“Emo” originated from Emotional hardcore and is a form of aesthetic or lifestyle for some people from 1985 to the early 1990s. The unconventional makeup style related to this aesthetic is so different from the regular makeup style that it gives an outcast vibe to people who choose this path.
Being emo is not just about makeup or how you look; it’s mainly about the music and emotions. That’s why it’s suggested to know about music theory if you genuinely want to be an emo. But again, this article discusses the eyeliner part or How to do emo eyeliner solely, to be specific.
After all, lookswise, you’re not really emo if you cannot master emo eyeliner.
JUMP AHEAD TO
WHAT IS AN EMO EYELINER?
Emo eyeliner is part of a very well-known aesthetic- ‘Emo aesthetic.’ Though being emo is more about music, being emotional, and less about makeup. Still, makeup is definitely something that gives emo people their own identity and differentiates them from other people.
The emo eyeliner is basically done by applying liner around the eyes and smudging with fingers only. The finished look gives off an eery, striking look.
WHAT IS TIKTOK EMO MAKEUP?
TikTok Emo does not exist. It’s egirls/eboys misusing the term ’emo.’
Because Emo doesn’t need a look as long as you consume the music. Still, there’s a distinctive look associated with it. It’s annoying for people to misuse the term cause when you’re searching for actual emo looks, you’ll only see people who misuse it, and it’s going to take a lot of work to find references.
If you genuinely want to get all the authentic emo-related content. In that case, search ’emo makeup 2008′ on YouTube, and all the real stuff will appear.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS REQUIRED FOR EMO EYELINER?
The OG emo people from their early 20s only required one thing – Black pencil eyeliner. Honestly, that’s the only thing you need, as emo makeup doesn’t include colors.
In modern days, emo makeup died down but still trending at the same time with different names. People came up with a name like – “TikTok Emo makeup.” Even though the title includes the word “emo,” the emo kids would say otherwise in the old days. The below-mentioned things are what you need to pull off emo eyeliner.
- Black Eyeliner (Liquid, Pencil, Gel)
- Black Eyeshadow
- White Eyeliner
- Highlighter
- Concealer
- Big Lashes
- Mascara
- Brushes for blending
HOW TO DO EMO EYELINER (STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE)
Get your pencil ready; it’s time to line your eyes.
1st STEP – Put it around the eyes.
2nd STEP – Smudge as you wish.
3rd STEP – OWN IT.
That’s how Yungblud, emo at heart, showed his way of doing eyeliner in one of many videos about his eccentric emo-ish makeup style.
Emo eyeliner is simple. It’s just your eyeliner and how emo you feel. For example, you can clean up any eyeliner residue from the previous day and moisturize your eyes to start your makeup routine, or if you feel extra rough, don’t do anything; just apply more on top.
HOW TO DO EMO EYELINER (FOR DAYS WHEN YOU WANT TO GO ALL OUT)
- Required Eyeliner Type – Liquid eyeliner.
1st STEP – Start how you would draw a winged eyeliner without extending the wing.
2nd STEP – Before the eyeliner dries up, do what normally you’d never even think of doing- open your eyes as widely as possible. That way, you’ll get eyeliner on your crease, which will later help to guide the whole look; just wait.
3rd STEP – Now draw a wing from your outer lower waterline. This wing should be long enough to meet the liner on your crease. Extend the wing to your liking.
4th STEP – Once you’re satisfied with how the shape turned out, fill up every nook and cranny with eyeliner.
5th STEP – Fill up the inner corners and extend them.
6th STEP – Set the eyeliner with black eyeshadow.
7th STEP – Wear big eyelashes.
END LOOK – The end look should be a big, black, pointy wing surpassing your eyelid and covering the creases.
HOW TO DO EMO EYELINER (FOR DAYS WHEN YOU WANT TO BE LOW-KEY)
No emo makeup style can go unnoticed tbh, but here’s a simple emo eyeliner guide-
● Required Eyeliner Type – Pencil eyeliner.
1st STEP – You’ll require an eyeliner pencil for this look. Start by applying it generously on your lower waterline.
2nd STEP – Fill up your inner corners well and start lining your upper lids. You shouldn’t worry if it’s not perfect.
3rd STEP – Usually, emo people would rub their eyes as they wish to get that smudged eyeliner look. You can use small angular brushes to do that. And you’re basically done with the eyeliner part.
