Ever since HBO’s hit drama, Euphoria, dropped in June of this year, the dynamic makeup worn by its even more dynamic characters has taken both social media and the fashion world alike by storm. The show’s makeup artist, Doniella Davy, sets the tone for the characters using bold colors, graphic liner and lots of glitter, which she showcases often on her Instagram, @donni.davy. I decided to recreate a couple of the most iconic looks on myself and my friends, and in the process, explain ways you can try them out on yourself.
Rue's Glitter Tears
On my friend Keandre, I went for Rue’s iconic glitter tears that everyone’s been dying to recreate. It was the most fun look to attempt and, despite looking a little intimidating, it turned out the easiest to replicate.
Create an intense smoky look with black and grey eyeshadows on both the top and bottom lid – I used the shade “Let’s Do It” from Colourpop’s Rendezvous palette.
Start adding shimmer – I wet a flat brush with a setting spray (I prefer Too Faced’s Hangover 3-in-1 Primer and Setting Spray) and dipped it into Marsk’s “Foiled Again” loose shimmer powder, a metallic slate grey. I focused this pigment on the center of the top lash line, moving up.
Add holographic glitter – Using a different brush, I blended NYX Glitter Palettes in 03 on and around the outer corners of the eye, much like Zendaya’s character. For this part, the messier and grungier the better; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Draw the glitter tears – this part is a lot easier than it looks. The easiest way to pull off a glitter tear look is by drawing the tears beforehand with lash glue – my favorite is Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive with Aloe. This one is best for this look because it comes with an application brush. Draw the glue anywhere on your eye, I started from the center, and mimic the trail of a tear. Then, apply the same glitter used in the last step with a flat, dense brush to the glue. Clean up excess glitter with micellar water and a cotton swab.
Finish off with a lot of mascara on the top and bottom lashes – my favorite right now is Lancôme’s Monsieur Big.
Maddy’s Smoky Stars
For one of Maddy’s more intense looks, it was only fitting to recreate it on my friend Maddy, sharing the character's namesake. This look is a bit more difficult for beginners, but with a little practice with blending shadows, it's not impossible!
Start with a matte purple base using a fluffy brush – I used the deep purple from The Zulu by Juvia’s on both the top and bottom lids.
Begin adding purple and blue shimmer – Using a wet flash brush, I patted the shades Chi and Makeda from The Masquerade Mini by Juvia’s.
Apply the stars or rhinestones – I found a package of stars in the makeup section at Target but any rhinestones will do. I applied them to the bottom lids and eyebrows with the same lash glue used in the last tutorial.
Finish the look with some dramatic fake lashes – Maddy is often seen sporting some huge falsies, and I chose to use my favorite faux mink pair from Amazon.
Euphoria Inspired Look
On myself, I went for a general Euphoria-esque look that can be worn day to day, drawing inspiration from several elements of different character’s makeup, from Jules’ graphic liner to Kat’s pops of colors on her lid. It’s difficult to see in the picture, but I included a neon pink shade smoked out on my lower lid and inner corner.
Blend a bright color wherever you’d like on your lids to create an interesting look – I chose my bottom lid and into my inner corner, blended in circular motions using a fluffy brush packed with the shade Bori from The Masquerade Mini by Juvia’s.
Create your desired liner shape with liquid liner – if you’ve ever seen me on campus, I’m a huge fan of winged liner, and I like mine thick. My tried and true liquid liner is Wet n’ Wild’s Megaliner.
Add smokiness by lining your lower waterline with black – any black pencil liner will do the trick.
Layer mascara onto the bottom and top lash lines, and finish with a huge pair of lashes; I used the same pair used in the Maddy tutorial.
Add glitter to your cheekbones – Using my finger, I just applied the same NYX glitter from the Rue tutorial onto my cheekbones and up into my eyebrows. Remember, with Euphoria looks, perfection isn’t the desired outcome.
As for skin and lips, I did the same lineup for everyone; flushed, dewy skin and glossy lips. Minimal face makeup is popular on the show, so I stuck to liquid products like Benefit’s Benetint and Maybelline’s Masterglaze Blush Stick for the cheeks and Loreal’s True Match Lumi Glotion for highlighter. For lips, I went with Fenty’s Gloss Bomb and Huda Beauty’s Lip Strobe in Enchanting.
I hope that with these tutorials you find it easy to recreate some of the most iconic looks from Euphoria, and maybe even create some inspired looks yourself!