Soft Grunge Makeup: The New Face Of Alternative Beauty

There’s something rather freeing about not having to look well-rested all the time. While the beauty world has spent years convincing us to conceal our dark circles, perfect our brows and achieve that elusive healthy glow, a new generation of makeup lovers is finding beauty in looking a little less polished. Think smudged eyeliner, muted lips, bleached brows and purposely dark under-eyes. And we saw this shift on the runway, too, with London Fashion Week serving up its fair share of unconventional beauty looks. It’s less about looking stereotypically pretty than embracing the things that make your face feel like yours.

To find out what draws people to this slightly darker side of beauty, we spoke to three Singaporean creatives who are making alternative makeup their own. Tyra Ng (@hystericv1rgo), 22, shares her experimental looks on social media, often embracing a dark and deliberately “lifeless” aesthetic. Joey Yeo (@a.zarath), 25, a marketing professional, draws from Japanese subcultures, anime and her background in art to create expressive, otherworldly looks. Then there’s Jia Hui (@bigstronk123), 22, the nail artist behind Zaddy Big Claws, whose alternative, whimsical and sometimes downright grotesque nail designs have already caught our eye. Her designs often blur the line between the beautiful and the bizarre, with sculptural, gothic and unconventional details. And her love for the unusual doesn’t stop at her fingertips, with a personal makeup style she’s spent years refining.

Read more: Clean Girl Nails Are Out, Grotesque Nails Are In

Whether it’s a creative outlet, a way to reclaim beauty on their own terms or simply an excuse to wear black lipstick on a random Tuesday, these three are making the case for beauty that doesn’t play by the rules. We asked them about their inspirations, their holy-grail products and why, sometimes, looking a little bit dead is the whole point.

How would you describe your makeup style? 

Joey Yeo: “I would describe my makeup style as alternative and experimental! It is most definitely a mix of different influences. I’m personally really into Japanese subculture makeup styles, like visual kei (a Japanese music and fashion movement known for its dramatic, theatrical looks) and galmake (short for gyaru makeup, a style associated with bold, expressive beauty looks and often exaggerated eyes).”

Tyra Ng: “There isn’t any one aesthetic, it highly depends on my mood and outfit, but if I had to say, it’s all based on black and white and the colours between them! I love looking almost lifeless.”

Jia Hui: “Honestly, I’m not sure how I’d describe it, I think I’ve just arrived at this look after years of doing more or less the same routine and gradually refining it to suit my face. I just kept doing what I liked and what worked for me.”

How did you first get into this style of makeup? 

Tyra: “I started playing with makeup because I genuinely love customising my face and how I present myself physically to the world.”

Jia Hui: “I remember first learning makeup from Pony, a Korean makeup artist on YouTube. From there, I started exploring different colour palettes and looks, and gradually figured out what I liked on myself. I think a lot of it came down to experimenting and learning what suited my face.”

Joey: “I’ve always been a huge makeup lover from a young age. I think it’s just an interest that came naturally to me, as it kinda lies in the intersection of all my other interests - art, beauty, and dressing up. And my style definitely was something that was developed over a long period of time, and it’s something I think I can now proudly call my own!”

Who or what are your biggest beauty inspirations?

Jia Hui: “I’m really drawn to otherworldly forms, especially H.R. Giger’s biomechanical work (the Swiss artist is known for surreal, alien-like creations that blend human anatomy with machinery). In an ideal world, I’d love to embody something that looks a little alien or otherworldly, although I don’t think I’m quite there yet. I’m always fascinated by forms that feel almost human, but not quite.”

Joey: “I draw inspiration from many places! Within the beauty space and also outside of it. I’m a big fan of anime, and the fanart that is born from it. I’m always enamoured by the way artists use colour, and I try to implement that in my work as well. It’s always fun to do makeup by imagining a certain world or character I’d like to step in for the moment. I also try to apply what I know from my own studies in art, sculpture and anatomy into my makeup looks - to create more interesting and visually compelling compositions.”

What’s your everyday makeup routine like, and how do you work elements of alternative beauty into your usual glam? 

Tyra: “My everyday makeup is whatever I’m feeling in the moment or what my outfit requires. I’ve been to events with a black lip and a smokey eye before, and got called ‘raunchy’, but why should a colour differentiate how people treat you? So I take that with me everywhere and do as I please, because life has to be fun. I don’t want to dull my own colour for other people’s idea of normal.”

