The Gucci FW26 Smoky Eye Hasn't Left My FYP. Here's Why That Makes Sense. Demna's debut runway show for Gucci did something rare: it made people want to DO their makeup. We haven't stopped talking about it.

A month on from Gucci FW26 and my fyp still hasn't moved on.

So I wrote about why that makes sense; it's really a story about lineage, and the smoky eye that started it all.

turninglewks.substack.com/p/the-gucci-...

The Gucci FW26 Smoky Eye Hasn't Left My FYP. Here's Why That Makes Sense. Demna's debut runway show for Gucci did something rare: it made people want to DO their makeup. We haven't stopped talking about it.

A month on from Gucci FW26 and my fyp still hasn't moved on.

So I wrote about why that makes sense; it's really a story about lineage, and the smoky eye that started it all.

turninglewks.substack.com/p/the-gucci-...

Does MAC's TikTok Shop Live Strategy Actually Make Sense for the Brand? More and more prestige beauty brands are eyeing TikTok Shop as their next frontier. But is the platform the right fit for every brand or just the ones built for it?

MAC Cosmetics recently launched its #TikTok live shopping strategy in the UK and it got me thinking, are brands really asking whether the format serves them or just serves the metric of being on the platform?

Full article linked below:
open.substack.com/pub/turningl...

#MACCosmetics #Makeuptrends

Clove Room on Soft Resistance, Slow Beauty and Logging Off the Algorithm “You can choose to care about the world, or you can choose to ignore it.”

"You can choose to care about the world, or you can choose to ignore it."

I spoke with @cloveroom.bsky.social on slow beauty, soft resistance & logging off the algorithm. A great one.

Read the blog: turninglewks.substack.com/p/clover-roo...

#SlowBeauty #QueerCreators #TransVisibility

The pokemon game on google to celebrate Pokemon's 30th is pretty cute

Dylan Blundell on Queer Beauty, Cool-Tone Comebacks and Letting Makeup Get Messy Again Confidence, creativity, and why makeup doesn’t have to be clean to be powerful.

New on Turning Lewks 💄🌈

Chatted with Dylan Blundell about queer beauty, cool-tone comebacks & why makeup should be messy again.

It’s about expression, not perfection.

Read here: turninglewks.substack.com/p/dylan-blun...

#queerbeauty #turninglewks

Howard Kong on Modern Femininity, Red Carpet Balance, and Trusting Your Own Timeline Howard Kong’s makeup doesn’t shout - it glows.

New blog post! I chatted with Howard Kong all about modern femininity in makeup ✨

From soft-glam to red carpet ready, and all about trusting your own timeline. 💄💫

Read it here 👉 turninglewks.substack.com/p/howard-kon...

#TurningLewks #MakeupMood #GlowUp

Why Algorithm Beauty Is Fading (and Colour Is Making a Comeback) There is no denying that there has been a growing shift recently in how young people (Gen Z and A) are interacting with social media, the internet and technology.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how Gen Z and Gen A are changing their relationship with the internet and how that shift is showing up in beauty.

The sift from algorithm-led, short-form content to people craving ownership, slowness and intention again. ⬇️

turninglewks.substack.com/p/why-algori...

I went shopping at Battersea today and bought from m&s, Uniqlo and space nk… I’ve become so middle class and I hate it

Dark Glam Is In: Inside the Gothic Makeup Trend of 2025 Dark lips, smoked-out eyes, sharp liner: gothic-inspired makeup has stepped firmly into the spotlight.

To celebrate #Halloween today, I've written a blog on one of the biggest #makeup trends of 2025 - Dark Glam.

Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/turningl...

New Turning Lewks ep is live! 🎙️

This time I chat with Lexi Blac - Glow Up S7 star, drag queen, and MUA.

We cover his drag-to-MUA journey, behind-the-scenes of Glow Up & his mission to put colour + creativity back at the heart of makeup.

Listen here: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

New Turning Lewks ep is live! 🎙️

This time I chat with Lexi Blac - Glow Up S7 star, drag queen, and MUA.

We cover his drag-to-MUA journey, behind-the-scenes of Glow Up & his mission to put colour + creativity back at the heart of makeup.

Listen here: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

How to Spot if a Beauty Brand is Truly Trans-Inclusive Written by Darren Mew, Founder of Turning Lewks Podcast

Finding beauty brands that truly align with your values can feel harder than ever - especially around #TransRights.

I wrote a new piece for Gender Swap on how to spot if a #beauty brand is genuinely #trans-inclusive (and not just performative).

Read it here 👉 genderswap.org/blog/f/how-t...

Ahem

“Protecting women and children” is the fig-leaf white, privileged, cis men wear to try and maintain their power and status* while they punch down on minorities! 😖

A power and status granted to them *because* they’re white, privileged, cis men! (They KNOW this, which is why they’re so fragile!) 😣

🚨HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds arrested in Parliament Square in protest organised by Defend Our Juries

The arrest of otherwise peaceful protesters is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.

1/3

The trans rights stitch-up How government plans to silence debate on the new rules

How UK lawmaking has given up on parliamentary democracy…

“The EHRC consultation was a mortifying stitch up, whose cynicism was only diluted by its incompetence. Rarely has an organisation been so embarrassingly obvious in its attempt to secure a particular result” 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 @iandunt.bsky.social

Millennials in jorts… it’s giving midlife crisis.

I’ve become that really annoying person when ordering drinks “do you have Coke Zero? Only diet? Lemonade then.” “Can I get a decafe oat latte”

It’s 2025 can we stop using Born this way on pride posts

Police in Canterbury today informed a protestor that the phrase "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" could be considered a declaration of support for Palestine Action and therefore a terrorism offence.

This is section 28 all over again.

I fully expect Bridget Phillipson - also the Minister for Education - to entirely disregard any responses to the EHRC consultation, in the same way she did in the consultation about trans-inclusion in PSHE education in schools - which had 2/3 support but was still ignored! 😣😖

I’ve somehow gotten 3 insect bits in my armpit and they’re quite painful 😭🤣

What is a “queer leader”? I see the term being thrown around on LinkedIn all the time and I’m still yet to understand what it means. Like I really don’t get how you “lead” a community or identity 🤷

You can really tell now much of a fag someone is by the length of their shorts. Happy pride.

“I’m always ready for Mon Mothma Summer.”

Genevieve O’Reilly dancing to Niamos! ☀️🪩

FEEL GOOD IS HERE! A TRANS+ MAKEUP PROGRAMME We are so excited to launch a brand new makeup support programme for Trans+ people in London this year, in collaboration with Turning Lewks Podcast and The Outside Project, called the FEEL GOOD progra...

So excited and thrilled to be part of this project! The brand new makeup support programme for Trans+ people in London will be bringing you a plethora of exciting new resources, content and a mix of online and in person makeup workshops.

Find out more: genderswap.org/blog/f/feel-...

Reminder:

If you support Harry Potter in any way, you are directly funding legal attacks on trans people.

There is no separating the art from the artist in this case.

UN experts are calling on politicians and lawmakers to protect the human rights of trans+ people in the UK, let’s make them listen! WRITE TO YOUR MP. Find a tempate here: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

@nancymk.bsky.social @jessothomson.co.uk