The ‘Euphoria’ Effect
You can’t talk about modern makeup without talking about HBO’s *Euphoria*. When the show debuted in 2019, its glitter-drenched, rhinestone-studded, and vividly-hued makeup looks, designed by Donni Davy, became an immediate cultural phenomenon. More than
just decoration, the makeup was a core part of the storytelling, reflecting the characters’ inner turmoil, fantasies, and fleeting joys. Maddy’s razor-sharp wings, Jules’s ethereal cloud eyeliner—these weren’t just makeup, they were emotional armor and artistic expression. The show gave millions of viewers permission to treat their faces like a canvas. It decoupled liner from its traditional role of simply defining the eye and reframed it as a tool for creativity, emotion, and identity. This cultural reset laid the groundwork for a mainstream embrace of bold, unconventional eye looks.
Dopamine Dressing for Your Face
After years of pandemic-related stress, face masks, and social isolation, a collective desire for joy has taken hold. This has manifested in fashion as “dopamine dressing”—wearing bright, bold colors to boost your mood. Colorful liner is the beauty equivalent. It’s a low-commitment, high-impact way to inject a dose of fun and optimism into your day. A swipe of electric blue or hot pink is an instant pick-me-up, a small act of rebellion against the mundane. While masks obscured lips and cheeks, the eyes became the primary zone for self-expression. This forced focus encouraged experimentation with shadows and, most significantly, liner. As we’ve moved into a post-mask era, that spirit of ocular creativity hasn’t faded; it has become an established part of the beauty landscape.
Social Media’s Visual Playground
The rise of colorful liner is perfectly intertwined with the dominance of TikTok and Instagram. These visual platforms reward bold, scroll-stopping content, and a vibrant, graphic eye look is far more likely to catch attention than a subtle nude lip. Makeup artists and everyday users alike share hypnotic tutorials for creating everything from a simple winged liner in periwinkle to complex, multi-colored graphic designs. The short-form video format makes intricate looks seem achievable, breaking them down into quick, easy-to-follow steps. This has democratized makeup artistry, removing the gatekeepers and empowering anyone with a phone and a few colorful pencils to become a creator. The algorithmically driven trend cycle also means that a specific color or style—like the viral “white eyeliner” moment—can achieve massive popularity overnight, further fueling the demand for a rainbow of options.
Beyond a Perfect, Precise Wing
For decades, the goal of eyeliner was singular: to create a perfect, clean, Audrey Hepburn-esque black wing. It was a skill to be mastered, and anything less was seen as a mistake. The new wave of colorful liner throws that rigid rulebook out the window. The goal is no longer perfection, but personality. Smudged neon liner, abstract squiggles, floating creases, and dotted patterns are all part of the modern vocabulary. This shift reflects a broader movement in beauty away from prescriptive standards and toward radical self-acceptance and individuality. Makeup is less about correcting perceived flaws and more about celebrating what makes you unique. A colorful liner isn’t trying to make your eyes look bigger or more almond-shaped; it’s a statement about your mood, your aesthetic, or simply the color you felt like wearing that day.
