Goth makeup has always been around—just look at the definitive black eyeliner and berry lips of the '90s grunge era for proof. But recently, it's taken on a new life: sculpted, sleek, and remarkably elevated. At Schiaparelli's Haute Couture show, the Mother of makeup, Pat McGrath, pushed the aesthetic into high-fashion territory with glossy black lips, subtly smoked eyes, and skin so contoured, it looked carved.
"Pat’s makeup direction for the Schiaparelli show was like the perfect wine and food pairing," says celebrity makeup artist Karina Milan. "While most shy away from a dark, bold lip, this runway proved that a black lip can be worn elegantly, and it doesn't have to be placed in a punk box."
Despite what "rich girl" trends might suggest right now, goth glam is very much having a moment. As evidenced at Haute Couture this week, it is likely to gain momentum as we head into the colder months. The trend works because it adds depth to the face without being too messy or theatrical, and most importantly, it's totally wearable outside of the couture world—especially when you know how to tone it down, or not.
What made the bold lip feel more approachable and elegant, says Milan, was keeping the rest of the face subdued: "The skin felt fresh and the eyes polished, but not overdone." And while black may be the most obvious goth lip choice, deep reds can still deliver that same intensity. At Schiaparelli, "not every look called for a noir," Milan says. Pat used a bright vampy red on some models to match the shade of the dress, a move that still leans into the trend, just with a fresher take.
Ahead, I'm breaking down how to try the modern goth makeup trend at home, from blurred shadows to inky lips that don't feel at all theatrical. Whether you want to lean into a full Pat McGrath moment à la Schiaparelli or just dip a toe in the dark side, this is your guide to making goth makeup feel modern and totally wearable.
Smoke Out with Smudged Liner
A gentle entry point to the goth makeup trend is simply to use a creamy eyeshadow stick or eyeliner, place it above the upper and lower lashes, and smudge it with a blending brush for a smoked-out, grungy look.
For a simple black smudged eye, grab the iconic Bobbi Brown formula for the easiest, quickest blend in eyeshadow stick history.
Want to dial it back but still lean into goth-core? Enter: A deep brown eyeshadow stick that still adds that smoked-out vibe, just slightly warmer, and looks especially beautiful on green, hazel, or brown eyes.
Gloss With Darkness
Wearing a full-blown, opaque black lip may feel slightly jarring if you're experimenting with goth makeup for the first time. That said, you can still pull in those deep tones with a burgundy, red, or even a sheer wash of high-shine black lip gloss.
Go black but sheer it out with this ultra-hydrating, high-shine lip gloss with silver shimmer for an extra touch of zhuzh and depth.
Don't want to go into a noir shade? Easy, make the trend super wearable with Clinique's iconic Almost Lipstick in Black Honey—i.e., a sheer deep berry shade that you can throw on any day of the week.
Carve with Cool Contour
Sculpted, chiseled skin defined the runway at Schiaparelli. The contoured effect echoed the goth trend's sharp aesthetic—and it's easy to recreate with a cool-toned contour and a slicked-back hairstyle.
There's nothing that blends as beautifully on the skin quite like a Soft Pinch product from Rare Beauty. I use the shade Gentle on my fair skin when I really want those super-sculpting, cool-tones to carve my face.
Take the primarily cool undertones with just a hint of warmth and combine it with rich emollients, and you get this butter-like formula that sculpts just as well as it blends.
Glow Baby Glow
The modern take on goth-core leans into glowing, radiant skin to balance out the deeper tones and sharper contours, as seen on the runway. This is where your dewiest, glass-like serums and glow balms come in to mirror that radiance.
This list wouldn't be complete without Pat McGrath's legendary Glow Setting Spray that made headlines last year at the Maison Margiela runway show.
Add this sheer, pearlized highlighting serum to the high points of the face, or even all over for a lit-from-within glow.
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