Why Do Goths Wear White Makeup? (And How Do They Do It)

A blog post about why goths wear white makeup

Ever looked at a goth and wondered “Why do goths wear white makeup?” Keep in mind, not all people in goth culture wear white makeup, but most people can pick a goth out of a group from looking at the white makeup that they sometimes wear. One of the interesting things about goth culture is that the men wear makeup too because this subculture is openly about freedom.

Why Do Goths Wear White Makeup?

Since its inception, goth culture has obsessed over death and dark topics. Most people who think of goth culture associate it with death and disturbing things. Because of that, goths will sometimes wear white makeup as a way to resemble a corpse as part of the style. Both female and male goths do this. If you wanted a good example of it, think of Marilyn Manson.

Many goths like the vampire look, and the white foundation contrast with black eye shadow and lipstick. They may do this as a fashion statement, but many do it as part of the goth culture. You may see them wear things like jewelry that has a dark or disturbing theme. It goes with the look and style that they want to communicate about themselves. At the same time, it distinguishes them from the mainstream culture.

How Do Goths Get so Pale?

Goths use makeup, which makes them look paler than their actual skin tone. Don’t do anything unhealthy to make yourself look pale, such as starving yourself. Makeup is usually responsible for the paleness of their skin. They may also avoid the sunlight and take vitamin D. Lipstick applied in the right way with the makeup can cause a person to look paler than their actual complexion.

Believe it or not, some goths will apply sunblock to their skin religiously. They use the highest SPF possible and apply makeup over the top of it once it absorbs into the skin. Sunscreen deactivates UV radiation in the skin and protects from skin damage. Over time, the skin becomes lighter naturally. The black clothing and hair that goths wear also contrasts greatly with the white makeup that they use to give the illusion of a paler complexion.

Which Makeup Do They Use and How Do They Apply It

What type of makeup the goth person uses will depend on them, but you do have a couple of common ones that people use. Gothic makeup usually involves dark and beautiful tones. When searching for a foundation, look for a color two shades lighter than your skin tone. As we said before, most goths look dead, and they choose this purposely as part of the fashion style. Gothic culture is heavily into appearance.

You want to choose makeup that doesn’t look so pale that it has a cakey appearance or like you’re wearing a mask. For someone with darker skin color, you will want to look for a color two shades lighter than your skin tone, but you will also want to buy white makeup press powder. You will apply this over the foundation.

This adds a grayish skin tone, but it keeps it from appearing as a white mask. You might choose a makeup primer that contains SPF. The SPF in the makeup is as good as sunscreen, but it keeps you from tanning.

You will want to apply eyeshadow from dark shades. Examples of good colors that goths use include red, blue, black, and purple. Dark brown and deep-colored black goes well over eyeliner, and it creates a more dramatic effect. Many goths choose the same eyeshadow as their lipstick. Consider how it looks to create a total goth appearance.

People new to eyeliner may want to start with an eyeliner pencil. You might try COVERGIRL Perfect Blend Eyeliner Pencil. The pencil makes application much easier, and you can adjust it with a Q-tip. Those skilled in the use of eyeliner may choose black liquid eyeliner. It creates more defined lines around the eyes.

Now, we will look at black mascara for goths. Most goths wear black mascara because it darkens the eye area to create an ethereal appearance. You can buy Maybelline New York Makeup Great Lash Washable Mascara, which works wonders. The black mascara darkens and blackens your eyelashes. You can also play with the color, such as choosing mascara and a dark blue or a dark red. Some goths layer the color, but others apply it to bare eyelashes. Experiment to see what you like the most.

Applying the Makeup

Before you apply the makeup, you will want to moisturize and exfoliate the skin. This looks better because your skin appears more supple and clean. At the same time, it prevents dry patches of skin that take away from your appearance. You will want a makeup sponge as you apply it. While some goths use their fingers to apply it, we’d advise against this because distributing the makeup with your fingers will look uneven, and you won’t achieve the look that you hope for.

To keep the foundation in place, you will use a light facial powder. Applying the eyeshadow, you will use a makeup brush, which will create more pop for your eyes. This creates a darker look for your eyes, which has the goth look. Next, you will put on the mascara. You apply this to your eyelashes. Mascara on the eyelashes can frame your eyes to enhance a better look.

You have cases where someone will have too few eyelashes or light eyelashes. False eyelashes work equally as well for cases like this.

How goths do their makeup will largely depend on the goth because this subculture is highly individualistic. Everyone does things their own way in the goth culture. While some may wear white makeup, you have a group of goths who only wear it for special occasions.

At the end of applying your makeup, goths will use a face mist because it reveals a clean and smooth finish. Most people know goths for this look. The face mist will keep the makeup looking fresh, and it will keep it in place. Especially for people who live in a hot climate, face misting keeps the makeup in place. Be aware, however, that not all face mists were designed to work as a setting spray. You need to check the box to see that the manufacturers intended it for holding your makeup in place.

What Makeup Do Goths Use?

Some of the different things used in a goth’s makeup kit include:

  • Makeup primer
  • Foundation
  • Eyeliner
  • Mascara
  • SPF Sunscreen
  • Eyeshadow

You will want to add all of these things to your makeup kit to achieve the perfect goth look. Look for makeup in darker shades of red, blue, purple, and black. Most goths play with eyeshadow and experiment to learn what looks best. As a side note, if you’re looking for some great eyeshadow to use for your goth look, check out LUXAZA Smoky Eyeshadow Palette Browns 12 Colors.

Most goths will use pencil eyeliner because they can master the look easily. In some cases, goths have chosen the glitter route to rock a unique goth look.

Whether you choose this as your overall style and look or you simply want to experiment, the goth look gives you an almost vampire look. Gothic makeup also involves more than just wearing black clothing and a white face. Have fun inventing your new look and take your time trying new things. Check out the pictures from multiple goths to see the type of look that you want to go for. Some want a more glittery vampire look, whereas others want to achieve a darker and more sublime appearance.

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