How to nail the dark feminine make-up look

It’s everything you loved about the ‘90s but with a modern touch.

Sep 12, 2024 | by Schenelle Dsouza

The beauty world has been switching back and forth between its love for soft, quiet luxury-esque beauty and the ‘90s bold grunge-inspired looks. Soft grunge has already been doing the rounds but that hasn’t stopped the trendsetters from finding new iterations to the magnetic look. For instance, the recently held Seoul Fashion Week took a leap away from the classic Korean beauty and into the shadows of dark femininity.

But the runway wasn’t the only place we spotted this hot new trend. For the promotions of her new film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, actor Jenna Ortega sported some hauntingly good make-up looks that swayed between soft goth and dark feminine, which is not much of a contrast compared to her stunning Wednesday promotion looks.

So what is the dark feminine make-up look? Think of it as the distant cousin of the ‘90s grunge look. It’s softer and offers more character than the woke-up-with-last-night’s-make-up look. It’s bold and intriguing yet has so much depth and character to it. The best part? If done right, it can go with almost any outfit or occasion. So here’s everything you need to nail the dark feminine make-up look.

A soft dewy base

The dark feminine beauty look is all about bold eyes and lips. So starting with a soft, dewy base gives you a clean canvas whilst adding a subtle glow to your face. Don’t forget a hydrating primer to keep your make-up in place all day. Follow up with a lightweight foundation to give it that au naturel look and add a concealer only if absolutely necessary.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, ₹4,900

Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint, ₹6,550

Dior Forever Skin Glow, ₹5,900

Lancôme Teint Idôle Ultra Wear 24H High Coverage Foundation, ₹4,200

Natural brows

Skinny, overfilled brows might have been a thing for the ‘90s grunge look. The dark feminine look, on the other hand, is all about natural brows. For this, all you need to do is lightly fill in your brows only where necessary; avoid outlining them as it gives it that less-than-natural boxy look. Here’s another tip: swap your black brow pencil or powder for a dark brown one to give it a more subdued look.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Natural & Polished Deluxe Brow Kit, ₹4,050

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Shape & Fill Duo, ₹3,500

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme, Gimme Brows, ₹3,500

Eyes that speak volumes!

When it comes to the eyes, there are two ways to nail the dark feminine look—smudged kohl-lined eyes or sharp but clean-winged eyeliner. Mixing both these elements will only give you an overdone, over-the-top look that strays from the softness of the dark feminine look—it's contradictory, but you know what we mean. For the first way, trace a thin line of kohl on your upper and lower lash lines. Then using a thin eyeshadow brush, smudge the kohl with some dark brown shadow to give it that soft goth look. If you’re feeling playful, you can experiment with different colours like red, purple, or even blue.

If you’re going for eyeliner, start off with concealer and/or colour corrector for a clean base. Trace a thin line above your lash line and wing it out as per your preference. Next, use a kohl liner to tightline your upper water line. You can even use brown kohl for a more subtlety. If you want to soften the sharp lines of your eyeliner, use a flat, thin eyeshadow brush to smudge your eyeliner very lightly without dragging it anywhere beyond your crease. Whatever your eye look, be sure to top it up with lots of mascara for those dreamy fluttery lashes!

Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette, ₹5,900

Natasha Denona Retro Eyeshadow Palette, ₹7,100

YSL Beauty Couture Mini Clutch, ₹7,600

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner, ₹2,700

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, ₹2,250

Dior Diorshow On Stage Liner Waterproof Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner, ₹4,000

Lancôme Lash Idôle 24H Waterproof Mascara, ₹2,800

Mac Cosmetics M·A·Cstack Waterproof Mascara, ₹3,300

Clinique High Impact Zero Gravity™ Mascara, ₹3,050

Statement bold lips

The dark feminine look demands a bold lip for that femme fatale aesthetic, but balancing your eyes and lips is important. So if you’re going for a crisp winged liner, then a bold red or cherry lip is the ultimate choice. However, if you’re doing kohl-smudged eyes, then deeper neutral or pink shades will complement your look. The trick here is to go bold without overdoing it, so skip overlined and mirror gloss lips.

Estée Lauder x Sabyasachi Limited Edition Lipstick Collection - Calcutta Red, ₹5,400

Smashbox Always On Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick - Miss Conduct, ₹2,690

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. - Pillow Talk Intense, ₹3,450

Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Intimatte Lipstick, ₹3,200

Givenchy Le Rouge Interdit Cream Velvet, ₹4,200

Sculpted cheeks

Another signature detail of this make-up is that slightly sculpted look. But don’t go reaching out for the contour stick just yet. The soft goth, dark feminine look relies on the prowess of bronzers to give you that chiselled look minus the harsh lines of contour. Top it up with a little bit of blush, preferably warmer tones like coral or peach for a soft flush.

Too Faced Natural Chocolate Bronzer, ₹3,100