There are a ton of Halloween looks that can be put together with little to no effort. You don’t have to go out and buy a ton of things in order to look good on Halloween night. For my last minute babes that want to put together a quick and affordable costume, I have three different costumes just for you.

All three of these looks involve the same few products and require minimum effort. You can do any variation of these and put your own twist on them to make them your own according to the things you have on hand.

1.      Minnie Mouse

For this look, I put together a simple eye look and then used a pencil liner to draw on a nose. I paired it with a nude pink lip and a pair of ears. Throw on a dress and some white gloves and you're good to go.

You can pick up a pair of Minnie ears just about anywhere: Target, Wal-Mart, or any Halloween store. For those that can’t seem to find any, you can DIY a pair like the ones I’m wearing.

What you’ll need:

A headband

Black cardboard or Construction paper

Glitter tape

Scissors

Hot Glue

-Cut out two similar ear shapes and hot glue them to your headband. You can find reference photos to use as a guideline.

-After your ears are in place and have dried, use the glitter tape to make a bow shape (or ribbon if you prefer), and then hot glue it to the middle of your headband.

2. Cat

For this look I did the same eye makeup I did for the Minnie costume and extended the outer wings and the inner corner to create a dramatic cat eye. I added some extra “fur” to my brows using a brow pencil to make them appear bushier. Use your pencil in light flicks to create hair like marks to the front portion of your brow to achieve this look.

Similar to the Minnie nose, extend the liner to the bottom of the nose and the outside of the nostrils. Draw a line from the bottom of your nose to your cupid’s bow.

Add some tiny freckles above your lip using your eyeliner.

Using your eyeliner, extend the edges of your top lip, curving upward as if you were creating a fake smile. Color in your top lip with the eyeliner or a black liquid lipstick if you have one. Black lipstick can be found just about anywhere this time of year and it’s fairly cheap (the one I used was only $3).

Add some whiskers, cat ears and a tail and you’re done!

3. Vampire

For some reason I’ve never done a vampire costume before, and I love vampires. The look I created was inspired by the vampires on The Vampire Diaries. It’s one of my favorite shows and I love the creepy vein-like appearance the characters get once they vamp-out. It allows you to add a bit of creepiness to your costume.

For this look I took the eye makeup from the cat eye and added darker shadows to create a deeper smoky eye.

On the blower lash line, take a dark burgundy lipstick or blush and use a fluffy brush to blend it out, dragging the color down lower than you normally would. For this step, I used the Elf Blush Pallet in the darker shades.

Using the same lipstick (or lip liner) draw zigzags down your cheek, leading from the lower lash line to create a vein-y effect. Use your eyeliner to add depth to the veins, then use your finger to smudge the lines and blend it into your skin.

Next, add a dark red lip. The color I used was the Ultra Satin lip color in “Prim” from ColourPop (it’s only $6). Some alternative shades are: Nyx Matte Lip Cream in “Copenhagen”, Wet n Wild Matte Lipstick in “Cherry Bomb”, and Wet n Wild “Wine Red” (all under $7).

Next, take some of the lipstick or blush from before and smudge it next to your mouth.

Last, add blood.

Now, if you want to take your look to the next level you can add fangs or mold some using fake nails. I chose to not use fangs for my look but you can add any finishing touches you so choose.

I added a red lace masquerade mask that I picked up from Target last year for a little something extra.

These looks can all be paired with whatever sort of outfit you want. I live in all black, so I paired them all with a black skater dress from Forever 21 (it was around $15).

I have a couple more Halloween looks planned so be on the lookout. If you have any suggestions for some quick and easy Halloween looks let me know!

Movies and creepy TV shows aren’t the only way to get into the Halloween spirit. I’m someone that has to constantly have music on in the background and I have a ton of specific playlists for just about every mood, seriously you should see my Spotify. So I thought, what better way to get those spooky vibes going other than a Halloween-themed playlist? These songs are a few of my personal faves: everything from horror movie scores, to soundtracks, and more. I personally listen to these songs no matter what the season, but for those in search of Halloween-specific songs, here’s a list for you! 