Jia Hui: “I pretty much do the same routine every day, with a weekly eyebrow bleaching session thrown in. The most I do to switch things up is play around with different lip colours depending on my mood. I do love a black lip, but it stains my water bottle so I save that for when I feel special.”

What are your holy-grail makeup products for achieving this look? 

Joey: “I don’t even know where to begin with this question. My room is a huge mess with everything that I own. But I’ve come to really appreciate indie/alternative makeup brands! It’s kinda like how people say, if you want an alternative haircut, go to an alternative hairstylist. They will know how to do it best. Some of my favourite brands right now include Shellwe Makeup, Rituelle De Fille, Kaleidos and Blend Bunny Cosmetics.”

Tyra: “Cheeryep eyeshadow palettes are really good, the Romand eyeshadow palette is especially good for a range from soft to smokey, however, I started with a eyeliner and a dream so a makeup product will never be just one thing, it’s what you make of it!”

Jia Hui: “My holy grail is the Romand eyeshadow palette in M02. It’s so versatile that I use it for everything from eyeliner to contour and eyebrows. I’ve gone through so many of these palettes over the years. I’m not someone who constantly needs to try something new, I tend to repurchase the same products over and over again once I find something that works for me.”

What’s one makeup rule you love to break?

Joey: “I do love to embrace dark circles! There are a lot of beauty ‘rules’ that I like to break. I don’t really think about the rules or what looks pretty or appealing in the conventional way very often. I would say that is my advice for anyone who is looking to develop their own creative makeup style. 

When I stopped thinking about what kind of beauty content and looks would be appealing to others or look good for social media, and really embraced it as something I am doing as a form of self expression and creativity, that’s when I started feeling happier with what I was creating and became much more fulfilled!”

Tyra: “I love dark undereyes and a thin or nonexistent brow, having more real estate on my eyes gives me space to do more fun things like patterns or lines.”

Grunge and gothic makeup have traditionally been associated with more dramatic, alternative looks. What do you think makes this softer, more wearable version appealing to Gen Z today?

Jia Hui: “I think there’s something empowering about wanting to be different, especially when you’re young and still figuring out who you are. For people who have felt rejected by society, there’s a certain comfort in being able to frame that difference as something you choose and embrace. It feels better to think, ‘I’m different, so they reject me’, than to feel like you’re being rejected for no reason. Of course, I don’t think that explains everyone’s relationship with alternative beauty, but I think it can be a way for people to reclaim that feeling and turn it into something of their own.”

Gen Z’s personal styles often pull from multiple aesthetics rather than fitting neatly into one subculture. Do you see your makeup as part of a particular identity, or do you prefer mixing and matching whatever you like?

Joey: “I definitely see my style as a mixture of everything I love! But I think that’s likely the case since we are now so exposed to different styles on the internet that it’s really easy to take inspiration from anything! With regard to the idea of ‘identity’, I think I see a good beat as war paint sort of. Makeup can really help to affirm a certain sense of identity, helping you feel more like yourself, or more confident and empowered. Sometimes I put on makeup so that I’ll be perceived in a certain way too, and I’m sure many people feel similarly as well.”

Jia Hui: “I think it’s definitely a mix of different subcultures. Gen Z grew up with social media, where we’re constantly exposed to so many different aesthetics and subcultures, so I think it’s natural that we end up consciously or subconsciously mixing elements of different influences together. I’ve never felt the need to fit neatly into one category. There aren’t really any rules to makeup anyway. Your face is your playground.”

What does wearing this style of makeup mean to you personally?

Tyra: “Honestly, I think it’s a huge way for me to express myself through my looks. Even though many find it ‘unpalatable’ or unconventional I think it shows my character and personality on my face, and it gives me the confidence knowing that I feel good and I look good for myself, and no one else’s opinions matter.”

Joey: “It’s mostly a creative outlet. The process is therapeutic, and I like to move my hands and play with products while enjoying my favourite music in the background. With so many things in life we cannot control, it feels liberating to know there’s one area in which I have control and can be whatever I want to be, do whatever I want to do, and change my face as I please. Sometimes I think it’s one of the few things that keep me afloat.”