Tired Girl make-up: are dark circles cool now? When tiredness becomes a trend
It’s not unusual in the world of beauty, as in fashion, for what was once considered “out” to suddenly become “in.” The latest trend turning the tables and making what we once thought was uncool surprisingly attractive? The tired girl make-up, a Gen Z beauty trend that celebrates fatigue and imperfections through make-up. After years of constant exposure to smoothing filters and unrealistically perfect faces, it finally seems time to embrace aesthetic vulnerability. The tired girl make-up doesn’t aim to hide signs of tiredness but to reinterpret them as symbols of authenticity. Visible dark circles, slightly flushed cheeks, and softly blurred lips become the manifesto of a real, lived-in beauty, fascinating precisely because it’s imperfect.
Tired Girl make-up: where does it come from?
The “tired girl” look was born, no surprise, on TikTok, the cradle of the most viral beauty trends. Tutorials say it all: just a few strokes of blush and a touch of (smudged) eyeliner are enough to achieve that “I slept three hours, but I’m fine with it” vibe. It’s an ironic response to the perfectionism of the Instagram feed era: after the rise of the clean girl aesthetic and no-makeup make-up, the tired girl look embraces honesty and normalizes the absence of retouching. But beware: this trend shouldn’t be confused with looking messy or careless. It’s a deliberately imperfect look, a studied nonchalance designed to recreate a natural effect without sacrificing attention to detail. The tired girl make-up is a fine balance: everything looks effortless, but nothing is left to chance.
From Jenna Ortega to Emma Chamberlain: even celebs are showing their dark circles
If the tired girl make-up has gone viral, part of the credit goes to the celebrities proudly showing it off on red carpets and social media. From Jenna Ortega to Emma Chamberlain, passing through Iris Law and Lily-Rose Depp, more and more famous faces have chosen to represent a sincere form of beauty, far from the digital gloss. No more heavy foundations or perfectly rested eyes: today, charm comes from expressiveness, highlighted by soft smokey eyes and gently flushed cheeks.
How to create the “Tired Girl” look
The tired girl make-up requires a light hand and a good sense of balance. The secret is to make the make-up almost invisible, as if it were simply the reflection of a long day. The goal? To achieve a “real but polished” effect, looking like someone who’s slept little but still manages to appear effortlessly cool. Start with a luminous, hydrating but sheer base: avoid heavy foundation, opting instead for tinted creams or sheer products. Don’t erase dark circles completely, soften them with a light concealer and enhance them with subtle pink and purple tones. A touch of blush adds that naturally tired flush to the cheeks, while lips should be gently blurred, as if you hadn’t had time to reapply your lip combo between tasks. The finishing touch? Deliberately imperfect eyeliner and mascara for an intense, magnetic gaze. The tired girl make-up doesn’t hide fatigue, it transforms it into a strength: a harmonious balance between care and spontaneity, celebrating a form of beauty that finally feels authentic.
