Goth Makeup Looks That Go Beyond Black Lipstick

Goth makeup is often associated with black lipstick and heavy eyeliner, but there's so much more to the look. From romantic flourishes to soft, smoky eyes and sculpted cheekbones, goth makeup is all about depth, drama, and personal expression. Whether you’re leaning into the dark aesthetic for the first time or evolving your everyday look, keep reading to explore goth look ideas and a simple goth-inspired routine.

What Is Goth Makeup?

At its core, goth makeup is a beauty style rooted in bold contrast, moodiness, and self-expression. Drawing inspiration from subcultures like post-punk, new wave, and Victorian romanticism, it combines dramatic elements, like pale complexions, intense eyes, and striking lips, with a meticulous attention to detail. You can experiment with texture, color, and shape to tell your own visual story.

Gothic Makeup vs. Emo Makeup

While gothic makeup and emo makeup share a love for dark tones and strong eyeliner, their aesthetics diverge in tone and structure. Emo makeup tends to feel raw, rebellious, and unpolished. It's characterized by smudged eyeliner, bold lower lash lines, and a DIY grunge feel. On the other hand, goth makeup is more stylized and intentional, with precise shapes, dramatic contrasts, and theatrical flair. Goth leans toward elegance and artistic storytelling, while emo is louder, messier, and more punk-inspired.

How To Do Goth Makeup

Here’s a goth makeup routine that gives you a great starting point and plenty of room to make it your own.

Step 1: Start with a matte face base

Begin with a full-coverage matte foundation to create a smooth, even canvas. A pale or neutral base enhances the contrast between your skin and the dramatic eye and lip elements of goth makeup looks. Use concealer to brighten under the eyes and spot-correct as needed. Try the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Skin Ink 2‑in‑1 Foundation Concealer, a full-coverage, matte formula that smooths your complexion and evens your skin tone in one easy step. Finish your base by lightly setting it with a translucent powder.

Step 2: Build definition with bronzer and highlight

Even in gothic looks, sculpting is key. Add dimension with a cool-toned bronzer along the hollows of the cheeks, jawline, and temples. Top it off with a highlighter, like the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick in Glowy Crème Chic for a pearlescent, icy glow that feels ethereal and perfectly complements any goth vibe.

Step 3: Create a smokey eye

Use a blendable eyeshadow like the L'Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in deep, dark shades to build depth, like All Night Black, Midnight Noir, Starry Bordeaux, or Twilight Emerald. Start by sketching the color across your lid and blending it into the crease. Layer deeper tones on the outer corners for intensity, and finish with a touch of shimmer at the center.

Step 4: Add eyeliner and mascara

Define your lash line with L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner for a bold finish. Tightline the upper and lower waterlines for added drama. Then, load up on L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara. Its lengthening formula and precise brush are perfect for creating spidery, exaggerated lashes.

Step 5: Define your brows

Strong, defined brows help anchor the look. Shape them with a pencil or gel, like the L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil, emphasizing their natural arch. For extra flair to your goth eye makeup, you can experiment with straight or upward brow shapes.

Step 6: Add a dark lipstick

This is where you can truly personalize your look. A classic matte black is iconic, but dark purples, blood reds, or deep browns are equally effective. Pair the tone with your overall look and choose bold and matte for a trad goth makeup, like the L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in Le Carmin Courage or Le Plum Dominant, or go glossy and diffused for a romantic goth makeup.

Step 7: Set everything

Finish with a setting spray, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Setting Spray, to lock in your artistry. A matte finish spray complements the overall tone of most gothic makeup looks, helping keep your work intact from dusk to dawn.

Personalizing Your Goth Look

Goth makeup is deeply personal, a way to express mood, aesthetics, and identity through bold beauty choices. You don’t need to follow strict rules. Instead, build a look that reflects how you feel. Mix styles like romantic goth makeup with a hint of emo makeup smudginess, or balance the structure of trad goth makeup with soft goth makeup touches.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to goth makeup looks. Use color, contrast, and contouring to communicate something unique.

5 Goth Makeup Looks

There are endless ways to embody goth makeup, depending on your vibe, mood, or occasion. These five ideas can help you explore different sides of the aesthetic.

Romantic goth makeup

Think lace, drama, and melancholy. This look is defined by soft smoky eyes, glowing skin, and berry-toned lips. Use mauve tones like the L’Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in Magnetic Mauve, paired with a hint of shimmer at the inner corners of the eyes and blurred plum lipstick.

Pastel goth makeup

A more playful, colorful take on gothic beauty, pastel goth blends dark themes with light, dreamy hues. Use lavender or mint eyeshadow over a pale base and contrast with sharp black liner and dark lips. This style works especially well when layered with accessories and graphic liners.

Pink goth makeup

Blending softness with edge, pink goth makeup combines rosy eyeshadow and flushed cheeks with traditional dark elements. Try the L’Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in a Magnetic Mauve and define the look with bold lashes and black lips for contrast.

Trad goth makeup

The most iconic goth look. Pale skin, jet-black eyeshadow, intense liner, defined brows, and deep lipstick. Build your eyes with the L’Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in All Night Black, layer on the L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara, and go for a sharply outlined black lip. Add a touch of icy highlighter for extra drama.

Soft goth makeup

This is a wearable, toned-down version of goth makeup that keeps the moodiness but softens the edges. Go for taupe and brown eyeshadows, pair them with brown or burgundy lips, like the L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in Le Rouge Paris, and blend thoroughly to create a diffused, lived-in effect. Think goth vibes without the theatrical commitment.

Next Up:How to Do Eyeliner 5 Different Ways

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris

Photo credit: IG/@oliveliest, @montgomery_mua