Interest in “pre-shower makeup,” a trend where individuals experiment with makeup looks before washing them off, has surged by nearly 400% in major online beauty communities over the past year, according to Reddit’s “The People’s Beauty Index.” This trend is being embraced as a way to explore creativity and a more maximalist aesthetic without the pressure of perfecting a look for public display.
The practice, which gained initial traction on TikTok, involves applying makeup for personal experimentation, with users often washing it off before showering or bed. Content creators like Klaudia Tappe from Hanover, Germany, note that they have been engaging in this type of makeup play for years without a specific name for it. Tappe finds that pre-shower makeup offers a low-stakes environment to test how different products and combinations work together. "Sometimes the most unexpected combinations end up looking amazing," she told HuffPost. She often draws inspiration from sources like Pinterest, incorporating themes such as "orchids" and "animal print" into her looks. This approach, she believes, taps into a nostalgic, playful feeling reminiscent of childhood dress-up.
Atoosa Aghakhani, a beauty and lifestyle creator based in Toronto, Canada, describes her childhood evenings spent with makeup, applying unconventional looks before washing them off. She views pre-shower makeup as a pure form of self-expression, free from external judgment or expectations. "There’s no occasion, no audience, no one to impress and no one to disappoint," Aghakhani stated. She finds a unique beauty in the ephemeral nature of these looks, noting that their temporary existence makes them feel more personal. Aghakhani also shared an instance where an experimental look, a variation on a traditional cut crease with added red liner, turned out unexpectedly well and was ultimately worn out in public, defying her initial intention to wash it off.
Liv Reese, a content creator from New York City, also finds value in the pre-shower makeup trend. Her past experiments include a detailed transformation into Emily from Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride” for Halloween, a look created purely for fun and content creation. More recently, she experimented with a pink eyeshadow and purple blush combination with black stars on her eyes and lips, a look she deemed “cute” even if it wasn’t something she would typically wear out.
Experts suggest that the core of the pre-shower makeup trend lies in its casual and improvisational nature. Aghakhani advises simply starting the application without overthinking or consulting tutorials, allowing personal feelings to manifest through the makeup. This approach can also serve as a practical way to test new products or techniques. Reese highlights that it prevents the disappointment of trying a new product or technique for the first time on an important occasion. The act of washing off the makeup afterward is also described as therapeutic, offering a sense of reset and a way to unwind at the end of the day.