Zombie Makeup 101: From Fresh Bite to Full Decomposition

🧟 You don’t need a Hollywood effects team to look convincingly undead.

Whether you’re going for “just got bitten five minutes ago” or “has been decomposing since before jazz was invented,” zombie makeup is all about layering, texture, and commitment.

This guide breaks it down by decay level—so you can choose your apocalypse timeline and build from there.

🩸 Level 1: The Fresh Bite

Barely undead. Still dangerous.

This look is perfect if you want something subtle, fast, and wearable—especially for runs, parties, or warm nights.

Key Features:

• mostly human skin

• minimal wounds

• shock and trauma, not rot

How to Do It:

• Use foundation slightly lighter than your natural tone

• Add a hint of gray or green eyeshadow around temples and jaw

• Smudge dark brown or purple shadow under the eyes

• Create one focal wound (bite or scratch) using red lipstick or cream paint

• Dab a little fake blood and blot with tissue so it looks absorbed

Pro tip: Fresh zombies bleed less than you think. Keep it contained.

🧟‍♀️ Level 2: The Turning

Something is very wrong.

This is where things start getting fun—and unsettling.

Key Features:

• uneven skin tone

• visible veins

• multiple injuries

How to Do It:

• Mix gray, green, and yellow tones lightly over the skin

• Add purple/blue shadow around eyes, nose, and lips

• Draw faint veins using a thin brush and blue/green shadow

• Layer small wounds with toilet paper + liquid latex or white glue

• Add dried blood (dark red + brown) around injuries

Pro tip: Blend with a sponge, not a brush. Zombie skin isn’t smooth.

🧠 Level 3: Actively Decomposing

You smell like a problem.

This level is ideal if you want high-impact photos and maximum “back away slowly” energy.

Key Features:

• sunken features

• patchy skin color

• peeling flesh

How to Do It:

• Contour heavily with gray and brown around cheekbones and eye sockets

• Add mottled patches of green, yellow, and purple

• Build texture using latex or glue and tear it slightly once dry

• Highlight edges of wounds with lighter tones

• Add blood sparingly—this is rot, not a fresh crime scene

Pro tip: Focus detail on one side of the face for realism and speed.

💀 Level 4: Full Decomposition

You should not be walking.

This is for the committed. The brave. The “please don’t hug me” crowd.

Key Features:

• exposed bone illusion

• extreme contrast

• dramatic texture

How to Do It:

• Sketch “bone” shapes (jaw, cheek, eye socket) with white paint

• Shade around them with deep browns, blacks, and greens

• Layer latex or cotton to create depth

• Use dark blood only—almost black—for age

• Add cracks, tears, and asymmetry

Pro tip: Less movement-friendly. Great for zombies chasing others.

🧟 Hair, Teeth & Final Touches

Hair:

• Tease aggressively

• Add dry shampoo or baby powder

• Optional: light gray spray for age

Teeth:

• Dab yellow/brown shadow lightly

• Don’t paint fully—subtle staining reads more realistic

Hands & Neck:

• Don’t stop at the face

• Add veins, grime, and blood to hands and collarbones

🧠 Zombie Makeup Rules to Live (or Die) By

• One strong concept beats ten random wounds

• Asymmetry = realism

• Blot, don’t paint

• Matte is your friend—shine kills rot

• Commit to the character

🧟 Final Tip: Movement Sells the Makeup

The best zombie makeup in the world won’t work if you move like a normal person.

Practice:

• slow head tilts

• unfocused eyes

• dragging or uneven steps

Makeup creates the look.

Movement brings it to life.

Or… back to life.

Whether you’re a freshly bitten runner or a fully decomposed menace at Zombie Run, remember: the goal isn’t perfection. It’s conviction.

Now go rot beautifully.