Picture this familiar scene: you need to leave the house in 30 minutes but your makeup still isn’t done yet. Instead of settling for a makeup style you know will look good, you decide to experiment with a new variable; a new eyeshadow colour, a different foundation technique, a different winged liner style—you know how it goes. Inevitably, something goes wrong somewhere, and you’re unhappy with the outcome. But you don’t have enough time to remove your makeup and redo everything, so you head outside with this full face of makeup you’re unhappy with, ruining the entire outing.
Been there, done that. It’s a canon event. That’s why we all need pre-shower makeup.
What is Pre-Shower Makeup?
Over on TikTok, beauty girlies are sharing their love for pre-shower makeup. The hashtag #preshowermakeup has over 21.2 million views on TikTok as of publishing time. Videos of girls putting on a full face of makeup right before they hit the shower are trending, and the reason behind it is this: experimentation with no obligations.
They’re trying out different makeup styles, new products, and new techniques, and practising them before taking it out in the real world. It’s also a chance to find out how much of that Rare Beauty liquid blush is too much—if you get what I mean. If they mess it up, it’s totally fine, because they’ll be showering immediately after. There’s no stress to make it work out, and it allows makeup to be what it is at its core: fun.
One TikTok user, Madi Prettyman, uses her pre-shower makeup routine as an opportunity to try out that red lip she’s too afraid to wear out during the day. It doesn’t always have to be about putting on the wildest-looking makeup styles—sometimes, it’s just about gaining some self-confidence to step outside of your comfort zone while still in a safe space.
That said, if you’re putting on a full beat before showering, you best have some heavy-duty cleansing balms on hand to remove the makeup properly. Proper makeup removal is the cornerstone of good skin hygiene, as is double cleansing. With a good cleansing balm on hand, you’ll be able to remove all traces of makeup from your skin, creating a good canvas for your next makeup routine.
