Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear's own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
There's something so enticing about leaning into nostalgia, yet the prospect of feeling attached to what once was can sometimes pose a challenge. I don't believe any of us truly feel like the past doesn't trickle into our present and future sometimes, whether it's planned or just happens to make an appearance when you least expect it. At the same time, nothing is stopping nostalgic tendencies from informing our thoughts and actions, transforming themselves into bittersweet memories. So, why not lean into it fully with the intent of adding a touch of whimsy to your lift as it is now? As a child of the 2000s and '90s baby (also known as an older Gen Zer), I find myself questioning if the return of the recent meteoric rise in popularity of aesthetic-led style movements indicates a much larger shared desire to return to childlike whimsy.
Since there's no way to transport our elder selves back to watching a movie for the first time with our younger selves, I've found comfort in the cozy movies and TV shows that are heavy on the late '90s aesthetics. Even though I was a baby during the last chunk of that decade, I still find myself longing for traces of familiarity. For example, 1998's Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock is without a doubt one of my most-watched movies I can trust to instantly deliver the childlike wonder I've always wanted to recapture as a 20-something-year-old. Of all the biggest beauty moments of the ‘90s I wish I could have witnessed, the "whimisgoth" aesthetic at its peak would have changed my brain chemistry. Practical Magic happens to be the very definition of it.
If you weren't around in the years following the aesthetic at its height with popular shows and movies (or have just noticed a steady uptick in the number of TikTok videos you see using it as a hashtag in the caption), it's being revived with sudden interest from my fellow Gen Zers. Whether its popularity could be credited to the POV videos circulating social media platforms or recent reboot and sequel announcements, whimsigoth is capturing the attention of older and younger Gen Z social media users. This time around, we'll be taking a deep dive into the aesthetic as it pertains to beauty and how Practical Magic's Owens Sisters have inspired my take on the trend.
Finding Comfort in the (Somewhat) Familiar
When I'm asked why I'm so drawn to the movie, I run the risk of going off on several tangents rather than landing on the preferred short and sweet answer of "Stevie Knicks was involved." Simply put, it has everything from the heavy use of crushed velvet in Gillian's wardrobe to the fact that it was filmed on Washington's Whidbey Island, 20 minutes from where I grew up. If I had to land on one thing I love about the movie, however, it would be the fact that it gives me a look at some of the most memorable trends of a bygone era in beauty. While you may not be sporting the razor-thin brows, matte lip combos, and ultra-textured tendrils featured in it, the matte skin and sneaky bronzer might win you over.
No matter how you feel about the fictional Owens sisters (sometimes I wake up feeling like a Gillian and go to bed a Sally), I can count on the movie to always make me want to try my hand at a few throwback makeup looks. The whimsigoth beauty we see in Practical Magic is arguably more wearable and able to be modernized than a lot of the other shows that led to the trend's popularity as the 20th century ended. The movie took everything we had come to expect from the look of witches we had seen up until 1998, and gave it what I like to call the Nancy Meyers treatment: a sun-soaked coastal home, a memorable soundtrack, loveable supporting characters, plus two protagonists who you want to be when you grow up with elite styles and personalities.
With that being said, the movie is far from your average witchy, whimsigoth watch because it captures everything that makes living magical, scary, and downright confusing at times. Its two main characters—a pair of sisters who grew apart in their adulthood—are brought together again in a way that viewers can appreciate the similarities and differences between them. One of the most recognizable ways this is done is through the use of beauty. Gillian, with her scarlet tendrils and huge personality, leans into her sensuality more than Sally, who prefers to keep covered up (including her talent for magic). These traits are reflected in everything from their favored lipstick colors to how the hairstyles they started with change significantly by the end of the story.
The Practical Magic Effect
As a beauty editor and cinemaphile, one of my favorite ways to understand a character is by analyzing their personalities and storylines with the help of my favorite products. When I see certain characters, a fragrance will immediately pop into my head that I think they'd wear, or never go a day without using a signature hair styling product to create the signature looks we all know and love. Below, I've created an edit of products I believe the Owens sisters would swear by to help make their magic happen.
Sally Owens
Scent Type: Green woods
Key Notes: Galbanum, cyclamen, rosewood, pink peppercorn
Sally's apothecary is not featured as prominently in the film as many other locations (namely, the stunning Victorian home that houses all the Owens women), but it's clear the store is an extension of her down-to-earth and reserved personality. Sally likes to help those around her with all-natural elixirs created using flora and fauna rather than depending on magic. Eau de Lierre by Diptyque is exactly what I'd imagine she would be drawn to since it combines a few distinctive botanical notes to replicate the recognizable smell of ivy.
