Girls around the globe are embracing TikTok’s unapproachable makeup trend, intended to fend off the advances of unsolicited attention from the opposite gender. As the name suggests, the look is all about looking noticeably intimidating with the help of makeup. It’s also about embracing your femininity and taking back your confidence rather than catering to the male gaze. The unapproachable makeup emphasizes darker features, such as bold lips and a smokey eye, which happen to coincide with the moodier aesthetic of the fall and winter seasons. Ahead, you will discover our beauty tips for looking fierce and unapproachable.
What Is the “Unapproachable Makeup” Trend?
The ‘unapproachable makeup’ trend is an intentionally bold and dramatic look featuring strong contouring, dark eyes, and striking lip colors. The overall intent is to create a powerful and somewhat intimidating appearance. This trend goes full glam. Think siren eyes, dramatic lashes, sharp contours, and a statement lip. And if you want to take things up a notch, you can bleach your brows, as seen on celebs like Dua Lipa and Ashley Graham.
This makeup trend also has some wellness aspects to it. The look is to evoke confidence and empowerment. It allows women to be comfortable in their skin and beauty choices, while not letting others (mostly men) ruin it. This trend snatches the eyes and faces to give a sultry/sensual vibe. It says, ‘I’m confident, I’m mysterious and unfazed, honey!
Why Is It So Popular?
The “unapproachable makeup” trend follows a few other bold looks we’ve loved. From “rockstar makeup” to “dark feminine aesthetic,” we’ve been leaning into edgier styles as of late—as have celebs like Alexa Demi, Billie Eilish, and Lori Harvey.
The popularity of this trend goes beyond the surface. It allows people to experiment with their makeup and express themselves creatively. Doing so can boost confidence and empower individuals to embrace their unique style or to avoid unwanted attention.
A closer look at the hashtag, which currently has over 98.5 million views, and you’ll see that creators have been using the unapproachable makeup look to embolden them in situations like asking for a raise at work to ward off unwanted advances at a club.
How to Rock the “Unapproachable Makeup” Look
Now that we have gone into further details about unapproachable makeup, let us get into the makeup, shall we? First, we’re going to focus on the eyes. A subtle, smokey eye is wonderful for those who want to sport unapproachable makeup daily. Start with an eyeshadow primer for all-day wear. The beauty of this look is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Use a clean finger or eyeshadow brush to apply a soft gray all over the eyelids. If your goal is a more defined feature, add a slightly darker shade to the crease. Next, use a dark black liquid eyeliner like Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil to sculpt the perfect winged eyeliner to create a cat-like shape. Elevate your arches using a brow gel, then fill in where desired with an eyebrow pencil. Then, apply two to three coats of your favorite lengthening mascara for ultra-wispy lashes. Consider popping on some false lashes along the outer corners of your eyes for a more dramatic effect.
When it comes to your face, there’s no strict guidance. Although, we do recommend paying closer attention to your bronzer application. A sculpted cheek and jawline will help to lift and shape the face for a defined look. Once that’s complete, finish the unapproachable makeup with a dark, vampy lip. A deep berry lip liner, topped with coordinating lipstick or deep brown nude liquid lipstick, will complement the darker eye makeup. However, don’t be afraid to go a few shades deeper to further adhere to the unapproachable makeup aesthetic. Add any finishing touches, then set your makeup to keep your makeup fresh and intact for the day.
PSA: Makeup is not always about enhancing natural features, sometimes there is room to experiment with bold and statement moves. As reclusive and lawless as this trend may sound, sometimes that’s exactly what the girlies need. Sometimes all they want is to enjoy a girls’ night out with their pals, without being bothered, and if that consists of a razor-sharp cat eye and bleached brows, then so be it.
After all, a full beat is worth a thousand words.
Any Last Tips for Recreating This Look?
- Take your eyeliner and make a dot at the inner and outer corners before drawing the wing. This step will help you create symmetrical wings on both eyes.
- Less is more when smoking out the liner. Start with a small amount of black eyeshadow and add more if needed.
- Keep Q-tips and micellar water on hand. Always have these tools handy when using darker colors. You’ll want to dip a Q-tip in micellar water to clean up and make the eyeshadow or eyeliner look crisp. And if you’re a beginner, do your eyes before the rest of your makeup it is way easier.
- If you have hooded eyes, we recommend doing the winged liner at a straighter, more horizontal angle and emphasizing the smokiness of the bottom lash line more.
The girlies are in their ‘don’t talk to me era’ so here are more unapproachable makeup inspo:
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