HOW TO GET THE
SOFT GRUNGE
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 M·A·C 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.”

SHOP QUIET GRUNGE

Go grunge with 90s M·A·C essentials.

“THIS GENERATION IS TAKING THE SPIRIT AND REBELLION OF GRUNGE BUT MAKING IT RIGHT FOR THEM.”

—TERRY BARBER, M·A·C CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF MAKEUP ARTISTRY

Cool-toned neutrals bring the edge to a Quiet Grunge look.

The ultimate grunge lip combo: Lip Pencil in Stone and M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

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-Powered^TM Foundation.
Then swipe Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer where desired.

Line your upper and lower lash lines using Eye Kohl in Feline, smudging out with a 231S Small Shader Brush.
Layer shade Showstopper from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite on top of the liner, blending the edges. Then, sweep shade Power Mode through the creases.

Line your lips using Lip Pencil in Stone.
Then finish the look by smoothing on MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

MACXIMAL SLEEK SATIN LIPSTICK

R 400.00

A sleek satin lipstick with full-coverage, pigment-rich colour in a comfortable formula that hydrates lips for eight hours.

Smudge out your black liner with cool-toned eye shadows from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite.

Embrace an edgy blurred lip look with Lip Pencil in Greige and M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.

LOOK 2: Refresh your routine with blue eye shadow looks meant for the limelight.

Even out your skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-Powered^TM Foundation.
Tightline your lash lines using Eye Kohl in Feline, gently smudging with fingertips.

(1)

MAC Hyper Real™ Serumizer

R 750.00

A serum-moisturizer hybrid that balances, retexturizes and strengthens the skin barrier for a petal-soft canvas with lit-from-within radiance.

(2)

Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation

R 750.00

A moisturizing, softly luminous and skin-enhancing foundation that delivers +209% instant hydration, medium buildable smoothing coverage and lasting radiance.

(9)

Eye Kohl

R 276.00

An eye liner with rich colour and a silky smooth, matte/pearl finish.

Layer shade Showstopper from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite on top of the liner, sweeping to the outer corners for soft definition. Then, apply the shade Clear History to the inner corners.
Line your lips using Lip Pencil in Greige.
Then finish the look by smoothing on MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety.