HOW TO GET THE SOFT GRUNGE
MAKEUP LOOK
MAKEUP LOOK
September 16, 2024 by Cat Quinn
The Clean Girl look had its time in the spotlight, but this season we’re moving toward a moodier aesthetic: soft grunge makeup. Pulling from the enduring appeal of 90s grunge makeup, we’re shifting to cooler shades of black, grey and griege, and nuancing trends like corpcore and quiet luxury for a modern Quiet Grunge look.
“Quiet Grunge feels like where I started at MAC — it uses a palette of colours that made MAC legendary,” says Terry Barber, MAC Creative Director of Makeup Artistry. “This generation is taking the spirit and rebellion of grunge but making it right for them. It can be pretty, punk or everything in between.”
A grunge makeup product that has stood the test of time? Lip Pencil in Stone. “It’s the ultimate grunge colour to me,” says Barber. “There’s been a demand for us to return to some of the original 90s colours, which have a little bit more of a grey tone,” he continues, pointing to other Lip Pencil shades dropping this month, such as Greige.
Paired with the newly relaunched MAC Satin Lipstick in Blankety and the cool-toned Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite, you have all the ingredients for a Quiet Grunge look – the secret is in the undone application. “There’s a change in the structure when it comes to grunge,” says Barber. “Instead of doing a flicked-up cat eye, bring the liner straight out toward the temple to make it more punk.”
The most freeing part about grunge makeup? It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, that’s the whole point. “That spirit of grunge changed how people wore things,” says Barber. “It’s not a new trend – it’s a trend reimagined.”
“Quiet Grunge feels like where I started at MAC — it uses a palette of colours that made MAC legendary,” says Terry Barber, MAC Creative Director of Makeup Artistry. “This generation is taking the spirit and rebellion of grunge but making it right for them. It can be pretty, punk or everything in between.”
A grunge makeup product that has stood the test of time? Lip Pencil in Stone. “It’s the ultimate grunge colour to me,” says Barber. “There’s been a demand for us to return to some of the original 90s colours, which have a little bit more of a grey tone,” he continues, pointing to other Lip Pencil shades dropping this month, such as Greige.
Paired with the newly relaunched MAC Satin Lipstick in Blankety and the cool-toned Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite, you have all the ingredients for a Quiet Grunge look – the secret is in the undone application. “There’s a change in the structure when it comes to grunge,” says Barber. “Instead of doing a flicked-up cat eye, bring the liner straight out toward the temple to make it more punk.”
The most freeing part about grunge makeup? It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, that’s the whole point. “That spirit of grunge changed how people wore things,” says Barber. “It’s not a new trend – it’s a trend reimagined.”
Lip Pencil
£20.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
£25.00
A sleek satin lipstick that nourishes lips and gives creamy, bold colour with all-day moisture.
Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite
£32.00
A smoky-toned 6-pan eyeshadow palette innovated with our most pigmented formula to date. Create limitless makeup looks – from subtle to dramatic.
Go grunge with 90s M·A·C essentials, including Lip Pencil in Stone.
Lip Pencil
£20.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
£25.00
A sleek satin lipstick that nourishes lips and gives creamy, bold colour with all-day moisture.
HOW TO GET THE QUIET GRUNGE TREND
LOOK 1: Bring the edge with cool-toned neutrals for the ultimate soft-grunge makeup look.
- >Even your skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-PoweredTM Foundation.
- Then swipe Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer where desired.
Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation
£39.00
A moisturising foundation with buildable coverage in 56 luminous shades. Features a 10% hyaluronic acid solution to deliver plump, hydrated skin with all-day radiance, it smooths skin texture and evens out skin tone.
Studio Radiance 24hr Luminous Lift Concealer
£26.00
Diminish the look of dark circles with our weightless, radiant concealer. Provides 24-hour medium buildable coverage and +90% instant hydration*, featuring hyaluronic acid.
*Testing on 30 panelists after one use.
*Testing on 30 panelists after one use.
Eye Kohl
£20.00
An eyeliner with rich colour and a silky smooth, matte/pearl finish.
231S Small Shader Brush
£16.50
A pro-quality brush that lets you apply and move around colours like an expert.
Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite
£32.00
A smoky-toned 6-pan eyeshadow palette innovated with our most pigmented formula to date. Create limitless makeup looks – from subtle to dramatic.
Lip Pencil
£20.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
£25.00
A sleek satin lipstick that nourishes lips and gives creamy, bold colour with all-day moisture.
Smudge out your black liner with cool-toned eye shadows from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite.
Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite
£32.00
A smoky-toned 6-pan eyeshadow palette innovated with our most pigmented formula to date. Create limitless makeup looks – from subtle to dramatic.
Lip Pencil
£20.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
£25.00
A sleek satin lipstick that nourishes lips and gives creamy, bold colour with all-day moisture.
LOOK 2: Bring back 90s grunge makeup with soft, cool-toned shades from lids to lips.
- Even out your skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-PoweredTM Foundation.
- Tightline your lash lines using Eye Kohl in Feline, gently smudging with fingertips.
Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation
£39.00
A moisturising foundation with buildable coverage in 56 luminous shades. Features a 10% hyaluronic acid solution to deliver plump, hydrated skin with all-day radiance, it smooths skin texture and evens out skin tone.
Eye Kohl
£20.00
An eyeliner with rich colour and a silky smooth, matte/pearl finish.
Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite
£32.00
A smoky-toned 6-pan eyeshadow palette innovated with our most pigmented formula to date. Create limitless makeup looks – from subtle to dramatic.
Lip Pencil
£20.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
£25.00
A sleek satin lipstick that nourishes lips and gives creamy, bold colour with all-day moisture.
Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry, shares his perspective on the Quiet Grunge trend.
SHOP QUIET GRUNGE
