HOW TO GET THE SOFT GRUNGE
MAKEUP LOOK

The Clean Girl look had its time in the spotlight, but this season we’re moving toward a moodier aesthetic: soft grunge makeup. Pulling from the enduring appeal of 90s grunge makeup, we’re shifting to cooler shades of black, grey and griege, and nuancing trends like corpcore and quiet luxury for a modern Quiet Grunge look.

“Quiet Grunge feels like where I started at M·A·C — it uses a palette of colours that made M·A·C legendary,” says Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry. “This generation is taking the spirit and rebellion of grunge but making it right for them. It can be pretty, punk or everything in between.”

A grunge makeup product that has stood the test of time? Lip Pencil in Stone. “It’s the ultimate grunge colour to me,” says Barber. “There’s been a demand for us to return to some of the original 90s colours, which have a little bit more of a grey tone,” he continues, pointing to other Lip Pencil shades dropping this month, such as Greige.

Paired with the newly relaunched M·A·C Satin Lipstick in Blankety and the cool-toned Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite, you have all the ingredients for a Quiet Grunge look – the secret is in the undone application. “There’s a change in the structure when it comes to grunge,” says Barber. “Instead of doing a flicked-up cat eye, bring the liner straight out toward the temple to make it more punk.”

The most freeing part about grunge makeup? It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, that’s the whole point. “That spirit of grunge changed how people wore things,” says Barber. “It’s not a new trend – it’s a trend re-imagined.”

“THIS GENERATION IS TAKING THE SPIRIT
AND REBELLION OF GRUNGE BUT MAKING
IT RIGHT FOR THEM.”

—TERRY BARBER, M·A·C CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF MAKEUP ARTISTRY

Cool-toned neutrals bring the edge to a Quiet Grunge look.

The ultimate grunge lip combo: Lip Pencil in Stone and M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

HOW TO GET THE QUIET GRUNGE TREND

LOOK 1:  Bring the edge with cool-toned neutrals for the ultimate soft-grunge makeup look.

1. Even skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation.
2. Then swipe Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer where desired.
3. Line your upper and lower lash lines using Eye Kohl in Feline, smudging out with a 231S Small Shader Brush.
4. Layer the shade Showstopper from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite on top of the liner, blending the edges. Then, sweep the shade Power Mode through creases.
5. Line lips using Lip Pencil in Stone.
6. Then finish the look by smoothing on M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

Smudge out your black liner with cool-toned eye shadows from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite.

Embrace an edgy blurred lip look with Lip Pencil in Greige and M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

LOOK 2: Bring back 90s grunge makeup with soft, cool-toned shades from lids to lips.

1. Even skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation.
2. Tightline your lashes using Eye Kohl in Feline, gently smudging with fingertips.
3. Layer shade Showstopper from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite on top of the liner, sweeping to outer corners for soft definition. Then, apply the shade Clear History to the inner corners.
4. Line lips using Lip Pencil in Griege.
5. Then finish the look by smoothing on M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.