Jenna Ortega’s eyes are lightly smudged, framed by dark shadows. Her face is pale, and her cheekbones are accentuated by a dash of gray. Her lips are tinged purple. She looks exhausted, but that’s the point. The latest Gen Z makeup trend, “Tired Girl,” celebrates the look of not having been to bed.
For as long as beauty standards have existed, people have collectively fought against looking tired. Concealer, eye cream and corrector sticks are, at least in part, designed to make us look fresh and alert. Historically, appearing fatigued has been associated with poor health, aging and unattractiveness. Tired Girl beauty celebrates the opposite; it’s about embracing the imperfections we’ve traditionally tried to conceal.
The modern poster girl for the trend is Wednesday Addams, the Addams Family’s morbid and emotionally reserved daughter, who is the focus of Tim Burton’s Netflix series starring Ortega in the role. Much like the first season, series two sees the actor showcasing shadowed under-eyes and pale skin, a look that she recently recreated on the red carpet for the show’s premiere in London. Those born outside of the Gen Z age group will recognize earlier references — think Angelina Jolie in “Girl Interrupted,” or a young Natalie Portman in “Leon.”
Other contemporary famous fans of the makeup trend include the actor Lily Rose-Depp, model and musician Gabbriette and influencers Emma Chamberlain, Danielle Marcan and Lara Violetta. As of late July, tired girl makeup is now a TikTok category, with numerous tutorials on how to achieve the sleep-deprived look, with some of the most popular having gained over 300,000 views so far.
In one of her recent videos, Violetta — who smudges dark eye shadow under her eyes to create a “moldy makeup” aesthetic — said “eye bags are so chic because you actually have to work for them.” Overall, the look is messy and undone with a rebellious edge. “It’s a celebration of realness,” makeup artist and Glass magazine beauty director Kim Brown told CNN. “The Tired Girl look has an edge and personality. It’s tough and cool.”
