Are you tired of your old makeup? We are witnessing a revival of an aesthetic – soft grunge makeup. It’s not just a simple black stacking. It’s an art of finding elegance in chaos and expressing it through rebellion.
Why does rebellion require makeup?
Generation Z’s resistance to “defined beauty” is behind the “grunge make-up” that millions of users have imitated on TikTok. 76% of young girls believe that makeup can be used to “fight social expectations.” Dove Cameron is not just drawing eyeliner when she draws sharp eyeliner. She is also saying: “I do not need to be understood but I choose to see.”
From bitten lips to smoky eye: the sociology grunge makeup
Grunge makeup has been resurrected in many ways. From the dark brown lips from the 90s to the neon punk of today, it is not an accident. In the post-epidemic age, people are eagerly expressing their previously suppressed personalities through makeup. Vincent Tejeria, a makeup artist, said that the “unfinished” feeling of smoky-eye makeup is at the heart of contemporary aesthetics. It embraces reality and does not strive for perfection. As one user commented in the comments section: “For once, makeup is used as a way to express chaos rather than cover up chaos.”
The democratization grunge makeup: From red carpet to everyday life
Cynthia Erivo, who has been using smoky eye makeup and dark lips to show that rebellion and darkness can be elegant, is proving that grunge makeup can be worn every day. Data shows that “daily grunge makeup” searches increased by 41% between 2024 and 2025. This style is becoming mainstream through subtle color matching, such as Whitney Peak’s earthy smoky eye makeup.
Rebellion does not mean destruction, but reconstruction
Jenna Ortega is not destroying her waterline when she fills it with black eyeliner. She is visually reconstructing. Grunge makeup’s true power is its use of contrast to create harmony. It uses darkness to bring out light. Grunge is not limited to black and white. As the Neon Punk make-up shows, it can be vibrant, from acid green to fluorescent purple.
