Okay, here’s my blog post about my 80s trad goth makeup look:
So, I’ve been super into the whole 80s trad goth scene lately. The music, the fashion… I just love it. The makeup is a big part of it, and I’d been itching to try it out myself. It’s not your everyday look, for sure, but it’s a fun way to express yourself.
I started by gathering all my stuff. You’ll want:
- Pale foundation – like, really pale. Think a shade or two lighter than your skin.
- White face powder. Lots of it.
- Black eyeliner. Pencil and liquid, if you have both.
- Black eyeshadow.
- Maybe some dark purple or deep red eyeshadow, too.
- Black mascara.
- Dark red or black lipstick.
- Setting spray, it is very necessary.
The Process
First, I prepped my skin. Cleaned it, moisturized it – the usual. Then came the foundation. I applied it all over my face, blending it down my neck so I didn’t look like I was wearing a mask. The goal is that pale, almost ghostly look.
Next, I took that white powder and went to town. Seriously, I packed it on. All over my face, over the foundation. This is what gives you that matte, almost porcelain-doll finish. Don’t be shy with the powder!
Eyes are where it gets really dramatic. I lined my upper and lower lash lines with the black pencil liner. I didn’t go for a perfect line – a little smudged is totally fine, even encouraged. Then, I used the liquid liner to create a thick, winged line on my upper lid. The wing is key to the goth look, think bat wings.
I took the black eyeshadow and applied it all over my eyelids, blending it up into the crease and even a little above. I also smudged some under my lower lash line, connecting it to the upper shadow. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add a touch of dark purple or red to the outer corners of your eyes for extra drama.
Then, I coated my lashes with black mascara. Top and bottom. Again, don’t be shy. We’re going for bold here.
Finally, the lips. I chose a deep, dark red lipstick. Black works too, but I felt like the red was a little more…me. I lined my lips with a similar shade of lip liner (or black, if you’re using black lipstick) and filled them in.
After all that, I sprayed my all face with the setting spray,I didn’t want all my hard work to be in vain.
It’s definitely a look. It takes some time and practice to get it right, but it’s so much fun. I felt like I’d stepped right out of a Siouxsie and the Banshees video!