Hello boils and ghouls

So as most of you know, I’m a huge fan of special fx makeup and whenever there’s an excuse for me to use it I take advantage of that. Ice Nine Kills is currently on their “Hell in the Hallways” tour alongside Secrets, Sylar, Cover Your Tracks, and Out Came the Wolves and I get the honor of helping promote their NC date.

Their latest album Every Trick in the Book features songs that were inspired by some of their favorite novels and the track “Hell in the Hallways” was inspired by Stephen King’s Carrie – a personal favorite of mine. I took this opportunity to put together a sort of “undead prom queen” look, instead of just covering myself in blood like my homegirl Carrie White (even though it’s so much fun).

For this look here’s what you’ll need:

Tissue Paper

Cream Paints

Eyeshadow

Eyeliner

Liquid Latex

And of course, Blood.

First- Do your makeup like you normally would for a night out. I did a simple smoky eye, incorporating darker colors to create a sunken-in look. Apply some lipstick and then smudge it, dragging it down the side of your mouth. Remember, we’re dead – we don’t really care if our lips are perfectly lined.

Next, create some bruises and trauma around your face and neck. Depending on the type of bruises you want/undertones, use colors that compliment that. I used reds, purples, and bit of yellow. I mixed the colors on my hand and then used a makeup sponge to dab it on my skin, using different variations of shades to create different depths.

Next- Decide where you want your scars or gashes and outline the spot with a lip liner or eyeliner. Then, grab your liquid latex and apply a thin layer with a sponge. Take your tissue and place it on top of the latex and then apply another layer of latex on top to further seal it. Repeat these steps until you get your desired thickness and shape. Take a pair of tweezers or a pallet knife to cut open the tissue to create your gash CAREFULLY. It seems simple enough but you don’t want to accidentally pull or cut your skin.

Now unless your latex is flesh colored you might need to take a foundation and apply it on top so the wound matches your skin. Before you do this, wait for the latex to dry and then powder it using a translucent powder or even baby powder. Sometimes it helps to take an eyeshadow close to your skin color and powder it around the edges.

Take a black or dark red shade and apply it inside the cut to create depth. Next, take various shades of reds and purples and stipple it around the edges of the cut to make it appear to be irritated.

Final step – blood. For this, you can use whatever kind of blood your heart desires. Depending on the look you want to achieve you could use Ben Nye’s Fresh Scab blood (thick, chunky, and appears wet), Coagulated blood gel (thick, appears wet, drips a bit but not a lot), Blood paste (thick, stays in place), or standard stage blood (thin, drips, great for splattering blood). For this particular look I used stage blood.

Apply any finishing touches you want and then you’re done!

I have a few more Halloween looks planned so stay tuned. 

I’ve always been a huge fan of horror anthologies. From television shows like Tales From the Darkside to films like Trick r Treat, I was obsessed. Horror anthologies serve as a way to deliver numerous tales of the macabre and some of my favorites were delivered by the Crypt Keeper. If you were a fan of names like George A. Romero or EC Comics, then you were most likely a fan of this show. Tales From the Crypt was a staple in my childhood (alongside the Big Comfy Couch and Rugrats). So here are my top favorite episodes.

And All Through the House – This is an episode that really stuck with me. I enjoy holiday themed horror so naturally; I had to kick off this list with this Christmas episode. In this episode a woman murders her husband and tries to cover it up; meanwhile there’s an escaped lunatic dressed as Santa on the loose. I remembered being terrified by that Santa, thinking he was going to show up at my house around Christmas. That didn’t stop me from watching it every time it aired through.

Forever Ambergris - This episode was a favorite just for the fact that it was one of the more gruesome episodes. They really took advantage of the special fx in this episode: rotting flesh, chunks of skin falling everywhere, gnarly stuff. This episode centers on a photographer that plots the murder of his talented protégée while away in Central America. Envy and adultery never get you anywhere, and in typical EC fashion, it comes back to bite him in the ass.

What’s Cooking? – This one is a personal fave because it features The Breakfast Club’s Judd Nelson. In this episode we have a married couple struggling to keep their restaurant alive. They think their prayers had been answered when a stranger shows up with an interesting steak recipe that brings in tons of business. Too bad the ingredients turn out to be something you’d find being served at Leatherface’s house on Thanksgiving. Bon appétit.

