Donni Davy on the Enduring, Sparkly Appeal of Euphoria Makeup
March 13 | 5 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
When dreaming up a new Euphoria makeup look, the first thing Donni Davy takes into account is what the character is feeling. Because as much as she’s a beauty brand founder and makeup artist, Davy's also a storyteller – one who’s inspired a new generation to use sparkles, rhinestones and face gems in imaginative, emotion-stirring ways.
“I’m always referring to the scripts and paying close attention to what the characters are going through... asking myself, ‘How I can portray this through makeup?’” she explains. A rule-breaking artist with a penchant for all that glitters, she’s the Head Makeup Designer on HBO’s hit drama Euphoria and the founder of her own shapeshifting, shimmery beauty line, Half Magic.
With season three of the show just around the corner, we caught up with Davy to chat experimentation, social media and the mood-altering magic of glitter.
What originally inspired you to use glitter so boldly in Euphoria?
DD: "The Euphoria looks are inspired by the emotional state the characters are in. To me, rhinestones help portray the tension between childhood and adolescence and, depending on their placement, they can even be reminiscent of tears.
“They have a very cinematic quality to them, as they dip in and out of shadows and light on-camera and I was looking for ways for the makeup to be visible in the sometimes-shadowy cinematography of the show. The director wanted to showcase bold and expressive makeup and in order to make the looks visible on screen, I needed to use reflective things such as rhinestones, glitter and bold pops of colour.”
Eyes are often the most expressive part of a makeup look. Do you think about eye makeup as a storytelling tool, rather than a decorative one?
DD: “I love creating new looks and telling a story through makeup. The eyes are the perfect canvas and where I get to play with colour the most. I love playing with texture by putting glitter with a matte shadow and – of course – adding rhinestones. The point is for the makeup to first give the audience a little more insight into the emotional states of the characters, and then to register as a cool makeup look – but never the other way around.”
DD: “I think the reason ‘#euphoriamakeup’ became so popular is because the show bridges the gap between fantastical makeup and everyday life. I think people were used to seeing bold, colourful, glittering makeup on the runway or in fashion, but not on TV.
“Seeing these looks on a group of relatable TV characters who were not lit for beauty, but who were instead portraying real-life scenarios and really ‘living’ in these makeup looks, helped redefine this kind of makeup as accessible and totally wearable in everyday life.“
DD: “I think it’s really simple: rhinestones and glitter are decorative and they sparkle, and when you put them on your face you tend to feel a little magical and extraordinary! In the past, rhinestones were more associated with people who perform on stage and wear extravagant costumes, but normalising the rhinestone also normalizes unapologetic self-celebration.
“Just like any makeup product, there is an infinite way that glitter and rhinestones can be worn, from ultra-minimal to completely extravagant. My personal favourite way to wear rhinestones is by applying a few tiny rhinestones spaced out along my lower lash line. This looks really pretty and perfectly understated.
“If you want to try a bolder rhinestone look but keep it glam and chic, use a few different sizes of rhinestones. The different sized gems will reflect different sized twinkles, which makes the look feel fancier and multidimensional. And if you want something more subtle, try our bestselling Glitterpuck Multi-Use Pressed Fairy Dust. I call it ’grown-up glitter’. You can wear it alone, or over any shadow.
“Half Magic’s Sparklestik Eye Crayon is also the most user-friendly, sparkly eye product you will ever use, giving you 12 hours of crease-free sparkle and colour in just one swipe. You can use it to create smoky eyes, sparkling eyeliner and soft washes of pastel. All you have to do is swipe on this blendable, mess-free formula and diffuse it with your finger or a brush.”
We’ve seen a shift away from ‘clean girl’ beauty towards something messier and more expressive. Why do you think this movement has gained momentum?
DD: “There have been so many micro makeup trends, and many of them were based on food and beverages. I think that was all a warm-up for creativity to blast off in 2026. One of the things I’m hoping to see in makeup this year are trends that are based more on moods and characters rather than fruit and coffee.
What advice do you give people who want to try bolder eye looks but feel intimidated?
DD: “Makeup is so amazing because even the most subtle shimmer, colour or outline can drastically shift one's appearance and positively affect their confidence. Don’t be intimidated... The more you wear colour, the more you realise how it increases your mood and your confidence.”
