Sad Girls Unite: “Crying Makeup” Is Now Trending

When Bella Hadid posted a series of crying selfies on Instagram in November 2021, she was both meme-ified and praised across the internet for her unfiltered vulnerability. In the same week, Lizzo even posted a crying video singing Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” on TikTok. On October 18, Nicola Peltz Beckham jumped on the teary-eyed celebrity post train with a series of low-res crying photos accompanied by newly bleached brows. With the crying selfie “trend” showing no sign of slowing down, it’s only natural that there’s now a TikTok tutorial for how to recreate the look —without actual tears.

Last week, makeup artist Zoe Kim Kenealy posted a (now viral) video for the “unstable girlies”, demonstrating how to create what she calles, “crying makeup”. In the video, Zoe created a “puffy, soft lip” with EM Cosmetics Soft Spoken Lips in the blushy rust and pink shades, Manifest and Intuition, blurring the edges with a brush. She then used Fenty Beauty Double Cheek’d Up palette to create a redness around her eyes, nose, and cheeks. To complete the look, Zoe used the AMTS liquid glitter shadow for a “glisten in her eyes” and finally, About Face’s Vinyl Effect Eye Gloss for a shiny, wet face all over (especially on her cupid's bow).

Zoe’s tutorial immediately went viral on TikTok, inviting a comment discussion about feeling beautiful when crying. “no really I feel so pretty after sobbing and coughing my lungs out,” commented one user. “i definitely do not look good when u cry y’all lucky tho,” wrote another. Another creator also added a tip for those recreating the look with darker skin tones. “For my black and brown girls use a darker red or purple to get this!” they said.

While there’s some disagreement on if everyone “looks good when they cry”, there’s no denying that crying makeup is having its moment right now, with other tutorials also going viral on the app. In fact, some creators are using glitter liquid liner for a more everyday welled up and “perpetually crying look”. While our favorite celebrities crying selfies look like they’re really getting emotional, the crying makeup trend will help you reach their praised vulnerable effect without actually having to tap into your vulnerabilities. It also doubles as a soft, sad girl Halloween look. “Can I go as a crying person for Halloween or is that not a thing?” Zoe wrote in the video caption.