How Euphoria Encourages Self Expression

Photography by Madison Goldberg, Elaine Tanta, and Dellin Zhang

My makeup journey began when I was five at the foot of my mom’s vanity. I peered over her assortment of lipsticks and blush powders with wide eyes,my mouth open in awe. Without a thought, I smeared my mom’s makeup all over my face with absolute glee. I looked like a mess in the end, but there was no place in the world I felt more free. 

But my makeup journey shifted nine years later and all I wanted to be was the Tumblr girl: big eyelashes, icy highlighters in the inner corner, and the darkest noir shade of eyeliner smudged on.  

Copying this trend made me view myself as a golden goose: a prize who needed to be beautified and win anyone over with her looks. I saw makeup as a way to attract, not express. 

But now it’s the opposite. Everyone can agree that makeup now is much more freeform than past makeup trends. Euphoria, a show about a teen struggling with drug addiction, showcases some of the boldest makeup looks on TV. Euphoria captures a unique yet universal aspect of our generation: free expression. 

According to Euphoria’s Head Makeup Artist, Doniella Davy, the bold makeup looks are meant to be depictions of the characters and their development. Davy says in an Allure interview, “There’s subliminal emotional messages always in all the makeup.” For example, Davy made sure that Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules, wears more androgynous looks to signify her gender identity. 

Visual and media arts major Nadia Ryan ‘23 says, “I think fashion is a huge part of self-expression because it’s so immediate.” Nadia experimented with bold makeup looks before Euphoria came out, but the show has encouraged her to experiment more. “It’s a valuable form of self-expression to really part your own art on your face.” 

What makes Euphoria-inspired looks special from others is how normalized the bold looks are in our daily lives. There doesn’t have to be a special occasion or reason, other than it’s a Wednesday and you just felt like it. 

Writing, literature, and publishing major Anna Capello ‘21 attests to this. “My best friend, who is male-identifying, watched the show and asked me to do his makeup to go to the grocery store and I was like, ‘Yes, I will!’” Capello says that the popular response to Euphoria’s makeup looks is inspiring to step out of your comfort zone and not adhere to a specific gender identity. 

Expressing ourselves has always been a form of art, but how do we feel comfortable enough to get to that point? Luckily though, there is no specific formula in achieving Euphoria-esque looks. Whether you’re into a natural look or a full beat, here are some tips and tricks! 

EYELINER

As seen on Euphoria, the eyeliner looks are anything but understated. They can either add a pop of color or look like an abstract painting by Piet Mondrian but on your eyelids. Nevertheless, the goal here is to work with your eye-shape. While it may seem impossible to recreate Hunter Schafer’s eyeliner, experiment with different geometric shapes along the points of your eyes you’d like to accentuate the most. Liquid eyeliner is the easiest to work with when trying to achieve these looks, while also limiting your chances of poking your eye out. 

EYESHADOW

Monotone eyeshadow looks are a simple way of doing the least while looking like you did the most. Since most of the eyeshadow looks on Euphoria are pretty exaggerated, it’s best to stick to a color that makes you feel comfortable! To start off, use a transition shade that brings out your warm, cool, or neutral skin tone. Single-color eye looks can look a bit washed out without a transition color. Make sure your brush is clean and free of any residue before blending the shade into your crease. Then, voila, go wild with whatever color you want to put on your lid. You don’t exactly have to use a brush for this part, a finger will suffice. 

GEMSTONES

According to Davy, Maddy’s gemstone makeup looks acted as her armor that held her up through the chaotic and traumatizing ordeals. These embellishments are my personal favorite to see on screen, primarily because they’re definitely the easiest looks to accomplish. Like I said, there’s no set way to achieve these looks other than knowing what features you want to emphasize the most. Apply a bit of eyelash glue to the gem and coordinate with different sizes and placements. As always though, make sure to do a patch test! 

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This article appears in the October 2019 print issue of Your Magazine.