Tip Toe Imp Makeup: 10-Minute Halloween Tutorial

The tailcoat and the pointed shoes get you halfway. The face does the rest. Tip toe imp makeup is simple, cheap and fast: a pale, smooth base, soft brows, no color in the cheeks, and the wide, too-happy grin that makes the meme so unsettling. You can do the whole look in about ten minutes with things from a drugstore.

This guide walks through the imp's face step by step, then the woman in the straw, then fixes for kids, beards and photos.

What the tip toe imp's face looks like

The imp comes from an AI-generated video first posted on Instagram on August 27, 2026, made to look like a 1980s fantasy film. There is no actor and no official makeup chart, so everything here comes from watching the clip closely.

Here is what stands out on screen:

Feature	What you see in the clip	What it means for your makeup
Skin	Pale, smooth, almost doll-like	A base one shade lighter, matte
Cheeks	No flush at all	Skip blush and bronzer
Hair	Thin, pale blond curls, flat on top	A curly wig, thinned out
Mouth	A wide, closed-mouth grin	Natural lips; the grin is the effect
Overall	Soft focus, warm candlelight	Matte finish, no shimmer

The goal is not a monster. It is a face that looks almost normal, and that "almost" is the joke.

Tip toe imp makeup, step by step

You need: a foundation or cream one shade paler than your skin (or white face paint mixed with your usual foundation), translucent powder, a brow pencil a little lighter than your brows, a soft brown eyeshadow, and setting spray if you have it.

Step 1: a pale, smooth base

Moisturize first so the base does not crack when you grin. Apply the pale foundation over your whole face, ears and neck. Blend down past your collar so there is no line when you move. Pale, not white: the imp looks like he never sees daylight, not like a clown.

Step 2: kill the color

Skip blush, bronzer and contour. Press translucent powder over everything with a puff. A matte, flat face reads as old film and makes the grin pop.

Step 3: soften the brows

Brush your brows up. Fill them lightly with a pencil one shade lighter than your natural color, so they fade into the pale skin. Raised, faint brows give the imp his smug, surprised look.

Step 4: a touch of shadow

Dust a little soft brown eyeshadow in the crease of your eyes and under the cheekbones, very lightly. This adds the soft depth that the candlelit scene has. Blend until you can barely see it.

Step 5: the grin

This is the most important part of tip toe imp makeup, and it is not makeup at all. Practice in a mirror: a wide, closed-mouth smile, eyebrows up, held a beat too long. Keep your lips natural or use a clear balm. Bright lipstick pulls focus from the grin.

Step 6: set it

Finish with setting spray or one more layer of powder. You will be grinning all night, and the base needs to survive it.

The wig and hair

Pick a cheap curly wig in pale blond or white. Before you wear it, pull out some curls on top with your fingers or a wide comb, so it looks thin and flat on the crown and fluffy at the sides. No wig? Brush your own hair up and dust it with a little dry shampoo or baby powder for a pale, wispy look.

For the rest of the outfit, our tip toeing in my Jordans costume guide covers the tailcoat, the bow tie and how to make the long pointed shoes from card.

Makeup for the woman in the straw

If you are going as a pair, the crying woman's face is just as recognizable. She has long, straight blonde hair, dark winged eyeliner, pale pink lips and tears on her cheeks.

1. Do a natural base and a soft pink lip.
2. Draw a strong winged liner on both eyes.
3. For the tears, dot clear lip gloss or a glossy balm in two thin lines down each cheek. It catches the light like wet tears and does not run.
4. Practice her pose: a hand pressed over the mouth in shock.

Tip toe imp makeup for kids, beards and photos

• Kids: use face paint made for skin and, as the FDA suggests, test a small dab on the arm 24 to 48 hours before. Keep it light. A pale base and the grin are enough. Skip the eyeshadow.
• Beards: lean into it. A beard dusted with a little powder looks fun with the pale base, or tuck it behind a turned-up collar.
• Glasses: fine. Keep the brows faint so the frames do not make the face look busy.
• Photos: warm, low light from one side looks closest to the barn scene. Take one full-length photo before the party, while the makeup is fresh.

Turn your imp makeup into a video

Once your face and costume are done, you can put yourself in the actual barn. Our tip toe imp generator takes one photo and shows a free instant preview of you on the dancer right away. It is a mock-up, not the AI result. Then render a 12-second clip in 9:16 or 16:9, in about 10 to 20 minutes.

A tip from our own test renders: in Full body mode, your outfit shows up in the dance, and the pointed black shoes are swapped in either way. A clear, well-lit, full-length photo gives the best match. To learn the moves for real, see our tip toe dance tutorial.

Tip toe imp makeup FAQ

What makeup does the tip toe imp wear?

A pale, matte base, no blush, soft light brows and natural lips. The look comes from the flat, doll-like skin and the wide, held grin, not from bold colors.

How do I make fake tears for the crying woman?

Draw two thin lines of clear lip gloss down each cheek. It shines like wet tears and stays put much longer than water or glycerin drops.

Do I need white face paint?

No. A foundation one shade paler than your skin, set with powder, looks closer to the clip. Pure white face paint reads as a clown or a mime.

How long does tip toe imp makeup take?

About ten minutes for the face, plus a few minutes for the wig. It is one of the fastest Halloween looks there is.

Your tip toe imp makeup, done

Pale base, no color, faint brows, and that grin. That is all tip toe imp makeup needs. When you are ready, take a full-length photo and put your costume in the meme before the party starts.

Sources

• AI Rumpelstiltskin "Tip Toein' In My Jordans", Know Your Meme, 2026
• An AI-generated Rumpelstiltskin meme, NBC News via NBC Washington, 2026
• Creepy backstory behind 'Rumpelstiltskin tiptoe' man, LADbible, 2026
• Halloween safety tips: costumes, candy, and colored contact lenses, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Novelty makeup, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Halloween safety tips, American Academy of Pediatrics
• Theatrical makeup, Wikipedia
• Eye liner, Wikipedia
• Face powder, Wikipedia
• Rumpelstiltskin, Wikipedia

This site is an independent fan tool. It is not affiliated with Riff Raff or the artists behind the AI clip.