Credit: Instagram/@donni.davy

Euphoria is back, in case you hadn’t noticed, and the premiere of season 2 has truly awakened something in me that all but died during the pandemic. As glamour-demanding nights out gave way to long periods in lockdown, barely-there skin tints, cream blush and tawny eyeliner had the collective beauty culture in a chokehold.

But all that dissipated the minute the title card for the beloved HBO show flickered onto our screens, as fans of the teen drama rejoiced in its return after an extended hiatus. As the characters paraded through a New Year’s Eve party in numerous decorated eye looks, it was like our love for makeup as a form of artistic expression never left.

But not all of us possess the practiced hand that it often takes to recreate such looks, this writer included. The good news? If you’re still trying to master your winged liner, let alone a sculpted diamanté-encrusted cat-eye à la Maddy Perez, there is actually a handy shortcut.

The secret? Discrete face decals, which allow the wearer to apply detailed eye designs via a mess-free, mistake-proof makeup sticker. Euphoria‘s lead makeup artist, Donni Davy, discovered the ease of eye stickers while researching makeup inspiration for the characters in season 1.

Davy eventually used a raft of intricate decals from Face Lace to create a number of the show’s most iconic looks, including Jules’ eye spikes and Rue’s zig-zag iridescent liner. The trend has since taken off, with Davy even collaborating with Face Lace founder, Phyllis Cohen, to create her own bespoke line of eye stickers.

“Stickers could be the future of makeup because they’re so accessible, instantaneously gratifying and easy for anyone to use,” Davy recently told Glossy, adding simply, “People want to do fun makeup.”

Davy points to the ease of application that comes with face decals as to their growing popularity. “People who are not quote-unquote ‘good’ at makeup or super experienced with it — even those who don’t have all the tools for it — are interested in doing cool makeup,” she continued. “They [want to] use their face to express themselves or just to decorate for fun.”

Celebrities have been dabbling in face decals more frequently too, with the likes of Lady Gaga, Lily Collins, Megan Thee Stallion and Kesha all spotted rocking Face Lace decals to create standout beauty looks.

More beauty brands have subsequently entered the eye sticker market as demand has grown, including DJ duo Simi and Haze Khadra’s SIMIHAZE Beauty, which are understated yet striking while remaining incredibly simple to apply.

Are the looks practical? Probably not, but there’s something so optimistic and exuberant about incorporating Euphoria-style ornate eye decals into everyday life – particularly right now, as a little quotidian joy wouldn’t go astray.

Hence why I ordered several sheets last week.

Shop a few of GRAZIA‘s favourite eye stickers below.

 

Face Lace zig-zag liner, $33 (approx) SHOP NOW

DONNI x FACE LACE Head In The Clouds Face Decals, $25 (approx) SHOP NOW

SIMIHAZE BEAUTY EYE PLAY Gem Pack, $52 (approx) SHOP NOW