Over the past year, TikTok users and beauty lovers everywhere have been introduced to a number of social media platform dominating trends centered around creating makeup looks inspired by food and drink. If you’ve yet to cross paths with Latte Makeup, the Tomato Girl, and Hailey Bieber’s viral Strawberry Girl look, here’s what you need to know about them: a majority of the tutorials that explore the subject matter is based on the sentimental experiences and imagery surrounding them rather than recreating the appearance of the food itself.
In truth, no one wants to walk around with a face resembling the texture of a bulbous fruit—do we Recently, we came across the emerging Martini Makeup trend. Maybe it was the bold, yet tasteful, smokey eye and lip combo that drew us in, but we just had to know how to create this ourselves. Before attempting anything (heavily pigmented olive-toned pencil eyeliners are not for the weak), we reached out to two of the app’s most recognizable creators behind the Martini Makeup Look.
“When I created my Martini Makeup look I had no idea it was a trend created around it, so I would say for me Martini Makeup stands for that feminine luxurious feel and energy that you have when enjoying a dirty martini cocktail at the bar with your friends,” says makeup artist Claudia Neacsu, whose TikTok makeup tutorial received over 594.0k views since it was posted on August 9th. “My model has such beautiful hazel almost golden eyes and this what what inspired me to create the look in the first place.” Neacsu understands the sudden rise in popularity of the trend as offering the opportunity to try a new look for celebratory moments.
“Most makeup trends that got popular recently are a bit more approachable and easy to create where Martini Makeup can get a bit more technical from a makeup technique perspective,” she continues. “It’s also a bit more of a dramatic look, not so much for everyday wear like the Strawberry makeup look for instance.” Makeup artist and content creator Zoe Kim Kenealy who released a TikTok makeup tutorial with her take on the look last fall titled ‘Dirty Martini Makeup’ offered a similar point of view.
“I think the looks that do the best tell some sort of story. All of the cocktail makeup looks have that quality,” explains Kenealy. Following the aforementioned video, she released a series of drink-inspired makeup looks that evolved into a series. “For a lot of the series that I do, I like to personalize to my followers… whatever your favorite cocktail is [may] be the one you want to watch, save, or recreate.” She also highlights the role character creation plays in the popularity of these videos; as “it’s trying to immolate the vibe of the person that would wear that look.”
Neacsu’s creative process began by simply studying the features of the model featured in her viral TikTok video; taking note of the areas that would benefit from a splash of green hues. In the short clip posted, viewers can spot the makeup artists’ perfectly manicured hands working to create a chunky wing with an eyeliner pencil before carefully carving out a partial cut-crease. Then, using a brush she simply extends the bold wing, tightlines the waterline, and then brings the product to the rest of the eye socket using the same teal green shade.
“Most of the time when I create a makeup look I get inspired by my model’s features and by my mood in that day. First thing I have noticed about my model’s look was the beautiful color of her eyes,” enthuses Neacsu. “She had these olive golden eyes that made me think about olives and then Martini. So I knew I want to make her eyes really stand out while creating that luxurious feel.”
Next, reach for an eyeshadow palette featuring olive tones (remember, this look is inspired by a boozy cocktail). “I used Natasha Denona’s Yucca Eyeshadow Palette to blend the eyeliner as well as to add the metallic olive pop on the centre of the eyelids—using my setting spray on the brush to get more intensity,” she says. Using the TikTok video as a reference, the makeup artist focuses her attention on the shades Willow and Acacia for the desired added dimension.
Her advice for smooth and seamless eye makeup application? It’s all about taking your time to blend the product. “Work step by step for each eye: apply the eyeliner and blend, then move to the next eye, apply the liner and blend.” Neacsu also suggests using a setting spray on top of your metallic pigments to ensure long-lasting intensity and shine. As a last touch, she uses a volumizing mascara (she prefers a black or a dark green) to open up the eyes and add even more eye-catching drama. And voilà! You have the perfect olive-inspired eye makeup look for your next night out.
For Kenealy, there’s really no one creative process she adheres to when developing a makeup look. “I spend more time figuring out the mood board, what the right photos are (which is actually very time consuming) than I actually do the makeup,” she explains. “I want to make sure the mood board tells a story and is not just up close beauty shots of a look I’m recreating.” Kenealy opted for a bold red lip in her Dirty Martini Makeup tutorial. “My tip for that is that it’s going to take you a while, if you’re like most people, to find a red lip that suits you. But don’t give up.” Through experimentation, she believes anyone can find a red that will suit their skin tone and won’t make you feel uncomfortable.
