M3GAN is an overprotective AI doll who dresses like Ashley Olsen on a bad day at Catholic school, and she is the internet’s new queen. Like any rising influencer, she was viral on TikTok months before her feature film was released. Now, she’s living rent-free in the minds of millions of fans, including me.
Reviewers are comparing M3GAN to horror dolls like Chucky and Annabelle, but fans object — she’s not a doll, she’s a Model 3 Generative Android, dummies! But what is it about M3GAN that has us in a chokehold?
Is it her savage approach to raising boys? Is it her alternately sinuous and stilted dancing to Taylor Swifts “It’s Nice to Have a Friend”? Or, is it her sullen, ‘Annabelle from “The Conjuring” would never’ smokey eye?
@thatskylark M3gan killer doll dance. ? #m3gan #m3ganmovie #m3gandance #m3ganedit #creepy #doll #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #foryoupage #viral #trending ♬ original sound – thatskylark
Since seeing “M3GAN”, I’ve been enchanted by the tweenage AI who is always learning (which is goals AF, by the way). “M3GAN” writer Akea Cooper has speculated that the LGBTQI+ community has appointed M3GAN their supreme leader because she represents found family. I’m unsure she’s the family you’d want to find, but she’s certainly the frenemy whose grunge-meets-prep aesthetic you’d like to steal.
In an effort to either exorcise or assimilate all the M3GAN energy that had taken hold of me, I copied her nonchalant, Olsen-inspired look and channelled her vibe for a day.
Below, is a love letter to “M3GAN” written in Victoria Beckham, Satin Kajal Liner. Consider yourself blessed.
Becoming M3GAN
In the interest of getting to my Sunday afternoon social engagements on time, I focused on fresh-out-of-the-box “M3GAN Classic” for this tutorial. If you’ve seen the film and want to be walked through her evolving beauty look, bookmark this tab because I will be updating it. A promise? A threat? Time will tell, besties.
M3GAN’s Hair
M3GAN’s hair is probably the hardest part of her look.
Polished yet lifeless, her stiff mermaid waves are challenging to emulate as a mortal with naturally limp hair and a conscience. In my non-M3GAN life, I usually shoot for glass hair and end up… somewhere in the stars, but with this look, you don’t want your locks glossy and slippery, you want just a little bit of that telltale dullness.
What You’ll Need:
- Texturising leave-in conditioner
- Volumising Mousse
- Clips, depending on hair thickness
- Blowdryer
- Hair Straightener
- Hair curler
- Setting Spray
What I Did:
I switched out my usual shine products for texture products, prepping with Virtue, Create 6-in1 Styler ($47). You also don’t want your locks to be too “glossy”, as you need it to hold its form and then some.
I had a head start because with hair extensions, about a fifth of my hair is already fake. I worked Oribe, Tres Set Structure Spray ($68) through damp strands, sectioned with Briogeo, Alligator Hair Clips ($23), then took to my hair with my ghd, Helios Professional Hair Dryer ($264), a machine so powerful it would probably melt M3GAN’s scalp. I thought about how fortunate M3GAN is that she doesn’t need to scald her scalp several times a week, and wondered if that’s why she has more time for learning.
Once totally dry, I used my beloved Cloud Nine, The Wide Iron Pro ($499) — perfect for thick, long, coarse hair like M3GAN’s — before giving it some gentle waves. I then set the waves with Color Wow, Style On Steroids Texture Finishing Spray ($53).
The Result:
Like M3GAN, I am always learning, and in the future, I would probably use about 20 times the amount of texture product or just bought a wig. By the time I’d finished my makeup, I had to do a serious curl refresh with my ghd, Curve ($212). My mop didn’t exactly match M3GAN’s, but we could have been made in the same factory.
M3GAN’s Complexion
In my non-AI life, I prefer dewy, natural skin and liberally applied blush.
M3GAN’s skin, on the other hand, is naturally matte, with minimal blush and carved cheekbones. If you’re looking to adopt her lifestyle as well as her look, you’ll need a long wear, matte finish foundation — perfect for chasing down children on all fours.
M3GAN doesn’t experience human frailties like self-doubt or impulse control, nor does she experience blemishes, texture or skincare reactions. Not even halfway through my M3GAN look, I’m sold on life as an amoral AI, even if I have to sacrifice some sparkle.
What You’ll Need:
- Primer
- Medium to full coverage satin or matte foundation
- Contour shade
- Concealer (two shades)
- Subtle blush
- Setting powder
- Sponge or brush
For a smooth complexion, I used the Il Makiage, No Filter Poreless Base Smoothing Primer ($74) — it makes you look heavily filtered, as it should. Then, I reached for Shiseido Syncro Skin, Self-Refreshing Foundation ($64), one of the few non-slippery-slidey complexion products in my beauty arsenal.
Next, I contoured heavily with the Trinny London, Cheekbones in “Serena” ($46), using a Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($32) to blend.
Let’s be clear: M3GAN doesn’t do glitter. It’s not ideal for lurking in the shadows and, speaking from experience, can make it hard for people to take you seriously when working in childcare. What M3GAN does have are perfectly sculpted features.
I used a concealer in a lighter shade under my eyes and on top of my cheekbones and nose bridge, and contoured my cheeks before applying foundation, then topped up as needed.