Scent Type: Classic floral
Key Notes: Lily, jasmine, tuberose, absolute, ambrette, vanilla, musks
It's also obvious throughout the movie that the older Owens sister spends a good amount of time in the garden. It's not made clear over the 1-hour-and-44-minute story if Sally would be considered a garden witch, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. The garden, in itself, is a main character since it plays a catalyst for the life-changing events that force the sisters to reconsider their relationship and the legacy of the Owens women. Le Labo's Lys 41 smells like a garden in bloom that has just been kissed by early morning dew, similar to the way we see the garden in the movie.
Scent Type: Aromatic citrus
Key Notes: Cucumber, bergamot, beeswax, vanilla, musk
One thing I have in common with Sally is an adoration for warm drinks year-round. She can be spotted frequently nursing a cup of tea (sometimes with the help of a magic teaspoon that rotates on its own so she can focus on writing letters). This Jo Malone London scent features a blend of vanilla and bergamot that's reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. Cucumber keeps it light and fresh while the addition of smooth musk and beeswax adds the ideal amount of warmth and intrigue. It's without a doubt one of the most unique fragrances I've come across during my time as a beauty editor.
Scent Type: Warm woods
Key Notes: Juniper pine, wormwood, frankincense, champaca flower, birch tar, cade, cedar, vanilla, patchouli, labdanum, palo santo fruit
There's also a fiery side to Sally that remains hidden until she is forced almost to the brink by her high-energy sister. As the movie goes on, it's revealed that much of her distaste for using magic comes from fear of loss and the unknown. The hauntingly beautiful Poltergeist Eau de Parfum by Heretic reminds me of Sally because it's smoky, warm, and somewhat mysterious upon first spray. That said, within minutes, the first bonfire-like notes will reveal sweet florals backed by cade, cedar, and palo santo fruit.
It could be argued that Sally is the more grounded of the two Owens sisters since she's not as flighty as Gillian (especially since the movie begins with her gaining and then losing what could have been). But she can't deny herself the opportunity to love when faced with it after the arrival of a mysterious stranger. Almost until that exact minute, we see Sally with natural-looking peachy brown lips. Merit's Signature Lightweight Lipstick in Slip is a dupe for what can be spotted on screen.
There are some things I know for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.
Sally Owens
To help create the mauve shade we see the older Owens sister wearing for the majority of the movie, get your hands on this lip liner in Nude Honey. This shade of warm nude looks stunning on all skin tones and can be used to define, line, and fill with intense pigments. Its creamy formula blends with other products like a dream and leaves behind a beautiful satin finish.
Sally is always spotted with flushed cheeks that look similar to the Victoria Beckham Beauty Cheeky Posh in Playground. While the soft mauve shade itself is stunning, it's crafted with a unique, botanical-enhanced cream formula that sweeps onto the skin and blends effortlessly. Plus, it's lightweight, long-lasting, and buildable. For candlelight magic sessions, I could also see her wearing the Cheeky Posh in Miniskirt (a muted berry color).
Unlike her sister, Sally's eyes are mysterious and dark. Her brown, straight eyebrows provide the perfect frame for them. To re-create her look, groom your eyebrows to perfection and then shape them using a natural-looking eyebrow pencil that doesn't smudge or smear with wear. Ilia's In Full Micro-Tip Eyebrow Pencil comes in a variety of shades and uses a micro-tip that defines and builds the brows using mineral-based pigments and nourishing provitamin B5.
To pull off her ultra-defined nose bridge and sky-high cheekbones, consider using Isamaya's Sculpting Stick to achieve the same look. Ideal for contouring and adding definition wherever you need it, this must-have sculpting stick has a tapered tip for precise application, leaving a matte finish. It has a smooth-gliding, bendable formula infused with hydrating and smoothing rice bran wax and ceramide boosters to harmful environmental toxins.
Whenever we see Sally bathed in milky moonlight, her shiny strands look beyond mystical. Her hair (usually styled wavy or straight) even stays flawless when she's fighting a perturbed spirit. The Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray by Color Wow creates the same magical look with a lightweight flower-powered formula that enhances shine while playing defense against heat damage. It uses the light-producing power of mullein, a flower phenom that captures invisible UV light and converts it into full-spectrum light.
Gillian Owens
Scent Type: Warm woods
Key Notes: Neroli, petitgrain, freesia, vanilla, sandalwood
The Owens sisters know that when the wind changes, something (or someone) major is on the way. For Sally, that meant her younger sister, Gillian, and the spirit of the angry lover that may or may not be buried in their rose garden. Queens & Monsters by Henry Rose reminds me of the calm before the storm with a blend of neroli, petitgrain, and freesia against a base of sandalwood and vanilla for a sensual touch.
