As far as Halloween makeup looks go, ‘dark academia’ is probably the most wearable, pared back one you could ever try. It’s also just a great autumn makeup trend that will make morning getting ready just that bit more fun.
It draws from the essence of the somber yet chic studious character in all of us, all infused with an everyday wearable charm that’s both bewitching and approachable. It’s very Wednesday Addams coded. The hashtag, which now has 5.3billion views and counting on TikTok, is taking off and bringing gothic literature core back.
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It embraces Wednesday Addams’s signature elements, such as a minimalistic yet striking aesthetic, with a focus on matte finishes, rich velvety textures, and deep, muted tones. This wearable adaptation of Wednesday’s aesthetic embraces subtle smoky eyes, complemented by soft, defined brows and a touch of deep plum or burgundy lip shades. Emphasising natural contours and a flawless porcelain complexion, the trend creates an illusion of ethereal, understated beauty, reminiscent of an intriguing chapter from a classic novel.
Wednesday Addams makeup is trending on TikTok – here’s how to do it
Goth glam? Yes, please.
With a nod to the dark, romantic undertones of classic literature, five GLAMOUR staffers decided to attempt their own version of Dark Academia and here is how it went…
Shei, GLAMOUR’s Beauty Writer
I’m not much of a Halloween girlie. When we’re talking fancy dress I would much rather do something cute a preppy than evoke energy from the dark forces for the sake of “playing around”. As soon as I saw this “dark academia” look trend, I knew this was one for me. I’ll be honest, it’s not too far fetched from my signature school look, (except my makeup game wasn’t as good then), so major throwback energy.
I went for a stripped back moody look, as I couldn’t quite commit to a heavy smokey eye, (realistically the girlies in school are not committing to all of that either). I used the Kylie Cosmetics Classic Matte Palette, £29, Flannels and the Rabanne Colourshot Liquid Eyeshadow in My Bad, £25, Selfridges, on the eyes. H&M Beauty Matte Lipstick in Manifest, £9.99, H&M hue on the lips and opted for a loud bold blusher using the Nars Afterglow Liquid Blush in Insatiable for the cheeks.
To really extend the siren look, I slicked my brows down with some Milk Makeup Kush Brow Lamination Gel, £21, Cult Beauty and the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara, £7.99, Boots always givea me the whispy lash look to make things look more serious and less doe like. Looking back, I should have gone matte on the base as it made me look to plump for the full dark academia effect, so I’ll try that next time. There will of course be a next time. I love this look.
Rating: 9/10
Luca, GLAMOUR’s Social Media Manager
Okay, I’ll be honest, Dark Academia is not my usual makeup vibe. I’m a subtle low-effort gal through and through. But, it’s Halloween and I’m always in the spirit of trying something new. I decided to try a glossy dark lip situation, bordering a little on the vampy side, with a smoked-out liner a la Bella Hadid, and it was actually surprisingly easy to pull together. I started by applying a brown pencil to my upper and lower lash lines, blending it out with a brush, and then deepening the colour with a black liner on my waterline, topping it with some black mascara.
On my lips, I used a deep berry liquid lipstick and added a healthy gloop of clear gloss on top, which completely elevated the look. I finished with a purple-toned blush to complement the lip colour and tie the whole look together. My verdict? I’m kind of here for it. It’s like the cool girl-approved way to do Halloween makeup.
Rating: 8/10
Lian, GLAMOUR’s Audience Growth Manager
There’s definitely no shortage of TikTok makeup trends to try, though there are very few that actually appeal to me enough to try my hand at them. As a former emo kid, Dark Academia feels a lot more accessible than others might do, with my love for darker makeup looks being revived last year with the release of Wednesday. Predictable I know, but you can’t go far wrong with a smokey eye and Wednesday is testament to this.
I went for a fairly straightforward and wearable look, creating a dark smokey eye with the shades Buck, Hustle and Creep from my trusty Urban Decay Naked palette before going over with Rimmel’s Glam’ Eyes black liquid eyeliner in my corners to add some definition. Smudging Creep into the bottom corners of my lash line, I matched it with my usual skin routine and favourite dark berry lipstick: Chanel’s Rouge Coco Flash in the shade Phénomène. With the cold finally setting in and winter on the horizon, this felt like a season appropriate look that I could easily wear on evenings out. I’ll definitely be revisiting in the coming months!
Rating: 9/10
Georgia, GLAMOUR’s Senior Commerce Writer
Dark Academia has been all over my social feeds this year, so it felt only right I tap into the trend for a subtle Halloween look. I went for ‘tired’ Wednesday-esque eyes, LOTS of contour and a dark brown-ish purple lip that felt suitably studious. The end result? I loved it. It was a far cry from my day-to-day makeup, featuring a lot less blush and colour to the face, but it was surprisingly wearable and I wouldn’t say no to it outside of spooky season.
If you’re looking for something last-minute that isn’t entirely embarrassing to wear to and from a party on the 31st, Dark Academia has got you. All you need to complete the look is a crisp white shirt or vintage jumper, some glasses and an old-looking book to pretend to read.
Rating: 8/10
Denise, GLAMOUR’s Commerce Writer
I went for a Tim Burton-inspired glam featuring grey and burgundy-hued dark circles, heavy contour and a diffused brown lip and honestly, I couldn’t get enough of it. I had so much fun playing around with all the shades that I wouldn’t normally reach for, and all things considered, it wasn’t a look that would be hard to recreate. The best part is that there’s no precision involved (apart from carving out the shape of your dark circles) – you can easily allow yourself to get a bit messy and blend everything using your fingers.
I reached for the Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette, and used shades Big Dreams, Rebel, Winner and Get It! for everything from eyes, nose and even face contour. I also married everything together with a brown kajal eyeliner and a pair of falsies from Eylure, before finishing my look off with the Lisa Eldridge lipstick in Meet Me In Berlin. The whole look took around 35 mins and if you ask me, that’s a win.
Rating: 9/10
For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona
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