Women are saying, ‘cheers’ to the ‘drunk girl make-up’ to mark a silent rebellion against picture-perfect beauty norms
From the glossy pink nose to the glassy eyes rimmed with shimmer and a barely-there smudge of mascara — “drunk girl make-up” is the latest viral look sliding across Instagram and TikTok. But this isn’t about looking sloppy after a night out. It’s about intentionally creating that flushed, teary-eyed, emotionally vulnerable, I-just-cried-but-still-look-
In 2025, women are no longer just contouring cheekbones or highlighting Cupid’s bows — they’re recreating the aftermath of a heartfelt bathroom breakdown at 1 AM. And it’s not just makeup. It’s a mood. A moment. A soft rebellion against picture-perfect beauty norms.
Tipple The Fun
The “Drunk Girl Make-up” refers to a deliberate dishevelled look that mimics the kind of flushed cheeks, puffy eyes, and shiny skin that you get after a few drinks and a couple of happy-sad tears. Think: sparkly lids, over-blushed cheeks, under-eye gloss, and a cherry-
stained lip like you’ve just had your second vodka cranberry and told your best friend how much you love her. It’s not to be confused with looking “drunk.” It’s about capturing the feeling — a blurry, hyper-emotional, romanticised version of vulnerability and softness.
“It’s the girl who compliments your outfit in the club bathroom. The girl who’s giggling, crying, and dancing all at once. It’s emotional chaos, but cute,” says Delhi-based make-up artist Meher Jaisingh.
Some trace the roots to Japanese and Korean “byojaku” makeup, which translates to “sickly” or “delicate.” This style favours red-tinted under-eyes and a tired but tender look that emphasises vulnerability. In the West, you’ll find echoes of this in e-girl aesthetics, the coquette revival, and even Lana Del Rey’s mascara-streaked Tumblr-era sadness. But in its 2025 avatar, drunk girl makeup is louder, pinker, and driven by Gen Z’s affinity for irony. It’s performative. It’s exaggerated. And they lean in.
“The whole point is that it’s not ‘perfect.’ It’s playful. It’s pouty. It says, ‘I’m hot, but I’m unbothered about being hot,’” says Mumbai-based makeup artist Alicia D’Souza, who gets frequent requests from bridesmaids and bachelorette parties to recreate a “drunk blush” look — even when no alcohol is involved.
Messy Reclamation
“The goal is to look like you just had the best night of your life, and maybe cried a little in the Uber home,” jokes Bengaluru-based student Trisha Noronha. “Drunk girl make-up is basically us reclaiming messy,” says Trisha. “Women have always been told to be ‘put together’ — to cover dark circles, mattify oily skin, keep it neat. This look breaks that.”
In an age where ‘clean girl’ minimalism and ‘that girl’ routines dominate the algorithm, the drunk girl aesthetic rebels — not by being loud, but by being emotionally raw. There’s also something deeply female about the vibe. As Meher puts it, “It’s girlish chaos — the kind only women understand. The look says, ‘I love too much, I feel too much, but I still look hot.’”
Insta Influence
This look isn’t about alcohol at all. It’s about the energy of a tipsy girl — uninhibited, affectionate, expressive. Influencers have made it a full-fledged genre. Tutorials like “How to Cry Cute,” “Flushed Like I’m in Love,” and “Tipsy Angel Core” are racking up millions of views. Hashtags like #DrunkBlush, #Crying ButCute, and #TipsyMakeup are trending.
Some Indian influencers are adding their own spin — using sindoor-red hues, kajal smudges, or even pairing the look with traditional wear. Some critics call it performative sadness. Others worry it glamorises emotional instability or trivialises real experiences. But Trisha shrugs it off. “People have always told women how to act. If I want to cry-glitter on my eyelids and take a selfie, that’s my choice. It’s camp, it’s comedy, it’s catharsis.”
Final Swipe
Drunk girl makeup isn’t about looking drunk. It’s about tapping into an emotional version of femininity that’s tender, chaotic, and unapologetically girly. So, the next time you see a reel of someone blushing their nose, misting their eyes, and pouting like they’ve just heard Taylor Swift’s All Too Well (10-Minute Version) — remember: this isn’t a mess. It’s makeup with a mood. Cheers!
