Magical girl transformation sequences were the pinnacle of cartoon urban fantasy in the 90s and 00s. They were ordinary school girls dealing with the daily tribulations of balancing studies and friendships while exterminating galactic threats in their free time. I would be over at my friend Shelly's house and she would take out her prized VHS tape from her media stash. She had meticulously taped several Sailor Moon episodes that had aired during the Cheez TV morning cartoon lineup.
Serena, the titular character, would gorge on food and laze about in her room. She would always become an unwitting victim of her nemesis machinations as she had a typical "I'm just a girl" wide-eyed, curious view of the world — endlessly looking for fun and novelty. Her more sensible circle of friends would often come to save her and the wider public from these obvious honey traps. The formulaic episodes were complete with the Sailor Scouts bathing in divine light in preparation for battle. Moon Prism Power! Their slender silhouettes adorned with knee high heeled boots, a bright flash of red nail polish, Regency-style crisp white gloves and a signature gold tiara which doubles as a boomerang. The excessive accessorisation was less about practicality and more about armoring oneself — transitioning from young schoolgirl to regal fighter.
Much of "girly" media reinforces heteronormative values around feminine beauty to young girls and these ideals become calcified into adulthood. But I believe that it's less nefarious than it first appears. The reality of girlhood is controlling how you're seen by the world which inevitably shapes your own sense of self-worth. We quickly learn what is an acceptable way of dressing and behaving. The magical girl transformation sequence was a grand mythic narrative framing girls needed. It was a blueprint for what "becoming" truly was. A fourteen year old that cries over her bad grades while moonlighting as a protector against evil entities — looking fabulous while doing so.
The magical makeover wasn't limited to just anime or inspired comic franchises like the Winx Club or W.I.T.C.H — look no further than the animated Barbie Cinematic Universe. Retelling the classic fairytale of Rapunzel, Barbie's pivot from Gothel's control, the mother that had raised and trapped her in the tower, was catalysed by her creativity. A falling star enchants her once ordinary paintbrush. Initially an instrument to cure boredom, her imagination renders her paintings into a new reality. Her painting of a lush meadow turns into a magical portal for her to meet the prince. Her longing to go to the ball he invites her to turns into this montage of her materialising simple, intricate or strange dresses with the stroke of her brush. Witnessing her transformation as a young girl made me realise that beauty is simply her armour. Her dreams of dancing at the ball and becoming her own person culminate into her rebellion of the structure, the tower that physically and mentally traps her. The strength to enter the battlefield of adulthood is still an internal choice. Dressing up is simply a ritual that welcomes witness to your personhood.
The beauty transformations of YouTube makeup tutorials was peak 2016. It felt like being invited into your big sister’s bedroom and having her much nicer friend give you little beauty tricks. There was heavy contouring, colourful cosmetics and highlighter that glazed skin like a tradie's hi-vis vest. The bioluminescence could've easily been captured by satellite imaging. Borrowing a lot of drag makeup techniques, it was theatrical and sometimes mocked but it was always fun. They were average women, painting their faces in their bedrooms while the viewers sat on the other side of their mirror.
Chatting away about their day, they assure viewers that the mountain of laundry on their bed was definitely clean. It was a hectic week and they just bought this new cherry soft drink they’re trying for the first time. The best part was the act of discovering new useful products like it was an archeological find. Similar to an enchanted paintbrush, they were able to reimagine a new version of themselves. They finished their shift at the cafe and were going to enjoy a night out with their friends. The girl-next-door to glam transformation was witnessing magic in real-time.
Yet clean girl and glass skin trends of today encourage that performance of these beauty rituals become completely hidden. The extremity of putting your face through a magnifying mirror to examine every crevice in fear of being perceived as “artificial” is disappointing. This is more about seeking validation through the lens of beige influencer acceptance than enjoying the process of becoming another version of yourself. It's why I tend to look back on nostalgic magic not to purely reminisce what was lost but to recapture the art of unfettered imagination.
Originally published in ScratchThat Magazine: Timestamp in May 2026