Dirty makeup: makeup artists on how to repeat the main trend of 2023

In March of last year, on the Versace show, Julia Fox first appeared in the then famous pitch-black, careless eye makeup, thereby setting a new trend – no, not long arrows, but flaw aesthetics. She has become the new Kim Kardashian not only for Kanye West, but also for the fashion and beauty industry world. Perfectly shaped cheekbones, peach-pink blush, matte velvety skin – the makeup rules that many makeup artists have been playing for more than 10 years have changed.

Julia Fox presented the new ones in an interview with Dazed magazine: “No more blemishes, no perfect lines, alien vibes, focus on flaws instead of hiding them, a little worthless.”

Let’s say dirty. While some want to wash off such a make-up as soon as possible, others see a new aesthetic in it. Russian make-up artists were asked to speculate on why cleansing is no longer on trend and where the dirty make-up fashion really comes from.

Classic Hollywood make-up is a thing of the past

The attempt to imitate the unattainable beauty standards set mainly by Kim Kardashian in the 2010s has led to the development of exhausting Instagram faces, photoshop, and facetune. For this reason, it is quite natural and even expected to move away from idealism. “Psychologically, sooner or later people get tired of this truth that has been familiar and tired for years. We all want to be a little rebellious,” makeup artist Glasha Guryanova explains on the trend, associating the popularity of the new aesthetic with her inner sense of freedom.

Maria Lankina, a makeup artist whose style combines art and everyday life, believes that makeup has become a more mass phenomenon because of the opportunity for self-expression through itself. “It seems to me that the main trend now is to ignore the rules, to combine the incompatible,” says Masha. “A kind of inner need to feel free and express yourself as you see and want.”

Makeup is an integral part of the image and complements it. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to look for the roots of the trend in the fashion industry. “For several seasons, we’ve clearly seen a trend in ugly fashion (“ugly fashion”). note. ed.) and makeup artist Nastya Tenderova says that such a new approach to fashion requires a new image in makeup to create a general picture. – Another important moment of the popularity of the trend is the revival of grunge and rock aesthetics. And grunge and rock is always something smudged, blurry, weird, punk, sloppy but always with character.

But still, dirty makeup will not be able to replace the classic one. Red carpets, ceremonies, weddings after all – such events cannot exist without nudes. “These are two different types of makeup that coexist beautifully with each other. If you have the opportunity to have fun and push your limits, have fun, you’re just making faces, nothing serious. This is a very quick way to express yourself,” says makeup artist Daria Kholodnykh.

The desire to break the rules, the desire to have the freedom to be imperfect in something, are probably the main reasons why makeup has gradually become a means of self-expression rather than an element of the daily routine.

Julia Fox is not the main figure in the spread of the trend

In fact, Julia Fox is just a small piece of the iceberg, all makeup artists are sure of what we see on the surface. Yes, the star has been a dirty makeup ambassador this year, but she was far from the first to start doing it.

“The main figure of sloppy makeup is Vivienne Westwood,” said Daria Kholodnykh. “All her shows, her outfits, and the aesthetic of not being serious and doing nothing.”

Every show of punk queen and most successful avant-garde designer Vivienne Westwood was a challenge, a riot.

Think of the Spring/Summer 2018 collection with smeared lipstick and handprints on models’ faces. Its authors were makeup artist Val Garland.

Another example is British makeup artist Isamaya French, whose style has always gone against traditional beauty standards. “What we describe as beautiful is shaped by companies. Advertising determines our attitude towards what is considered beautiful,” says Isamaya. Therefore, in his works, he does not try to make her “beautiful”, to correct imperfections and to bring the face to an ideal. On the contrary, a make-up artist may emphasize imperfections or intentionally sloppy make-up, as for example at the Thom Browne Fall 2022 show.

If before, this or that thing, hairstyle or image could only become fashionable thanks to the catwalk, now social networks have a much greater influence on the spread of trends. First, they create trends every day, not one season. Second, they cover a much broader audience. Therefore, now bloggers and influencers almost always have the last word or, conversely, the first word.

Does the dirty makeup trend in Russia have a future?

Certainly! Messy makeup is only gaining popularity in Russia, but makeup artists say the trend has a future as it’s being embraced by influencers, artists, and other celebrities. And if self-expression is a way to stand out in big cities, then in small cities it’s more likely to attract attention that not everyone dares to do.

“Those who are rebellious in their souls express themselves with the help of makeup. Daria Kholodnykh says that this revolt also gradually penetrated Russia. – It is blooming amazingly now in the same Los Angeles. Ordinary working people go there with such a make-up – one eyebrow is the same color, the other – some kind of sloppy staining or gothic make-up. That’s cool because for them, it’s a way of self-expression. And you don’t even have to wait for an opportunity or trend to do this makeup yourself.”

Do not overdo it: the main rules of dirty makeup

What does everyday makeup mean to makeup artists themselves, and what tips can they share on how to create it?

Nastya Tenderova, make-up artist

This is my favorite trend in makeup, my aesthetic, the one I’m sticking with and trying to promote. I really like vibrant textures that look totally natural, even a little runny, because everything has life in it. This picture, as a rule, is more real and carries some kind of character, emotion, a certain expression. This is much more interesting than make-up according to the scheme according to the ruler, where there are no ideas and moods.

Careless makeup has one rule – it should always look good, both with time and in changing weather conditions. They need to live and mutate naturally, so it’s important to choose textures you’ve tried before and know how they work and behave. Oily rocks are ideal, creamy textures that do not harden too much and do not fade over time.

Make-up technique should be more free and simple. For example, shadows can be applied with fingers or a cotton swab instead of a brush. Be sure to look at the big picture, otherwise you risk overdoing it with small details and making an intentionally dirty picture. The principle of less is more works perfectly here.

Makeup artist Glasha Guryanova

I don’t mess around with super-ideal arrows in life, I don’t waste time on them, I think the overall message is more important than hours lost to get the ideal contour.

In general, this is an excellent psychological exercise – to be free, to do something unfinished. Many people stumble upon the mere desire to be perfect, and life is lost, taste is lost, pleasure from the process itself is lost. You have to learn to paint with big strokes, and it’s not just about makeup, focus more on the emotions you want to achieve that the creative process itself gives you, rather than the perfect picture that no one can fault. I don’t think makeup owes anyone anything. Well, if it reflects your mood. Today I am a sexy cat in my 40s with perfect arrows, contoured lips and well-groomed skin. Tomorrow I’m a vagrant, the day after tomorrow I’m a business woman. Makeup is a style of play, an additional accessory to the image. Our time is great because we can try different roles even without the help of makeup artists. We don’t need to do one or two make-ups for the rest of our life and continue with just these as before.

Maria Lankina, makeup artist

Overall, maintaining the right dose is very important to me in dirty makeup and in myself and others. I never do my makeup sloppy, and select an item. For example, grunge lips, grunge eye makeup that looks like it was made with charcoal, not cosmetics, flowing arrows, lips smeared on half of the face.

In no case do I do skin in this style – no blush, no contours, no tones. Of course this can happen, but personally it’s important not to go overboard with my picture of the world with this trend.

Daria Kholodnykh, make-up artist

Makeup that lives only one day. You need to develop the ability to easily relate to such things. Make-up artists don’t save lives, they don’t operate on people, they don’t do things super serious enough to take elements of our job seriously.

We are artists and we draw what we feel, what is relevant at the moment, depending on the current situation inside and outside where you live. All of them are fast-paced and easily changeable. No one knows what will happen next, but now is the time to create great images because society is not that rigid and skeptical. There is an opportunity to show yourself the way you want and not to follow any rules.