Dripping smoke, cracked lips: it looks like the day after a too long night, not beauty inspiration. However, in 2026, it is this type of look that will be at the center of the feeds. Billie already describes the seesaw: , summarizes Billie.
This 2026 beauty trend doesn’t come out of nowhere: it goes against the clean girl aesthetic, glowy complexion and perfectly controlled features. Make way for the messy girl, heir to 90s grunge, who embraces chaos, traces of mascara and short nights. And there, many wonder how far this desire for “lived-in” makeup can go.
Beauty trend 2026: the clean girl overwhelmed by chic chaos
For several years, the beauty ideal was that of ultra-smooth skin, melted cream blush and translucent gloss. The clean girl look erased dark circles, pores and signs of fatigue to give the illusion of a perfectly balanced life.
And then weariness set in. Pinterest Predicts 2026 reports a 270% jump in searches for avant-garde makeup tutorial and 115% for weird makeup looks. Pinterest talks about glitchy glam: eccentric, asymmetrical makeup, far from the no-makeup makeup that still reigned in 2025.
Messy girl, messy makeup: the return of neglected grunge
In this setting, the figure of the messy girl stands out. . We think of Effy Stonem in the series, the drooling black smoky, the barely faded kohl, the dark mouth.
Concretely, certain looks push the cursor very far: hair unwashed for several days, to the point of being really greasy, chapped lips displayed like an accessory. This 2026 grunge beauty trend is also part of a broader revival of 2016, where thick bangs, bold eyebrows, saturated color eyelids or tie and dye hair were already all the rage.
Why this trend fascinates as much as it worries
For some, this code is liberating. . Showing your dark circles or your slightly flat hair becomes a way of saying stop to permanent performance.
However, the border remains fragile between stylized letting go and true negligence, especially when this aesthetic descends from the catwalks to the office or high school. To tame messy makeup without sacrificing your shower, choose a single deliberately “messy” element (blurred liner or blended lip) while keeping the rest of the look clean.
What is the messy girl 2026?
An imperfect grunge look, mastered after-party effect.
How to wear messy makeup without carelessness?
We maintain good hygiene and only one messy detail.
Will the clean girl disappear in 2026?
No, the two aesthetics coexist depending on the context and mood.
