Finally got my '90s alt reverie look dialed in: My messy journey to a smudged, lived-in gothic vibe with drugstore finds 🦇

My latest makeup experiment started not with a plan, but with a challenge: how to lean into a literary gothic vibe for a night out when my usual go-to is barely-there makeup and a perpetually smudged eyeliner? I wanted something dark, dramatic, and a little undone, inspired by those dreamy, melancholy characters in old novels, but without looking like I'd tried too hard or spent hours perfecting a look that just isn't "me." The goal was more "hauntingly romantic" and less "tried to draw a perfect wing and failed."

Here's how I messed around with it, embracing the smudgy and imperfect:

• Inspiration: Definitely pulling from a literary gothic aesthetic – think intense, lived-in drama, a bit melancholic, not overly precise. I also had a touch of '90s alt grunge smudginess in mind, for that effortless, 'don't care' edge.
• The "Base" (and why I skipped most of it):
  • L'Oréal True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum (approx. $15): Just a few drops blended with my fingers to even things out without masking my skin. The goal was to look a bit ethereal, not overly polished.
  • Real Talk: No concealer, no powder. I wanted to keep it raw, letting any natural skin texture or slight under-eye shadows add to the overall mood.
• Eyes – The Main Event:
  • Kiko Milano Lasting Gel Eyeliner in 'Black' (approx. $12): This is a surprisingly good, creamy pencil that gives you a few seconds to work with it before it sets. I roughly lined my upper lash line and generously applied it to my lower water line and lash line.
  • Old Morphe 35B Palette (any matte black shade, from a ~$20 palette): This is where the magic happened. With a small, flat eyeshadow brush (like an eyeliner brush), I picked up the matte black shadow and began to smudge, smudge, smudge over the pencil liner. On the upper lid, I dragged it upwards slightly for a diffused, smoky effect that intentionally wasn't a sharp wing. On the lower lash line, I really built up the depth and smoked it out, connecting it to the upper smudge at the outer corner.
  • NYX Epic Ink Liner (approx. $10): I used this very sparingly just to fill in any super-obvious gaps right at the lash line after all the smudging, almost like tightlining. The trick was to not try and create a perfect line, just deepen the base.
  • Essence Lash Princess Sculpted Volume Mascara (approx. $5): A few coats on both upper and lower lashes. Nothing too clumpy, just for definition.
  • Time Invested: About 15 minutes per eye, maybe a bit more, because I was truly experimenting with the smudging, letting it get a little messy, then refining.
• Lips – The Undone Pout:
  • Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick in 'Goth Topic' (approx. $5): I applied this directly, then immediately blotted it hard with a tissue. The goal wasn't a pristine, sharp dark lip, but a stained, slightly blurred effect that looked like it had been worn for hours.
  • Real Talk: My first attempt with the lipstick was a bit too perfect, so I blotted harder, even pressing a clean finger to the edges to diffuse them a little. It definitely helped achieve that 'worn' look.

Real Talk from the Trenches:

The biggest lesson here was to embrace the mess. My initial instinct was to try and clean up every stray smudge, but then I realized that was the aesthetic. The slight asymmetry, the softly blurred edges – it all contributed to that dramatic, yet effortless, chaotic curator meets literary gothic vibe I was going for. It wasn't "flawless" by any means, but it felt incredibly authentic and aligned with the look I envisioned. The cheap matte black eyeshadow, surprisingly, became the hero product for creating that deep, smoky diffusion. And honestly, it took less time than fighting to get a sharp wing!

If you're exploring unconventional makeup styles or want to connect with fellow alt beauty lovers, join us at r/AltBeautyHub—we share creative experiments, practical techniques, and honest product reviews for literary gothic, chaotic curator, reverie escapist, functionalist, and '90s alt aesthetics.