#i was emo thinking about his encounter with the god of fear and hunger

[iizuumi]

[forthegothicheroine]

Beyond Corpse Paint: Vampire Clan Looks, Part I

As I have mentioned in previous posts, the vampire clans that appear in Vampires Don’t Sleep Alone by Elizabeth Barrial and D. H. Altair (and their signature perfumes on Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab) inspired me to create makeup looks for every variety.  Unfortunately, my follow through is not quite what it could be.  So rather than posting a series of selfies, I shall devote myself to dreaming these looks up, regardless of the makeup I have or my ability to apply it.

And so here are my ideas, along with the types of vampires they represent.  Coming soon will be Part II- Vampire the Masquerade clans!  (Feel free to offer suggestions for those.)

Cicuta

Type of vampire: Monstrous in appearance, outcast, reclusive.  The clear example is Count Orlock from Nosferatu, and I suppose other vamps modeled on his appearance such as Mr. Barlow or The Master from Buffy could count as well.

Makeup: Well, if you’re good at special effects makeup I suppose you could make yourself look like a shriveled bat, but instead I would go for a general German Expressionist vibe in honor of the inspiring film.  Dark eyeshadow for dark undereye circles, contour to make your cheeks look hollow and sunken, with either bare lips (for the ‘I woke up like this, unfortunately’ effect) or black lipstick (for the ‘black and white silent film’ effect.)

Interfector

Type of vampire: The remorseless killers of the vampire world, who see humans as a lesser life form whose only purpose is to serve as livestock and the promotion to vampirism as a leap upward in the evolutionary ladder.  Think of the vampires in Day Breakers, The Lost Boys, or anything promoted by people who argue that vampires should be “badass killers” and not “emos.”

Makeup: Don’t worry too much about the precision of application- the purpose of makeup here is not to attract but to intimidate.  Smear on some red eyeshadow and a deep berry lipstain, and either skip the mascara altogether or apply it in heavy clumps.  Don’t conceal any so-called blemishes; who are puny humans to say you are anything other than a perfect life form?

Misericordia

Type of vampire: The tragic souls of the vampire world, more Edgar Allan Poe than Lord Byron.  They want to regain their lost humanity, but do not know if that is even possible, and will spend the intervening time mourning for it.  This type of vampire is well known as Angel, Louis de Pont du Lac, or Edward Cullen.

Makeup: I’m going to run with the idea of being “blue” as an excuse for blue lipstick.  Cool tones in general could help convey an air of melancholy; go for smokey grey eyeshadow and a touch of silver highlighter to enhance your brooding.

Philologus

Type of vampire: Scholars dedicated to chronicling their own kind, living in immense libraries.  The only example I can think of in fiction is Dragon King of Arms from the Discworld book Feet of Clay.

Makeup: Ornamental glasses are always a plus.  Libraries make me think of leather bindings and dark wooden shelves, so I would go for red-brown lipstick (and blush if you so choose) with sharp black or brown eyeliner (not extended- those glasses could smear winged eyeliner.)

Sanctus

Type of vampire: As I said in the one selfie I posted for this idea, these are your god-vampires, feared and revered by their own kind (at least, assuming they believe such beings exist.  Dracula, Akasha and the Volturi are on this level.

Makeup: All the highlighter!  Try to shimmer rather than sparkle; the point is that your profane holiness gives off a terrible radiance.  Golden highlighter on the cheeks, shimmering gloss atop a soft lip, and eyeshadow in any opalescent shade.  The emerging “holographic” makeup trend is good for a divinely alien vibe, so don’t be afraid of highlighters in purple or blue shades as well.

Silenti

Type of vampires: True to their name, these are the silent undead, ghostly in demeanor and mysterious in their actions.  They live in the graveyards and lie in their crypts, still as the statues that guard them.  These vampires don’t show up as ‘characters’ very often, but most vampires you encounter in folklore will fit this type.

Makeup: I’m thinking of a neutral (not necessarily natural) monochrome pallet here.  Pick a shade in brown, bronze, beige, taupe or grey, preferably matte, then use it on your eyes, lips and cheeks.  Pinks are perhaps a bit too alive, but can work if they’re lilac toned.  There’s something eerie about a face without any blushy warmth, and the goal here is to look like a stone figure guarding a tomb.  Surprise people when you actually move!

Tombeur

Type of vampires: Seducers and sexual users, demon lovers and bride collectors.  Not the types for romance, but for corrupting, destructive seduction.  Think of the vampires in The Hunger, Frank Langella’s Dracula, or maybe somebody on True Blood or The Vampire Diaries (I haven’t seen either of those shows but it sounds like they would have someone like this.)

Makeup: Here is where you go all out with red lips and smokey or heavily lined eyes.  Don’t worry about looking cliche- there is no such thing as cliche for a vampire.  (Also, I own this perfume and it’s great, so be sure to wear it with this look if you have it.)

Transeo

Type of vampires: Vampires who have assimilated into society, sometimes as ordinary people and sometimes as great public figures with a dark secret.  The fact that I can’t think of any fictional examples right now is just proof of how good they are at hiding.

Makeup: On the surface you should look like a typical on-trend human, but there should be something very wrong peeking through.  Maybe you have perfectly contoured cheeks and winged eyeliner, but with red lips so glossy people can’t help wondering if it’s really cosmetic.  Fix your gloss frequently- you don’t want them to know it’s blood from your last feeding.  Smile mysteriously if anyone catches you.

Vespillo

Type of vampires: Mentors to young, confused fledgelings.  They are kind- as kind as a vampire can be, anyway- and care for their fellow monsters and the future of their species.  Carlisle Cullen qualifies, and there may be someone from the Vampire Chronicles who isn’t too self-obsessed and could do such a job.

Makeup: The words that come to my mind here are “perky goth”.  You’re a damned creature of the darkness, yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be friendly!  Black and pastel pink are your colors here, one for your eyes and one for your lips, and a little bit of glitter isn’t out of the question.