Goth Revival: Makeup’s Current Obsession

Goth aesthetics have taken a turn for the mainstream. Historically regarded as an alternative subculture, we are now seeing goth looks on red carpets, social media feeds and even the Met Gala (see Zendaya's 2024 look).

Maximalist and dramatic makeup looks have begun to take over beauty communities and push “clean girl” beauty trends out of the limelight. More influencers are beginning to bring forward campier makeup looks as brands like Sunset Makeup (they have a killer goth collection) gather a larger following. Also, with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” sequel set to release September 6 (more on Mr. Burton later), it seems as though Brat summer will serve as the perfect segway into goth autumn.

Essentially, goth makeup is beauty’s latest obsession, but this doesn’t just mean one set look or style. Influencers ranging from self-proclaimed corporate goths, trad goths or even new wave/post punk lovers are decorating your feed, and to understand why this historic and iconic genre is dominating the makeup world, one must first go through a brief history lesson.

Many perceive goth as only a music genre or only a way you dress, and while how you look or what you listen to is a major part of what is to be considered goth, goth is primarily a culture. Or, rather, a subculture. Originally, the goth subculture emerged as an offshoot of the British punk scene that occurred in the 1970s.

“Purveyors of the subculture – whether they like it or not – include Dave Vanian, Siouxie Sioux and Robert Smith with their unique approach to music and fashion,” says Dante Dammit, a Chicago-based independent filmmaker and active member within the goth, metal and punk communities. “Bringing a dark aesthetic to a scene that was so celebrated, it created a scene of its own known as post-punk.”

Now, goth looks have gone mainstream as more celebrities and influencers have popularized the look. While goth has come and gone as a fashion or makeup trend, one major figurehead has made sure that goth has always been at least on the backburner of every designer’s mind. Tim Burton, we’re looking at you.

“Every time goths re-enter pop culture, he’s always somewhere around a dimly lit corner waving a Hot Topic coupon in your face,” Dante says. “Whether that be the phenomenon that was Neftlix’s ‘Wednesday’ or the cultural zeitgeist that is ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, Burton always seems to be many people’s introduction to the goth subculture.”

With “Wednesday” specifically, Dante recalls when the Netflix show first made waves and how it impacted viewers of the show.

“A lot of high school friends back in my hometown quickly grew attached to the subculture because of this show,” Dante says. “It was only natural until they started to want to look the part, diving deep into bands and makeup. Suddenly, I wasn’t so crazy for listening to The Cramps.”

While the traditional goth look is associated with all-black clothing, pale white foundation and dramatic black eyeliner and lipstick, this look has evolved and branched off into a wide array of looks that truly depend on the wearer. While the original goth muses included figures like Vampira or the aforementioned Siouxie Sioux, both known for their sharp black eyebrows, equally sharp eyeliner and pale complexion, people have recently praised Chappell Roan and Gottmik — both drag icons – as modern day spearheads in goth-inspired aesthetics.

“What makes something goth is how you approach your aesthetic,” Dante says. “That is not to say you need to own jet black leather or dark Kat Von D lipstick to be goth, but there are clear common identifiers to spot what makes something goth. It’s very important for people not to take this too seriously. In the end, we’re all just playing dress up. I don’t mean that in an insulting way. It’s fun to dress up, but there’s no reason to be pretentious about it or tell someone they’re going to Hell over it.”

The difference between the goth looks of the past and the goth looks of now is that dressing goth doesn’t have a specific look anymore, and this includes the makeup.

“Goth makeup is so complicated,” Dante admits. “Much like most subcultures, there’s subcultures within the goth subculture. You’ve got trad, romantics, pastels, cyber-goths…it’s all very convoluted if you ask me. Whenever someone asks me if I’m emo, goth, metalhead, I’ll just tell them whatever they want to hear as long as it ends the conversation quicker. Still, who am I to talk when in the end it makes people happy? I have no right to say what people should say or do with their makeup and neither should anyone else. While I usually tend to stick to black eyes and lips, I’ve seen many goth people explore with bright colors and it’s always such a sight to behold. In a way, it makes them stand out. In a world of black and white, why not stand out with some pink?”

Goth nowadays is more of a range of looks than it is a signature appearance, and this goes beyond the clothes or makeup. An important note of the goth subculture is that goth – like many alternative subcultures – would not be what it is today without the inclusion and contributions of queer people and people of color.

“It’s not just white people,” Dante says. “There’s a big presence of Black, Asian, and Latino people in the goth community, but most media outlets tend to showcase white folk because it fits more with this “aesthetic” that they’ve interpreted for this subculture that they have capitalized off of.”

Goth is more mainstream now than it was when it first came to life, and people are drawn to goth looks for many reasons. Goth as a concept is many things – mysterious, bold, unforgettable. And like many alternative communities, goths stand out and embrace their own unique community and design.

“It’s a more dramatic form of rebellion than punk is,” Dante notes on why people are attracted to goth imagery. “Goths are punks who take showers. I mean, we’ve got to. It’s so much easier to wash all the makeup off.”