With the 90s redux of towering platforms, lace slip dresses and distressed denim, the welcoming of grunge into the beauty sphere comes as no surprise. It could merely be the next era to receive a revamp, or perhaps we’ve simply had enough of the endless effort it takes to perfect the sharpest cat eye. If we’ve learnt anything from the autumn/winter ‘23 shows, from Erdem’s kohl-lined Victoriana vision to MM6 Margiela’s dark tear-strewn eyes, then we say it's time to put away the smudge-proof liner and embrace a sleazier (makeup) look! 



With TikTok coining new beauty crazes on a daily basis, the looks we've seen on the runway have emerged as social trends like glam grunge and goth-girl; made even more popular since the release of Netflix’s Wednesday series, starring perpetually grumpy actress Jenna Ortega in November. A heavy lash line and buffed-out smears of black, brown, and grey are essential to the iconic look and a world away from the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic that has dominated over the past few years. 



The season, director of beauty, Peter Philips channelled the look at Dior, smudging dark shadow from the inner to the outer corner of the model's eyes. Peter explained that he was “working on a slightly unpolished, harsh smoky eye. As the focal point of this look, eyes were encircled in black to accentuate them and create a contrast with a pure and fresh complexion.” 



In London, make-up artist Bea Sweet achieved a smouldering lived-in look at Feben’s highly anticipated show using Pat McGrath products. Creating a dragged-down cat eye on the guest model and musician Jorja Smith. Prabal Gurung gilded their smoky shadow and offset the darkness with frames of turquoise, tangerine, and fuchsia, while Rodarte’s gothic exaggerated wings were a triumph on the runway (although more Morticia Adams than Courtney Love, they’re still an advocate for the polished punk look).



Like anything ‘effortless’, there’s still an art to getting the grunge guise, and it may seem daunting to journey away from the safety of a classic look. Here at Because, we’ve found the products guaranteed to give you the best tools to experiment. They don’t just give the impression of a lived-in liner, but also do the job of lasting the whole night through! 

Shop some of our favourite products to get the look here below!: