Sleepy Eyes Makeup Tutorial: The 2026 NYFW Look You Can Do in 10 Minutes

Sleepy Eyes Makeup Tutorial: The 2026 NYFW Look You Can Do in 10 Minutes

Marina • Fashion Editor
12 min read

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Remember when looking tired was a problem to fix? When we piled on concealer and brightening powders and did everything humanly possible to NOT look like we just woke up?

In 2026, we’re throwing all of that out. Because sleepy eyes makeup just got an official NYFW stamp of approval at Sandy Liang’s FW26 show, and it might be the prettiest beauty trend I’ve seen in years.

Makeup artist Romy Soleimani created the look backstage using a mood board of Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette — “like a princess who just woke up,” she told Elle. The base? Beauty of Joseon skincare. The blush? Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. The “eyeliner”? A brow pencil. And a lip liner. Used around the eyes. Yes, really.

Here’s the thing — this is NOT the grungy, smudged-black-liner sleepy eye look from 2022 TikTok. The 2026 version is romantic, dewy, soft pink, and seriously gorgeous. And it takes about 10 minutes with products you might already own.

Let me walk you through it.

What Is Sleepy Eyes Makeup? (2022 vs. 2026)

Sleepy eyes makeup

is an intentional “just woke up” look — heavy-lidded, soft, slightly undone. But the trend has evolved A LOT since it first blew up.

The 2022 version (TikTok indie sleaze):

Smudged black liner, downturned wings, heavy lower lash line, dark and grungy. The vibe was “stayed up till 4 AM at a warehouse party and I look incredible.” Very cool, very Y2K-grunge revival.

The 2026 version (sleepy girl luxe):

Pink flush, dewy skin, soft BROWN liner (not black), no concealer under the eyes, shimmer on the lids, glossy pink lips. The vibe is “I woke up in a Parisian apartment and I’m just naturally this pretty.” Think Sofia Coppola film, not underground rave.

The shift makes sense. We went through the clean girl era, then the strawberry girl makeup wave, and now we’ve arrived at something even softer — a look that says “I’m not trying, but also I look amazing, and also I might fall back asleep.”

Elle called the 2026 version “snoozier.” I call it the best lazy-girl beauty trend we’ve gotten in years.

Sleepy eyes is the softer cousin of messy girl makeup — both celebrate imperfection, but sleepy girl naps while messy girl stays out.

Sleepy Eyes Makeup Tutorial — 6 Steps (The 2026 Way)

Step 1: The Dewy Base (Skip the Full Coverage)

Start with skincare, not foundation. Backstage at Sandy Liang, Romy Soleimani prepped skin with the Beauty of Joseon lineup — essence, eye patches, moisturizer. The goal is skin that looks hydrated and alive, not covered up.

If you want some coverage, use a tinted moisturizer or skin tint instead of foundation. Sheer, dewy, barely there. Your skin should look like SKIN.

And here’s the controversial part: skip the concealer under your eyes. I know. I KNOW. But the slight darkness under the eyes is literally part of the look. “Sleepy” means embracing the shadow, not erasing it. The first time I did this, it felt like leaving the house without pants. But the overall effect? Actually beautiful.

Step 2: The Soft Brown Eye Ring (NOT a Wing)

This is THE signature move that makes sleepy eyes… sleepy eyes. Forget winged liner. Instead, create a soft halo of warm color AROUND the entire eye — upper AND lower lash line.

Here’s the backstage secret that blew my mind: Romy Soleimani used a Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Pencil and a Kind Words Lip Liner in Humble as eyeliner. Not actual eyeliner. A brow pencil and lip liner. Why? Because the pigment is softer, the tone is warmer, and the finish is more diffused than any eyeliner on the market.

Apply close to the lash line — top and bottom — then smudge immediately with your finger or a small brush. You want soft. You want blurry. You want “did she even try?” If it looks precise, smudge it more.

Color matters: soft brown, mauve, or taupe. NOT black. Black is 2022 energy.

  • 💰 Budget: NYX Epic Smoke Liner in Taupe Dream — $9 | Any brown brow pencil works
  • ✨ Splurge: Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Pencil — $29
  • 🎨 Shade notes: Light skin: taupe or light brown. Medium skin: warm brown or mauve. Deep skin: rich brown, burgundy-brown, or deep mauve — the warmth is gorgeous against deeper skin tones.

Step 3: The Pink Flush (Cheeks + Nose + Eyelids)

Cool-toned pink blush is the signature of the 2026 sleepy girl look. This is what separates it from the darker 2022 version — everything is flushed and rosy, like you’ve been sleeping on silk pillows and dreaming about something nice.

Backstage pick: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Adore and Lucky (mixed together).

Apply to the apples of your cheeks — generous, not subtle. Then here’s the move: dab a TINY bit on your eyelids and across the bridge of your nose. This creates that “just been sleeping on one side” flush effect. It should look like blood rushing naturally to the surface, not like you’re wearing blush in unusual places.

  • 💰 Budget: e.l.f. Putty Blush in Bali — $7
  • ✨ Splurge: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush — $23 | Rhode Pocket Blush in Sleepy Girl — $24
  • 🎨 Shade notes: Light skin: baby pink or cool rose (Rare Beauty “Adore”). Medium skin: dusty rose or mauve pink. Deep skin: Rare Beauty “Happy” or “Truth” — deeper berries that give the same flushed effect on richer skin tones.

Step 4: Shimmer on the Lids (Just a Kiss)

A light wash of shimmer on the center of your eyelid — champagne, soft gold, or pink. This is NOT a full eyeshadow look. It’s one fingertip tap of product in the center of each lid to catch light and look dewy.

The whole point is that it looks like your eyelids are slightly glistening — the way they do when you first wake up and your skin has that natural oil. (Glamorous? Maybe not in real life. In makeup? Absolutely.)

Apply with your fingertip for the most natural, blended effect. A brush makes it look too intentional.

Step 5: Lashes — Subtle, Not Dramatic

One coat of brown or black-brown mascara. That’s it. The goal is definition, not drama. You want your lashes to look like they exist, not like they’re performing.

Some people skip the eyelash curler entirely for this look — letting the lashes droop slightly contributes to the heavy-lidded effect. Try it both ways and see what you prefer.

Skip false lashes. Skip lash extensions. This look is about being undone. Falsies would be like wearing a ball gown to bed.

Step 6: Glossy Pink Lips (The Finishing Touch)

Slightly glossy, slightly pink — like you just bit your lip or ate a popsicle. No harsh lip liner (save that for other looks). Just a sheer wash of color and shine.

Dab on a tinted lip balm or sheer gloss and call it done. The lips should look effortless, a little bitten, a little flushed. They should match the rosy cheek energy, not compete with it.

Or try the frosty ballet-slipper lip trend — a hint of frost in pale pink complements sleepy eyes beautifully. Think princess who just woke up.

The Best Products for Sleepy Eyes Makeup 2026

Here’s the full product roundup at a glance:

StepBudget (Under $15)Mid ($15-25)Splurge ($25+)
Basee.l.f. Halo Glow ($14)ILIA – Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 ($48)Armani Luminous Silk ($70)
EyesNYX Epic Smoke Liner ($9)Rare Beauty Brow Pencil ($29)Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon ($29)
Blushe.l.f. Putty Blush ($7)Rare Beauty Soft Pinch ($23)Patrick Ta Double Take ($36)
ShimmerMilani Baked Highlight ($9)Rare Beauty Luminizer ($25)Tom Ford Sheer Duo ($88)
MascaraMaybelline Lash Sensational ($9)Tower 28 MakeWaves Vegan Black Mascara ($22)Lancôme Idôle ($29)
LipsMaybelline Lifter Gloss ($9)ILIA – Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oi ($26)Dior Lip Glow ($40)

💰 The $50 Sleepy Eyes Kit

Want the full look for under $50? Here’s your shopping list:

  1. e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter — $15
  2. NYX Epic Smoke Liner in Taupe Dream — $9
  3. e.l.f. Putty Blush in Bali — $7
  4. Maybelline Lash Sensational — $9
  5. Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Petal — $9
Total: $49.

And honestly? The look is nearly identical to the full Rare Beauty backstage kit. I did a side-by-side comparison on my own face and the difference was marginal. The technique matters way more than the price tag with this trend.

Does Sleepy Eyes Makeup Work on Hooded Eyes?

Short answer: YES. Long answer: this might be the single best makeup trend for hooded eyes that has ever existed.

Here’s why: most eye makeup trends are designed to “open” the eyes — wings that lift, shadow that creates the illusion of bigger lids, liner that fights against the natural shape. Sleepy eyes does the opposite. It works WITH the natural heavy-lidded shape. It says “your lids are naturally hooded and that’s literally the aesthetic we’re going for.”

A few tips for hooded eyes specifically:

  • Focus more on the lower lash line — the brown liner ring on the bottom is visible even with a hood, and it creates most of the sleepy effect
  • Skip heavy liner on the top lid — it’ll disappear into the fold anyway. Just a thin line close to the lash line is plenty
  • The shimmer on the center of the lid works even better — when you blink or look down, it catches the light in a way that’s ridiculously flattering
  • Don’t worry about the blush-on-lids step if it feels odd — with hooded eyes, people see your cheek blush more than lid color, and that’s fine

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that “my eyeliner disappears” or “eyeshadow doesn’t show on me” — sleepy eyes is your trend. Finally, the beauty world is making something that’s designed for how your eyes already look.

FAQ

How do you do sleepy eyes makeup?

Six steps: start with a dewy base (skip concealer under eyes), create a soft brown liner ring around the entire eye using a brow pencil or lip liner (smudge well), apply cool-pink blush generously on cheeks plus a touch on nose and eyelids, add a kiss of shimmer to the center of each lid, one coat of mascara, and finish with glossy pink lips. The whole look takes about 10 minutes.

What is sleepy girl makeup in 2026?

The 2026 version of sleepy eyes is a romantic, dewy, pink-flushed update of the 2022 TikTok trend. Created by makeup artist Romy Soleimani for the Sandy Liang FW26 show at NYFW, the mood board was Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette — “like a princess who just woke up.” Key differences from 2022: soft brown liner instead of black, pink blush instead of dark smoky eyes, dewy skin instead of matte.

What products do you need for sleepy eyes makeup?

The essentials: a dewy base or tinted moisturizer, soft brown liner (brow pencil or lip liner works perfectly), cream blush in cool pink, lid shimmer, mascara, and sheer glossy lip product. You can build a complete kit for under $50 with drugstore products — e.l.f., NYX, and Maybelline all make everything you need.

Is sleepy eye makeup good for hooded eyes?

It’s actually one of the best makeup looks for hooded eyes. Unlike trends that try to “open” or “lift” the eye, sleepy eyes works WITH the natural heavy-lidded shape. Focus liner on the lower lash line (always visible), keep top liner thin, and use the center-of-lid shimmer trick — it catches light beautifully when you blink.

What’s the difference between sleepy eyes and smokey eyes?

Totally different vibes. Sleepy eyes = soft, diffused, brown or mauve tones, romantic, “just woke up.” The colors are warm and muted, the blending is imprecise, and the overall effect is dreamy. Smokey eyes = dramatic, defined, dark or black tones, intentionally glamorous, “going out tonight.” Both involve liner around the eye, but the technique, color palette, and energy are completely different.

I’ll be honest — the first time I deliberately left my under-eye circles uncovered and walked out of my apartment, I felt exposed. Like I forgot to get dressed. But then I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window on South Congress and thought “oh wait, I actually look… really good?” The pink blush on my nose, the smudgy brown liner, the dewy everything — it all came together into something that looked way more expensive and intentional than the 10 minutes and $49 I spent on it. Romy Soleimani was right. Looking sleepy is kind of the prettiest thing you can do with your face right now. Just don’t tell my mom — she’ll FaceTime me to say I look tired and need more sleep. She won’t be wrong, but that’s not the point. 😴✨

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