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Breaking down the meaning behind Euphoria Season 3 makeup looks

If there’s one thing Euphoria has never missed on, it’s beauty. The show has managed to reshape beauty trends in real time — influencing everything from festival makeup to fashion week glam. And while season three has already sparked its fair share of online controversy, discourse and divided opinions, we’re giving credit where it’s due: the makeup department continues to deliver. 

In fact, some of the beauty looks this season may be among the show’s strongest yet. The glam feels more elevated, more cinematic and noticeably more mature — almost as if the characters have moved away from chaotic teenage experimentation into more matured beauty looks that reveal who they are now. There’s still drama, of course. This is Euphoria, after all. But this season’s makeup feels more polished, restrained and character-driven than before.

Left to right: Kitty, Cassie and Magick played by Anna van Patten, Sydney Sweeney and Rosalia. Image: Instagram/@donni.davy

Naturally, Maddy Perez remains one of the show’s strongest beauty references. Maddy has always been THAT GIRL when it comes to makeup on the show: razor-sharp liner, glossy lips, sculpted skin and enough confidence to make every look feel iconic. This season, her makeup feels more powerful — mirroring her obsession with power, image and reinvention. Instead of rhinestones and glitter, Maddy’s beauty looks lean into cool-toned smoky eyes, sharply-defined lips and ultra-clean liner work. Her makeup reflects someone trying to position herself as a boss in a world that constantly threatens instability. Even when she’s saying very little, the makeup still communicates exactly who she is and the kind of presence she wants to have in a room.

Maddy Perez played by Alexa Demi. Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Maddy Perez. Image: Instagram/@magazinesecrets
Maddy Perez. Image: Instagram/@magazinesecrets

There’s also something noticeably softer happening with Cassie Howard this season — at least aesthetically. Cassie’s beauty direction appears to be transitioning from old Hollywood housewife glamour to dreamy trashy city glam, and honestly, we’re obsessed. The teased hair, diffused metallic shadows, fluttery lashes, over-blushed cheeks, smokey-eyes and iridescent lips feel reminiscent of vintage bombshell beauty but with a chaotic Euphoria twist. It’s hyper-feminine, slightly messy and emotionally-loaded in a way that truly represents Cassie's transition from the suburbs to the city. 

Cassie as a suburban housewife played by Sydney Sweeney. Image: Instagram/@hbomaxtr
Cassie's new aesthetic since moving out the suburbs. Image: Instagram/@hbomaxtr
Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Image: Instagram/@donny.davy

Then there’s Jules. Jules’ makeup has become noticeably more minimal compared to previous seasons, and the shift feels intentional. Earlier versions of Jules used makeup as playful self-expression: graphic liner, pastel experimentation and abstract details that felt artistic and whimsical. But season three strips most of that back. 

Now, her makeup feels softer, simpler and more restrained. There are still traces of her creativity — subtle liner details, frosty textures and delicate placements — but overall, the glam feels more grounded. It reflects someone who seems less interested in fantasy and more focused on protecting herself emotionally.

Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Jules played by Hunter Schafer. Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Image: Instagram/@donny.davy

And then there are the dancers at the Silver Slipper strip club. Characters like Magick and Kitty bring a completely different energy into the show: exaggerated, messy, hyper-feminine and deeply tied to survival.

Magick’s makeup, in particular, has already become one of the standout beauty aesthetics of the season. Played by Rosalia, the character wears aggressively paper thin brows and exaggerated lip liner — a classic look inspired by the 90s to early 2000s — that reflects her confidence and hard exterior. Even the bedazzled neck brace becomes part of the look. Everything about her glam feels intimidating and impossible to ignore.

Magick played by Rosalia. Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Magick. Image: Instagram/@rosaliachileoficial

Kitty’s makeup, meanwhile, feels softer and more flushed. Her glossy skin and softer eye makeup make her look vulnerable, which adds to the emotional heaviness surrounding her storyline.

Kitty played by Anna van Patten. Image: Instagram/@donny.davy
Kitty. Image: Instagram/@donny.davy

What makes Euphoria’s beauty direction so captivating this time is that the makeup no longer exists purely for shock value. So while the internet continues debating the season itself, Euphoria's makeup department still knows how to create beauty moments that shape culture and seasonal makeup inspo.

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