The TikTok Trend That’s About Turning Heartbreak Into Something More Empowering

If you’ve not heard of revenge dressing we’ll give you a quick recap. It’s the summer of 1994 and Princess Diana steps out in a short, tight, off-the-shoulder LBD by Christina Stambolian to the Serpentine Summer party, the night her husband, Prince Charles, admitted during a TV interview that he’d been having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

The dress became iconic – a sartorial sword for swiping at an ex. Go away quietly? You wish. This was about coming back stronger and bolder.

Since then, ‘revenge dressing’ has become a thing – a legit way lots of people manage their heartbreak – dressing up and looking absolutely smokin’.  For some it’s about showing their ex what they’re missing but for others it’s simply about celebrating their own self-confidence and body positivity.

So, hardly surprising then that this trend has transcended through to beauty-obsessed TikTokers with a surge of ‘revenge makeup’ videos being shared on the platform.

The look? Bold, uncompromising and glamorous, in a non-self-pity, putting-two-fingers-up kind of way. While TikTokers seem to have their own variations on the trend a few things remain the same: eyes and lips are the big focus here. Think heavily-lined, cat-eyes, with long fluttery eyelashes, sometimes smudged, always dark.

Then there’s the lips. Forget everything you’ve ever been taught about never doing bold eyes and lips at the same time because this is all going out the window. For revenge makeup, lips are strong, whether that’s a crimson red or a smokey rose lipstick, there’s usually a lipliner involved. Contouring, highlighting and bronzing are all in too because shrinking away is not an option here.

For TikToker @arwencelis, her revenge makeup ‘alter ego’ wears heavy eyeliner, fake eyelashes and a rich berry red lipstick.

One user commented: “I’d despise being your ex ” while another added: “This is my regular makeup so I am slightly concerned about what that says about me.”

For @jaydeensarah’s #revengemakeup there’s a distinct sultry 90s Mariah Carey vibe going on, with a little glitter on the eye, statement lip liner and 100% don’t-mess-with-me attitude.

Revenge makeup seems to accomplish a goal without the long-lasting consequences of vengeance in the more traditional sense, It’s about boosting self-esteem when you’re hurting, lifting your mood and ultimately having fun. We’re obsessed.

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