Emo makeup is a distinctive style that emphasizes bold contrasts and dramatic, expressive features, often highlighting the eyes with dark, smoky shades, and pairing them with pale, flawless skin and dark lips. Originating from the emo subculture, which emerged from the post-punk and goth scenes, this style has grown into a global aesthetic. Emo makeup is about embracing individuality and using makeup to express emotions and identity, whether that’s sadness, rebellion, or simply a love for the edgy and dramatic.
If you’re new to emo makeup or simply looking to refine your technique, this guide will help you achieve the classic emo look with ease. We’ll walk through the key components of emo makeup, break down the steps, and offer tips and tricks to make the process fun and personal.
What is Emo Makeup?
Emo makeup is rooted in creating a striking, rebellious look. Its main features typically include:
- Bold Eyes: Thick, defined eyeliner and dark, smoky eyeshadows are the foundation of emo makeup.
- Pale Skin: A porcelain-like complexion is common, achieved through foundation and powder.
- Dark Lips: Deep, vampy lip colors like black, dark plum, or blood-red tones.
- Mascara: Lashes are often darkened and defined, creating a dramatic effect.
- Strong Brows: Dark, well-shaped brows to complement the bold eyes.
While these elements are common, emo makeup doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. You can adjust and simplify the look based on personal preference and time constraints, but the key is creating a balanced yet dramatic effect.
Step-by-Step Guide to Emo Makeup
Step 1: Prepare Your Skin
Every good makeup look starts with clean, healthy skin. Emo makeup is all about creating a smooth canvas, so the first step is skincare:
- Cleanse: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser to remove any oil, dirt, or impurities.
- Tone: Use a toner to balance your skin and prepare it for makeup.
- Moisturize: Apply a lightweight moisturizer suitable for your skin type. If you have oily skin, opt for an oil-free moisturizer.
- Prime: A mattifying primer is ideal for emo makeup to ensure your foundation stays put all day and helps create a smooth texture. If you have large pores, a pore-filling primer will also help minimize their appearance.
Step 2: Base Makeup – Foundation and Concealer
In emo makeup, a flawless, pale base is important to contrast with the bold eyes and lips. The idea is to create a smooth, even canvas without drawing too much attention to the skin.
- Foundation: Choose a full-coverage foundation in a shade that matches your skin tone (or lighter if you want a more dramatic pale look). Use a makeup sponge or a foundation brush to apply it evenly across your face. Focus on areas that need coverage, such as blemishes or redness, but avoid using too much product, as the goal is a smooth, matte finish.
- Concealer: Use a concealer one or two shades lighter than your foundation to brighten up the under-eye area and conceal dark circles. Dab it on the areas you want to highlight, such as the center of the forehead, bridge of the nose, and chin.
- Setting Powder: After applying your foundation and concealer, set everything in place with a translucent setting powder. This will mattify your skin and ensure your makeup stays in place all day. Be sure to focus on your T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) where you may get oily.
Step 3: Sculpt Your Eyebrows
Strong, defined eyebrows are an essential part of the emo makeup look. Emo makeup tends to feature bold brows that complement the dramatic eye makeup, so it’s important to shape and fill them in carefully.
- Shape: If your brows are naturally thick, you may only need to tweeze stray hairs to shape them. If you have thinner brows, you can use a pencil or brow powder to create a fuller look.
- Fill: Use a brow pencil or powder that matches your natural brow color (or slightly darker for more definition). Lightly fill in the sparse areas of your brows and create a more defined arch. Avoid over-filling—you’re aiming for a natural yet bold look.
- Set: To ensure your brows stay in place all day, use a clear or tinted brow gel to lock them in.
Step 4: Eyes – The Heart of Emo Makeup
Emo makeup is all about making a statement with the eyes. This typically involves bold eyeliner, dark eyeshadows, and dramatic lashes. Here’s how to get the perfect emo eye makeup:
Eyeliner
The most defining feature of emo makeup is thick, bold eyeliner. Whether you prefer a straight line or a wing, eyeliner helps frame the eyes and intensifies the overall look.
