Crystal Constellation Eyeshadow Is the Easiest Way to Wear ‘Euphoria’ Makeup IRL

We don’t blame you if you’ve lost track of how many beauty trends have come out of Euphoria. Though the graphic eyeliner looks will never get old, crystal constellation eyeshadow just might be our new favorite. The trend—a halo of tiny rhinestones scattered around the eye—isn't copied and pasted from the show, but there's no doubt Euphoria paved the way for the look beloved by pop girls like Charli XCX and Dua Lipa. Consider it a softer, more wearable evolution of Maddy's razor-sharp rhinestone wings and crystal brows.

To get to the root of the trend, we went straight to the creator herself, Donni Davy, Euphoria's lead makeup artist and Half-Magic co-founder. “I love how rhinestones portray the tension between childhood and adolescence and can be reminiscent of tears,” she says. “They have a very cinematic quality to them as they dip in and out of shadows and light on camera. On Euphoria I was looking for ways for the makeup to be visible in the often-shadowy cinematography of the show. The director wanted to showcase bold and expressive makeup and in order to make the looks visible on screen, I needed to use reflective things such as rhinestones, glitter and bold pops of color.” 

If you’ve been working up the nerve to try the trend, here’s everything you need to know, including how to rock crystal constellation eyeshadow in the real world.

Why it's Trending

Obviously, you can thank Euphoria for the trend. “I think makeup creatives are always looking for new ways to approach a trend,” Davy says. “It’s hard to imagine rhinestones disappearing from the mainstream now that they’ve entered that space, because they are just so damn visually pleasing, especially when they’re twinkling in low lighting. I’ve seen a ton of looks on IG and TikTok where stars or star formations are painted or stuck on the face, and many times a trail of rhinestones adorns them. In general, cute makeup trends like this are fun to recreate simply because they’re mood-boosting and playful.” 

Who Crystal Constellation Eyeshadow Works for

The answer is everyone. Yes, really! Still need convincing? “OMG Yes totally 100% PERIOD FOREVER YES,” Davy exclaims. “Any type of rhinestone look is amazing for any face shape and any age. If you doubt me on the age, look up ‘Andie MacDowell green dress Cannes’ or watch my Half Magic short film, which stars an 80-year-old woman wearing blue winged liner that is covered in rhinestones.” 

KVD Beauty global veritas artistry ambassador Sandra Saenz concurs the trend is universal. “You can do the placement in specific areas of the eyelid to help enhance your eye shape, or wherever it best enhances the overall look you’re going for,” she says. “However, if your eye area or eyes are on the smaller side, try not to saturate with gems or jewels all over. Instead, focus on applying less pieces or smaller gems that won’t look overpowering.”

Finding the Right Crystals

Unsurprisingly, the key to pulling off crystal constellation eyeshadow is using the right crystals. Luckily, Davy has already done that work for you. “In my quest to make rhinestones super easy and accessible for all, I created my own Face Gems ($12), which are self-adhesive ‘stick-on’ iridescent and neon rhinestones as well as silver and rose gold face studs,” she says. “Half Magic stick-on rhinestones or Face Gems are made with medical-grade adhesive, which gives them extra staying power. Use the Half Magic Adornment Tweezers ($14) to easily (and quickly!) apply stick-on rhinestones. This is the hands-down most user-friendly way to wear rhinestones, which is why I had to make them.”

One thing to be aware of is that some adhesives may cause a reaction to delicate complexions. “Just keep in mind if you have sensitive skin, you’ll need to glue the gems with eyelash glue, so your skin doesn’t get irritated,” Saenz says. “It’s also important to choose the right size embellishment and the best placement so it’s more flattering to your face. Additionally, and conveniently, KVD Beauty has a Face Gem Kit ($1) that makes application a breeze.”

How to Apply Crystal Constellation Eyeshadow

Like so many makeup looks, pulling it off is all about properly prepping your skin. “Rhinestones work the best when the surface they are being applied to is not oily or greasy, so if you know you’ll be wearing rhinestones make sure your skincare routine for the day steers clear of oil-heavy serums or moisturizers (just choose oil-free products instead),” Davy says.