4th STEP – Apply mascara, coat after coat. I’ve seen some people smudge their eyeliner with mascara on lashes (which had not dried up yet) just to have extra dark eyes.
END LOOK – You’ll have a smudged look. A bit messy indeed, different from some typical smokey eyeliner look. Supposed to be asymmetric.
HOW TO DO EMO SCENE EYE MAKEUP
- Required Eyeliner Type – Liquid and pencil/gel eyeliner.
1st STEP – First, put a line of liquid eyeliner on your top eyelid. Then put it under your eye; just go around the bottom.
2nd STEP – Then, take a dark black gel or pencil eyeliner and put it on your eyelid’s inner and outer corners, leaving the middle part for now. You can use black eyeshadow too.
3rd STEP – In this step, fill in the middle part you left out from the last step in gray eyeshadow.
4th STEP – Now, go over the top with gray eyeshadow and blend. Retouch with liquid eyeliner if needed. And you’re done.
END LOOK – A bold black eyeliner look with a grayish mid-eyelid.
That’s basically three ways to do emo eyeliner. Indeed requires a lot of eyeliner. But here’s a tip- familiarization with angular brushes makes the application process like a breeze.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER MAKEUP YOU NEED TO COMPLETE EMO MAKEUP, AND HOW TO USE THEM
Emo makeup styles don’t require many colors. That means fewer makeup products. Looking pale is the signature style here. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you pull off the “I don’t go outside” look –
- MASCARA – This step is a must. Especially for the emo boys who won’t usually opt for false lashes.
How to use Mascara for EMO Makeup – Apply several coats of mascara on both upper and lower lashes to make them look thick and clumpy. It goes well with the overall look. Don’t bother if you get mascara on your eyelids or elsewhere.
EXPERT TIPS – To make the lashes extra thick, follow these steps –
1st STEP – Apply foundation on lashes.
2nd STEP – Cover the lashes with loose powder.
3rd STEP – Use mascara.
If you’re looking for a clean & smudge-free mascara appearance you can also check this article – How To Keep Mascara From Smudging.
- FOUNDATION – Make sure your foundation is a shade or two shades lighter than your skin. The purpose is to look pale.
1st STEP – Apply all over the face and blend.
2nd STEP – Now apply foundation again on specific areas like under the eyes and spots around the nose and lips. Blend, blend, and blend.
- CONTOURING – Go easy with this step, as you don’t want too much color on your face. Use powder bronzer, by the way.
1st STEP – Trust your facial bones and apply bronzer. Try to give your face some hollowness.
2nd STEP – Blend well.
- FOUNDATION POWDER – To make the whole look matte, using powder is necessary too. Just grab any compact powder with a lighter shade and brush it over your face evenly.
- EYELASHES – Most emo girls won’t go out without wearing false lashes. And these lashes are usually big and feathery, which goes past the eyelids. They can be applied in a regular manner without any trimming.
- LIPSTICK – I think only emo makeup is a style with which both dark and light lips go well. You can go with nude lipstick or choose the darkest shades of lipstick, like- red, purple, or black.
Again there’s no specific rule for applying lipstick. You do you.
FINAL VERDICT
Emo makeup, more precisely – emo eyeliner, differs from other makeup styles. This particular style doesn’t care about being perfect. People with this aesthetic always say that being emo at heart is all it matters. Even with all these makeup trends, emo makeup still has its authenticity. People often mix up other “dark makeup aesthetics” with being emo. Even all the tutorials on emo makeup are mostly full of misinformation. But this writing is only based on the original emo eyeliner style. So rest assured and trust the steps as mentioned.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO EMO EYE MAKEUP?
ANSWER – A lot of makeup styles can be alternatives for emo makeup. These include Grunge makeup, Alternative makeup, Scene makeup, and E-girl makeup, to name a few.
But emo has its own distinctive style. You must avoid mixing up this makeup style with others or wearing another makeup style and calling yourself emo.
CAN BOYS DO EMO EYELINER AS WELL?
ANSWER – Everyone can! Even now, if you start searching for emo eyeliner tutorial videos, you’ll see a lot of boys doing their liner tutorials.
But boys usually go as far as applying eyeliner and makeup. They skip mascara and false lashes.
