The Makeup Trend We Didn’t See Coming (and No, We’re Not Talking About Soft Glam)

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For a while there it really seemed like 2022 was going to be theyear of soft glam.After saying goodbye toEuphoriaand hello toBridgerton,we were starting to see moreminimal makeup lookspopping up on our social feeds. Thanks topearlcoreand the “clean girl aesthetic” on TikTok,pink lids, rosy cheeks and glowing skin were everywhere. But recently another Y2K trend caught our eye: rockstar makeup.

Ok, What Is “Rockstar Makeup”?

This makeup trend goes by many names. Whether you call it “soft grunge,” “rockstar girlfriend aesthetic” or “rockstar makeup,” they all mirror the same edgy style: smoky eyes, bold lashes and deeply contoured cheeks. In short, it’s the complete opposite of the prim and proper looks you’ve seen with soft glam. Adda wolf haircutanda leather jacketand the whole rockstar package is complete.

Why Is It So Popular?

Inspired by the punk scene of the early ‘00s (and the '70s before that), celebs like Bella Hadid and Megan Fox have been bringing these looks back to the red carpet. Of course, the trend then made its way over toTikTok, where creators have been borrowing further inspo from "rockstar girlfriends" like Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Kourtney Kardashian.

Since the pandemic, we’ve beentrying bolder liner looksandadding statement blushto our repertoires, so bringing back the edgy smoky eye seems like par for the course.

We also can’t forget the massive influence ‘00s pop culture and the early days of social media (i.e. Tumblr and Myspace) had on our collective style. And after spending a few years mostly indoors, we want to relive those carefree and experimental times again. Case in point: Evenpunk hair,cutout dressesandour favorite artistshave made a comeback this year (which proves to our moms that our emo days weren’t just a phase).

How To Wear The “Rockstar” Look:

When it comes to this trend, there’s no need to be overly crisp or precise with your makeup application. One of the many reasons it’s become so popular is because of how freeing it is. But to help get you started, TikTok creatorShayne Marierecreated Emma Chamberlain’s red carpet look from the Oscar’s, so you can follow along and become a rockstar at home.

  1. Apply a neutral eyeshadow(like mauve or taupe) to your entire lid. Next, apply some gold or silver shimmer to the center of your lid. The messier, the better.
  2. Graba pencil eyelineranddraw on a simple cat eye.这完全取决于你如何戏剧性的你想要尾巴be. Go ahead and unleash your inner Julia Fox if you want to.
  3. Usea small blending brushto smudge the line.
  4. Go over the newly smudged cat eyeagain witha liquid eyelinerthis time to really make things pop.
  5. Apply a darker eyeshadow(like black, brown or blue) along the outer edges of your lid and just above your cat eye flick.
  6. Use the liquid eyeliner todefine the inner corners of your eyesand the pencil eyeliner for the rest of your water line. Gently smudge the color with the blending brush.
  7. Apply a light shimmerto the center of your waterline, across your brow bone and onto the inner corners of your eyes.
  8. Sweep ona voluminous mascarato bring out both the top and bottom lashes.
  9. Complete the lookwith a nude pink lip.

OK, time to jam out to some My Chemical Romance.