History Main / UncannyValleyMakeup

Bonus points if the person is wearing an old fashioned PimpedOutDress, a frivolous multicolored outfit, or an all black outfit. Or they may also dress in a skimpy outfit that was intended purely for {{Fanservice}}. Even more bonus points if worn by a CreepyCrossdresser.

* Music/GaryNuman, with his "android from outer space" persona similar to the aforementioned Klaus Nomi, had this look during his Tubeway Army and early solo years.

* Musixc/PJHarvey donned this look for her 1995 album ''Music/ToBringYouMyLove'', sporting blue eyeshadow and red lipstick. After denying that the makeup was inspired by either drag makeup, Kabuki theatre or performance art, she described it as "Creator/JoanCrawford on acid".

*** Speaking of Japan, for over a thousand years(surviving in some form from 250 AD to 1870 AD) it was fashionable for women to dye their teeth pitch black. Westerners who saw this practice thought that women were intentionally making themselves uglier to prevent infidelity.

Bonus points if the person is wearing an old fashioned PimpedOutDress, a frivolous multicolored outfit, or an all black outfit. Or they may also dress in a skimpy outfit that was intended purely for {{Fanservice}}.

* Any attempt at bleaching dark skin usually has this effect. Instead of a natural caramel or honey complexion, the cream washes out ''all'' color from the skin, and the end result tends to be unnervingly pale and corpse-like. One of the less controversial uses of bleaching creams is to even out skin ravaged by vitiligo (as was the case with Music/MichaelJackson), leaving afflicted people in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" position.

** Creator/JaredLeto in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' uses this to emphasize his sociopathic MonsterClown look.
*** What's particularly notable about Leto's Joker is his lack of eyebrows… but yet, unlike eyebrow-less animated characters, such as [[WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians Pitch Black]], Joker's face ''still moves as though he has eyebrows'', which ''majorly'' creeps some viewers out.

* ''Film/Batman1989'' - Jack Napier as the Joker wears makeup over his white skin that doesn't have the depth or shading of real skin and gives him a creepy mannequin look, not to mention the fact that his permanent grin-like disfigurement is still easily visible beneath it.

* Creator/HeathLedger plays the Joker in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' and has his face painted in such a way to emphasis his GlasgowGrin and makes it appear that his makeup is peeling/dripping off.

* ComicBook/TheJoker (as played by Creator/JaredLeto) in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' uses this to emphasis his sociopathic MonsterClown look.
** What's particularly notable about Leto's Joker is his lack of eyebrows… but yet, unlike eyebrow-less animated characters, such as [[WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians Pitch Black]], Joker's face ''still moves as though he has eyebrows'', which ''majorly'' creeps some viewers out.

* Spray tans have been known to produce this effect, creating a [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation strange orange skin tone]] not unlike the [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Oompa-Loompas]] mentioned above under {{Film}}. See Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi from ''Series/JerseyShore'', US Representative John Boehner (R-OH), and President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump for examples.

* Ganguro.

* ''Film/Batman1989'' - Jack Napier as the Joker wears makeup over his white skin that doesn't have the depth or shading of real skin and gives him a creepy mannequin look.

* An example occurs in ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' when the host club dresses as women to cheer up Haruhi. They wear makeup that is hilariously overdone, wigs, and gaudy dresses. Likewise, every [[{{Takarazuka}} production]] done by the Zuka club features a lot of this. Likely this is because most of the characters already look like that...

* In ''Anime/TenchiInTokyo'', Ryoko applies makeup to herself ''by the pound''. The result is her face looking so creepy and silly looking that her rival [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Ayeka]] all but pisses herself with laughter at the sight of it.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': In ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'', Magrat goes overboard on powder and mascara when going out to rescue Nanny Ogg from the Duke's dungeons, and is described as looking like "two flies that had crashed into a sugar bowl". She also leaves a guard tempted to make a sign to "ward off the evil eyeshadow".

Depending on the circumstances this trope can be considered a good source of NightmareFuel, FetishFuelm or FanDisservice.

Depending on the circumstances this trope can be considered a good source of NightmareFuel or FanDisservice.

* Music/LadyGaga, at least in the early years.

This is disconcerting enough even if accidentally incurred in an honest effort to achieve [[StepfordSmiler perfection]] - if a character cultivates UncannyValleyMakeup ''on purpose'', like the semantic colors on a venomous snake, be on the alert for serious, premeditated creepiness.

!!Examples

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]

[[folder: Film]]
* Queen Narissa from ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'', especially in her live-action form.

