You, too, can nail the now-infamous makeup look.
Few makeup looks become iconic the first time it makes its debut onto the red carpet, but that’s exactly what happened with Julia Fox’s “fox eye” eyeshadow. Since she first stepped out with the black eyeshadow and abstract liner in January 2022 while she was dating Kanye West (known these days as Ye), people have been in a tizzy over the very dramatic look. Days after she wore the makeup, it was showing up runways. There’s even TikTok filter you can use. But you can finally take the look out into the real world after Fox shared a tutorial for her makeup on Instagram. Now, she can be your muse, too.
The origins of this daring look stem from none other than her ex-boyfriend, Ye. According to Fox, the rapper created this Black Swan-esque makeup look for her by smudging black liner and eyeshadow into the actor’s lids. But Fox has kept the look going even after the couple’s breakup, reportedly with the help of Pat McGrath. Fox and Ye’s whirlwind romance may be over, but makeup is forever. And now, she’s making the look her own.
If you’re nervous about pulling off this look, let Fox ease your fears. “It’s not that serious,” she said about her makeup routine in the video, and oof, is that refreshing to hear. While she still considers makeup an art, it’s clear she like to have fun when going out. You don’t need to possess an arsenal of skills for this one, either, since she applies pretty much all of her makeup with her fingertips it’s really not hard to recreate.
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While she calls it just a “fox eye” tutorial, Fox actually shares her entire beauty routine, from her skin care to her contour and blush so you can get the full-Fox face at home. The video is a revelation to watch, and you’ll feel totally ready to recreate the look at home.
To create a barrier so her makeup doesn’t go directly onto her skin, Fox uses a serum. “Just put that everywhere. It burns a little bit, but it gives your skin a really, really nice glow that’ll kind of just leave you feeling, like, dewy,” she said. While she uses the very expensive iS Clinical Active Serum, you can use your preferred serum to get your skin ready to go.
Applied lightly over her entire face, Fox doesn’t have any scruples about using her fingers to spread her foundation around. Then, she added some concealer to the edges of her nose, between her brows, and the sides of her chin. “It really is like painting,” Fox mused. “It’s art. F*ck anyone that says differently.” Watching her long, french nails press her makeup into her face, I’m inclined to agree.
Fox may be using an expensive foundation, but there are cheaper lightweight foundations you can try, too.
Fox brushed on just the tiniest bit of contour to her cheeks, an almost sheer blush, and a small amount of bronzer. Clearly, her eyes are the main event, so the rest of her makeup looks almost like she isn’t wearing any at all.
If you’re a newbie to contouring, here’s a good primer on contour kits that’ll get you started.
You’re almost to the main event, but first, you have to finish up your brows. Channeling some ‘90s vibes, Fox doesn’t do much to hers. “I prefer skinny brows,” she said. “They’re just hotter.” So, all you need to do is lightly tint and brush them up. Definitely pay attention to their shape, because your brows are very important for the next step.
“What’s really important with the ‘fox eye’ is that you really want to follow the shape of your own brow,” Fox said before placing some of Pat McGrath’s eyeshadow right below the arch of her brow at the end. She then connects that to her inner eye. To make her look even more severe, she dragged out the eyeshadow further past her brow for a more winged effect. (This palette may be a splurge, but how could you not be inspired by Mother? These eyeshadow palettes are ripe for purchase, too.)
Throughout the process, Fox smudged makeup in the wrong place and needed to clean it up with makeup wipes, but that’s pretty par for the course. “Be prepared to do this a lot when you’re doing big, graphic makeup like this,” she said, cleaning up her undereye. “It’s really all about symmetry.”
Once you get the shape, you can define it with a chunky eyeliner pencil. This will really let any shape you choose pack a punch. Then, you just need to do all eyeshadow again on your other eye. Keep a piece of toilet paper and makeup remover beside you to help you match your other shape.
The final two steps included using a bit of mascara and darkening one of her freckles for a beauty mark moment. “I love it. I think it’s fierce. I don’t give a f*ck what the haters say,” she said, tousling herself and deeming it a look. I have to say, I agree. Even if it’s giving Batman before he puts on the cowl, the look is undeniably bold.
I’m truly galled by how easy Fox’s “Fox Eye” is to recreate on both eyes as long as you aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty. I know what I’m doing tonight.
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