If you’re applying rhinestones on top of color, Davy recommends a long-wear liquid eyeshadow like Half Magic’s Chromaddiction Eye Paints in matte and shimmer. “The reason for this is that a little product goes a long way with high-pigment liquid eyeshadows, and rhinestones stick the best on top of the least amount of makeup possible,” she advises. “Therefore, if you want bright color and rhinestones, opt for a high pigment long-wear liquid eyeshadow. If you want to wear rhinestones on a bare eyelid, swipe on some eyeshadow primer first, then dust a thin layer of translucent powder on top. This will soak up any eyelid oil and keep your eyelids nice and dry so that the rhinestones have even more staying power.”

Davy gets the most questions about hooded eyes, so her biggest advice for wearing rhinestones or any eye adornments on hooded eyes is to focus your adornment on the following places:

• The space above your crease / under your eyebrows
• Eyebrows / above your eyebrows 
• Inner eye corners
• Along your lower lashline
• Extended out past your outer lashline toward your temples 
• Bridge of your nose

Common Mistakes

Not having the correct tools to make the application easier is a common pitfall. “Adding rhinestones or adornments to your makeup should always be fun and never be stressful,” Davy says. “Whether you’re using stick-on adornments or using eyelash glue to attach rhinestones to your face, there are some awesome tools out there to make application easier. You need a pair of tweezers with curved tips that are safe for use around the eyes, and that are able to grab and slide the rhinestones off of their plastic sheet.” For stick-ons, look for ones that stick really well.

Be sure to have a plan before you start gluing. “The most common mistake to avoid is not planning the exact placement prior to doing your makeup,” Saenz says. “For instance, if you rearrange the gems after your makeup has been applied, the glue on the back of the gems will take off the makeup that was applied in those areas.” She also advises avoiding any heavy gems so they won’t weigh your eyelids down or feel too heavy, so it doesn’t become uncomfortable throughout the day.

“Additionally, don’t use products that are prone to creasing on your eyelids, otherwise the gems won’t properly stick on,” Saenz says. “I recommend using the KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow + Brow Pigment ($23) as a base since it’s super long-lasting and comes in a bunch of fun colors!”

Make it Wearable

“People can make face gems more wearable for every day by incorporating them as accents, like a tooth gem, as a sweet surprise or a little accent on your face that shines when the sun hits,” Saenz says. “Of course, it depends on your style and how you’d like to sport this look—either bold or subtle—but think mainly that gems are an accessory to your eyes and makeup look.”

While this isn’t necessarily a look you’d wear to the grocery store, there are ways to take it down a notch to make it approachable. “Just like any makeup product, there is an infinite way that rhinestones can be worn, from ultra-minimal to completely extravagant,” Davy says. Apply your stones over bold makeup like Dove Cameron, or keep the look to a few tiny sparkles like Blackpink's Jennie Kim.

“My personal favorite way to wear them is by applying a few tiny rhinestones spaced out along my lower lash line. This looks really pretty and perfectly understated. If you want to try a bolder rhinestone look but keep it glam and chic, use a few different sizes of rhinestones, and try them out in a tapered formation. This would actually be super cute for a shooting star look! The different-sized gems will reflect different-sized twinkles, which makes the look feel fancier and multi-dimensional. Tiny rhinestones can be used to create more defined and delicate corners, angles and tapered moments. The most casual way to wear rhinestones is to adorn each of your inner eye corners with a single ‘tiny rhinie.’"

An easy way to tweak the impact of rhinestones is by adjusting the rest of your outfit. “Face adornments look particularly amazing paired with an outfit, shoes or bag that has any kind of reflective fabric or hardware on them,” Davy says. “On the contrary, there’s also a totally simple casual way to wear adornments. Picture jeans, a T-shirt and a single stick-on metal spike on the outer corner of each eye. The way rhinestones amplify a whole look is just so stunning, especially in pictures when they capture a little twinkle of light.”