I Recreated Rosalía’s Euphoria Makeup Using the New Half Magic x Euphoria Collection
From a teenage obsession to the front row of Rosalía’s LUX Tour, THE LAB's Gia road-tests Donni Davy’s latest launch to see if it lives up to the 7-hour concert sweat-test.
The Beauty Ed®’s Note: In my 28 years working in the beauty industry, I’ve seen how makeup can define an era, and in this article, Gia, one of my amazing Gen Z writers from THE LAB gives such an emotionally insightful perspective on the makeup that shaped her youth. She dives deep into the Half Magic x Euphoria collection, explaining how experimenting with the show’s makeup looks shaped her identity growing up, not surprising when you learn her mum was a M.A.C make up artist too. She takes us on an emotional journey while testing the makeup with such amazing attention to detail. From the front rows of Rosalía’s LUX Tour to her technical application of a perfect taupe liner, this is a makeup review like no other! Enjoy 🐞
Why Euphoria (2019) Defined a Generation’s Beauty Identity
There are certain beauty eras that become attached to very specific stages of your life. For me, Euphoria (2019) was one of them.
When the show first reached its cultural peak, I was 15, stuck at home during lockdown, recreating makeup looks ritualistically with my mum, a professional M.A.C makeup artist. At the time, it looked like trend-following from the outside: glitter lids, bold liners, rhinestones pressed onto skin. But looking back, I think it was something more complex than that.
(My favourite 2020 Euphoria look, inspired by my favourite character, Maddy Perez).
Makeup became a way of rehearsing identity before real life properly resumed. It gave structure to a strange period where everything else felt suspended. And Donni Davy (head makeup artist for Euphoria) understood that better than almost anyone working in beauty at the time. The makeup in Euphoria was never simply an aesthetic; every smudged liner, every flushed cheek felt tied to a distinct character and personality.
Now, as Euphoria returns with a much darker cultural conversation surrounding it, I find it interesting how quickly the impact of its beauty has been flattened into ‘TikTok glitter makeup,’ when for many people my age it represented something far more formative: experimentation, confidence, and a form of escapism.
Which is precisely why the new Half Magic Beauty x Euphoria collection feels so nostalgic for its original audience.
The Half Magic Beauty x Euphoria collection
This collection was kindly sent to me by Donni Davy’s PR team ahead of release, allowing me to test it properly before launch. And the timing could not have been more perfect, because the same week, I had tickets for Rosalía’s LUX Tour.
For anyone unfamiliar: I am a huge Motomami fan.
Rosalía has long been one of my favourite artists, so seeing her crossover into Euphoria Season 3 as the character “Magick” felt almost too aligned with my interests to process normally.
Her makeup in the series is phenomenal, glossy skin, icy shimmers, exaggerated femininity, this perfect tension between softness and theatricality. Naturally, I decided to recreate my own interpretation of Magick’s makeup for the concert.
I knew I wanted pearls to reference the LUX album visuals, cool-toned glitter, flushed skin, and makeup dramatic enough to hold its own against an all-white lace and crochet outfit.
Half Magic Beauty: Why Donni Davy Stands Out in a Crowded Market
This is not the first time I’ve reviewed Half Magic. My previous review focused on the original line and its Sephora UK launch, but this collection confirmed something I already suspected: this brand understands aesthetic identity better than most celebrity-adjacent beauty launches currently on the market.
And I say that as someone incredibly selective with beauty coverage.
Through my editorial work, I receive constant PR packages, but I cherry-pick carefully. Most brands are derivative, Half Magic is not. It has a visual language entirely of its own, and more importantly, it commits to it fully, and nothing feels watered down for mass appeal.
Getting Ready for Rosalía: The Makeup Breakdown
To create the look, I used pre-existing products by Half Magic & the new Half Magic x Euphoria collection, including:
The Euphoria eyeshadow palette
Glitterpuck in ‘Feel Something’
Beam Trap Illuminating Skin Balm
Half Magic Magic Flik eyeliner
Sculptitude lip liner in ‘UR MY TAUPE’
Extra Plush Gloss in ‘BTCH UR MY SOULMATE’
Testing the Half Magic x Euphoria Cream Blush and Highlighter Duo
After applying concealer and a skin tint, I began with the blush and highlighter duo, which pairs two iridescent pink shades: ‘You Love to Be Loved (iridescent light pink) and Love Is a Million Things (rosy magenta), inspired by characters: Cassie and Jules.
