Halloween 2026 Trends: The Costumes, Makeup and Party Ideas Taking Over Social Media
Somewhere tonight, someone is hot-gluing a costume together and filming the whole messy process for TikTok. Halloween lands on Saturday, and Halloween 2026 trends are moving fast. Your feed is probably full of them already.
The Costumes Everyone’s Searching For
Google’s annual Frightgeist report says horror movie characters, TV and movie favorites, and country legends top the costume charts, with a few out-of-the-box ideas mixed in, including stress balls. Yes, really. Retail data tells a more traditional story. Spider-Man leads the kids’ rankings, with 4.6 million children expected to wear him, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Pets are in on it too, with pumpkins, hot dogs and ghosts the most popular picks.
Makeup and the Rise of “AI Halloween”
Makeup is where the real and the digital blur. One AI-tool company’s trend roundup says people are posting AI-generated portraits, Halloween filters and makeup transformations. Treat that as a signal, not hard data, since the source sells the tools. Last year’s social media coverage found the winning formula was simple. People were encouraged to wear something they could take from or add to their everyday wardrobe or makeup kit. That logic still fits a year when prices are on everyone’s mind.
Party Ideas Blowing Up Right Now
Food and effects are doing the heavy lifting. “Witches brew punch” is the top trending Halloween drink, and searches for “cauldron crock pot” are at an all-time high. “How to make a bubbling cauldron” is a breakout search, and the yearly spike in “where can I buy dry ice” is back. Movie nights are leaning nostalgic. “Gothic horror movies” and “mascot horror movies” are this year’s top trending horror searches.
Why It Matters: Halloween Is Big Business
The NRF expects Americans to spend $13.5 billion this year, up from last year’s record $13.1 billion. Costumes lead at $4.4 billion, ahead of decorations at $4.3 billion and candy at $4.1 billion. Shoppers are being careful, though. Discount stores are the top destination, at 39%. Another 23% are shopping early to spread out their spending. NRF’s Allison Zeller says people still treat Halloween as a priority, but with affordability in mind.
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