Along with glitter, M3GAN also doesn’t do blush, but some rules are made to be broken, right?
I dabbed a small amount of Rare Beauty, Kind Words Matte Lipstick in “Creative” ($34), a muted peach, on the high points of my cheeks for a made-in-a-factory flush.
M3GAN’s synthetic features don’t slip and slide unless exposed to flames, but it was a hot Sydney day, so I double-set with Charlotte Tilbury, Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray ($49) and Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish Powder ($70). My tip with setting sprays is to spritz before you set with powder, as this better “seals” your liquid products.
The Result:
My M3GAN complexion was pretty on point. Creating her smooth, poreless texture requires the right prep and product, but once you have them, you can tailor to your needs.
M3GAN’s Brows
M3GAN is a skinny brow queen, and unless you’re M3GAN’s primary user and BFFFFFFF Cady, she is also 100 percent the girl who would offer to tweeze your brows and intentionally ruin them, but that’s by the by.
I am not a skinny-brow girl and TBH, I’m not sufficiently enamoured with M3GAN to make myself a skinny-brow girl.
What You’ll Need:
- Brow laminating product
- Brow pencil or powder
- Concealer depending on your brow
Without breaking out the glue stick (if you want to attempt this, check out this tutorial), you can make your brows look thinner with a laminating product. Usually, I sweep my brows up with my Amy Jean Brows, Lamination Brow Gel ($44), but to get closer to M3GAN’s finer, arched brows, I swept my upper hairs down towards the centre of my brow, narrowing my overall “brow space,” then carved out with concealer and filled in with a very light hand. M3GAN wouldn’t be thrilled, but she rarely is.
The Result:
My brows were slightly reduced but when it comes to arches, I’m M3GAN’s worst student.
M3GAN’s Eyes
M3GAN’s eye makeup is the bizarre, shining star of this movie, and it’s what elevates her from a standard creepy doll to mesmerising, sinister icon.
While M3GAN looks like a 12-year-old, she wears the eye makeup of a dehydrated 27-year-old waking up at 1pm on Sunday. Quite frankly, it’s the first tell that M3GAN isn’t the sweet bestie she seems at first flush.
The best way to get M3GAN’s messy beauty look is to apply a smokey eye, sleep in it, and do half a clean-up job the next day, but as with my brows, I am not committed enough to risk conjunctivitis, so here’s what I did instead.
What You’ll Need:
- Full coverage, matte concealer
- Neutral Eyeshadow Palette
- White/Cream eyeliner
- Volumising mascara
- Black eyeliner
- Brown eyeliner
First, block out your eyes. While M3GAN is wearing a smokey eye, she is still a doll, and the best way to look like a doll is to keep your lid space and lower lashline bright.
I applied concealer all over the lid, set it with powder, then lined my inner waterline and under my lower lash line with the Kylie Beauty, Kyliner Gel Pencil ($25).
Next, I ran some darker powder under this line, creating M3GAN’s slightly bulging eye shape, before working a soft brown liner over this line — my favourite is Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in “Cocoa” ($50). It’s the perfect rich, cool brown that makes lighter eye colours sparkle with M3GAN-esque menace.
I blended the liner out with my favourite Hourglass, No. 11 Smudge Brush ($59), and followed with a reddish brown shadow, mixing “Burnt Orange” and “Cyprus Umber” from the Anastasia Beverly Hills, Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette ($80), to create the smokey, smudgy effect, before repeating on the upper lash line.
Finally, I added a lot of clumpy mascara, and a few individual false lashes in the centre of the lash line.
The Result:
M3GAN’s Lips
Like everything M3GAN, M3GAN’s lipstick of choice is slightly off-kilter.
To recreate it, I reached for Rare Beauty Kind Words Lip Liner in “Talented” ($26), then mixed a few shades from the Stila Convertible Colour Palette. M3GAN, of course, has the advantage of only having to mix her lipstick once, and it’s a time consuming process! If you’re not looking to mix your own lipstick shade, Huda Beauty, Power Bullet Cream Glow Lipstick ($38) is the perfect muted peach for a busy Model 3 Generative Android on the go.
The Result:
This greige-peach may not be for everyone, but it was on-point for M3GAN.
Life as M3GAN
As mentioned, M3GAN’s style leans toward Catholic School girl, a look I’ve been leaning away from since I was invited to leave my Catholic girl’s school 15 years ago.
I’ll forgive M3GAN for this, because while she has the innate evil of a 10,000-year-old crone, she’s roughly the age of a babysitter and more focused on disciplining 12-year-olds at risk of developing toxic masculinity than working on her look. I had a party to go to, so I kept the schoolgirl aesthetic, but dropped the blazer.
I was nervous about leaving the house as M3GAN because my makeup was significantly heavier, and I’m stuck in my ways, but as it turns out, people love menacing spooky energy, matte skin and a slightly thinner brow!
Dressing as M3GAN ultimately reminded me that a little bit of murderous self-confidence goes a long way, and in all seriousness, her look is very much on-trend, goth-core realness, and it’s relatively simple to achieve.
Stay tuned for some less versatile, but more spooky, “M3GAN”-inspired slays.
“M3GAN” is in HOYTS cinemas now. Buy tickets here.