* In ''Film/ShaolinSoccer'', the hero's love interest [[UnnecessaryMakeover tries getting a makeover to look prettier]]... [[GlamourFailure but it fails spectacularly]], with excessively heavy makeup and a huge EightiesHair wig.

* Creator/MarkHamill had just suffered a car wreck before the shooting of ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial''. To hide his facial scars- [[https://sfzone1-legalbrandmarket.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Holiday-Luke.png AAARGH! SEND IT TO HELL!]]
* Creator/NataliePortman's makeup in ''Film/BlackSwan''.

* In Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/EscapeFromLA'', Creator/BruceCampbell plays the Surgeon General of Beverly Hills, a man obsessed with achieving physical perfection through plastic surgery. The prosthetic makeup he wears for the part -- sculpted cheekbones, a thinner nose, a squarer jaw, visible hairplugs -- makes the character look more like an animated mannequin than anything else.
* [[EnfantTerrible Blithe]] in ''Film/TheSitter''.
* The matchmaker's makeup in ''Disney/{{Mulan}}''. It falls even more in the UncannyValley after Mulan causes trouble.

* The Dee Dee twins from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker''.
* ''Film/Batman1989'' - Jack Napier as the Joker wears makeup over his white skin that doesn't have the depth or shading of real skin and gives him a creepy mannequin look.
* As mentioned in Literature, Effie Trinket from ''Film/TheHungerGames.'' The contrast between her and the residents of District 12 at the reaping scene is unsettling.
* Divine in ''Film/PinkFlamingos''. Her character's charming personality isn't helping things, either...
* ComicBook/TheJoker (as played by Creator/JaredLeto) in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' uses this to emphasis his sociopathic MonsterClown look.
** What's particularly notable about Leto's Joker is his lack of eyebrows…but yet, unlike eyebrow-less animated characters, such as [[WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians Pitch Black]], Joker's face ''still moves as though he has eyebrows'', which ''majorly'' creeps some viewers out.
* Creator/HeathLedger plays The Joker in Film/TheDarkKnight and has his face painted in such a way to emphasis his GlasgowGrin and makes it appear that his makeup is peeling/dripping off.
* ''Everyone'' in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGBZnfB46es "Find the Fish" segment]] of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife''.
* In ''Film/DaftPunksElectroma'', this is the unfortunate result of the main characters' attempt to [[BecomeARealBoy Become Real Boys]]. The prosthetics might have even worked, were they not applied over Music/DaftPunk's [[CoolHelmet signature helmets]], which made the faces way too large and obviously fake. Also, the bit where they [[BodyHorror melted under the heat of the sun]] really didn't help.

* YourMakeUpIsRunning causes this trope in the railroad car scene of ''Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe''. Laura and Ronette's smeared and melting lipstick and eyeliner makes them look like terrified clowns, and the result adds to the horror of the scene.
* In ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast2017'', the pre-transformation prince in the prologue has his face completely caked with powder and makeup and looks garish and creepy as a result. When he transforms back into a human at the end of the film sans makeup, he looks ''much'' better.

[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'', Count Olaf has a group of henchmen that help do his bidding. In his group, there are two women, with white powder all over their faces, and they are never depicted without the face powder.

* In ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'', Magrat goes overboard on powder and mascara when going out to rescue Nanny Ogg from the Duke's dungeons, and is described as looking like "two flies that had crashed into a sugar bowl". She also leaves a guard tempted to make a sign to "ward off the evil eyeshadow".

* In ''Literature/BridgeOfBirds'', this is apparently the standard of beauty - among the [[LongList many, many preparations]] Li Kao claims a beautiful woman makes every morning are "checks to make sure that her makeup has hardened into an immovable mask" and "looks into the mirror for any visible sign of humanity, and is relieved to find none".

