IF you’re a parent with teenage kids, watching the HBO series Euphoria would probably shock and scare you. But beyond the sex, drugs, alcohol and dysfunctional families, Euphoria takes a realistic look at high-school students and what goes on in their lives and minds. It is, to me, more realistic than stories where a girl, who is deemed unpopular in high school, catches the eye of the handsome quarterback who has a gorgeous girlfriend. The part where the quarterback leaves the girlfriend for the girl (again, in my opinion) sets up other girls to have expectations that don’t equate to real life.
Also, while I think Euphoria is very realistic, not everyone in high school is like that. The HBO series talks about a group of people and their families. The show is not representative of every kid in high school.
Anyway, among the things people noticed in Euphoria were the makeup looks. Beyond the glittery eyeshadows and the winged eyeliner were the transformations that represented how the kids were feeling with each look. Makeup is, after all, an expression of artistry and emotions.
For instance, Rue, who was played by Zendaya, barely wore makeup. But her character, that of a drug addict and non-binary lesbian, wore sparkles and star stickers on her eyelids for the winter formal in Season 1.
Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Jules (Hunter Schafer) were the eye-catchers when it came to makeup looks. Maddy’s signature look was the winged eyeliner. At the carnival in Season 1, Maddy wore eyeliner overlaid with jewels and this is considered her most outstanding makeup look. I loved it when Maddy just wore blue eyeshadow without any liner in one scene because somehow, she seemed very young and child-like even.
If Maddy seemed to have more calculated makeup looks, Jules was the cool girl who would use makeup in whatever way she seemed suitable. Her hair, makeup and outfit seemed to always reflect her mood. I loved the gold eyeliner she was wearing when she asked Rue to take her sexy photos. But my favorite was the look where Jules drew clouds around her eyes. When Jules dressed up as Claire Danes’ character Juliet Capulet, she really looked like Claire in the 1996 film Romeo+Juliet.
Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, had many great makeup looks in Season 2. I forgot what episode it was but my favorite was the one where she had tiny braids on the front of her hair and she had flushed cheeks and pinkish eyeshadow. She looked like a movie star.
Cassie’s younger sister Lexi is played by Maude Apatow. Perhaps the most frequently asked question about the makeup in Euphoria has been: What was Lexi’s lipstick? No one knows exactly what it is. Some say it’s MAC’s Ruby Woo while others say it’s Glossier Ultralip in Fete.
Because I love lipstick, my favorite makeup looks are those of Kat, who’s played by Barbie Ferreira. Her character always wears bold eyeshadow and strong lip colors. And to me, Kat is the most gorgeous of all the characters.
It’s not a surprise that no one in the cast wears full foundation. I read an article on Allure magazine where Doniella Davy, the show’s makeup designer, talks about how she wants the cast members’ skin to shine through so what they mostly use are concealers (Glossier Stretch Concealer and RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up).
For skin prep, Davy relies on Indeed Labs Nanoblur Instant Skin Finisher (this is like a primer that blurs pores and improves the look of skin). This product is sold-out everywhere. Among the foundations used are MAC Studio Face and Body Foundation, a sheer foundation that gives a skin-like finish, and Chantecaille Future Skin.
In the article, Davy said she and her team mixed these foundations with moisturizers and illuminators. It’s safe to assume powder wasn’t used. Oh, in that same article, Davy disclosed that they used Vaseline Petroleum Jelly to achieve the sheen on Rue’s face. How nice it must to be young and have such good skin.
Image credits: HBO