It’s safe to say that Doniella Davy – who goes by Doni for short – is the on screen makeup artist of today. Her portfolio covers an array of iconic moments from Moonlight to If Beale Street Could Talk and, most notably, Euphoria through which her artwork spurred many a viral sensation.
It is rare for makeup artists to receive the level of recognition that Davy has for her work. With over 415,000 followers on Instagram and 88,000 on TikTok, it is evident how groundbreaking and revolutionary Doni’s designs were with Euphoria. Maddy (Alexa Demie’s character) stunned the world in season 1 with her bedazzled cat eye and Jules (Hunter Schafer) with her neon kohl and ivory white eyeshadow hand-painted into miniature clouds.
Doni’s work resonates with a generation so focused on authenticity and fluidity. ‘No makeup makeup’ is a thing of the past. Today, 4k resolution of intricate and bold makeup swarms the world of TikTok and Doni’s looks – timely launching with Euphoria’s release in 2019 – sat side by side with the culture shift that was TikTok and the shift in social media culture.
In terms of inspiration, Doni has cited 1960s modern minimalism but time periods are loose when it comes to her world of art, referencing just enough nostalgia to still seem fresh and modern.
The true beauty between Doni’s work showcased in Euphoria is how she cleverly walks the tightrope between commercial and fantastical/alternative. Through the show’s ‘baddie’ leads (Maddie and Cassie) Doni showcases commercial, femme beauty by means of cateyes, blue glittery shadows with red lips and glowy ‘natural’ skin. However through the more androgynous leads (Rue and Jules) we see tears made of glitter and less ‘made up’ skin paired with messy, colourful, Bowie-esque eye makeup.
Doni’s story is also inspiring. Not long after graduating from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn with a degree in photography, Davy took a leap of faith and enrolled on a crash course in cinematic makeup. She built up her portfolio by answering ads on Craigslists, helping out with student films and low-budget projects.
This makeup artist is setting the tone of the 2020s and we can’t wait to see what art will follow in her footsteps.
