Flirty Flush to Undone Eyes: How On-Screen Makeup Tells an Unspoken Story
March 12 | 5 minute read
Words by Madeleine Boles de Boer
From Cathy’s omnipresent flushed cheeks to her bejewelled sweat-tears (and don’t get me started on the corset braids!), the film’s beauty choices become a crucial storytelling tool, revealing as much about the characters’ inner lives as the Emily Brontë-inspired script.
For the film’s hair and makeup designer Siân Miller, this was an intentional choice, particularly when it came to the cast’s rosy, radiant cheeks. As Miller told Who What Wear, “We used blush not just for cosmetic purposes but as a tool for displaying emotions, like exasperation, nerves, arousal and anxiety. It helped performers create their characters and tell the story in a subliminal way.”
For Cathy, it charts shifts in her circumstances, emotional life and sense of self, telling her story without speaking a word.
Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Without giving too much away, I would be remiss not to mention the beauty moment that had my proverbial jaw on the floor: Cathy is sitting at an excruciatingly tense dinner. The set reflects the tension, designed to resemble literal perspiration and inspiring her makeup look. Miller added transparent jewels high on Margot Robbie’s cheekbones, creating the aforementioned ‘sweat tears’ and an iconic beauty look destined for everyone’s Pinterest boards. Is it too early to start planning my Halloween costume?
From Euphoria to reality
Expressive makeup isn’t limited to windswept moors and period romance. The HBO smash hit Euphoria and its pioneering lead MUA Donni Davy inspired an entire makeup movement – ‘Euphoria makeup’, naturally – when the show premiered in 2019. While we patiently wait for the third season to drop in April (and its inevitably trendsetting looks), the previous seasons offer oodles of inspiration and storytelling to dissect.
Davy told The MECCA Memo, “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.”
She added, “When I was designing looks for Euphoria, I would think about the emotions that each character was experiencing and make choices around what feelings I wanted to both evoke and reflect.“
From Maddy’s razor-sharp winged liner reflecting her cutting attitude to Rue’s intergalactic, sparkly tears signaling her loosening grip on reality, there are layers of nuance and meaning baked into every rhinestone and swipe of glitter. Makeup is more than just decoration – it’s dialogue.
Lucky for us, she's made it easy to get onboard the #EuphoriaMakeup movement with her brand, Half Magic. Products like the twinkling Glitterpuck Multi-Use Pressed Fairy Dust and sparkling Face Gems give you all the tools to recreate your very own magical, meaning-heavy makeup. If you see me rocking a rhinestone tear, no need to ask how my day went.
The Moment is The Meaning
While 2024 may feel like a lifetime ago, Charli XCX has brought it into the present with her 2026 mockumentary The Moment. Examining the cost of remaining relevant through the experience of a pop star on the rise, it transports us back to the green-hued, Y2K-coded mood of the year: ‘Brat summer’.
As Brat transcends beyond album and tour to cultural movement in the film, Charli’s makeup reflects the mood – messy, undone eyes, lived-in skin and muted lips after a night out partying – and her frame of mind.
If you’re in your own 365 party girl era, or just want to emulate the carefree, imperfect attitude that is The Moment, you can start by skipping concealer. According to Charli, “It’s just nice to look a bit tired, like you just woke up and had the best night ever” – and who am I to argue with the pop princess herself?
Eye bags secured, it’s time to line, line and line again with Charli’s preferred eyeliner, Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eye Pencil in ‘Bedroom Black’ (the more smudged the better). Finally, sculpt out a quick contour, lip and eye crease with a MECCA MAX Multiplayer Mode Shaping Stick (because carrying around more than two products is not very Brat of you).
