Forget no-makeup makeup

Express Tribune

07-03-2025

If beauty trends are a reflection of the times, then 2025's biggest looks suggest one thing: we're no longer content with playing it safe. This is the year of makeup that doesn't just enhance but reinvents, of aesthetics that embrace extremes, and of a beauty philosophy that says, "Why settle for subtle when you can be a spectacle?"
Without doubt, there's something thrilling about watching a transformation unfold before your eyes. A before-and-after so stark it feels like magic, like the moment a fairy godmother waves her wand and turns a pumpkin into a carriage. That's the exact effect of the latest viral beauty trend sweeping TikTok: unrecognisable makeup.
The ultimate shapeshifter
If you've spent any time scrolling through #BeautyTok lately, you've likely seen it in action - users appearing barefaced and groggy in the first frame, only to reappear seconds later looking so flawlessly sculpted it's hard to believe it's the same person. The trend, which has already amassed thousands of posts, wants nothing less than a complete reinvention. The kind of makeover that makes even your own reflection feel unfamiliar, in the best way possible.
Beauty creator Natalie Violette has become one of the trend's unofficial ambassadors, with millions of viewers transfixed by her step-by-step guide to achieving the hyper-snapped, hyper-snatched look. "For the base, I want it to be so blurred it looks fake," she explains in her now-viral tutorial.
Start with a meticulous layering of full-coverage foundation, an intense contouring routine, and strategic baking with loose setting powder for that impossibly matte, airbrushed finish. The blush is placed high under the eyes and swept towards the temples, giving the illusion of razor-sharp cheekbones. The result is an ultra-defined, almost surreal version of yourself, like a CGI character brought to life.
The unrecognisable makeup trend taps into the transformative power of cosmetics, where technique is just as important as the products used.
Cue the DFE
If the past few years were dominated by soft, ethereal aesthetics - think glazed skin, coquette bows, and whisper-pink blush - then 2025 is ushering in its shadowy counterpart. Enter dark feminine energy (DFE), more a mood, less a makeup look.
Think of it as the sultry, enigmatic cousin of last year's hyper-feminine trends. It's the difference between a ballet slipper pink manicure and vampy, wine-red nails. Between soft, cherubic freckles and the sharp architecture of a contoured jawline.
According to MAC Cosmetics senior makeup artist Michelle Clark, the rise of DFE makeup is a direct reaction to the beauty trends that came before it. "We've seen an explosion of coquette, strawberry, and sugarplum fairy aesthetics - all emphasising pink hues, dewy skin, and delicate femininity," she said in conversation with Glamour. "Dark feminine energy feels like the natural counterbalance, a way to embrace a more powerful, enigmatic version of beauty."
The core elements include an unabashed focus on sculpted, almost hypnotic eye looks. Think charcoal shadows blended to moody perfection, dramatic liner that extends beyond the lash line, and a commitment to depth. Cool-toned neutrals reign supreme, with blacks, deep browns, and graphite shades taking centre stage.
Lips are equally commanding. A dark, seductive pout, whether in a matte blackberry hue or a soft-blurred oxblood stain, has become a signature of the trend. And the key is a nonchalant application. Instead of the crisp, hyper-lined lips we saw in the early 2010s, the new approach favours diffused, lived-in colour.
It's not just a TikTok microtrend either. Glamour further reports spotting DFE on the runways, with designers from Versace to Ann Demeulemeester jumping on the bandwagon and sending models down the catwalk in gothic lace, structured leather, and smudged, smoky eyes.
For those eager to embrace their dark feminine era, the best place to start is the eyes. Apply a taupe or gray wash across the lids, deepening the outer corners with a darker shade for added dimension. Line the waterline with black kohl, then soften the edges with a smudged brown shadow for that perfectly undone effect.
For lips, find a shade that feels bold but effortless. You may dab a wine-red lipstick onto the centre of the mouth and press it in with your fingers for a blurred, velvety finish.
Seeing red
But perhaps the most unexpected beauty trend of the year so far is the continued (and intensifying) obsession with cherry.
While red lips have long been a beauty staple (hello, Taylor Swift), cherry makeup takes the commitment several steps further. It's about infusing red into unexpected places, on the cheeks, the eyes, even the lashes, for a look that feels equal parts rebellious and romantic.
On TikTok, the trend has taken off with thousands of users experimenting with red blush, inspired by a secret long known by Victoria's Secret makeup artists: a flushed, red-toned cheek mimics the most natural, post-kiss glow. Ever since this backstage trick was revealed, red blushes have been flying off the shelves.
And the red renaissance doesn't stop there. Cherry-red eyeshadow, once dismissed as too theatrical, is now having a major moment. Whether it's a bold, monochromatic wash across the lids or a subtle crimson flick replacing traditional black liner, the effect is striking. Even red mascara - once relegated to avant-garde editorials - is now becoming a streetwear staple.
It's a shift that feels fresh, playful, and full of personality. Red is traditionally associated with passion, confidence, and danger, all of which feel like fitting descriptors for the mood of 2025's beauty trends.
For those hesitant to go full cherry bomb, a simple way to ease in is with a sheer red lip. Instead of reaching for a traditional lipstick bullet, try dabbing a red tint onto the lips with your fingers for a blurred, effortless finish.
Or, for a high-impact look, combine the two biggest trends of the season - blend a soft, smoky eye with a touch of deep cherry at the centre of the lid. It's moody, it's suave, and it's guaranteed to turn heads.