The crying-girl trend might have left behind a barrage of controversies, but it did go on to spawn a couple of variations that further tapped into our emotions (and graphically so). The ability of beauty to recreate and represent our feelings without us having to feel them at all is riveting. The past year was all about harnessing that potential. Many sought the boldness of cat-eye flicks to convey empowerment and confidence. Some even divorced the doe-eye trend for a one-time affair with something seductive like the sultry-eyed aesthetic. Here’s how they did it.
Here’s How The Internet Has Reinterpreted Your Emotions Through Makeup
Crying Girl Makeup: A Guide To Looking Sad
Cassie’s aesthetic from Euphoria has catapulted into a full-throttle trend. But many have had their reservations about the crying-girl concept — because it actively downplays and aestheticises a woman’s emotions. The flush-heavy, teary-eyed look involves prodding the face with faux under-eye puffiness, hyper-swollen lips, and a crimson-tipped nose — general hallmarks of a full-blown breakdown. Cheeks are endowed with glistening, glass-like streaks of tears for effect and the Cupid’s Bow is stippled with a highlighter to play into the appearance of a plumped-up pout. There’s something disturbing and trivialising about the idea of recreating — and very intentionally so — a low-energy moment in front of a camera. The trend has roots in the sad-girl aesthetic (think Lana Del Rey) and comes from people glossing over their appearance over a post-cry session.
Revenge Makeup: You’re Better Off W/O Them
You’ve been wronged. It’s time to divorce the doe-eyed, light-feminine aesthetic because this is your era. This Princess Diana-inspired trend turns heartbreak into something empowering and bold. This concept often collaborates the sultriness of the siren-eye trend with a blood-red lip — each element testifying to your evolution into a badass who’s not going to let anyone walk all over her anymore. This one’s all about prepping you for your comeback — how you bounce back post-heartbreak. The glam is editorial and unapologetic because you either ‘go big or go home’. While many have reproduced different variations, each one dismisses the idea that going all-out with the lips and eyes is an ‘either-or’ situation. You’re almost always whittling a cat-eye flick to perfection — while flutter-ready lashes, contour-heavy cheekbones, and dark-lipped aesthetics play along just as overtly. The best part about the trend is that it’s not offensive — like the crying-girl trend’s unproblematic sibling — and it harnesses the power of beauty as a tool to celebrate yourself gloriously.
Angry Girl Makeup: You Dumb….(rest of Maddie’s dialogue from Euphoria)
If the crying-girl trend embodied Cassie’s vibe, this one is all Maddie, and she’s mad. This concept is more about capturing the femme-fatale, dark-feminine vibe — much like the previous one. The under-eyes are almost always darkened for effect in this look. Many have drawn similarities between the two aesthetics — observing that the only difference lies in the expressions of the MUA. If you’re furrowing your brows, you’re going to look upset. They even asserted that the trend is nothing new — that it just has a new name for ‘siren-eye makeup’ ‘XYZ celebrity makeup, and ‘cat-eye makeup’. It’s valid. But, hey, is this our reaction to the crying-girl trend?
Are we taking them with us in 2023? Only time will tell.
Featured Image: Instagram