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Half Magic Beauty Isn’t a "Cool Girl" Makeup Brand

'Euphoria' makeup artist Donni Davy shares all of the details on her new beauty line, plus tips for using the products.

Makeup
Half Magic Beauty Isn’t a "Cool Girl" Makeup Brand
Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

Take a look at the past decade of beauty trends and you’ll notice three major aesthetics that redefined how people wore their makeup. There was the Kylie Jenner lip kit era—defined by matte lips, heavy contour, and filled-in, structured brows. Next, there was the launch of Glossier—the “your skin but better” makeup and skincare brand focused on minimalist beauty staples. Then came the Euphoria makeup era, inspired by the hit HBO show that premiered in 2019, which has been a cultural staple ever since.

To get a sense of exactly what Euphoria makeup is, all you need to do is scroll through Doniella Davy’s Instagram feed. Davy, the lead makeup artist for the acclaimed series, posts photos of the characters' chromatic looks, which include glitter tears, face crystals, vinyl lips, and neon smokey eyes. Fans from the show began recreating the makeup looks, which are filled with undertones of excess, glamour, and self-expression.

Three years after Euphoria’s premiere, Davy is channeling her love of makeup and color into a brand of her own, Half Magic Beauty. A24, the film and television studio production company behind Euphoria, is funding the brand and Davy serves as the cofounder and creative director. It launches today, May 17, with a lineup that includes long-lasting eye paints that double as primer for glitter, a highlighter-blush hybrid, lip kits, and more. The products range from $10 to $26. “[The makeup] is meant to be seen rather than hidden or camouflaged,” says Davy about the ethos behind the launch. “It’s dopamine makeup. It’s meant to be fun.”

Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

Many of the products were developed out of necessity for the show. Take the face gems, for example. "I wanted to use spiked face gems on [the character] Jules in Euphoria, but I couldn't find the exact shape anywhere," says Davy. Prior to developing this product, she'd secure rhinestones on actors with lash glue. These studs have medical-grade staying power. "It's not like they're impossible to get off, but they'll last as long as you need them to," says Davy.

When asked about the target audience for the brand, Davy emphasized that anyone—whether they're a member of Gen Z or not—could find something they loved within the line. “I really want the line to resonate with makeup newbies,” she says. “The packaging is fun and fantastical, and it’s meant to invite you into this world in a non-pretentious way. It’s not a 'cool girl' makeup brand and it’s very important to me that people understand that.”

She continues, "I want makeup professionals and people who are obsessed with makeup to use the products and realize, ‘Oh this is really nice. It’s not makeup for children.'"

Davy envisions Half Magic Beauty as a "choose-your-own-adventure" makeup brand. “It’s all in the shade lineup,” says Davy. “You can create a look that’s really subtle if you use Magic Brownie or ASMR. We have several shades that don’t necessarily seem like they’d be coming from my world.”

Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

Photo: Courtesy of Half Magic Beauty

I received an opportunity to test out the products with Davy before the launch. In a trailer off of West 57th Street in New York City, Davy created a colorful and kaleidoscopic look for me using some of the new products, including Mouth Cloud Lip Cream in Magic Brownie, a combination of Chromaddiction Eye Paints, Light Trap Duochrome Glow Powder, and, of course, face gems. Despite how maximalist my look was, I found the products to be super lightweight—it didn’t feel like I was wearing makeup—and long-lasting. Davy applied my makeup around 10 a.m. and it lasted me through dinnertime. The removal process was just as seamless. The gems came off my face without pulling at my skin and my usual double-cleanse removed any trace of makeup.

Me testing out Half Magic's new launches with Davy; Photo: Courtesy of Ama Kwarteng

All in all, the products in the collection are easy to use, highly pigmented, and have incredible staying power—making them worth adding to your cart. Below, you'll find a full rundown of the new Half Magic launches, as well as makeup tips and hacks from Davy for each product.

Shop Half Magic Beauty

Chromaddiction Eye Paint

"Use Chromaddiction Matte as the perfect base to intensify your applications of Chromaddiction Shimmer and Glitterpill. Blend Chromaddiction Shimmer with or layer over Chromaddiction Matte for a high impact look with more depth and dimension." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$24

Dew Lock Hydrating Set + Refresh Mist

"Apply Dew Lock directly on a beauty sponge prior before applying makeup to create a blurred soft-focus finish." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$20

Face Gems

"For precise and safe application, firmly grip each stone as you position and apply it on your face. For maximum staying power, Face Gems should be applied to clean and dry skin." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$12

Glitterpill

"Wear alone as an eyeshadow or eyeliner, or layer on top of Chromaddiction Matte and Chromaddiction Shimmer to intensify your look. For optimum staying power, apply over an eye primer and as final layer of makeup." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$20

Light Trap Duochrome Glow Powder

"Apply with fingers for a high-impact look with maximum color payoff. For a more subtle glow, apply in layers with a brush. Use [the shade] Spiritually Complex on the apples of your cheeks for a unicorn-like flush of color and [the shade] Enter the Glow on your eyelids as an eyeshadow substitute or complement." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$20

Magic Brownie Liptrik Kit

"Define your lips with the liner of your choice before filling them in with your lip cream. Blend, layer, then smudge the lip cream to achieve the makeup look of your choice." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$26

Precision Eyeliner Brush

"This eyeliner brush is designed in a gently curved half-moon shape, perfect for lash line application. Hug your lash line to reach the deepest inner corner of your eyes. Extend the brush past the outer corners of your eyes to naturally form the perfect wing." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$12

Wing Magician Reusable Silicone Guide

"Hold the guide firmly in place to stencil in your perfect wing. Use the wing guide's longer edge for dramatic cat-eye wings, and the shorter edge to create a more subtle version for everyday looks." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$10

Adornment Tweezers

"Use the specially designed Adornment Tweezers to remove each gem from its sheet. For precise and safe application, firmly grip each stone [with the tweezer] as you position and apply it on your face." —Davy

Half Magic Beauty
$14
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