Unapproachable makeup is for those of us in our villain era

If TikTok is anything to go by, it seems like the girlies are in their ‘don’t talk to me era’ with unapproachable makeup exploding across social media.

It's not the first time we've seen the aesthetic trend (the dramatic look took off in 2023) but there's been an undeniable reprise in recent months, and the reason may be more than skin deep…

What is unapproachable makeup?

The name is pretty bang on. Instead of seeking to look “pretty” or “conventional”, this trend defies traditional makeup norms. We're talking dramatic colour contrast, striking dark tones, graphic liner and perhaps even a bleached brow. The look channels sexy mystery and taps up the type of secure energy that's perhaps a little too intimidating to approach. Effectively, it's the type of makeup to make insecure men scatter. No wonder some of the biggest beauty creators on TikTok have been devouring the trend, with the term ‘unapproachable makeup’ amassing a colossal 91.3M views and counting…

“This is what I would do if I wanted to look unapproachable, like so gorgeous, but intimidating – like the AI, evil robot of myself,” TikTok makeup artist, Zoe Kim Kenealy, said in her video.

Why is unapproachable makeup trending?

The makeup is a whole mood in itself, but many have started to dissect just why the trend is resonating with us so closely right now. Insta insights platform, @style.analytics has some thoughts on why the makeup could be a visual manifestation of rebellion and rejection and a wider statement on where we stand culturally and politically.

“There’s a growing divide between gen z men and women and we can see this in our current fashion and beauty trends,” she theorises. “So in the US there’s a growing difference between the political ideologies of gen z men and women, with women leaning more liberal and men leaning more conservative. And at the same time, we have trends like unapproachable makeup, subversive makeup and man-repeller outfits taking off. And these trends do more than just de-centre the male gaze, but actively attempt to deter male attention altogether,” she says.

“I think that these trends tap into a number of deeper narratives, such as, potentially, a growing desire for many women to distance themselves from traditional male-oriented perspectives and expectations, creating distance from those who uphold conventional and perhaps conservative beauty standards, like trad wives,” she continues. “Or maybe [it's about] subconsciously expressing contempt for [the] male contribution to the current political climate. Or maybe just an exhaustion with men’s behaviour in general,” she said. She finished by noting “this is just a theory and I would love to know if you see these two current trends as connected?”

So, if you want to get your man repeller makeup going, here are some tips to achieve your very own epic unapproachable makeup look:

Play with colour

Consider using vibrant and contrasting colours for eyes, lips, and cheeks. If that's a sharp contour, or opaque smokey eye, then so be it, there are no colour rules when it comes to unapproachable makeup.

Contour, contour, contour

The contour here needs to give face lift, it needs to give fox eye lift. So keep the concealer application high up on the cheekbones. Perhaps you could apply the ombre concealer hack here to give you an instantly lifted look quickly. To curate the technique in the correct shade order, choose a concealer that is two or three shades lighter than your foundation for your inner corner. Next, choose one that is one shade lighter than your foundation for the next dot. But for the third and fourth dot you can apply your blush shades, you can use two different shades; one lighter and one slightly darker, or you can use the same blush shade and then blend.

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Use sharp lines and shapes

Try incorporating bold and sharp graphic lines on the lids. Whether its a striking cat eye that contours the entirety of your eyelids, or simply a floating dash, feel free to experiment with black liner. “First things first, you need expert brushes for this one and some good product – you don't want anything too runny or too dry when you're creating super sharp lines; nothing that'll smudge or drag,” says makeup artist Scarlett Burton. Here, a strong liquid liner and a precision brush will be your best friends.

Play with contrasting textures

Consider experimenting with different textures like combining matte and metallic finishes for a more dynamic visual effect. Don't forget to set with a good setting or translucent powder so that the pigments stay put.

Define your brows

The trick here with the eyebrows is to make them as striking as possible. Eyebrows are our architecture when it comes to facial expression. For a true unapproachable look make them sharply groomed and shaped into as close to a straight line as you can get, instead of curved. In fact, Vanita Parti, founder of Blink Brow Bar tells GLAMOUR, “A low arch will create a flatter look, so when shaping a straight brow at home, try to avoid plucking the extra hairs just underneath the arch,”

To fake straight brows Vanita says: “Use concealer to draw around the brow and outline the shape you wish to create.” She also adds: “you can conceal the arch and tail end of the eyebrows so they appear straighter.” For extra drama, you can always give the bleached look by adding some concealer over the top (that's if you don't want to go all the way with actual bleach).

Give your lips the statement treatment

You don't necessarily need to choose a power colour like red or black. However, you will need to ensure lips are neatly defined using a sharp lip pencil liner. Deep tones on the outer corners of the lips will give a more statement and defined look and a gradient effect goes a long way to really achieve that avant-garde ‘don’t talk to me’ flair.

Confidence:

The final and most important step is that whatever you do, you must feel confident in your look. That's what's screams unapproachable. The gag is, women alike that ooze quiet confidence often naturally gravitate towards each other, so fear not – this look won't keep you away from meeting your future best friend.

Makeup is not always about enhancing natural features, sometimes there is room to experiment with bold and statement moves. As reclusive and lawless as this trend may sound, sometimes that's exactly what the girlies need. Sometimes all they want is to enjoy a girls night out with their pals, without being bothered, and if that consists of a razor sharp cat eye and bleached brows, then so be it.

After all, a full beat is worth a thousand words…

For more from Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona