#RevengeMakeup is the new TikTok beauty trend

December 29, 2022

When Sophie Anne Smith, a 24-year-old digital marketing consultant, got dumped by her ex earlier this year, she didn’t get mad — she got even.

But rather than trashing his car à la Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” anthem or finding a way to sabotage her old flame’s next relationship, Smith’s vengeance came in the form of glam.

She’s one of the 2.9 million spurned lovers as well as experimental cosmetics fans on TikTok to send her ex wincing in regret with the viral #RevengeMakeup primp. Unlike the recently buzzy “crying” or “cold girl” makeup trends, which both called for soft curves, puffy doe-eyes and a dehydrated pout, revenge makeup demands harsh lines, brash colors and a glossy kisser.

“It’s a great way to make yourself feel empowered and confident after a heartbreak,” Smith, from Montreal, told The Post of the look. She shared her step-by-step tutorial on the trending preen with her 32,000 TikTok followers this month.

Digital marketing consultant and beauty trendsetter Sophie Ann Smith is one of the more than 2.9 million TikTokers going glam in the viral #RevengeMakeup trend. — Digital marketing consultant and beauty trendsetter Sophie Anne Smith is one of the more than 2.9 million TikTokers going glam in the viral #RevengeMakeup trend.

Smith's last relationship ended earlier this year, and the revenge makeup trend has helped her heal from the breakup. — Smith’s last relationship ended earlier this year, and the revenge makeup trend has helped her heal from the breakup.

“It’s the perfect way to say [to an ex], ‘You f – – ked up, and now I’m going to take my power back,” she added.

The look sees beauty fanatics transform their once-weepy eyes into sharp, winged slants, their tear-stained cheeks into chiseled peaks and their formerly pouting lips into a devilishly red smirks.

For Smith’s vengeful embellishment she created her smoky eye with Makeup by Mario’s Ethereal eye palette ($50) and her own @LashesBySAS.mtl magnetic liner. She used the NYX Wonder Stick ($14) and the Anastasia Beverly Hills contour kit ($40) to carve her cheeks, and paired Essence’s Extreme Shine Volume lip gloss ($4) with NYX’s Line Loud lip liner in Goal Getter ($8) for a sexy pout.

“As soon I put this dark, femme fatale look on, I feel strong and sexy,” said Smith. “It’s kind of an intimidating look, it almost says, ‘You don’t have access to me anymore.’ “

Smith's goal is to help other women on social media feel strong, sexy and empowered through makeup. — Smith’s goal is to help other women on social media feel strong, sexy and empowered through makeup.

The revenge makeup trend is loosely inspired by the ever-trending “revenge dress” — chic, yet clinging, couture that was first made popular by Princess Diana after infidelities in her marriage were revealed in 1994. The late royal’s iconic finery was a fitted, black, off-the-shoulder midi with an asymmetrical hem, deep sweetheart neckline and a flowing chiffon train.

More recently, newly single A-list luminaries such as “Don’t Worry Darling” star Olivia Wilde, 38, and supermodel Gisele Bündchen, 42, have rocked revenge frocks and makeup looks, unabashedly donning attention-grabbing eye shadows and daring lip colors on red carpets following their respective breakups with singer Harry Styles and NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

Olivia Wilde has unapologetically sported eye-popping hair, makeup and fashions since it was announced that she and Styles were "taking a break" from their relationship in November. — Olivia Wilde has unapologetically sported eye-popping hair, makeup and fashions since it was announced that she and Styles were “taking a break” from their relationship in November.

Gisele Bündchen stunned in revenge makeup and a sparkling gold Reinaldo Lourenço gown this month after her divorce from Tom Brady.

And face-paint zealots on TikTok are also finding their strength and reclaiming their sexiness through the bold makeover.

“Revenge is the best medicine,” captioned Brooklyn-based makeup enthusiast Kayla Delyne, 23, in a clip featuring her metamorphosis into a fierce vixen with thick and elongated eyeliner, sculpted cheeks and crimson-red lips outlined in black.

Kamille Gregory, 21, a beauty content creator from California, also restructured her naturally soft features into artful angles for a TikTok post she titled “Showing up to their door fully beat,” alluding to plans to surprise her ex with a new-and-improved glow. Gregory cheekily punctuated the caption of her vindictive video with the knife emoji.

London-based makeup tastemaker Sarah New rocked revenge makeup in order to encourage her more than 3 million followers to try new looks.

To New, revenge is all about making yourself feel empowered, sexy and strong.

Sarah New beckoned a staggering 899,000 eyes to her revenge makeup how-to this month, making her video one of the most-viewed clips under the TikTok hashtag. In it, she employed beauty goodies like the Milk Makeup contour stick ($22), Kash Beauty’s Midnight Metals eye shadow palette ($24), the KVD Tattoo liner ($23) and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb ($20).

Ironically, however, New, 22, a beauty influencer from London, told The Post that she’s currently in a healthy relationship and isn’t seeking revenge on any of her exes.

Instead, she re-created the look in an effort to inspire her over 3.1 million followers to fearlessly express themselves through face paint in the new year.

“The best revenge isn’t about getting back at another person,” said New. “It’s about looking and feeling good about yourself, and doing that through makeup can be very empowering.”

And Smith agreed, saying, “When I’m in revenge makeup, I feel like a bad bitch, like my edginess demands a different level of respect.”