Halloween Glam Makeover Party for a Girl’s Night In!

Give in to vanity! Now’s your chance to indulge the “beauty diva” in you and your dearest friends with a Halloween Glam Makeover Party ala “Vanity Flair”. In keeping with the scary season, you can play up the whole sultry glamour look centered around a vintage-style vanity table. Part classic horror film and part fairy tale!

Beyond the makeover session, we offer great ideas for games, party food, and drinks that are sure to have you ladies bonding well into the evening. In fact, we suggest you prepare for an all-night event, as this could turn into a sleep-over. It’ll be that ‘frightfully fun’!

Setting Up the Vanity Table

With a beauty makeover as the central theme, you can focus your decorating around one main setting: a vanity table with all the trimmings.

The look to aim for? Feminine with a vintage feel. Definitely glamorous and a tad opulent—like something fit for a Hollywood star of yesteryear. Here is a simple step-by-step guide to putting this table together:

1. Prepare a round table, good for 4 to 6 persons.
2. Set up chairs around it.
3. Drape the table with a black lace tablecloth.
4. Position a striking centerpiece at mid-table (see next section for assembly).

Now, the stage is set for your very own mini beauty salon! Before we get to the makeover stations on this vanity table, though, let’s see how that eye-catching centerpiece is made.

Creating the Centerpiece

In keeping with the Halloween slant of the party, we crafted a stylized centerpiece to mimic a tree from an enchanted forest (see left hand photo above). To re-create this centerpiece:

1. Lay out a magenta-colored table cloth or other large fabric.
2. Position a large pot or planter on top of it.
3. Stand 3 to 4 medium-sized tree branches (bare of leaves) inside the pot, supported by stones or tightly-wadded newspaper.
4. Gather the fabric up around the pot to cover it, and secure it around the base of the branches with wire or nylon cord.
5. Bundle up the excess fabric, tucking the edges in around the tree for a neat finish.

For embellishments, tie on a large black satin bow and mount a witty signage on the tree saying “Vanity Flair.”  You could also add some spooky cobwebs made of stretched cotton, plus the spellbinding glitter of tealights inside rhinestone votives amidst the branches!

Tip: For a dramatic effect, dim the venue lights as guests arrive—with only the candlelight to set the mood of enchantment. Then, come makeover time, simply switch to full lighting.

A simpler centerpiece assembly: Find a tall cylindrical glass vase and stand smaller bare branches inside it. For adornment, you may opt to cover the vase in fabric, wrap wide ribbon around it, or simply fill it up with colored crystal stones. You can then tuck the signage easily within the branches.

Assembling the Beauty Stations

With the table and centerpiece in place, now comes the fun part! In front of each chair, lay out groupings of cosmetics and beauty accessories to create mini “makeover stations” centered around:

• – cleansing and toning
• – hair styling
• – basic foundation, concealing, contouring
• – eye makeup
• – lip and cheek colors
• – hand and nail grooming supplies and assorted nail polishes

To achieve an air of classic elegance and glamour, select items for the vanity table that “look the part.”

Sourcing and Shopping Tips:

For the table cloth – Black lace fabric, brocade, or damask can be sourced from textile stores, thrift shops, or your grandmother’s attic! It can even be a richly-textured bed cover folded to fit the table.

For vintage beauty accessories – Visit antique stores and flea markets, or borrow from your mother’s or grandmother’s dresser. Think ornate hand mirrors or old-fashioned standing vanity mirrors, antique tissue boxes, powder compacts, and perfume bottles to set the ambiance.

For beauty supplies – Purchase the basics from the cosmetics and beauty products section of your nearest department store or pharmacy: facial washes and toners, face towels, disposable makeup capes, elastic headbands, boxes of facial tissue, cotton balls and buds, makeup remover, and the like.

For the hand grooming station – Provide hand lotion, cuticle cream, and nail files. Then, offer guests a selection of glamorous nail polish choices from seductive to subtle—with nail polish remover on the side.

For the makeup stations – Prepare a complete set of makeup brushes, foundation sponge pads, various shades of foundation, concealer, eye liners, an eye shadow palette with an array of shades to choose from, an eyelash curler, mascara, blush compacts, loose powder, and lipsticks ranging from dramatic to neutral tones. For a bit of fun, you may include false eyelashes, fake beauty marks, and body shimmer powder!

For the hair styling station – Set out combs and brushes, a blow dryer and/or a hair iron, hair pins, and styling mousse or gel. If you wish, you may even provide decorative hair accessories such as ribbons, barrettes, and jeweled hair combs or hair bands.

Planning Fun Games and Prizes

With all of this activity, what would a makeover party be without a “beauty contest”? Name winners for amusing categories such as: Most Elegant Nails, Most Kissable Lips, Most Becoming Hairstyle, Most Alluring Eyes, and the grand winner “Best Total Makeover”!

Of course, the winning beauties each deserve a prize. Mini porcelain shoes filled with candies can be given to the four minor winners, while a stylish wristlet purse made of ivory silk can go to the “Makeover Queen”!

Giving Guests Fancy Favors to Take Home

For the final gracious touch of this makeover-themed girls’ night in, prepare favors that focus on beauty as well as the vintage styling.

We recommend dainty tulle purses trimmed with lace and tiny pearls. What to fill them with? More cosmetics gift items, of course, such as a pot of lip gloss and a bottle of nail polish. Attach a little favor tag made to mimic an antique hand mirror. Ours is simply an oval aluminum foil “mirror” mounted on a black card stock cutout trimmed with silver marker artwork.

Or how about a silk pouch holding a single lipstick or nail polish, then finished with a gem-shaped favor tag!

Summary of Makeover Party Tips:

1. Set up a glamorous, vintage-style vanity table as the center of the Halloween Glam party decor. Create a striking “enchanted tree” centerpiece for it.
2. Outfit the table with makeover stations, each containing cosmetics and beauty supplies for makeup, hair styling, and nail grooming.
3. Add fancy, antique dresser items and beauty accessories such as hand mirrors, perfume bottles, tissue boxes, lipstick stands, and jeweled evening purses.
4. Set up a food and drinks service area in an adjacent living or family room, where guests can serve themselves from the light but elegant party fare and refreshing beverages.
5. Plan fun games, such as a mock “beauty contest” and give out practical prizes.
6. Prepare charming favor packaging filled with cosmetics gift items for guests to take home…either that night or the next morning!