Whether you call it the Twilight effect or a return to gothic glamour, there’s no denying that vampire chic is back for autumn. And with TV shows like True Blood and the Vampire Diaries making an impact on the small screen, and Eclipse mania hotting up, there’s no shortage of inspiration. On the red carpet too, the look is proving popular, with Megan Fox, Dita von Teese, and British socialite Peaches Geldof all working the dark lips and smoky eyes combo. Done well, the undead-look can be beautiful. Done wrong, however, and you’re in Marylin Manson impersonator territory. So how do you get it right? We asked Twilight head make-up artist and vampire-beauty expert Jeanne van Phue to show us how it’s done.

The woman responsible for making sure the Twilight vamps look flawless – regardless of late nights - Jeanne insists that good skincare is the route to perfect, pale vampire skin. “The key to creating any make-up look is taking care of your skin,” she says. “Don’t go to sleep with your make-up on, cleanse your skin thoroughly, use a toner and apply moisturiser before bed. Applying a foundation on flaky skin is unattractive and a patchy complexion doesn’t look vampy – it just looks unpleasant.” Use concealer to cover blemishes and dark circles and follow with a little foundation to ensure your skin looks pristine. Try Revlon Colour Stay Mineral Mousse Foundation, £6.99, for a natural look. “In creating the vampire look I was asked to keep them pale,” adds Jeanne. “I also used eye shadow on Rob Pattinson and lip colour, otherwise he would have looked very washed out. I also allowed some natural colour to come through the make-up on his cheeks. I used SKII Air Touch OP1 foundation and added highlighter on his brow and cheek bones to give him a more luminous look.”

“You have to bear in mind that there’s a fine line between vampy and gothic, especially when it comes to eye make-up,” comments MAC make-up artist Vimi Joshi. “Don’t make your smoky eye too messy and remember to use a little blush – that’s what will stop you looking like you really are one of the undead.” “Whether using powder or cream shadows on your eyes, you need to first apply a primer,” advises Jeanne. “This will keep the application of your shadow on longer and prevent the shadow from creasing. Apply ivory or bisque powder shadow such as Estee Lauder Pure Colour Eyeshadow in Vanilla, £15, as a base for the entire eyelid. In the crease lightly apply a natural light brown shadow and blend up to the brow bone. Next, apply black liquid eyeliner – try Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Caviar, £15 - over the shadow, and starting with a thin line from the inside corner of your eye; gradually thicken the line as you come to the outside corner of the eye. Add a thin line on the bottom lid, also close to the lash line before going over it with a dark brown or black eyeshadow. For added drama, line the inner rim of your eye with a soft textured black kohl pencil before coating lashes with black mascara such as MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara in Deepest Black, £12.50.”

“I used lipstick on all of our vampires, including Rob, Kellan and Jackon,” smiles Jeanne, “and it’s essential for this look or you run the risk of looking washed out. I used Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick in Ms. Behavin’, £13, mixed with lip balm, on them but for a really vampy look; try a dark red or plum like Chanel Rouge Coco in Rouge Noir, £21.50.” Start by lining lips with a pencil matching the colour you’re using. “Apply your lipstick on top and bottom,” says Jeanne, “then add a lighter colour in the centre of the lower lip .This will create the illusion of fuller lips.” Finally, add a little blush but as Jeanne emphasises, you need to keep it pale. “I didn’t use blush on the Twilight vampires,” she says, “because they had to look pale and bloodless. If you’re going to use it, make it a pale pink or peach on the apple of your cheek and blend out and up into the temple.” Try MAC Powder Blush in Pinch O’ Peach, £16.50. Make sure you use it sparingly though; the contrast between the pale skin and darker blush can make you look a bit clownish if you’re not careful.