The clean girl aesthetic is out: Beauty now embraces fearless looks with bold colours, glitter, and gemstone accents
“Make-up is just fashion for your face” – Doniella Davy, make-up artist, head of Euphoria’s make-up department, and founder of Half Magic
The Rise of Emotional Make-up: Between Glitters and Self-Expression
Nearly five years have passed since HBO’s Emmy-Award-Winning series Euphoria showcased make-up as a tool for storytelling, a hyper-visual lens that amplifies emotions.
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Rue (Zendaya) cried glitter; the prismatic shades of blue and purple beneath her eyes, like shimmering tears in the dark, visually narrated her inner turmoil and struggles with the world around her. Meanwhile, we also sensed that Jules (Hunter Schafer) was about to take a new turn when we saw those iridescent red-framed eyes, marking a stark departure from her previous magically innocent looks. The make-up was both beautiful and reflective of each character’s specific arc.
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“Make-up represents not only who we are, but also who we feel like being on any given day, who we need to be that day for our own emotional survival, or who we aspire to be,” Euphoria’s head make-up artist, Doniella Davy, said.
Also known as Donni Davy, she has had a profound influence on modern make-up artistry, bringing emotional and expressive styles into the mainstream. Her looks, often featuring sequins, glitters, sharp eyeliner, and vibrant eyeshadows, have successfully bridged the gap between the fantasy of fashion or runway make-up and everyday life.
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Whether it’s the iconic Pressed Fairy Dust by Glitterpuck and a cascade of rhinestones adorning the face of model and influencer Emira D’Spain, or the sparkling duochromes and coloured gemstone embellishments framing the eyes, Donni Davy has inspired make-up lovers to embrace the fantastical, encouraging a bold and imaginative approach to self-expression. The rich, jewel-toned hues and unapologetic application of glitter aren’t just for fashion runways—they have become a compelling way to express individuality. Make-up is as integral to the narrative as clothing.
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From Virtual Realities to Real Mermaids: Can the New Creative Beauty Wave Blur the Boundaries of Fantasy?
The seamless fusion of fashion, jewellery, and make-up reached new heights at Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Spring/Summer 2023 haute couture show, where guest Doja Cat stunned the audience by transforming into a living sculpture adorned with 30,000 crimson Swarovski crystals. “Doja’s sublime patience during the 4 hours and 58 minutes it took to craft the look was inspiring,” stated make-up artist Pat McGrath, who created the artist’s beauty look.
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Digital culture is fuelling the evolution of this trend, with designers and make-up artists incorporating elements from virtual worlds. Marika D’Auteuil, a renowned make-up artist who goes by the username @lapetitevengeance on Instagram, has recently made waves in the beauty industry with her latest venture, Illusory Beauty (@illusorybeauty). This collection of AI-generated image galleries highlights her distinctive take on beauty, blending advanced technology with make-up artistry to redefine creative possibilities.
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A new cohort of AI make-up artists is exploring the intersection of the virtual universe and the physical world with mesmerising beauty looks that evoke a sense of futuristic fantasy. These digital creations, along with the rise of Romantasy—a new literary genre blending romance and fantasy—influence beauty trends by inspiring looks drawn from magical and imaginative realms. Fairies, elven princesses, mermaids, and mythological creatures made of light, drops of water, and iridescent transparencies serve as fresh sources of inspiration for crafting a contemporary fairy tale on your face.
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“As Alexander McQueen, my favourite designer, once said: ‘The world needs fantasy, not reality. We have enough reality today.’ And these are words I live by...” stated Marika D’Auteuil. Looking at the results, even Pat McGrath seems to bring that vision to life in vivid detail. For instance, consider the time she used fabulous feathers to frame a model’s eyes like a soft halo, transforming her into an otherworldly creature, as if she had stepped straight out of a dreamscape.
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But let’s not forget the Ice Queens McGrath created for the Givenchy Spring-Summer 2016 haute couture show by Riccardo Tisci.
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The legendary make-up artist recently unveiled a multi-step runway ritual that transformed skin into a living glass canvas for John Galliano’s Maison Margiela Artisanal 2024 collection. The #GlassSkin look was achieved by applying a radiant “glass filter” effect through complex product layering, resulting in an ultra-smooth, reflective finish. Inspired by this backstage magic, she introduced Skin Fetish: Glass 001 Artistry Mask—a creation born behind the scenes and perfected for everyday radiance. This peel-off mask, infused with glycerin, rose flower water, and allantoin, delivers an ultra-glossy, lacquered finish designed to smooth, refresh, and rejuvenate the skin’s appearance with each use, leaving it luminous and flawless.
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How to Translate Expressive Make-up into Everyday Life? The Answer – and Inspiration – Lies in the Depths
When it comes to visual art and industries, extreme landscapes are often reimagined through a fantasy lens, crafting a visionary exploration of uncharted worlds where the familiar merges with the arcane. In particular, the ocean’s depths, with their glowing bioluminescence and mythical beings like mermaids, have become a wellspring of inspiration in design, jewellery, and fashion.
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In make-up, trends feature crystal-like finishes, aqueous iridescences, water-based products that provide a refreshing sensation upon application, and jelly-like textures that mimic the fluidity of submerged realms and the brilliance of underwater life.
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On social media, the pearl skin trend has emerged, often tagged with the hashtag #PearSkin. It refers to a glowing, luminous complexion that resembles the soft, iridescent sheen of a pearl. It’s all about a natural, lived-in glow.
To achieve this look, reach for a versatile skin illuminator that contains luminous pearls and apply it to the areas you want to highlight. Unlike the all-over dewy finish of glass skin, the pearl make-up look emphasises selective areas, allowing for a soft, milky iridescence with a subtle, understated shimmer. You can also add a touch of iridescent shine to the eyelids to capture the lustre of a pearl.
What Will the Make-up of the Future Look Like? Beauty Evolving Through Dreamlike Worlds, AI Aesthetics, and Emotion
Make-up has evolved beyond its traditional role of beautification and has emerged as a powerful medium for emotional storytelling and self-expression. Influences from shows like Euphoria, the boundary-pushing yet wearable artistry of Donni Davy, AI-native aesthetics, the fluid, dreamlike qualities of recent make-up trends, and the seamless integration with fashion runways and jewellery are steering the beauty world into new territories where reality and fantasy converge.
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As we look ahead, the evolution of this trend is poised to continue, with urban landscapes becoming canvases for fantasy. Cityscapes are transforming into fluid, ever-shifting forms through mind-bending digital installations around the globe.
Moreover, space-inspired designs and digital scenarios are shaping real-world products by incorporating luminescent materials and seamlessly blending organic and synthetic elements.
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That’s why, in expressive make-up, we can expect a shift towards deeper hues, sci-fi metallics, gothic eyes, rich, lush textures, and a blend of matte and glossy finishes, all paired with vibrant colour palettes and hybrid, transformative textures.
Ultimately, the future of make-up lies in its ability to remain fluid and adaptive, constantly evolving with cultural shifts, technological advancements, and the boundless creativity of its users. It promises to get even more inventive and inclusive, much like the world we live in—or at least, the one we aspire to create.
Elena Scipioni
Fashion Buying & Merchandising Alumna, Researcher, and Trend Forecasting Specialist