Quick answer: This is a raw, honest get-ready-with-me. Feeling uninspired and taxed by social media, Nikol shows up anyway and builds an edgy gray smoky eye for a vintage Versace look while talking candidly about creator burnout, ageism, thinking for yourself, and protecting your mental health. It's part tutorial, mostly honest conversation.
Key takeaways
- Every day isn't a beauty day. Even after 15 years, creators hit uninspired seasons — and doing your makeup can lift the mood.
- Think for yourself. Nikol teaches techniques to adapt, not rules to copy verbatim — take a tidbit and make it your own.
- Age on your own terms. She pushes back on ageism, from crow's-feet language to performative casting of older women.
- Guard your mental health. Be intentional about what you consume online, and step back to regroup when you need to.
- The look is an edgy gray smoky eye, kept matte and finished with a nude lip.
Hey ladies — this one is different. Nikol calls it a rant, and she's honest that she's in a slump. Instead of forcing a polished tutorial, she prepped her skin, pulled out her products, and got ready with us — venting and teaching at the same time. Here's the look and the conversation behind it.
How does Nikol create the edgy gray smoky eye?
She wanted the makeup to feel edgy and a little goth to match a vintage Versace leather jacket and skirt — more is more. Here are the real steps she works through on camera:
- Quick skin prep. She preps the skin lightly first and does the eyes before complexion, so any fallout is easy to clean up.
- Build a matte gray smoky eye. She uses the Rewrite the Rules matte palette, packing on the deeper gray shade and piling it up for intensity. She notes a browner palette (Strong Brew) is an option if you prefer neutrals, but she wanted a cool, slate gray.
- Mascara. A coat of mascara to open up the eyes.
- Smoke the lower lashes. She runs a charcoal pencil along the lower lash line and smokes it out close to the lashes, skipping the inner waterline this time.
- Cream blush for a mood lift. She presses Classic Beach Glow cream blush on with her fingers — not too much — just enough to enhance, not cover up.
- Set lightly. A little banana powder under the eyes, then she goes back and smokes the eye up a touch more.
- Nude lip. She wears her nude lipstick, Figure It Out, and lines it with a brow pencil (see the trick below).
Why is Nikol talking about aging, burnout, and buying vintage?
The honest thread running through the video is individuality. Nikol is tired of watching creators push the same trends — the getting-rid-of-the-luxury-bags marketing, and endless dupes, which she points out are tied to counterfeits. Her antidote is slow, second-hand and vintage fashion, studying past runways, and drawing inspiration from women who have lived full lives and aged on their own terms.
She's candid about ageism, too — the negative language around crow's feet, the performative way fashion houses add one older woman and then go back to teenagers, and the pressure that leaves younger women anxious about how they look. She shares a personal perspective on aging without Botox, which she calls a neurotoxin, and on embracing lines and wrinkles. These are her own views, not medical advice — cosmetic and health decisions are personal, so talk with a qualified professional about what's right for you.
How can you protect your mental health on social media?
Nikol's advice is to be intentional about what you consume. She follows what makes her feel good and steps back when the feed becomes noise — rage-posting, trauma, and endless trends. She took a break from TikTok when it kept serving distressing clips, because that constant input weighs on your mental health. If you're feeling maxed out, it's okay to limit your exposure, take a beat, and regroup. And if you're truly struggling, be gentle with yourself and reach out to a trusted person or qualified professional.
The bottom line
Some days beauty is the thing that lifts the mood, and some days it's the honest conversation. This GRWM is both — a wearable gray smoky eye and a reminder to think for yourself, age on your own terms, and protect your peace. If you're in a slump, show up anyway; it passes.
Ready to play? Explore Nikol's eyeshadows, cream blush, and best-sellers to build your own version of the look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of GRWM is this video?
It's a hybrid: part get-ready-with-me smoky-eye look, part honest talk. Nikol admits she's feeling uninspired and taxed by social media, so she shows up anyway, builds an edgy gray smoky eye for a vintage Versace outfit, and shares candid thoughts on burnout, ageism, individuality, and mental health.
What makeup does Nikol use for the smoky eye?
She keeps it matte and gray using the Rewrite the Rules palette, packing on the deeper shade and blending upward, then adds mascara and smokes a charcoal pencil along the lower lashes. For complexion she presses on Classic Beach Glow cream blush, sets under the eyes with a banana powder, and wears the nude lipstick Figure It Out.
What is the brow-pencil lip liner trick?
If you forget your lip liner or want to lightly define and lip sculpt, Nikol lines her lips with a brow pencil instead. She points out that the trendy lip sculptor products being marketed are essentially lip liners, so a brow pencil you already own can do the same job in a pinch.
What does Nikol say about aging and Botox?
She shares a personal perspective: she's drawn to women who've aged naturally, dislikes how beauty culture shames lines and crow's feet, and says she personally wouldn't choose Botox, calling it a neurotoxin. These are her own views, not medical advice — cosmetic and health decisions are personal, so talk with a qualified professional about what's right for you.
How does Nikol protect her mental health online?
She's intentional about what she consumes, following accounts that make her feel good and stepping back when the feed turns to rage-posting, trauma, or endless trends. She took a break from TikTok when it kept serving distressing clips. If you're struggling, be gentle with yourself and reach out to a trusted person or qualified professional.
What if I'm feeling uninspired or in a slump?
Nikol's message is that it's normal and temporary, even after 15 years of creating. Show up anyway — doing your makeup can genuinely lift the mood. Then step back and reassess: read a book, get outside, take a class, or cook. Get out of your routine, and trust that the funk passes.
