A viral TikTok has documented the ‘makeup power moves’ that guarantee you’ll look good if you just so happen to be meeting up with your ex this holiday season.
Beauty influencer Zoe Kim Kenealy, 27, shared a tutorial advising her followers on how to get the perfect beauty look for run-ins with their exes.
‘You’re not gonna wear strawberry makeup [or] sugar plum fairy makeup to go meet up with your ex,’ Zoe, who is based in Beverly Hills, California, announced, mentioning two niche beauty trends.
Zoe fittingly captioned the now-viral video ‘MAKEUP POWER MOVES,’ calling it, ‘Lesson 1: The meetup with the ex.’
Beauty influencer Zoe Kim Kenealy, 27, shared a TikTok tutorial advising her followers how to get the perfect beauty look for run-ins with their exes
Hailey Bieber’s glowy skin paired with subtle eyeshadow shimmer and a bold lip is the perfect example of power moves makeup, Zoe, who is based in Beverly Hills, explained
Zoe, who has amassed 245,000 followers for her hyper-specific beauty tutorials, like cold girl makeup, whiskey makeup, first date makeup, and warm and fuzzy makeup, explained: ‘With certain situations there are makeup looks that are going to add or detract from your power.’
‘I think it’s time we all start being a little more cryptic and Machiavellian,’ Zoe proclaimed, quoting Taylor Swift’s hit song Mastermind.
Zoe made it clear that meeting up with an ex wasn’t the time to embrace cutesy beauty trends like the aforementioned strawberry girl makeup, asking: ‘What about the makeup looks that are going to allow us to manipulate a manipulator?’
She described this particular aesthetic as one that gives ‘us power and personal gain, because for certain situations there does exist the right look and the wrong look.’
‘Obviously, most of the time you should do whatever it is that you like, but if you find yourself in a circumstance where you do want to exercise some strategy, I need there to be a guide,’ the beauty guru continued.
Zoe then outlined exactly how to approach a ‘run-in with the ex’ or an ‘intentional meet-up with the ex,’ which was perfect for around the holidays, when people are back home and encountering former flames.
‘I don’t think meeting up with your ex is a good idea at all, but if you are, I got you,’ Zoe cautioned her followers.
She advised starting with a fresh face to make sure ‘your skin is looking more lustrous than ever,’ comparing the technique to underpainting, when people paint concealer, contour and blush under foundation.
The first step is focusing foundation on the center of your face with bronzer on the perimeters before lightly concealing under your eyes
The eyes are ‘celebratory, meaning they’ll give you a little twinkle in your gaze, but they won’t be overpowering,’ which is done with a slight crease and a little bit of sparkle
The super niche beauty tutorial content creator recommended doing a bold lip and softening it with a more neutral color
The first step is focusing foundation on the center of your face with bronzer on the perimeters.
‘Be soft with it, because we don’t want harsh lines,’ the beauty expert recommended.
‘There’s nothing wrong with looking like you’re wearing makeup.’
However, she explained you didn’t want to overdo it with concealer or powder, adding: ‘Nothing too bright, nothing too cakey.’
Zoe urged her followers to ‘wear a bold lip,’ telling them, ‘It’s never too much and some of the most confident women we love are known for this.’
However, she added that it was easy to mix in some toned down shades, like a nude in the center, if you feel like it looks said bold lip looks ‘weird on your face.’
As for the eyes, according to Zoe they’re ‘going to be celebratory, meaning they’ll give you a little twinkle in your gaze, but they won’t be overpowering,’ which is done with a slight crease definition using the eyeshadow and a little bit of sparkle.
When you’re finishing up the eyes, put away your harsh black liner.
‘Brown eyeliner is more of a power move than black in many cases because it intensifies your eyes,’ Zoe explained.
Zoe suggested swapping your usual harsh, edgy black eyeliner for a more low-key brown, cat-eye smokey shadow
Zoe showed off the finished look, which included brown eyeliner, a bold lip and subtle shimmer
Some followers thanked her for the advice or shared their own beauty routines when they’re meeting up with a former flame, while others asked why you’d want to reunite with an ex
Followers loved Zoe’s advice, especially because many had plans to see their exes over the holidays.
‘Seeing them in 3 days for the first time in a year,’ one woman announced, describing the video as ‘perfect timing.’
Not everyone appreciated the beauty tutorial, though, with one person commenting, ‘This only works when you’re attractive lol. I just look like a pig in lipstick.’
Another woman joked, ‘Literally my first question was “Why are we meeting up with our ex,” yet I watched the whole thing.’
Someone else quipped, ‘If I had to meet up with my ex I’d dress like baba yaga,’ referencing an ogress in Slavic folklore.
‘My ex doesn’t deserve this kind of effort,’ another commenter joked.
A few women suggested their own go-to beauty looks for the sticky situation, with one writing she always does ‘a bronzey warm caramel toned fox eye if I’m going to see an ex’ because ‘it’s pretty but also mildly intimidating.’