Tough guy Samuel L. Jackson's glamour tips!

The Spirit baddie The Octopus, Sam picked up make up tips from sexy costar Scarlett Johansson.

The two thesp shared a makeup trailer and the two coordinated cosmetics.  Sam even borrowed Scar Jo's luminous eye shadow to enhance his uber-scary visage.

"In the mornings I'd see her putting eye shadow on, and I'd say, 'I need some of that.'" Jackson confided.

"I showed off what we did to (director) Frank Miller, and he said, 'I like it.'"

POP FYI: In The Spirit comics creator Will Eisner never showed The Octopus' face -- ever!