Some trends arrive quietly and slowly, but there's nothing that caught my eye faster than messy-girl makeup making a comeback. Maybe it's because I love a good smudged eyeliner and day-three lipstick moment, but there's just something about women like Gabbriette, Megan Fox, and Charli XCX's less-than-perfect palette that scream energy and individuality.
It's not polished, not symmetrical, or not curated within an inch of its life, just intentionally imperfect. It's gritty and sexy. Plus, it's a little chaotic. And the best part? Pretty much anyone can re-create it. You don't need artistry or experience. You just need the right products—the ones that smudge well, blend fast, and look even better when they're a tiny bit off-center.
So if you're into the slightly destroyed, messy-girl glam, I've created a starter park for you. Here are some of the essentials I use for nailing the look—no perfection or precision.
The Frosted Opal Glow palette is that cold, glassy highlight that just works well with messy-girl makeup. Nothing sparkly or loud, just a soft, icy sheen that looks like it’s coming from your skin, not sitting on top of it.
At first, I had my doubts about this interesting, skinny mascara wand but when I tried it, they flew out of the window. The formula grips onto lashes, giving you a spidery shape that looks so grungy.
The Huda Beauty Lip Contour in Warm Brown gives that blurred, lived-in lip without you having to do anything special. The stain settles into this soft, warm shadow around the mouth that looks like you've been wearing it for hours.
Givenchy's Le Rouge Interdit lippie lineup brings a soft, rosy warmth to the lips that perfectly complements a smoky eye. The satin finish hits the sweet spot—smooth, a little luminous, never sticky, playing well with lived-in glam.
Chili Crush instantly shifts a look from flat to edgy. The shade sits right between spice and flush, so it reads natural but with a little attitude.
Obviously Rihanna had her grunge era, so we can trust her when it comes to an eyeliner that can survive everything. Flyliner lays down a sharp, inky line that doesn't budge, flake, or disappear by noon, making it the perfect tool for a messy wing.
Messy-girl makeup may be all about the eye, but it's the lip liner that ties the entire look together. This shade from Makeup Forever happens to be the perfect cool-toned shade that instantly adds that moody, lived-in vibe. The texture is dry enough to grip, so it smudges in the right way without melting.
Sleepy Girl reads like a whisper of color rather than a full-on blush, which is exactly why it ends up looking so good. I love to tap it on my hand and warm it up before dabbing my brush into it before blending it onto the skin.
I've been testing this mascara for a few months, and I've got to say it's taken my OG favorite's spot. It perfectly separates and thickens lashes, making them super long. It's also a tubing formula, so it's super easy to take off.
Sandalwood is the shade you throw on when black needs a little softening around the edges. That touch of brown underneath makes everything look more lived-in, which is basically the whole point of a messy-girl eye. It sheers out quickly, adds quiet depth, and makes the black look less harsh.
For the crease, this pretty light brown from Merit can add depth to your eye makeup while still keeping everything soft and a little undone.
The Shade and Illuminate Duo hits that exact tone that carves out your cheekbones without looking like you contoured. The cooler shade adds a quiet lift—just enough definition to mimic that naturally sculpted, model-off-duty structure.
Le Fauve from Guerlain taps into that Lily-Rose Depp kind of blur—where the lip looks strong but slightly frayed at the edges. The shade itself is this deep, warm red that gets even better once it's a little worn-in.
Black Honey doesn't read like a lipstick at all. The berry wash settles in softly, almost like you've been wearing it for hours and forgot about it. Not too sharp, not too glossy.