Scent Type: Aromatic woods
Key Notes: Bergamot, lemon, pepper, juniper berries, incense, pine needles, orris, amber, vanilla, sandalwood
At the beginning of her story, Gillian is in pursuit of a life filled with nonstop adventure, love, and excitement (even if that means running into a few issues). While she doesn't remain in her childhood home like Sally, she shares all her experiences through letter form. This scent smells exactly like what I'd imagine Sally's perception of Gillian to be: altogether mysterious, outgoing, and ready for anything. Inspired by soil, forests, and campfires, the fragrance has notes of lively lemon, juicy juniper berries, grounding pine needles, and smooth sandalwood.
Scent Type: Earthy citrus
Key Notes: Tomato leaf accord, green mandarin essence, patchouli heart
While we don't see Gillian with her hands in the soil, she does enjoy a nice alfresco meal with her sisters and nieces. Replica's From the Garden captures the feeling of slow days spent in a blooming garden with green tomato leaf accord, bright mandarin essence, and patchouli heart. The result is citrus, earthy, with a whisper of woods in the background. It's as bright and energetic as Gillian herself, but still grounded.
Scent Type: Warm woods
Key Notes: Geranium, coriander, frankincense, cedar, juniper, black pepper, Moroccan rose, black currant, lily accord, patchouli, sandalwood, oud, styrax
Heretic Parfum's Voodoo Lily Eau de Parfum is seductive and mysterious, just like Gillian. It combines heady florals (geranium, Moroccan rose, and lily accord) with botanical additions like coriander, juniper, and black currant for a hint of green. The perfume then reveals a smooth layer of amber and slightly smoky wood notes, including frankincense, cedar, patchouli, oud, and sandalwood. Not only does it last all day and wear well on the skin, but this one also layers beautifully with soft floral fragrances.
One thing that Gillian does with her makeup that I'm obsessed with is matching her scarlet strands with a matte lip color with a similar tone. Prada Beauty's Monochrome Hyper Matte Lipstick in Favue is the easiest way to re-create her look, since the shade is a soft red-brown with an orange undertone that can be played up. It uses a lightweight formula that glides onto the lips seamlessly using a black base, three color pigments, jojoba oil, and bifidus extract.
Of course, you're going to see me again! We'll grow old together. It's going to be you and me living in a big house … these two old biddies with all these cats. I bet we even die on the same day.
Gillian Owens
When we first see Gillian as an adult dancing poolside while wearing a picture-perfect smoky eye look that screams rockstar girlfriend. My favorite eye shadow quad for the job is this look to life is Charlotte Tilbury's Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Rock Chick. It includes four shades (a silvery gray, charcoal, sparkling dark gray, and glittery mauve) that create a smooth base while adding definition and drama. The shadows are crafted with a buildable, non-creasing formula that stays put all day.
It's no secret that Gillian (played by Nicole Kidman) has the most stunning high cheekbones. To carve out a similar look, consider using the SoftSculpt Cream Contour and Bronzer Stick. It’s dual-ended and easy to use, plus it can be swiped onto the skin effortlessly for definition using a blendable and buildable formula with a natural matte finish. The product also comes in seven shades and has a removable angled buffing brush for effortless application.
Gillian is always on the road, so it would make sense if she had a few multipurpose makeup products in her makeup bag for quick fixes. If the Color Fust Longwear Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick had existed in 1998, I'm convinced Gillian would keep it on hand. It delivers buildable color and glow for a glassy finish lasting up to eight hours with a formula that has radiance-boosting goji berry complex, collagen-promoting fermented shiunko, and irritation-reducing fermented arnica.
If Sally is all about the moon and the earth, Gillian can't get enough of the sun and sky. After leaving her ancestral home, she winds up in sunny Los Angeles. To re-create Gillian's slightly sun-kissed skin, use a matte liquid bronzer like the Sun Beam Matte Liquid Bronzer in Burnt Sienna to the nose, cheeks, and temples. It instantly melts into the skin without streaking or spotting, leaving a beautiful shimmer finish.
Gillian's luscious red tendrils always have the right amount of volume, texture, and shine that looks like she's just stepped away from watching the dark rolling waves she grew up seeing. This salt-free texture spray by IGK adds volume and hold without drying out hair or leaving it crunchy. Its formula has glycerin and sunflower seed extract, which deliver effortless beach waves and a tousled texture.
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