terra is perfect.”
Wednesday Makeup Tutorial | Soundtiss
Essential Products
To achieve the Wednesday Addams makeup look, you will need the following:
- A cool-toned eyeshadow palette
- Eye primer
- Black gel or smudge pencil eyeliner
- Volumizing mascara
- Deep berry or plum matte lipstick
- A cool contour or bronzer
- Matte primer and foundation
- Black eyeliner
- Cream eyeshadow sticks (optional)
- Soft blender brush
- Plummy lip shade
Focus on base prep, smoky eyeshadow, mascara, and deep matte lips to truly embody the character.