Divas Of Darkness: Barbara Crampton Transforms Into A Lonely Doll

Our beloved horror queen and makeup artist Brett Freedman present Barbara as a haunted doll!

By Brett Freedman · @BrettGlam · October 27, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT
divas-doll

Editor's Note: No tricks, just treats in store for you groovy ghoulies on this, the most Hallowed of weeks! Los Angeles makeup artist Brett Freedman has once again transformed our reigning queen of horror, Barbara Crampton, for Halloween. Last year we brought you the Divas of Darkness series, this year, Crampton and Freedman created three original characters and got extra creative with their glamorously ghoulish transformations. We've revealed Barbara as Zombie Sirène, today we bring you... Barbara as Lonely Doll!

Stay tuned as we reveal one more look ahead of Halloween. Take a look below for Barbara's Lonely Doll transformation, and a bit of behind-the-scenes from Barbara and Freedman. Take it away, Brett and Barbara!


We all know Barbara is a living doll -but what if she was a more, well, haunted version? The trick was to take Barbara's sunny demeanor and cast a dark cloud over it. To give the eyes a round, sadly expressionless vibe, I dropped the outer corners with white pencil eyeliner. I was going for a tear-drop-y, melted Precious Moments figurine shape.

Barbara Crampton Doll Halloween Makeup

I then doubled down on this sort of hound dog energy by blocking Barbara's eyebrows out completely. Enter the classic drag queen trick of using cake soap to de-bulk and flatten the brow hairs. I then gave a very Victorian whisp of a brow to mimic the flick of a doll maker's paintbrush.

Barbara Crampton Doll Halloween Makeup

To amp up the creep factor, I had her brows lilt upward, giving full-tilt boogie sadness. I added spiked strip lashes on top to give that wide-eyed dolly look. White eyeliner pencil on the waterline married the droop -giving a very glass-eyed appearance. Add a very wiggy wig, a lacy dress, and you're ready to be your own version of the American Ghoul doll!

Lonely Doll/Horror Queen/Icon Barbara Crampton, Photography and Glam by Brett Freedman, Styling by Emily Burnette, and Barbara’s BTS headshot byLesley Bohm.