It's "Dark Feminine" Fall, and This Iconic (Yet Unlikely) Film Has So Much Beauty Inspo

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Beetlejuice is, in fact, a beauty movie. It may not have perfect sorority girl hairstyles, an iconic nail salon scene, or massive Clinique product placement like Legally Blonde. But when it comes to the impact that its main character had on some of us fashionable goth girlies, Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz is right up there with Elle Woods. With her spiky, gelled-down fringe, ghostly pallor (the one moment when the wrong foundation shade totally works), and funeral-ready threads, Lydia has been inspiring fellow “strange and unusual” girlies for over 35 years.

But she's not alone—we've also found unlikely beauty icons in her artsy redhead stepmother, Delia Deetz, the stunning blue-skinned receptionist Miss Argentina, and, of course, the party poltergeist himself, Beetlejuice. (It’s no wonder that makeup artist Ve Neill won the Oscar for the film!) In the recently released sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, our favorite characters (along with new ones) continue to inspire our beauty routines from the underworld. If you’ve got a supernatural urge to cut bangs, the film’s hair and makeup department head, Christine Blundell, updated Lydia’s trademark fringe to look a little more modern and grown (yet still very goth).

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(Image credit: Parisa Taghizadeh)

Though you may not want the same pale and moldy complexion as Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice look, his signature black-and-white stripes and green hair could easily be incorporated into eye shadow looks or nail art. Switch up your hair color this fall and go Delia Deetz red. As for Astrid, Lydia’s daughter, played by Jenna Ortega, there isn’t too much to copy except good skin. She wore next to no makeup, but was still pampered with “nice creams.” (Sadly, there isn’t any info available on Ortega’s skincare routine during the shoot.)

Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

(Image credit: Parisa Taghizadeh)

With Halloween coming up, there are quite a few looks from the film to try and replicate (especially the stitched-up skin of Delores, the soul-sucking jilted bride played by Monica Belluci). But on an average day, there are still tons of ways to add a bit of Beetlejuice to your beauty routine, thanks to various brand collaborations. Nyx released an incredible 12-piece, limited-edition Beetlejuice Beetlejuice collection, while Glamnetics came out with five styles of Beetlejuice-inspired press-on nails. Secret Deodorant even partnered with the film on a spot highlighting Secret Whole Body Deodorant’s odor-fighting powers in the afterlife. (Though I would have killed for some sort of Beetlejuice-themed deodorant. Sandworm Spice? Peach Possession? It's not too late, deodorant gods!)

Keep reading to see which Beetlejuiced-themed beauty products and accessories to add to your cart ASAP. Say goodbye to "brat summer," because it’s time for "Beetlejuice fall."

Marie Lodi
Freelance Beauty and Fashion Writer/Editor

Marie has covered beauty, fashion, and lifestyle for almost 15 years. She contributes to the beauty section here atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing . Previously, she was the Looks Editor for Bust Magazine, built the beauty vertical at HelloGiggles as its beauty editor, and was a founding staff writer at Rookie mag, giving fashion advice to teens. Her bylines have appeared in The Cut, Allure, Glamour, The Hollywood Reporter, and more. She was born and raised in Southern California and is based in L.A. Marie is a self-proclaimed costume design nerd and a co-host of Makeover Montage, a podcast about fashion in film and costume design. You'll see her writing about her beauty obsessions: red lipstick, winged eyeliner, pink hair, nail art, and skincare for people over 40. When she's not working, she's playing with her dog, Gnocchi, and writing her style newsletter, Overdressed.