#Makeup
Planet Makeup Is the Out-of-This-World Trend You’re About to See All Over Social Media
by Caroline Harris
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If you’ve peeked at Pinterest or Instagram lately, you may have noticed that the beauty looks just keep getting bolder. Holographic eyeliner, metallic eyeshadow, and hand-painted planet designs are taking center stage in an aesthetic called “planet makeup.” The vibrant celestial look is fueled by social media because it makes for stunning, star-studded photos, and searches for the space-themed trend are up 217 percent since last year on Pinterest alone.
What Is Planet Makeup and Why Is It Becoming Popular?
Planet makeup is a galaxy-inspired look featuring shimmery eyes, lengthy lashes, and paintings of planets. The beauty trend is a form of extreme makeup — a Gen Z subculture that involves crafting intricate beauty looks to share on social media.
Within this community, makeup is considered a form of artistic expression. Your face becomes a canvas for colorful looks, from neon green eyeshadow to black lipstick. Extreme makeup is all about embracing the unexpected, like rimming your eyes with fake diamonds or sketching butterflies on your cheeks. Planet makeup is another example of how art-driven and creative these makeup looks can be.
Extreme makeup enthusiasts turn to makeup artists like Jeffree Star and James Charles for inspiration. Each beauty guru favors a maximalist approach of piling on eyeshadows, eyeliners, glitter, and lip products. The results are memorable looks worthy of HBO’s “Euphoria,” which helped popularize cloud eyeliner, glitter tears, and other bold beauty visions.
Planet makeup makes a splashy impression that’s perfect for festivals, raves, costume parties, and Halloween. In true Gen-Z fashion, you can also capture some content of yourself in galaxy-inspired makeup to post on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok. Because planet makeup is bold for everyday wear, many people sport the style specifically for social media or special events.
As the coronavirus outbreak intensifies, a lot of performance venues are hosting virtual events like concerts and online raves, which are great opportunities to rock planet makeup. Millions of fun-loving Chinese are attending “cloud raves,” where they listen to live stream DJ sets, dance, and drink in their homes. Google searches for “virtual happy hour” have skyrocketed, and there’s even a drink called a “quarantini” to sip while you’re stuck indoors.
Experimenting with makeup is a fun way to reduce boredom, so consider trying planet makeup as an enjoyable way to pass the time. When you’re sick of staying at home, pretend you’re a makeup artist and seize the opportunity to try beauty looks that are a little extra. If your planet makeup look doesn’t go according to plan, you can always reach for some makeup remover wipes and try again.
Planet Makeup Tutorial
The cosmos is a powerful source of inspiration for planet makeup lovers. Start by creating a galaxy eye look of pigmented pinks and purples with a touch of sparkle. You can use a white eyeliner to add constellations and stars for additional decoration. Check out James Charles’ tutorial for a step-by-step guide to creating galaxy eyes.
Next, reach for a super bright eyeshadow palette and a fine-tipped eyeliner brush to paint the planets. This is your time to get creative, using a white eyeliner to form the rings of Saturn, then flecking your face with some loose glitter. A dash of magenta pink or purple lipstick completes the dazzling look.
Some makeup brands, like Huda Beauty, have amazing galaxy-themed palettes for trying out planet makeup. Below, discover the 12 best products for planet makeup, as well as techniques for creating beauty looks that are out of this world.
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1 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
Get the airbrushed look that influencers Jeffree Star and James Charles are known for with a full-coverage foundation. First, warm the foundation in your hand and then apply with your fingertips. Next, use a blending blush for wherever you need a bit more coverage.
2 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer
This bestselling bronzer will warm up your planet makeup look by adding some color to your cheeks. Lightly dust the bronzer wherever the sun would naturally hit, like on your cheekbones and the sides of your nose.
3 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Milk Makeup Holographic Stick Mini
Planet makeup is all about shining brightly, so grab a holographic highlighter to lighten up your look. This highlighter is vegan and formulated with nourishing mango butter, avocado oil, and coconut oil to keep your skin hydrated. Blend in the highlighter with your fingertips for a glowy finish.
4 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit
Continue to glow with this metallic powder kit, which includes six blendable highlighter shades for added shimmer. You can layer on several at once for maximum impact and try applying the product with a damp makeup brush for more intensity.
5 of 12 Image Credits: Nordstrom
Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
Since planet makeup involves bold eye products, you’ll want to make sure your eyebrows are equally as defined. Use short strokes to brush this gel along your eyebrows. The eyebrow gel is buildable, so apply several layers for full-looking results.
6 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Huda Beauty Mercury Retrograde Eyeshadow Palette
This palette is themed around astrology. The kit contains 18 eyeshadows in a range of cool and warm tones so you can customize your planet makeup. The shades are highly pigmented and feature names like “Supernova” and “Vortex.” Apply metallic shades and glitter powders from this palette for galaxy-themed eyes, then reach for the palette again to sketch planets on your cheeks.
7 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Lunar Beauty Strawberry Dream Eyeshadow Palette
This eyeshadow palette features shimmery pinks, deep maroons, and neon pinks great for creating galaxy-inspired eyes. Reviewers say the eyeshadows are “vibrant,” “creamy,” and “smell like strawberries.” Use a dense flush brush to pack on the pigment, then blend with a large fluffy brush to complete the vision.
8 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Marc Jacobs Beauty See-quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadow
After applying matte eyeshadow, use your fingers to add a touch of glitter for extra sparkle. You can also add sequins to the inner corners of your eyes for a high-impact finish reminiscent of a starry sky.
9 of 12 Image Credits: Walmart
PaZinger Professional Cosmetic Makeup Eye Brush Set
This professional eye brush set will help you apply, blend, and build the planet makeup look of your dreams. Use the finest tip brushes to draw planets on your cheeks and the thicker brushes for blending your eyeshadows. The kit includes eight brushes for under $7, which is an amazing deal for such high-quality products.
10 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Shiseido MicroLiner Ink Eyeliner in White
Grab this white eyeliner to line your lash line and draw constellations, stars, and additional ornamentation. Now is the time to unleash your inner van Gogh, painting starry freckles on your face and adding planets where you see fit. A combination of pigmented eyeshadows, white eyeliner, and high-quality eye brushes is all you need to paint those Pinterest-worthy planets.
11 of 12 Image Credits: Tarte
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
This mascara is a cult classic when it comes to creating voluminous, luscious-looking lashes. Wriggle the mascara wand as you apply from the base of your lashes for added volume, then add several layers of the product for eyes that pop.
12 of 12 Image Credits: Sephora
Huda Beauty Power Bullet Metallic Lipstick
Complete your planet makeup with a statement lip. Mouth off in magenta pink or daring purple. Each shade is highly pigmented, with reviewers loving the “amazing color and texture.” You can match your lipstick to your eyeshadow for a color-coordinated finish.
