How to Do Gothic Hair and Makeup

Black hair, pale skin and neo-Victorian clothing all say “Goth” but before you buy black eyeliner and nail polish to become a Goth, you need to know the fad you’re following. In the early 1980s, American teenagers rebelled against the sequined disco ‘70s and the hedonistic yuppie ‘80s. These Goths were shy, intelligent and well-read. They were artists, musicians and poets who believed that stormy days are as gorgeous as sunny ones. Don’t do Gothic hair unless you know who Lord Byron was. Don’t wear Gothic makeup unless you’ve read at least one Bronte sister. Real Goths hate poseurs.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dye or temporary hair stain
• Deep conditioner
• Comb
• Curling iron
• Makeup sponges
• Light creamy foundation
• Pale, translucent powder
• 1 powder brush
• 2 eye shadow brushes
• Black, charcoal or deep purple eye pencil
• 2 black or purple eye shadows, 1 lighter shade and 1 darker shade
• Black mascara
• Dark lipstick
• Lip pencil
• Pale cream blush (optional)

Instructions

Gothic Hair

1. Dye your hair several shades darker than your own or deep black if you can. Aim for a larger-than-normal contrast between your skin and hair. You can add deep red, purple and blue streaks but go easy. This is an attitude, not a Halloween costume.

2. Use a comb to tease or backcomb your hair to get some height. Hold a small section of hair straight out from your head and run the comb through it in short strokes from a few inches above your scalp down. Do this all over your head and then use a soft brush to smooth down the top layers for a truly Gothic messy-haired look.

3. For another hair variation, plug in your curling iron and let it heat. Separate your hair into sections and carefully wind them around the curling iron. Hold the curling iron in your hair for a slow count of 20 and then slip the curling iron out. Repeat all over your head. Once the curls have cooled, run your fingers through them. Ringlets like this were very popular in Victorian times and Goths are reminiscent of that period’s cult of mourning.

Makeup

1. Use a makeup sponge to apply a light, creamy foundation. Choose a shade that is two to three shades lighter than your skin tone but do not use theatrical white makeup. You want to cover flaws and give your makeup something to cling to. Blend the foundation up into your hairline, across your ears and down your neck.

2. Use a thick powder brush to blend pale, translucent powder all over your face and down your neck. Choose a powder that is two to three shades lighter than your skin tone but stay away from talc or rice powder.

3. Line your eyes in black, charcoal or deep purple eye pencil. Apply it right above the lash line on your top lid and just below the lash line on the bottom. You can make the line as thick or thin as you like but smudge both lines with your pinkie.

4. Apply the lighter shade of black or purple eye shadow onto your eyelid with a flat brush. Work from the inner corner out. Apply the darker eye shadow in the crease of your eyelid, and up a tiny bit toward your brow bone. Blend the eye shadow by sweeping a makeup sponge in short strokes straight across your entire eye from the inner corner out.

5. Apply at least three coats of mascara, letting each coat dry completely in between about two minutes. You can just do your top lashes, if you like.

6. Put on very dark, long-wearing lipstick. Black, red or even purple works. Line your lips either with a matching lip pencil or use a charcoal pencil but blend the lipstick enough that you can’t actually see the outline.

Tips & Warnings

• Sweep a tiny bit of pale pink cream blush over your cheekbones for a delicate glow. The point is to look pale and interesting.

• Don't ever go to bed without washing off your Goth makeup and combing out your Goth hair.

References

• Sunlight and Shadow: The Gothic Subculture
• Lilith eZine: Gothic Hair and Make-up
• Make-Up USA: Gothic Make-Up Questions and Answers