Dead Right- In this episode, Demi Moore plays a young woman that wants to go from rags to riches. She goes to a fortune teller who informs her that she’ll meet a man who will inherit a lot of money and then afterwards, will die a violent death. Enter Charlie, a grossly overweight man who informs her of his rich relatives. As it turns out, the medium was right, but not in the way Moore’s character had hoped.

People That Live in Brass Hearses- In this episode, a hot-headed convict gets out of prison after serving a two-year sentence. He then convinces his mentally handicapped brother to assist him in robbing a warehouse and getting revenge on the ice cream man that was responsible for sending him to jail. This one features Brad Dourif, the voice of Chucky, and Bill Paxton, whom I had a serious crush on as a kid (I blame the film Twister). This one has humor and scares and while it’s not the “best” episode, it’s entertaining nonetheless.

Abra Cadaver- In this episode, a research assistant sets out to get revenge on his younger brother after he pulls a prank that costs him his dream of becoming a successful surgeon. It’s the classic tale of sibling rivalry, where one is more serious and hard working, while the other goofs-off but still manages to come out on top. The younger brother soon finds out just how far the elder is willing to go to get what he wants.

The Ventriloquist’s Dummy- Things involving creepy ventriloquist dummies are never good. We’ve learned that from Goosebumps, Dead Silence, and more. An aspiring ventriloquist seeks out his idol that has since dropped out of the business after a mysterious fire accident and now lives in seclusion. Turns out, there’s a lot more to show business than he originally thought.

Lover, Come Hack to Me – While this episode is not the best, I’m a sucker for insane plot lines and gratuitous blood. In this tale, we have another plain-Jane unfortunate type who’s desperate for love. She meets this handsome young man that she thinks is the man of her dreams – except he’s a sleazy gold-digger that’s just after her money. Ignoring her grandmother’s warning, she marries him anyway and he bursts her bubble by telling her exactly how he feels. Halfway through the episode, you’re feeling just as annoyed with her and he is but of course, there’s always the twist ending. Have you ever just…loved someone to pieces?

Collection Completed – I love a good “what goes around, comes around” story, and this episode delivers. In this episode, a retired woman takes to adopting a bunch of stray animals and treating them as if they were her children. Sounds harmless, right? It was until her grouchy husband, tired of dealing with his wife’s new hobby, decides to take matters into his own hands and adopts a hobby of his own – taxidermy. When poor Anita finds out about his latest obsession, she’s less than thrilled. And as for Roy…he really let his hobby get the best of him.

Those were my top favorite episodes! Let me know some of your favorite creepy shows.

It’s my favorite time of year so obviously, we have to celebrate by creeping things up here on my blog. To kick things off, we’re going to discuss a few more creepy tales found online. These stories will range from supernatural happenings to crazed stalkers and more. This is just the beginning of the many things I have planned leading up to Halloween. Now let’s get started.

I Found a Girl I Knew in a Porno (Trigger Warning) - This is the story about a girl that went missing who later shows up in a rather odd video online. After contacting the girl’s parents to inform them of what he found, things take a turn for the worst. If you’re sensitive to certain subject matters, proceed with caution.

Hunger (Trigger Warning) - In this tale, a psychologist has a meeting with a patient suffering from an eating disorder, but it’s not quite what it seems. Warning: It’s a bit gross so please read at your own risk.

The Girl in the Log (Trigger Warning) – A girl visiting her grandpa gets a strange warning from a dead girl she meets in the woods. Definitely not as gross as the last two but it still features sensitive topics.

He Crawled Up the Stairs- A young woman recalls the night a strange man broke into her house while she was alone. This literally confirmed every fear I’ve ever had about staying by myself.

I Used a Dating Site Once: Never Again- This one is a three-part series on NoSleep. It centers on a young woman, tired of being single, that decided to give online dating a try. The story takes the age-old warning of “being careful of who you talk to online” to a whole new level.

Borrasca- This is another series on NoSleep. It’s about a small town urban legend that turns out to be much more sinister and in typical horror fashion, none of the adults seem to believe in it. This story is one of the more fascinating finds on NoSleep, but it’s also incredibly long. It was featured on the last episode of the NoSleep Podcast so if you’re a fan of audio books you’ll enjoy this. It's also available in the iPhone podcast app.

