From the Depths of the Sea, Dark Siren Makeup Is the Sultry Style Poised to Take Over the Mainland

Your Guide to Dark Siren Makeup

While mermaid makeup is light and bubbly with pastel and pearlescent hues, dark siren makeup plays to the dark side of the mystical sea creature. Celebrity makeup artist Diane Caranica says the key to the trend is to embody “a mysterious, seductive aesthetic.” Think Ariel’s emo sister, if you will.

The signature to the deep blue sea trend is all in the eyes. “The dark siren makeup trend is a blend of ’90s makeup tones and influences, with a focus on exaggerating the eyes,” notes celebrity makeup artist Armando Kole. “Think of it as your favorite ’90s supermodel smokey eye with a modern twist and some powerful liner to elongate the eyes.” There is no such thing as too exaggerated of an eye look when it comes to dark siren makeup. 

Kole shares that this sea style also pulls elements from Y2K makeup and mixes it with the ’90s smokey eye. He says, “It takes the drama and moodiness from the ’90s and blends it with the metallic and shimmer trends that Y2K makeup had. Dark siren makeup is like the younger, better, cooler sister of these two pivotal eras.” We weren’t kidding about Ariel’s emo sister.

How to Get the Dark Siren Makeup Look, Step-by-Step

Step 1: Primer Is a Must

We cannot stress this enough: You need to start every makeup look with primer. For the dark siren trend, the pros recommend a primer that leaves your skin with an iridescent sheen to give you that under-the-water glow. For that reason, we suggest trying the BENEFIT COSMETICS The POREfessional: Pearl Primer.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves, but don’t forget to prime your eyes while you’re at it. Because it’s all in the eyes with this makeup style, you need a primer that will keep the look set even if you do decide to dive back into the ocean. We swear by the YC COLLECTION Bold + Matte Eyeshadow Primer for smokey eye prep because it creates a seamless base without creasing.

Step 2: Focus on the Eyes

And now onto the star of the show, the eyes. Caranica recommends starting here before putting on your foundation because this is the most important part of the dark siren makeup. If you can pull off the sultry eyes, who cares how your foundation looks?

“Using your product of choice (liner or shadow) start shaping your eyeliner, extending it out from both the inner and outer eye,” she says. “If you prefer a smoked out look, buff the liner with a dark brown or black shadow.” Caranica stresses to line the top and bottom waterlines as well.

If you’re in need of a liner recommendation, we love the VINTAGE BY JESSICA LIEBESKIND Smokey Eye Pencil for its rich pigment payoff and easy-to-use design. Even if you struggle with recreating a smokey eye, this creamy formula will help you out. And as Kole notes, “The beauty of dark siren makeup is that it's grungy and does not rely on clean lines. Don't worry about being too perfect.”

For those who are fans of eyeshadow, using the LUXIE Smokey Eye Set brushes with the MORPHE 3A Deep Smoky Eyeshadow Palette will give you the mysterious eye look you crave. Don’t forget to add a pop of metallics to the lids, à la a lil’ LOTTIE LONDON Power Foil.

Step 3: Give Your Lashes a Curl

With your siren eyes now set, it’s time to give your lashes a curl and some length, volume, or both. You can even pop on a pair of falsies if that’s more your vibe.

Keeping with the theme of smokey, we like the BOBBI BROWN COSMETICS Smokey Eye Mascara as a volumizing and lengthening mascara to bring our eye makeup together.

Step 4: Buff Your Foundation

Foundation time! Caranica says to grab your go-to foundation, buff it out, then set your T-zone (and other shiny areas) with a satin finishing powder. The COMPLEX CULTURE SET, GO • Translucent Finishing Powder sets, blurs, and mattifies shiny areas the best.

Step 5: Use a Cool Tone Contour

“Opt for a cool tone contour when creating dimension because this look is meant to be edgy not bronzed,” says Caranica. We’re partial to the FENTY BEAUTY Match Stix Contour Skinstick because their formula is not only blendable but buildable. Plus, the stick design makes it easy to create that chiseled contour look all the sirens are rocking. Should you need help with contouring, this guide is here to help.

Step 6: Create an Ethereal Glow

Sirens may be dark and mysterious but they still have a glow about them, even if it is just to lure in those sailors. Caranica suggests you “use a cream or liquid highlighter on the high points of your face” (a.k.a. the tops of your cheekbones, the tip of your nose, your brow bones, and the Cupid’s bow above your lip). 

For cream highlighter fans, we recommend the ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Stick Highlighter, which comes with its own brush on the other end and delivers an eye-catching glow. For liquid highlighter lovers, the RARE BEAUTY Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight contains light-catching pearls (perfect for the sea witch vibes) that resist fading, creasing, and settling into wrinkles.

Step 7: Go in on Your Lips

Okay, well…maybe not all the way in on your pout. Caranica says just going in with a lip liner will suffice to finish things off. Kole agrees, saying you can pair the “sultry eye look with a nude lip combo of your choice for the supermodel effect.”

Finding the right nude lip combo will take some trial and error though we do recommend starting with the KIMCHI CHIC BEAUTY Kimchi x Plastique Nude Sensation kit. Featuring a lip liner, matte liquid lipstick, and glossy lipgloss, we’ve found it looks stunning on almost every skin tone.

Step 8: Set the Look

To ensure your look lasts all night (and under the sea), set it with a setting spray of your choice. We’d go with a dewy setting spray (like the SHADES BY SHAN The Setting Spray) to produce that fresh-from-the-water vibe, though you can use any setting spray that tickles your fancy—or should we say tail?