* Queen Beatrix of ''Literature/CounselorsAndKings'' is already a CloudCuckooLander with an often disturbing LackOfEmpathy, but the whole effect is ''not'' helped by her habit of wearing white wigs, heavy white makeup, and thick eyeshadow, lending her the appearance of an automaton or a reanimated corpse (and behind her back, it's often gossiped that she's forgotten she ''isn't'' one of those options). In the third book, she's explicitly noted to look both younger and more beautiful without her makeup [[spoiler: though even that is an illusion]].
* In the ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' book ''The Haunted School'', Tommy's classmate Talia is bullied because she wears a huge amount of makeup that makes her look unnatural and even creepy (they are only twelve years old.) It turns out that [[spoiler:she escaped from the colorless world and is completely gray from head to foot, so she uses the makeup to hide her real appearance.]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'' has Papa Lazarou. His face really is black and white like a minstrel, and he has to paint over it with makeup to appear normal. Well as normal as a demonic, polygamist blackface minstrel who runs a CircusOfFear, can look anyway. Papa learned the makeup skills to cover his minstrel face from his various wives.
* The porcelain doll look is used to a fantastic effect in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrtQCCT8kpk this advert]] for ''Series/EastEnders''.
* Mimi Bobeck (played by Kathy Kinney) from ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' frequently wore more makeup than was [[strike: necessary]] healthy for the proper brain functioning of those around her.
** Taken up a notch when special guest star Tammy Faye Bakker would play Mimi's mother, Tammy Bobeck, for two episodes.
** This was a running gag for a long, long time. One episode had her recovering from skin damage to her face and unable to wear makeup. Instead, she covered her face with a fan until she could get sat down and set up a small projector to shine strongly colored light on her face to replicate the effect of her normal makeup.
** Another episode had a followup to the earlier "Mini Mimi" gag where the woman she hired for the prank reveals that she kept the look afterward because it gave her Mimi's KavorkaMan powers.
** And of course, the cherry on this joke sundae is that the one time we see Mimi actually do makeup for another person, she does a very tasteful and restrained job. And of course, what department in the store did she first apply for? Cosmetics.

* ''Series/ToddlersAndTiaras'': The excessive makeup that includes heavy eyeshadow, unnatural blush, fake lashes, and fake tan is especially unsettling since the girls of the show don't pass from the age of 10. This, combined with AgeInappropriateDress is the reason why many people criticize the show and many others watch it due to morbid curiosity.
* In ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', the makeup that makes Barney look fat ([[UnreliableNarrator possibly just Ted's imagination,]] we'll never know) is positively horrifying. Just take a [[http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2681/4093917491_6ed4727370_z.jpg look]].

** The makeup that's worn by the Sisterhood of Karn.
** Worn as part of Gallifreyan formal wear in "The Deadly Assassin" - a whitish lipstick, pearlized white powder on the brows and cheekbones. Notably, [[MakeupIsEvil more sympathetic characters are not shown wearing it]].
** Used as literally as possible in "The Robots of Death", where everyone, male and female, wears makeup to make their faces resemble the RaygunGothic robots of the setting - beings that cause UncannyValley in-universe. In particular, a delusional man who identifies with robots paints his face to more closely resemble the stylised faces of the robots - literally using makeup to make himself resemble a being that causes an in-universe uncanny valley effect.
** Helen A imposes this on all the citizens of Terra Alpha as part of her StepfordSmiler dictatorship in the story"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol The Happiness Patrol]]".
** Tasha Lem's makeup in "Time of the Doctor".
** Done intentionally with the actresses playing the Weeping Angels, to make them look *really* creepy. It works.
* ''Series/TheItCrowd'' has one character who Roy says puts on so much makeup that when he breaks up with her will be like breaking up with ComicBook/TheJoker. They show her and his description seems accurate, especially when she starts crying and her makeup gets smeared.

* Endora of ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' wears far too much makeup, especially for a woman her age.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Music]]

[[folder: Web Comics]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

[[folder: Real Life]]
* Theater makeup, when seen up close, can have this effect. Since the purpose is to make it easier to read facial expressions from a distance, it often heavily emphasizes the eyes, mouth, and cheekbones. Even the most diplomatic of people would have to say a stage actor up close looks a little overdone, and this only applies to the most standard look. Any time makeup is used to certain effects, such as making a young actor look older, invoking an animal-like look (see ''Theatre/{{Cats}}'' or ''Film/BlackSwan''), or deliberately going Uncanny Valley to make a performer look like a corpse, puppet, etc., the creepy effect can be multiplied tenfold.

* Creator/MarkHamill had just suffered a car wreck before the shooting of ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial''. To hide his facial scars- [[http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i212/Kerrah_photos/vlcsnap-2009-11-18-16h30m48s15.png AAARGH! SEND IT TO HELL!]]

Depending on the circumstances this trope can be considered a good source of NightmareFuel, FetishFuel, or FanDisservice.

Generally, people use cosmetics to make themselves more attractive. A little extra colour or definition can make a world of difference. In the wrong hands, however, or taken too far, that dab of lipstick, powder and paint can push a person straight into the UncannyValley. The human face disappears into the make-up, leaving something profoundly unnatural: a [[MonsterClown clown]], a [[CreepyDoll porcelain doll]], or a something just plain [[{{Gonk}} grotesque]].

