How to Draw Whiskers on Your Face

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 26, 2020 References Tested

Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy costume option or are just having some fun at home, drawing whiskers on your face is a simple thing you can do on your own. They’re the base for the famous cat-look that so many people love to wear for parties, but you could also transform yourself into a dog, mouse, or other whiskered creature! This look takes just a few minutes to create, and you could add a few extra touches for an even more glamorous effect.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting up Your Workspace

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Buy black face paint that is safe for you to use on your skin. You definitely don’t want to end up with a red, irritated face after drawing on your whiskers! Look for skin-safe paints at your local craft store, or search online for something you can have delivered to your home.^{[1]
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- Be sure to choose paints that are non-toxic and free of parabens and formaldehyde.
- Look for paints that are colored with natural pigments instead of chemical dyes.
- Water-based paints are the safest for you to use on your skin.
- If you don’t have paints or don’t want to buy them for this project, you could also use an eyeliner pencil or a marker, just as long as it’s the kind that can be removed with soap and water.
Warning: Don’t use acrylic, watercolor, oil, or any other paints that aren’t specifically made to be used on skin. They might irritate your skin or leave behind a residue after you wipe it off.^{[2]
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2
Get a thin, round paintbrush and a glass of water to use with your paint. Most face paints need to be activated with water, so you’ll need a small cup at your workstation. If you don’t have a paintbrush, you could also use a small makeup brush—just make sure to clean it well afterward.^{[3]
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- If you’re using an eyeliner pencil, you can skip this step. You won’t need anything else except some wipes or paper towels in case you make a mistake and need to start over.
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3
Position yourself in front of a mirror so it’s easier to see your work. You could try drawing whiskers on your face without looking, but the results may be pretty hilarious! Instead, do your work in the bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere there’s a mirror.^{[4]
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- Working in the bathroom may be your best bet because you’ll have easy access to water if you need it to clean up any mistakes.
- Good lighting will also really help you with your task. Turn on the overhead lights, open windows to get in some natural light, or use a lamp if you need to.
4
Hold your hair back with a headband so it doesn’t get in the way. It’s best to style your hair after drawing the whiskers on your face so that you don’t have to worry about working around it. If you don’t have a headband, use bobby pins or a hair tie to pull your hair back.
- Keeping your hair out of the way will also prevent it from accidentally getting into the face paint!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating the Look

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Paint an upside-down triangle on the tip of your nose. Adding a special nose to your face painting will make it look more detailed. Use your paint or pencil to draw the upside-down triangle and then fill it in so that your skin doesn’t show through. You could also extend the top corners out to the edge of your nose on either side.^{[5]
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- Make a smaller, cute nose by drawing a small heart on the tip of your nose instead of a triangle.
Tip: If you’re planning on wearing makeup along with your whiskers, apply your foundation and concealer first. Otherwise, you’d have a very hard time putting on your makeup without smudging your whiskers.^{[6]
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2
Draw a straight line from the tip of the triangle to the top of your lip. This creates a natural divide between the 2 halves of your face, which will make your whiskers look more symmetrical. Plus, it’ll make your face look more like an animal once you've drawn on your whiskers.^{[7]
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- Do your best to make the line thin and straight. If it gets too crooked, wipe it off and try again. You want to make it as neat as possible.
3
Add 6-10 small whisker dots between your nose and upper lip. On either side of the line you just drew, use your paint or eyeliner pencil to add several dots. These are your whisker dots, and they help you look more polished—plus they’re fun to put in place!^{[8]
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- It’s okay if the dots are different sizes or don’t perfectly mirror the ones on the other side.
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Draw 3-4 angled lines from the whisker dots upward to create whiskers. Vary the length of each whisker, making each of them somewhere between 2 to 3 inches (51 to 76 mm) long. You may want to smile first to pull your skin a little tighter before drawing on the whiskers.^{[9]
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- The whiskers don’t have to touch the whisker dots, and they might look better if they don’t! Try drawing whiskers both ways to see which you prefer.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Adding Extra Touches

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Make your eyes pop by creating a defined cat eye with black eyeliner. Start at the inner corner of your eye and draw a line of black liner along your upper eyelid. Extend the end of the liner out past your eyelid and slant it upward toward the outer edge of your eyebrow.^{[10]
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- Liquid eyeliner will work better for this step. If all you have is a pencil, sharpen it before so you can draw a fine, detailed line.
- You could also use your face paint for this, but be careful to not get it into your eyes.
2
Use red or pink lipstick to make your lips stand out. Lots of animals have pink lips, and making yours match is a cute way to add another layer to your look. You could also make your upper lip darker than your lower lip for a look that stands out even more.^{[11]
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- You could choose any color of lipstick you like. It’s fun to be creative and see how different colors change the feel of your outfit and makeup. Black lips could be fun and daring, white lips would be unique and eye-catching, and purple lips may be playful and fun.
- If you decided to be a mouse, try painting your top lip black and using white paint to draw 2 big teeth on your bottom lip.
- For a dog costume, add a cute tongue hanging out of your mouth. Draw a half-oval over your bottom lip and chin with pink paint and give it a black outline so it stands out.
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Add glitter to your nose and cheeks for a shimmery effect. Make sure to use cosmetic grade glitter so that it won’t irritate your skin or hurt your eyes if it accidentally falls in. Use a clean paintbrush or makeup brush to dust your cheekbones and the tip of your nose with glitter. You could also line your whiskers with glitter or even add some to your hair for a fun, sparkly look.^{[12]
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- White or black glitter would look complimentary with your look, but colored glitter could provide a fun twist, too.
4
Finish your ensemble with a cute pair of animal ears. Whether you’re a cat, dog, mouse, or some other whiskered creature, you should be able to find ears at a party supply or Halloween-supply store. You could also order them online and may even be able to get a matching tail!^{[13]
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- Instead of buying a pair of ears, you could put long hair up in space buns to mimic ears on either side of your head.
- You could also paint ears over your eyebrows. For a mouse, paint gray semi-circles with a pink center or create cat ears with triangles. You could paint drooping ears down along your cheeks or give yourself a painted black eye to look more like a dog.

Warnings

Be sure to use water-based paints because oil-based ones could irritate or stain your skin.^{[14]
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Make sure to use cosmetic grade glitter—normal craft glitter could be irritating or harmful if it gets in your eyes or mouth.^{[15]
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