Everything You Need to Know About NYFW’s Sleepy Girl Makeup Trend

There were plenty of chic makeup looks we saw come down the runway during New York Fashion Week, but one in particular caught our trend-obsessed eye: the sleepy girl makeup look. 

This look combines the no-makeup minimalism of the “clean girl” aesthetic with the recent rise of romantic pink hues. Mainly seen on Sandy Liang‘s fall/winter 2026 show, looks were created by celebrity makeup artist Romy Soleimani. She’s known for her fresh bases, natural brows, and pink flush on cheeks. 

She told ELLE, the looks were inspired by Kristen Dunst in Sofia Coppola’s films and the image of a lounging princess, “like she just woke up, but she’s a little sleepy.” It’s a little more intentionally romantic than the “clean girl” look with emphasis on a delicate, feminine touch. 

The “sleepy girl” trend can be replicated with the right application and shades. It’s characterized as cool-toned pink blush to the apples of the cheek, diffused soft brown at the waterline (or bottom lashline), a hydrated base done with essences and barrier-protecting creams, and slightly glossy pink lips. 

With spring right around the corner, now is the perfect time to recreate this trendy NYFW look. So, keep scrolling to shop products that will help you do just that. 

Of course, we simply had to include the Rhode Pocket Blush shade. Named after this trend,  this cream blush will leave your cheeks with a diffused soft mauve color. 

Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is beloved for its high-impact color, seamless blend, and variety of shade options. The shade Adore is the perfect bright pink for that sleepy-girl look.

This affordable cream blush by e.l.f. features a velvety, lightweight formula that leaves your cheeks with a pigmented wash of color and a natural glow. 

For that soft, cool-toned brown color, makeup artists prefer eyebrow pencils over regular eyeliner, which usually has a darker, warm-toned brown. This Rare Beauty eyebrow pencil in the shade cool brown is perfection. 

Prefer an eyeliner that has a more neutral-toned soft brown? The NYX Epic Smoke Liner in the shade Nude Haze is exactly that, and its formula promises an ideal smoky blend. 

This Prada eye pencil has this rich, warm-toned shade that can be smoked out into a hazy, soft brown. The formula delivers on its creamy glide texture, buildable color, and smudge-proof performance after it sets. 

The key to achieving this base is stacking essence, a lightweight hydrating product that gets absorbed instantly into the skin. This one by AESTURA is formulated with barrier-moisturizing ingredients, ceramides, squalane, and more. 

This K-Beauty essence promises to be a step closer towards achieving the sleppy girl look with its formula of 93% natural fermented ingredients that boost hydration and protect your skin barrier. 

Finish off your base with a barrier-protecting cream that’ll keep you hydrated without adding highlighter levels of glow. This one by Dr.Althea has a soothing formula that’s perfect for those with sensitive, irritated, or acne-prone skin. 

Use the same lip mask or lip treatment you use to recreate this look as the one you use right before bed. We recommend an overnight treatment like this Tatcha one with its lovely formula of Japanese peach extract, rose extract, and Japanese camellia oil.

The viral (and beloved) lip balm by EADEM just launched a new baby pink shade called “Sakura Shaved Ice,” and it features the same formula, shock-full of AHA and peptides.

Looking for a subtle shine and long-wear? This K-Beauty hydrating stain has the perfect fairy-pink shade with a formula that matches it. It’ll leave your lips moisturized, plumped, and radiant. 

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