10 Makeup Essentials To Nail The Grunge Makeup Trend

PSA: glam grunge is the haaawtest beauty trend right now. We’ve been spreading the word for a while now, so we thought it was about time that we delivered a roundup of our fave makeup staples to nail grunge makeup.

If you’ve been seeing glam grunge, grunge makeup, and 90s grunge makeup looks everywhere, let us give you the DL. The look radiates this IDGAF, almost punk energy. It nods at trends like goth girl, party girl, and TikTok’s current fave: rockstar girlfriend. In short: the liner is smudged, the eyeshadow is intense, and the lips are stained a vampy hue. BUT, it also has a polished element to give it a glamorous edge. Okay, so now you know, here are the makeup products we rely on to get the grunge makeup look.

1. Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette, $67

When it comes to grunge makeup, eyeliner and eyeshadow play a major role in serving grunge energy. The Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette is perfect for this look thanks to 18 delicious shades that create the ultimate playground for grunge makeup, whether you want a warm, cool, matte, shimmer, or wet-look finish. It also contains two gel formulas (Purpose and Worthy) that double down as eyeliner, which will help you effortlessly achieve that lived-in eyeliner vibe.

2. L’Oréal Telescopic Lift Washable Mascara, $15

Source: L’Oréal

This drugstore mascara is making waves on TikTok. The exclusive load and lift brush features double-hook bristles that charge every lash with instant lift, volume, and length. It also has up to 36-hour wear, doesn’t flake, and is easy to apply, so no touch-ups are necessary.

3. Huda Beauty Creamy Kohl Longwear Eye Pencil, $21

You can’t do grunge makeup without matte black eyeliner, so naturally, our NEW Creamy Kohl Long Wear Eye Pencil is a must-have. Whether you want to tightline, smudge, or nail a precise wing, the ultra-creamy formula will deliver. Then, once it’s set, it’s locked in place no matter how late you stay up.

Top tip: We actually love to use the Creamy Kohl Longerwear Eye Pencil to line our lips for a gothic black liner lip lewk. Or we use the brown hue (Very Brown) to achieve a 90s grunge lip, finished with a light layer gloss.

4. Isamaya French LIPLACQ Maximizing Lip Serum in Black Veil, $38

Source: Isamaya French

Eugh, we can’t get enough of this vinyl-finish lipgloss. It’s formulated with a botanical lip plumper that stimulates natural circulation to give instant volume to the lips, while the Triple Moisture Restore Tech (featuring three different weights of hyaluronic acid) ensures the lips stay plump, juicy, and hydrated. As for the shade, the black tint gives an edginess to the gloss that’s oh-so grunge.

5. Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Eye, Cheek & Lip Cream Pigment, $18

Source: Danessa Myricks

She’s a multi-tasking hero. This clear glass-finish formula can be used on top of eyeshadow or on your lips. The result? She gives the most gaaawgeous high-shine finish to anything she touches, and she lasts all day long. We also love that she ain’t sticky.

6. The Lip Bar Nonstop Liquid Matte in Rebel, $14

Source: The Lip Bar

A vampy lip is probably the easiest way to radiate grunge energy, and The Lip Bar’s Nonstop Liquid Matte in the shade Rebel is just STUN-ning. It applies like a gloss, dries down matte, and the pigment stays popping all day long. It also doesn’t dry out your lips like some formulas, and for that reason, it’s a slam dunk.

We also love a 90s brown lip with a grunge lewk, especially if the eyeshadow/liner moment is poppin’, so check out their nude-for-you shades too.

7. Huda Beauty Life Liner Quick ‘N Easy Liquid Eyeliner, $21

We’re biased, but honestly, you’ll struggle to find an eyeliner that’s easier to use than the Huda Beauty Life Liner Quick ‘N Easy Liquid Liner. It has a super thin 3mm brush tip that deposits a continuous amount of ink for top-tier precision without tugging. It allows for max control, so you can create a graphic or classic wing in seconds. Plus, the highly pigmented matte black ink doesn’t budge. #YAY

8. KISS Lash Couture Lash Mapping Kit, $15

Source: KISS

Long XXL lashes are the ultimate finishing touch to a grunge eyeshadow look, and KISS is everyone’s fave drugstore lash brand. Seriously, celeb MUAs rely on them for red carpets, so they’ll definitely come through for you too. We love this set of individual clusters as they’re easy to apply and allow you to create a ton of lash looks, from a siren eye to a dramatic cat eye.

9. Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Concealer, $31

When it comes to glam grunge makeup, you definitely want an undone edge, but that’s not the case with your complexion, hence why a good concealer is another essential. The Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Concealer is always our top pick as it’s super creamy, easy to blend, and builds so you can determine whether you want a natural complexion vibe or a full glam feel. Plus, it doesn’t crack and stays fresh 24/7.

10. Pat Mcgrath Labs Mothership |: Subliminal, $128

Source: Pat McGrath Labs

Okay, okay, hear us out. While we realize this is a certified SPLURGE, the shimmer shades are just next-level. When they catch the light? We die! The curated collection of pigmented, velvety hues features a mix of jewel tones, neutrals, and high-impact shades so you can create a wide array of grunge makeup looks.

For more glam grunge inspo, check out our glam grunge trend report.

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. Although some brands allow affiliate links, we never take payment to review products, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.