See also MakeUpIsEvil, CosmeticCatastrophe, ImpossiblyTackyClothes and ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow.

* Done for laughs (though very slightly dramatic) in ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' when Eureka tries make up.

* ''Film/TheWarriors''. The very, er, colourful gang colours give it a {{camp}} quality in hindsight.

* In ''Literature/BridgetJones' Diary'' Bridget goes out partying with a "[[WithFriendsLikeThese friend]]" who is always able to bring down her self-esteem with cutting remarks, and ends up convinced that she is horribly prematurely aging. As a result, the next time she goes out she spends ages applying lots and lots of makeup, to the point that when she arrives her friend Tom tells her she looks like Barbara Cartland.

** Another episode had a followup to the earlier "Mini Mimi" gag where the woman she hired for the prank reveals that she kept the look afterwards because it gave her Mimi's KavorkaMan powers.

* ''Series/ToddlersAndTiaras'': The excessive make up that includes heavy eyeshadow, unnatural blush, fake lashes and a fake tan is specially unsettling since the girls of the show don't pass from the age of 10. This, combined with AgeInappropriateDress is the reason why many people criticize the show and many others watch it due to morbid curiosity.

** The makeup worn by the Sisterhood of Karn.
** Worn as part of Gallifreyan formal wear in "The Deadly Assassin" - a whitish lipstick, pearlised white powder on the brows and cheekbones. Notably, [[MakeupIsEvil more sympathetic characters are not shown wearing it]].

* An audio example in AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho's "Jubilee" - Miriam insists that the purpose of women is to cover themselves in makeup and look colourful for the men. She herself is convinced she's really ugly and that looking 'like a sow rolled in cosmetics' is the best that she can hope for.

** At least two episodes feature Helga's older sister Olga break down crying so much tears that her makeup runs down her face and it looks like she's [[YourMakeupIsRunning crying black tears]].

* One late episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' had the VillainOfTheWeek , "Mask Scara," fly around giving horribly trashy makeovers to everyone in Townsville as well as some of the billboards. Not as uncanny when it's supposed to be funny, but still really, really ugly. In fact, according to her backstory, she used to be CEO of a cosmetics company that promoted a look like this, and it was a fad for a while, but she thought it would last more than it did, and after the fad became passé, she was out of business.)

* Theater makeup when seen up close can have this effect. Since the purpose is to make it easier to read facial expressions from a distance, it often heavily emphasizes the eyes, mouth, and cheekbones. Even the most diplomatic of people would have to say a stage actor up close looks a little overdone, and this only applies to the most standard look. Any time makeup is used to certain effect, such as making a young actor look older, invoking an animal-like look (see ''Theatre/{{Cats}}'' or ''Film/BlackSwan''), or deliberately going Uncanny Valley to make a performer look like a corpse, puppet, etc., the creepy effect can be multiplied tenfold.

* Some more ValuesDissonance examples: Heavy makeup for women was especially popular in TheRoaringTwenties, TheFifties, and TheEighties. Usually ladies from these eras were tactful in their application of cosmetics, but at times they overdid it. This was especially the case with actresses who were playing characters in historical movies set ''long'' before the advent of mass-marketed cosmetics.

* Many makeup artists on Instagram try to go out of their way to avoid this and look as natural as possible. But trends such as advanced contouring, overlined pouty lips, heavily filled eyebrows in a perfectly angled shape, and RealIsBrown neutrals applied to all skintones, tend to have this effect anyway.

** Worse is when you try to make yourself look like a character that simply doesn't have human facial proportions to begin with. As is the case with thishttps://youtu.be/jXYzf0-H3EA?t=343 Sonic the Hedgehog.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' - Tina falls in with the new girl at school, who insists on makeovers. She puts a lot of makeup on the two of them in the girl's room - when they step outside, the two Pesto brothers see them and yell "AAAA! Bathroom clowns!"

[[folder: Other]]
* [[http://www.cracked.com/article_18867_5-creepy-ways-humans-are-plunging-into-uncanny-valley.html According to Paul K Pickett of]] ''Website/{{Cracked}}'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eoljjang an internet trend among Korean girls]] of experimenting with cosmetics and digital manipulation in order to achieve their "best face".
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/{{Batman}}'' - Jack Napier as the Joker wears makeup over his white skin that doesn't have the depth or shading of real skin and gives him a creepy mannequin look.