- Upper Lash Line: Start by drawing a thick line along your upper lash line with a liquid or gel eyeliner. You can use a pencil eyeliner for a softer look, but liquid or gel will provide the most intense color and sharp lines.
- Winged Liner: For a classic emo look, extend the eyeliner at the outer corners into a dramatic wing. You can make the wing as sharp or as soft as you like. If you’re just starting with winged eyeliner, use tape or a stencil to guide your hand.
- Lower Lash Line: Line your lower waterline with black eyeliner. To make your eyes appear even darker and more intense, you can also apply eyeliner to your lower lash line. Smudge the line with a pencil brush for a smoky effect.
Eyeshadow
Dark, smoky eyes are another key component of emo makeup. For a simple, everyday emo look, keep the eyeshadow minimal but impactful:
- Base Color: Start by applying a neutral color all over your eyelid as a base, like a soft beige or light brown.
- Dark Crease: Use a deep, smoky color like black, charcoal, or dark plum for the crease. Apply it with a fluffy blending brush and blend it well for a seamless gradient. Keep the dark color focused in the outer corners to add depth.
- Lower Lash Line: Smudge some of the dark eyeshadow along your lower lash line for a more intense smoky effect.
- Highlight: Apply a light shimmer to the inner corners of your eyes and beneath the brow bone to open up the eyes and give them a bright contrast to the dark shadows.
Mascara
Dark, voluminous lashes help to frame the eyes and complete the emo makeup look. Here’s how to apply mascara:
- Upper Lashes: Apply one or two coats of black mascara to your upper lashes. Use a waterproof mascara if you want your lashes to hold their curl all day.
- Lower Lashes: Coat your lower lashes with mascara, but be careful not to overdo it, as you don’t want to weigh them down. A single coat should be enough for a defined look.
Step 5: Lips – The Finishing Touch
For the lips, emo makeup traditionally leans toward darker shades, ranging from deep plum to black. However, you can adjust the intensity of your lips depending on the look you want to create.
- Dark Lips: Use a dark lipstick, such as black, dark plum, or deep red, to complement the bold eyes. Emo makeup is about contrasts, so a striking lip color can add the perfect finishing touch.
- Lip Liner: To ensure that your dark lip color stays in place and doesn’t feather, use a lip liner that matches the lipstick. Outline your lips carefully and fill them in to create a defined edge.
- Subtle Lips: If you prefer a more subtle lip look, opt for a dark gloss or a tinted lip balm. A glossy dark berry or brown can still give you an emo vibe without being as intense as matte lipstick.
Step 6: Finishing Touches
To make sure everything stays put and looks flawless:
- Blush: While not always a major component of emo makeup, a subtle touch of cool-toned blush can add dimension to your face. Use a soft pink or peach blush on the apples of your cheeks for a natural, flushed look.
- Setting Spray: Finish your look with a setting spray to lock everything in place. A mattifying or dewy setting spray can help ensure your makeup lasts all day, especially if you’re heading to a concert or night out.
Tips for Perfecting Your Emo Makeup
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you’re new to winged eyeliner or smoky eyes, practice on a day when you have more time to perfect your technique.
- Experiment with Color: While black is the go-to for emo makeup, feel free to experiment with deep purples, reds, or even midnight blues to make the look your own.
- Less is More: Emo makeup can sometimes be overdone. Keep it simple by focusing on one key element—eyes, lips, or brows—and keeping the other features more understated.
- Layering Is Key: To achieve depth and intensity in your eyes, layer products. For instance, layer liquid eyeliner over pencil for extra boldness, or apply multiple layers of mascara for thicker lashes.
Conclusion
Emo makeup is a bold, expressive style that allows you to emphasize your features with dramatic, dark hues while keeping a sense of mystery and individuality. By following these steps and practicing your technique, you can easily create an emo-inspired makeup look that complements your personal style. Whether you’re going for an everyday emo vibe or preparing for a night out, the versatility of emo makeup means you can adapt the look to suit your preferences while staying true to its rebellious roots.