2012 Halloween coolest character make-up: MAC Cosmetics step-by-step guide

Halloween and its plethora of costumes can be daunting.

So in the lead up to the spooky holiday, MAC Cosmetics has released its own Halloween how-to guide for inspiration, and technical ease, in those “where to start” moments of confusion.

Using step-by-step make-up face charts, MAC shows you how to recreate some of Hollywood’s most iconic faces; from Cat Woman and Marylin Monroe, to The Great Gatsby’s Daisy and The Hunger Games’ Effie Trinket.

The Halloween face creations use MAC make-up; and for ease of reference, each face chart specifies the exact colors and products needed.

Cat Woman’s “sexy, sleek and mysterious”, look uses a mix of pink and brown eyeshadow for dramatic eyes peeking out from the mask, as well as dark grey and brown eye liner.

With a touch of blush, the full lips are created with mis-matching lip liner and lipstick.

Marilyn Monroe’s classic Hollywood glamour focuses on her brows, lips and of course, her beauty spot. Using a cherry lip color covered in a bright red “dazzle glass” lipgloss, MAC creates her famous pout.

The most creative and daring make-up look is The Hunger Games’ technicolor creation from the Capitol.

Using colors like Vibrant Grape, Fig, Purple Dash, Smooth Blue and Dollymix, recreating Elizabeth Banks’ character Effie Trinkett seems easier than first imagined.

With Baz Lurman’s take on F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is released in December this year, the character Daisy is Halloween timely.

Her enchanting look from the roaring Twenties uses soft ochre colors and a deep plum for the lips. With the right cream-colored flapper dress, Halloween will be its most glamorous yet.