The ‘Euphoria’ effect

The artists behind the hit TV show’s makeup, fashion

For weekly updates on euphoria make up looks check out Davy’s instagram @donni.davy.
Photo Courtesy | Doniella Davy, www.donnidavy.com

Hit HBO show “Euphoria”, starring Zendaya, has caught the eye of many recently in the world of makeup and fashion. The show, which focuses highly on its aesthetic, follows a group of teens as they navigate high school, sex, drugs and love

The teens can be seen wearing high-end fashion and extravagantly-planned makeup designs. The artist behind these new age makeup looks is Doniella Davy. Davy’s work first became popularized after the show’s first season where she used chunky glitter and bold eyeliner to grab the watcher’s attention. 

“I was excited about the challenge of continuing the “Euphoria” makeup aesthetic in a way that felt different from last season, but in my head I was feeling totally unsure of myself as a makeup designer,” Davy said in a recent social media post.

Moving into season two of the show Davy has been a lot more vocal about the story of each individual looks for each individual character, and fans have not been shy about sharing their love for the looks.

Davy puts character Maddy, who some would say is the boldest of the group, in a full coverage face of makeup where she is often sporting dark, unique winged eyeliner. Davy can often be noted for using the opposite strategy when designing a look for character, Cassie, who wears a light face of makeup, often featuring subtle wings that never break into dark colors. 

Davy often uses these planned looks as an aid to the character’s personality. Maddy, known commonly as somewhat of a mean girl sports bold looks, while her best friend Cassie, known for her shy, sweet nature and lack of self confidence, is usually seen wearing pastels and whites; nothing that ever really overpowers Maddy.

Davy plans to continue to grow the characters’ looks as they develop throughout the season, as she has put a strong emphasis on character development being shown through her work.

Like Davy, Heidi Bivens, costume designer, wanted the clothes to express the characters and the actors wearing them. She wanted to create looks that felt comfortable and would be something true to the characters. 

Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules, was very hands-on with Bivens in creating a very unique and powerful look for her character that usually carries very strong feminine traits. 

“I think I just remember when reading the episodes just pretty clearly being able to see what the characters look like in my head,” said Bivens in an interview with HBO. “It was pretty quick and easy for Hunter and I to find a shorthand, and find a way to collaborate from the very beginning.”

Schafer’s character, Jules, plays the love interest of main character Rue. Rue and Jules have very contrasting styles, similar to characters, Maddy and Cassie, with their makeup

“I think from the original notes in the script, we always felt like Jules was very feminie and candy colored,” Bivens said.

As the show moved into season two, a change can be seen in Jules’s style, which Hunter said can be attributed to the changes in her character’s actions and motives. 

“It starts off very feminie and pastel, and then she moves into something darker as the season goes forward, and she kind of gets a little darker,” Schafer said in an interview with HBO. 

With main character Rue, Biven wanted to go a more masculine route as well as make the character’s attire look very casual. 

The character Rue has a very laid back and chill personality, and is known for her drug abuse. Biven planned an unplanned look for the character, wanting her looks to resemble that of a person who grabbed something from the back of their car or threw on a friend’s t-shirt when staying at their house. Zendaya’s character can often be seen sporting baggy clothes and sneakers.

Both Davy and Biven have made huge contributions to the show’s aesthetic. Their well-planned looks and evolving styles have helped shape the characters personalities, who many viewers have come to love.

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