Alright boils and ghouls, that’s it for this installment of creepy online tales. I have a lot more planned for the month of October so stay tuned. What are some of your favorite scary or unsettling stories? 

August has brought many new things into my life that I’ve been obsessed with recently. I’ve accumulated a ton of favorites to share, everything from: skincare, beauty, music, and more. With it being August, it brings talk of fall and fall is my favorite time of year. So like many fall lovers, August is basically an excuse to start preparation for Halloween, dark lip colors, boots, and of course – pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING. So I couldn’t be happier to be one step closer to cool weather and spooky things. With that being said, let’s get started.

Beauty:

Kat Von D Lock-it Crème Concealer- I was lucky enough to have these products sent to me from Influenster and I’ve been using them ever since they arrived at my doorstep. This concealer lives up to its name because it’s very creamy. The formula isn’t too thick so it doesn’t crease under my eyes. I even used it to prime my eyes and it worked really well. The collection has a wide range of colors, which is great for those that have trouble finding the perfect shade.

Kat Von D Lock-it Setting Powder- Another gift from Influenster. This setting powder has become a staple in my collection. Since receiving it I haven’t been reaching for my Covergirl Loose Translucent powder at all. It’s finely milled and lightweight so it doesn’t look cakey. It also doesn’t have a white cast in photos.

Kat Von D Lock-it Concealer and Powder Brushes- These brushes are incredible. The concealer brush has a unique shape, allowing it to blend concealer under the eyes perfectly – it even helps clean up shadows and my winged liner. The powder brush is probably one of the softest brushes I’ve ever felt. It feels so nice on the skin, which I appreciate because some brushes can be too rough on my face.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Palette- I FINALLY picked this up from Sephora and I’ve probably used it every day since. I’ve been eyeing this pallet since it came out and now it’s finally mine. I’m a huge fan of matte shadows so the fact that this is an all-matte pallet is perfect. The shadows are all highly pigmented and blend like a dream. It’s separated into cools, neutrals, and warms so it’s perfect for creating a variety of different looks.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Tulle- I’m obsessed with these Ultra Matte liquid lipsticks. I have quite a few and I might even have a cart full on the website right now (but we’re just not going to talk about that). These are amazing lipsticks and at $6 a pop you can’t beat it. They have a wide range of colors and a lot of them are dupes for more expensive liquid lipsticks. Tulle is a warm, dusty mauve shade- similar to Kat Von D’s Lolita.

Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip in Too Lips- For those that feel the Ultra Matte lips are too drying, the Ultra Satin formula is perfect for you. It dries to a semi-matte finish and is more moisturizing than the matte formula. It lasts a long time, just not as long as the matte lips. Too Lips is a cool-toned plum brown shade. Great for fall and winter.

Maybelline Gel Liner- I’ve probably mentioned this product before but I seriously can’t get enough. Every time I go do my winged liner, I grab this and my Elf small angled brush. It’s great for creating those precise, sharp wings with little to no effort. It’s extremely black and matte which I personally love.

Skincare:

Aqua Marina Cleanser from Lush- So, I recently threw away all of my facial cleansers because they were irritating my skin. My skin is very sensitive and I wanted a product that would accommodate that. This cleanser has calamine, sea weed, aloe vera, and a hint of sea salt and it feels amazing on my skin. My skin finally feels like it’s not freaking out or feeling itchy. It’s all natural and a little bit goes a long way.

ImperialisMoisturizer from Lush- This moisturizer feels like heaven on my skin. It goes on smooth and supplies the right amount of moisture. It doesn’t make my face feel greasy or neglect my dry patches. It's a rich, lavender cream with orange water made to soothe irritations and oil control. Definitely worth the money.

Fashion:

T-Shirt Dress from Forever 21- I recently picked up this rust-colored swing dress from Forever 21 on a whim and I’m already trying to find it multiple colors. This dress is so comfortable and casual. I can just throw it on with a pair of Converse’s and go. Plus, it’s soft and it’s the perfect color for fall. It's not on the website yet but it is in stores!

Booties- Charlotte Russe- I’ve been on a booties kick and Charlotte Russe has been fueling that obsession. These booties are very comfortable and go with pretty much anything. The heel is the perfect height and it’s chunky so you can wear these around for hours and not feel like chopping your feet off when you get home.

