TikTok's "Tired Girl" Makeup Trend Makes Exhaustion Look Cute

Makeup has long been dedicated to helping people fake the appearance of being awake. Concealers that brighten dark circles, contour hacks that hide the puffy side effects of late, tequila-fueled nights... basically, anything that makes you look alive when you feel anything but.

Over on TikTok, though, the girlies have decided they’re tired of pretending they got eight hours of sleep. In true Gen-Z fashion, they’re keeping it real with a new aesthetic: “tired girl” makeup.

Talk about a trend everyone can get on board with.

What Is “Tired Girl” Makeup?

Tired girl makeup flips the rules of beauty on its head. Instead of masking the effects of exhaustion, it leans into them. Think of it as the upgraded version of the edgy, grungy look from the ’90s with a Tim Burton-inspired twist. If you look vaguely like Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas or Helena Bonham Carter in literally any role, you’re on the right track.

What makes the trend stand out is its celebration of features you’ve always been told to erase: under-eye circles, dull skin, and hollow cheeks. Instead of brightening or bronzing, creators are leaning on brownish-burgundy shadows to deepen eye bags, gray-beige contours to sharpen cheek hollows, and bare, minimal complexion products that let their natural dullness shine. It’s all part of the broader “undone” beauty movement and Gen Z’s affinity for authenticity versus overly polished glam.

How To Rock It

Some days, getting the tired girl look is as easy as rolling out of bed on minimal sleep (shoutout to insomnia). But if you’re actually well-rested — or just want to elevate your everyday makeup — there are a few TikTok-approved tips worth trying.

Start With The Eyes

In lieu of your usual under-eye concealer, you’ll want to swap in your favorite peachy-pink lipstick as the base for your shadow. Layer on a mix of brown, gray, and burgundy eyeshadow tones to create faux dark circles, starting on top of your lids then wrapping the pigment around the inner corner and beneath the lower lash line. For best results (aka the most realistic-looking under-eye hollows), use a combination of your fingers and a fluffy brush to blend. The messier and less “done” it looks, the better.

Smudge It Up

To give your eyes their signature sleepy droop, smudge a creamy brown liner across your upper lash line, then drag it into a barely-there, downward wing. The effect? Eyes that look heavy-lidded and in dire need of a nap.

Keep The Rest Low-Key

As creator @sharareh.khazani puts it, “You’re not trying to glow — you’re trying to look tired.” Stick with just a touch of lightweight foundation and concealer plus a muted blush on the tops of your cheeks. Sculpt with a cool-toned, grayish contour to create that hollowed-out, “woke up like this” energy, and finish with a swipe of mascara and a sheer lip balm.

Needless to say, being tired (or at least faking it) has never looked this good.