How to ace the 90s Grunge Girl look

We’re in the middle of a grunge renaissance!

Naughties-inspired make-up is everywhere, from your favourite TikTok influencers to the catwalks of brands like Versace and Dior. Even some of our favourite it-girls, like Doja Cat, Amelia Gray, and Julia Fox are embracing the “Grunge Girl” beauty trend.

Grunge beauty is made of thin eyebrows, dark smoky eyes, pale foundation, and dark lip liner. Think, like, 90s Pamela Anderson if she listened to Nirvana instead of patrolling the beaches of California in her red swimsuit.

If “grunge Pamela Anderson” sounds like the vibe you’re going for, look no further: here’s a comprehensive list of the Grunge Girl essentials.

A bold lip is the first grunge beauty staple. Dark red, burgundy, and eggplant-coloured lipstick is great, but if you’re looking for a subtler, more natural option go for a nude hue paired with a lip liner a few shades darker than your lips.

Since she first shaved her head and eyebrows in August 2022, Doja Cat has become somewhat of a patron saint of the grunge renaissance. Even though the chameleonic artists doesn’t stick with one look for too long, she has been consistently sporting thin, drawn-on eyebrows that just make all our wildest grunge dreams come true.

You can copy Doja’s look by either shaving or bleaching your eyebrows (daring), or by simply covering them with concealer and setting powder (manageable).

When talking about grunge make-up, more is more! Eye make-up especially is bold and dark: black eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara are a must. There are also good news for the make-up amateurs! Grunge eye make-up doesn’t have to be perfect: on the contrary, the messier, the better. Go on, smudge that eyeliner to your heart’s content!

Grunge fashion is all about silver jewelry, so why not incorporate a cool-toned shimmering glow to your grunge make-up look?

Grunge hair is messy. The key to the perfectly messy look? Salt spray! It’s the best way to get that frayed, rock’n’roll texture. A coarser texture also means that your hair is now easier to style. For the best results, we recommend applying the salt spray to damp hair and letting air dry.

Original text and content: Mio Paternoss

Translated and updated content: Emma Trimboli