The castle was on fire, the invitation card was illegible only when viewed in a mirror, and the hostess with a &quot;deer head&quot; greeted guests – and that was just a small part of the bizarre Rothschild ball.

Even though half a century has passed, whenever Halloween arrives, fashion enthusiasts still reminisce about the &quot;Rothsbury Ball 1972.&quot; More than just a lavish ball, it was the birthplace of groundbreaking makeup looks. Let&#39;s journey back in time and decipher how people before us painted their faces to stand out this Halloween season.

A strange ball at Ferrières Castle

When discussing lavish parties of the 20th century, one cannot fail to mention Le Dîner de Têtes, hosted by the Rothschild family in 1972 at Château de Ferrières – the most magnificent mansion in France at the time. Since the late 1950s, it had been a familiar gathering place for European aristocracy, Hollywood stars, renowned artists, and leading fashion designers. Behind this extraordinary event was Marie-Hélène de Rothschild – a wealthy socialite renowned for her passion for art and surrealism. With the support of her husband, Baron Guy de Rothschild, and the guidance of the master painter Salvador Dalí, she transformed the castle into a dreamlike and fantastical space.

To attend the party, guests must first solve a riddle about the dress code. The invitation stated the dress code concisely: &quot;Black tie, long dresses &amp; surrealist heads.&quot; All the text was reversed, requiring guests to hold the invitation up to a mirror to read the message. Hostess Marie-Hélène de Rothschild perfectly captured the spirit of the party with a gigantic deer head adorned with real diamond teardrops. Meanwhile, the iconic beauty Audrey Hepburn presented a unique look by framing her face in an elaborate birdcage. Baron Alexis de Redé toyed with the visual senses by layering four masks on top of each other, embellished with bizarre beetle details.

Some people covered their faces with a green apple, just like in René Magritte&#39;s painting *The Son of Man*; others boldly donned a collage of fragmented Mona Lisa paintings. As for advisor Salvador Dalí, he appeared with a bare face because, for him, his expressions and famous beard were already surrealist works of art. Through their own creativity, the host and guests transformed the evening into a historic commemorative event – ​​a party of surreal faces.

What kind of painting can become surreal?

Surrealist makeup isn&#39;t simply about beautifying; it&#39;s an art form that breaks down the natural structure of the face. This style favors visual illusions or recreating iconic paintings from masters like Salvador Dalí or Pablo Picasso. If you want to try this bold style this Halloween, here are some of the best looks to give it a try:

Melting Face

This layout uses sophisticated contouring and highlighting techniques, combined with undulating lines to create the illusion of skin melting or gliding down the neck. To achieve this melting effect, first, use a nude or white eyeliner to sketch out the outline. Then, use a darker contouring powder to fill in around the curves. For added realism, use a cotton swab dipped in liquid glue and apply it along the outlines of the water droplets you&#39;ve sketched. Apply a thin layer of tissue paper over it, wait for it to dry, and repeat 2-3 times. Once completely dry, apply foundation to match your skin tone. Use highlighter or white paint to accentuate the highest points of the dripping skin droplets to create a plump, fluid-like effect.

Cubism

Inspired by Picasso&#39;s style of painting, this layout requires the use of black eyeliner or eye pencil to divide the face into sections or shapes such as triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, and intersecting lines. Using lines, you can &quot;shift&quot; the senses on your face, for example, drawing one eye down to the cheek, the lip down to the chin, or obscuring one eye to create a messy look. For a simpler approach, just emphasize the eyes and lips by applying false eyelashes backwards or lipstick to one side.

Multiple Features

As the name suggests, the face is transformed into a multidimensional entity by doubling or tripling features such as eyes, lips, or even the entire face, creating a terrifying and haunting visual effect. This type of makeup requires artistic talent because it demands highly detailed work. The process begins with using a light brown eyebrow pencil or a fine brush to dab brown eyeshadow to mark the &quot;cloned&quot; areas. Typically, makeup artists will place the new eye or lip lines parallel, staggered, or slightly overlapping the real features. The spacing between the fake parts should match the real spacing to create a visually cluttered effect. A small note: work from larger areas of color to smaller details. Wait for the previous layer of color to dry completely before applying another layer of eyeshadow or eyeliner to avoid smudging.

2D illusion

For anime and manga enthusiasts, the 2D Illusion style is definitely a must-try for transforming yourself into characters straight out of the comics. Treat your face like a blank canvas by applying a thick layer of foundation, then use sharp black eyeliner to outline bold, dashed lines and create simulated shadows. Your entire face will then be completely &quot;2D-ified,&quot; looking just like a moving comic book frame in real life.

Copying a work of art

A more classic approach is to reproduce famous works of art. This could involve recreating Dalí&#39;s melting clocks, floating clouds, or Leonardo da Vinci&#39;s Mona Lisa. In this way, these ancient masterpieces will have a chance to &quot;come back to life&quot; during the festival. The key to this type of face painting is using specialized face paint instead of regular cosmetics, as cosmetics tend to smudge and don&#39;t show up properly. When doing it, simply use a pencil to outline the frame first, then paint the larger areas as a base, and only then use a fine brush to add details.

Surreal Halloween Makeup Inspired by the 1972 Rothschild Ball

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