Unicorns! 🦄🦄🦄 They’re EVERYWHERE.
While there are a lot of lovely unicorn makeup designs out there, many of them can be fairly difficult to achieve quickly on the job.
And as any good face painter knows, time is money. 🤑 That’s exactly why I wanted to design one that had a simple shape.
So, without the flowing manes, but still girly and worthy of the ever — important “oooohs and aaaaaahs”… and of course, with lots of chunky glitter! 💖💖💖
Get Your Beginner Unicorn Face Paint Kit Here
Step 1: Creating Your Unicorn Face Paint Base
I start by loading the curved side of a half circle sponge with a soft metallic white (PartyXplosion), metallic baby pink (Superstar/FAB) and a touch of neon orange (Kryolan).
Then I sponged a triangular base (like you do with a small butterfly) and tapped on orange glitter (Mama Clown’s Orange Burst) while the design is still damp.
The shape of the base on the side of the unicorn Halloween face paint is very important, because we are not adding a flowy mane to this design.
It has to follow the invisible line from nostril, to outer corner of the eye and should be a little bit rounded from the bottom (outer corner of the eye) to the top. The top is a bit higher here than on the opposite side.
After the base I load a round brush no. 4 with regular white (PartyXplosion) and add a unicorn head so that it fits the already existing ‘manes’, pulling it down towards the inner corner of the eye.
On the other side I copy the white corner of the inner eye and add the biggest star. With the star, I also keep that invisible line in mind additionally I give it a little bit of a curve to give a better flow.
On the cheeks I add a soft blush (Kryolan Youth Red).

Step 2: Add Color to Your Unicorn Makeup
Next, I add some pink (Global Magenta) texture with my favourite stencil (BAM 1035).
I paint the horn with neon orange and add the same beautiful orange glitter onto the horn.
I finish the stars in a rounded, moon-like shape and add chunky glitter (American Pixie Paint – True Colours) on the cheek below the unicorn and on the forehead, to simulate its unicorn magic flowing from the horn and going to the big stars.

Step 3: Give More Definition to The Unicorn
Now it’s time to give it some contrast and definition with regular black (PartyXplosion).
With a thin round brush (no.1), I add the eye and an outline to the stars, the horn and the unicorn head. I also draw an outline in the inner corners of the eyes, ending in a ‘swirl’.
The manes are nothing more than teardrops done with a round brush (no. 4). The lowest teardrop (again following the invisible line) extends in an eyeliner.
On the opposite side I only put the lowest teardrop and eyeliner, but I am careful not to paint over the star.
Are you struggling with obtaining clean line work? Be sure to read 5 Tips for Crisp Lines in Face Painting and enroll in our Free Online Workshop today!
Step 4: A Little Touch Up
The final steps consist of:
- adding light blue (Mehron) lowlights to the unicorn head and stars to give it more depth
- adding white highlights, dots and starbursts to make the design more cohesive
- ‘lipstick’ (Superstar/FAB 139 with orange glitter on top)
- and a very small blue rhinestone on the main twinkle star on the horn.

Step 5: Your Unicorn Face Paint is Ready!
Lastly, I added a little smile to my unicorn face painting, which is completely optional.
Isn’t she adorable?! 😍
This sweet design is perfect for busy lines when you simply don’t have time to mess with a full face Halloween unicorn face paint.
As always, feel free to customize this fantastical design with your favorite color combinations and stencils. 💖

Check out Annabel’s previous step-by-steps as well!
👉 Fancy Eye Design
👉 Creative Kitty Cat