“Baby Goth” Halter from Nikki Lipstick- If you’ve never heard of Nikki Lipstick, I’m going to need you to let love into your heart and treat yo self. She has a huge range of alternative-style items – everything from crop tops, accessories, sweaters, pins and more. Her clothing is stretchy and comfortable and it’s all one size fits most. Also, if you’ve been enjoying that pink drink from Starbucks that everyone’s been talking about (another favorite of mine) you can thank Nikki *hair flip emoji*.

Music:

“Hell in the Hallways”- Ice Nine Kills- Ever since I saw them for the second time at Warped Tour, I haven’t been able to stop listening to their album Every Trick in the Book. Their song “Hell in the Hallways” is based on the Stephen King novel Carrie, one of my favorites. You can catch them on the Hell in the Hallways tour soon!

“Circles”- Pierce The Veil- The newest single from PTV from their latest album Misadventures. They’re also hitting the road soon on the “Made to Destroy tour”. I’m basically about to hitch a ride on their tour bus because I will not rest until I see these guys live.

“Where Are My F*cking Pills?”- Death Spells- So by now, you all know my love for Frank Iero and his music. He’s finally decided to bless us with a full-length album from his side project with James Dewees, Death Spells. The album, Nothing Above, Nothing Below is this mix of electronic and hardcore, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. The lyrics are incredible and each song hits you like a punch to the face.

Movies/Shows:

Suicide Squad- This film was amazing, I don’t care what anyone has to say. It was entertaining, the characters were enjoyable, and not even Leto’s Joker could ruin this film for me. Do it for Harley Quinn. See this movie.

Lights Out- I was a fan of the short film so I definitely had to see this when it hit theaters. The effects were great and the scares were on point. I love a film that can excite the whole theater and get a reaction from the audience.

Stranger Things- I don’t care what you have planned. Cancel everything, grab a blanket and some snacks and pull up Netflix and binge watch this show, immediately. This show is deserving of all the hype. It’s creative, the acting is spectacular, and the character development and plot are everything. If you need me, I’ll be out leaving a box of Eggos for Eleven.

This was a lot longer than planned. What were some of the things you enjoyed throughout the month of August? Let me know in the comments.

In April, I finally got the chance to see one of my favorite bands during their 15 year anniversary tour. The Used decided to hit the road and play two-nights in every city to celebrate the release of their Self-Titled album and their second album, In Love and Death. I was fortunate enough to see them during Night 2 (In Love and Death) in Baltimore, MD.

The Used have been one of the most important bands in my life for years, and In Love and Death is my favorite album so it only made sense that I saw them during this tour. It was my first time seeing them live and it everything I could have asked for and more. It was worth the traffic, the sweat, the tears, the bruises- everything, to stand in that audience and scream the lyrics that have meant so much to me for so long. Making eye contact with Bert McCracken and having him smile at me; I swear my soul left my body.

During the show, Bert recalls the times that fans have come up to them and confessed that In Love and Death is the album that helped keep them alive and went on to say how the album kept him alive as well while he was dealing with one of the most difficult times in his life. Someone in the crowd yelled “you saved my life,” to which he replied, “You saved mine.”

It was so surreal to experience. My first tattoo is a design inspired by the hanging heart from the cover of In Love and Death, featuring my favorite lyrics from my favorite song from their Self-Titled (my way of killing two birds with one stone). I got that tattoo in honor of making it through my own difficult time and the album that helped keep me alive throughout that time in my life. The album itself is one of the most influential albums in my life, each song more meaningful than the last. I have such strong memories assigned to each song, so many moments that each song have helped me through. It’s one of those albums that you listen to and everything just makes sense, you feel alive for the first time. You can literally feel every word, every emotion that the band is trying to convey. When this album came into my life, it was right when I needed it. To make a long story short, I was one of those people that this album helped keep alive. So to stand in the audience and hear them discuss this was like this surreal bonding experience. We were all sharing this moment, we were all brought together because this band and this album meant something to us and that’s one of the best things about music.

The Used delivered a hell of a show, as always, and I can’t thank them enough. They recently announced a second leg of their anniversary tour. I’ll be attending Night 1 (Self-Titled) night in Virginia.

Now for some of my favorite shots of the night: