My first forays into make-up were clumsy and unhurried. I was rummaging around in my local town centre pound shop with my friend, and we discovered a stack of unwanted coloured mascaras, all piled up in the bargain bin. The boring shades - black, brown - didn’t appeal to us back then as nearly-teens. What did appeal was a frosty mouldy green colour, the other shade we delighted in was a spoiled electric blue. Used together they were quite a statement, but we didn’t even notice, or care. It wasn’t meant to look pretty because we hadn’t been conditioned into that yet. It didn’t aim to be attractive, because this was before we started dressing for the male gaze. It was joyful - and perhaps slightly misguided - self-expression of the purest kind.
Maybe you’ve had a moment like that too.
Before make up became about something else and was for somebody else. What stayed with me about that moment isn’t the cross words from our bemused teacher who told us to take it off when we decided to wear our new mascaras to school. It’s that the whole thing came from somewhere truly untainted by consumerism, societal norms, or any of the forces that try to exert themselves over your appearance. I wore that mascara because I loved it.
After your 20s, make up stops being about exploration. After 30 you’re prime real estate for anti-ageing hacks and ways to make yourself look less tired. That idea of “make-up as joy” gets taken away from you a little more each year. Everything is in pursuit of youthfulness. Everything starts to feel like it should be age-appropriate. And naturally we get busier too; time is suddenly precious and make-up stops being about play and becomes about covering, concealing, fixing.
Look back at a photo of yourself as a teenager, and you’ll see something magical in those early make-up-wearing years. They might be your emo days, that goth phase, the Britney-pink years, the 80’s blue shadow era (above) - whatever it was for you. There’s a joyful abandon to how we wore make up back then that’s hard to access as an adult - it’s a travesty that make up as a means of self expression is taken away from us.
I haven’t felt that excitement around make up in a while. The beauty launches I get sent feel samey and copycat, with pretty shades designed to enhance the natural. But I did feel a wave of joy trying the newly relaunched Marc Jacobs collection. The packaging looked like something a child would imagine, the colours were wild and weird. It was fun, and it was unafraid to stand out, too. Milk Makeup’s throwback collection has a similar appeal - with a black eye gloss (I still own the original one) and face stamps designed to subvert beauty norms.
Make-up has always had rebellion baked into it - from 1920s flappers in their scandalous dark lipstick to the graphic liner of the 1960s. A silent visual protest, worn on the face. The enemy has just changed shape. Now it’s a right-wing-adjacent beauty aesthetic dressed up as “clean girl” minimalism, faces that all look the same and the growing discomfort we feel as our faces change with time.
So maybe make-up can still do that job, and be way of reconnecting to your own essence and putting your joy on display. If any of that sounds tempting - and you’re looking to start your own mini rebellion - then here’s what I’ve been reaching for.
And keep reading to see the products in action, too.
Marc Jacobs Eyeliner in Unhinged
A pale blue, metallic eyeliner that’s a little sparkly and a little bit curious. It makes a delightful addition to the inner corners of the eyes, and I always get comments on it.
Marc Jacobs Eyeshadow in Clapback
This is such genuinely such a strange pink/gold/green/brown colour that I can’t really describe at all - but it’s beautiful. The packaging is something else too - tactile and fun at it’s best.
Milk Make up Black Gloss Eye Throwback collection
This eye gloss is messy, it will separate, it will migrate around your eyes, and that’s the best part. I still have the original one for 10+ years ago because it’s such a fun and unique product.
Violette Plume Blush in Souvenir de Volubilis
Blush doesn’t have to be pretty pinks or rosy reds. The texture of these spongey blushes is incredible, and this bold purple shade is a vibe on all skin tones.
Half Magic Iridescent Face Gems
Long wearing self adhesive gems in an ethereal colour that add a little whimsy to your make up.
Flower Knows Strawberry Cupid Collection
Chinese beauty brands take whimsy to the next level - and this palette of bold pinks and metallics is actually quite wearable. I really love the metallic pink/gold statement highlighter.
Weird, wonderful, pigmented. That’s the only way to describe the brand Girl Cult and their wacky range of colours that feel like alchemy on the lids. I’ve got a few of these mini palettes and they’re all incredible shades.
Kiko Milano Metallic Green Mascara
Coloured mascara is such an untapped category and an easy way to be playful. If my childhood tales inspire you then this metallic teal shade is such a cool colour.
A sludgy black blue shade that is weird as hell, but also manages to look pretty cool too. Its such an amazing long-wear formula too.
You can shop all the products - and more - here in this handy link. And my gorge paid subscribers, below is a little extra video for you of me trying some of it on. I look like a metallic beauty clown by the end, so watch it for the lols alone….
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Much love and batshit cray make up….
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