Truthfully, I initially struggled slightly with the cream blush texture. I tend to favour highly pigmented powder blushes, particularly for dramatic makeup looks, and at first I found myself having to build this up significantly more than expected. Using my fingers wasn’t giving enough effect, so I switched to a brush and layered gradually until I reached the intensity I wanted.
The highlighter especially surprised me. It felt weightless on the skin, creating this glossy, reflective finish that looked luminous rather than glittery. Slightly wet-looking in the best possible sense. It worked perfectly for the kind of flushed, hyper-feminine skin Euphoria is known for, particularly the softer glow associated with Cassie Howard. For anyone who loves luminous skin and that polished ‘no-makeup makeup’ finish, this formula is great.
The Eyeshadow Palette Is the Standout Product
The eyes were heavily inspired by Rosalía’s character, Magick.
I started with a pink-nude base before layering pale cream tones underneath, then went in with the new palette, which ended up being my favourite product from the entire collection. The pigmentation was exceptional.
I used the shade Lexi, pressing it onto the lids with a flat brush, and genuinely did not need to supplement it with any additional glitter shadows. By the time I built the colour fully, it looked ethereal under light, shifting between shimmer and reflective foil depending on movement.
It made me feel fairy-like, which is exactly what I wanted. The cool-toned shimmer paired beautifully with my white outfit, and overall, this palette absolutely met my expectations.
Does the Half Magic Glitterpuck Survive a 7-Hour Concert?
Next came the Glitterpuck, inspired by Season 1 Rue in ‘Feel Something.’
The Glitterpuck was already one of my favourite products from my first Half Magic review, and this new shade only reinforced that opinion. The formula has this soft, cushion-like texture that sits somewhere between a gel and a pressed pigment, making it incredibly easy to apply.
The shade itself is stunning: frosted white with iridescent lilac and pale blue reflects that catches light constantly. And importantly, it lasts.
I wore this makeup to the O2 for Rosalía’s concert in a completely packed arena, through heat, dancing, sweating, and seven straight hours of wear. The glitter genuinely did not move. In fact, removing it later became its own challenge. That durability alone makes it worth mentioning.
✨Half Magic’s Glitterpucks were also used on Rosalía herself during filming for Euphoria. Whilst her look used Cyber Diamond, the effect is similar: dimensional, wet-look glitter that makes you feel like you are coated in fairy dust.
The Eyeliner and Lip Combo
For liner, I used the Half Magic Beauty Magic Flik liquid liner. The pigmentation is almost marker-like: intensely black and sharp enough for dramatic liner. It worked brilliantly for the outer eye, especially layered against glitter. The only thing I struggled with slightly was the inner corner precision, where I switched to my M.A.C Brushstroke liner instead because the tip was finer.
Then came the pearls…
I applied adhesive pearls underneath the lower lash line and beside my brows, for a slightly surreal, mermaid-like finish. To amplify the look further, I added an old discontinued Make Up For Ever loose glitter containing pale blue and lilac reflects that paired perfectly with the Rue Glitterpuck.
Finally, for my lips, I lined them using Sculptitude in UR MY TAUPE, which Donni Davy herself confirmed on Instagram was used on Rosalía’s character, Magick. The liner is double-ended with taupe on one side and black on the other, making it ideal for sculpting and deepening the lip shape.
I then layered the new ‘BTCH UR MY SOULMATE’ gloss over the top. (Inspired by one of the show’s most iconic scenes).
The gloss is gorgeous: deep rosy-brown, almost like a lacquered version of M.A.C’s ‘Velvet Teddy.’ What impressed me most was the pigmentation. I did not need lipstick underneath whatsoever. Everything glided on effortlessly and it was reapplied throughout the concert.
Final Thoughts: Why Half Magic is More Than Just Nostalgia
What Half Magic continues to understand better than many beauty brands is that makeup is emotional.
People are not buying these products purely because they want shimmer or liner. They are buying into memory, identity and nostalgia. Into the feeling of becoming a heightened version of yourself for an evening.
And perhaps that sounds dramatic, but so is Euphoria. The difference is that Half Magic manages to translate that drama into products that actually function in real life too.
A beautiful and insightful read ❤️
So iconic 🤩 love