I know that Berliners don’t like to try hard when it comes to their party attire. It is sort of Berlin-cool to not care much! But for me, it is a lot of fun to create a special alter ego at night.
When I first started to explore Berlin’s nightlife, I used to cluelessly ask around “What makeup do people wear at Berghain?” or “Is there a dress code at Kater Blau?”. I had absolutely no idea and felt a bit lost. So, inspired by what I have seen in Berlin’s club scene, this little guide hopes to inspire you in terms of what your makeup could look like when heading out to different clubs in Berlin.
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Kater Blau – The Subtle Cat Eye
Essentially, when you go to Kater, the makeup you see is chill and mostly goes with lots of glitter. Kater provides the space to go all out on your outfit but mostly it’s all about its alternative, laid-back, festival-ish atmosphere, which you can meet with aaany makeup you are comfortable with – and glitter. But since I see lots of that “only glitter”, I wanted to give you an idea that originated from its iconic name: smooth black cat eyes.
What you have to do for this look:
- Fill in your eyebrows to frame your face.
- Create a soft smokey eye. For that, dab golden eyeshadow on the center of your lid, use matte brown eyeshadow in your crease and add some deep black liquid eyeliner to create that cat eye.
- To have the sparkle stay on, simply use lip balm as a base to build the glitter – I love chunky rose-gold – on the highest point of your cheekbones.
All the glitter mentioned in this article is biodegradable! For that, I met up with the amazing Jeen of Projekt Glitter from Berlin, who provided me with a lovely selection of biodegradable glitters and glitter gels that are super easy to apply and share with your friends in the club! Make sure to check out her amazing selection of natural glitters, gels and face masks!
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Sisyphos – The Glittery Rainbow Eyes
If you are looking for a free-spirited open-air place with a killer outdoor area, pretty awesome decoration and colorful people, Sisyphos is it! And just like its colorful atmosphere, the makeup and outfit can be just as big and sparkly.
What you have to do for this look:
- Braid your hair and apply hair gel to the center. Quickly apply chunky glitter with a brush to make it stick.
- Glitter: I highly recommend using the amazing glitter gels by Projekt Glitter. They are aloe-based and feel super fresh on your skin. They’re highly pigmented and dry immediately to ensure that the glitter stays put all evening long without feeling dry.
- To add some extra sparkle, apply face gems between your eyebrows using eyelash glue.
- The eye makeup: start with a light gold all over your eyelid, add pink in your crease and create depth with dark purple on the outer corner of your eye, blending it into your crease.
- Finish the look with a nude lip and off you go!
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Berghain – The Dotted Dark Eye
I guess everyone has their own personal version of their Berghain look and mostly it is important to feel confident, as with every makeup look. Since the whole techno scene carries this underlying Matrix vibe, I couldn’t help but get into the feel of it for this makeup. Techno doesn’t like “tryhards”, so I tried simplicity.
What you have to do for this look:
- Apply matte black lipstick.
- Use waterproof black liquid liner on your eyes – not too dramatic – and apply light waterproof mascara.
- Place a single black dot under your eyes, using the tip of your eyeliner brush to create the dot – and yes, it’s not that easy thanks to our thin skin under the eyes, so get your q-tips ready.
- No blush, but add some loose powder to set your foundation. You’re ready to queue up!
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KitKat – The Avant-Garde Eye
Since KitKat is as much about dressing up as it is literally about ripping off your clothes, you have a lot of freedom to go wild on your makeup, since there is not much else to accessorize your body with. The makeup: No cuteness, no fluff, no glitter, sexier: sharp edges and your favorite foundation to compliment a sultry outfit. I chose pink as the base color, for KitKat is basically a big naughty circus – color and kink allowed!
What you have to do for this look:
- Apply a bold pink all over your eyelid and blend it out.
- For the pinkish ombre lips, apply pink lipstick and add a darker purple eyeshadow to the corners of your mouth to create that blended effect.
- For the eye makeup, use a sharp black liquid eyeliner and mind a steady hand! Line your eyes first, then extend the lower line and draw it inwards just above your crease, so the line will be visible above your crease and not disappear.
- Add some small black dots on the lower outer line if you fancy. Done! Off you strut!
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Festival Makeup – Glittery Face Gem Look
No weekend goes by this summer where there isn’t some festival happening! And since some people forget or are overwhelmed to manage and plan fancy festival outfits, I used Projekt Glitter’s gorgeous jewel face mask and glitter gels to create a stunning look in less than 10 minutes. When you can’t wait to catch the next act and don’t want to spend too much time on makeup, this is the look for you!
What you have to do for this look:
- Conceal your dark circles, blend well. Apply again if needed (to hide the two hours of sleep last night).
- Use your rosy lipstick as blush. (The creamy texture gives your cheek a nice glow.) Apply and blend out smoothly.
- Add a coat of waterproof mascara.
- Simply add the gorgeous Phoenix mask by Projekt Glitter! Just stick (it actually works like stickers) its three parts on your forehead and under your eyes – done!
- Add some of their pink glitter gel on your cheekbones. Again: The texture of the glitter gel is amazing. It’s aloe-based and smells great. No smearing, no stickiness – it stays put and hydrates your skin. Girrrl, now you’re good to go and sparkle away!
