Donni Davy didn’t set out to become a beauty brand founder, let alone a makeup artist. This might come as a shock to fans of Davy, whose cult-favorite beauty looks on HBO’s hit show Euphoria’s have been integrated deep into the zeitgeist and onto everyone’s mood boards. The makeup artist was initially on a completely different career path: she was a photographer.
“I was an art kid; I was into painting, colors, and glitter. etc. I had no real interest in makeup growing up,” she tells Beautycon. “I decided to go to art school, the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, to study photography. I thought it would be a more proper way to monetize an artistic career.”
But as fate would have it, photography wasn’t the best fit. While she loved the story telling aspect of taking photos, she missed working directly with color and working with her hands. She also didn’t want something like a camera in between her and her subject. When a friend’s mom suggested that Davy look into makeup artistry for TV and film and connected her with someone who could put her in touch with makeup artist Jane Galli, Davy took a crash course in all things makeup and the rest was history.
“I was excited to learn a new skill,” she says. “I was excited at the prospect of being a film and TV makeup artist. It would not just be about making already beautiful people more hot or prettier; I liked that it was more and deeper than that and that I could use my brain more.”
It’s a lesson in trusting your gut and following the things that make you genuinely happy, even if it means doing a hard pivot on where you thought you should be. When you pair those instincts with a hard work ethic, Davy worked her way to becoming the makeup lead on films such as Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk before landing Euphoria, where her work took social media by storm. Bold colors and experimental looks, everyone—us included—couldn’t stop talking about the makeup.
“Showing that type of look and that kind of attention to makeup on these characters that were real and gritty, and going through real life struggles made it so that it wasn’t just about making this actor look pretty. [The makeup] is intentional, thoughtful, and adds to the story line,” she says.
With the success of Euphoria and the virality of the makeup looks she created, it was only natural that many brands reached out in hopes of collaborating with her for special collections. But none of those offers felt quite right. It wasn’t until producers of the hit show and entertainment company A24 approached her with the opportunity to create something she can call entirely her own that she followed her instincts and said yes.
Thus Half Magic was born. Launched in 2022, Half Magic is every makeup maximalist’s dream. Bold pigmented blushes, shadows, mascaras, and lip colors in shades of the blues, pinks, reds, greens, chocolates, etc. with vibrant matte or shimmery finishes, iridescent face jewels, and fool-proof liner to perfect the killer cat-eye—the makeup line is the same whimsical and ethereal essence you get from watching the show. You can channel your favorite Euphoria character or dip your toes into fun makeup looks for times you’re feeling creative and adventurous. All products in the collection are vegan and cruelty-free, and user-friendly no matter your makeup experience. It was an instant hit and has become a staple for beauty lovers everywhere.
Success like this, however, doesn’t come overnight. Davy remembers taking jobs on Craigslist starting out, such as doing makeup for company headshots where she learned how to put makeup on different skin types or helping student directors with their films where she would be referred to by others. She credits these small jobs that gave her the skills, building blocks, and connections to prep her for the bigger projects. She encourages others to learn as much as they can by saying yes to the things that will help them hone in on their craft. Don’t be entitled, try not to compare yourself to others, and, probably most important of all, you have to deeply love what you do to do it right.
“If you’re not able to get obsessed with whatever it is you’re working towards, it won’t pan out,” she says. “You have to be obsessed.”
As for upcoming projects we can look forward to, Euphoria is coming back for a third season in 2026. While she can’t spill on what’s to come for season 3 plot-wise or makeup looks-wise, she can share this: “There will be a lot of new Half Magic on the show.” We’ll be counting down the days until then.
