Music festivals: the place where a glitter smoky eye is casual and nobody bats an eyelash at rainbow getups with lights hooked up to battery packs. Each year, enthusiasts from every corner of the beauty universe join together to share in the collective experience of $12 cold brew and epic festival makeup looks. But, we want to let you in on a little secret...no festivals are actually needed to rock a look. Whether you’re going to a concert, glamming up for a night on the town, or just playing around with colors at home (aka couch-ella), let the unbridled freedom of festivals inspire you to up your beauty game.
So, to get our creative juices going, we partnered with celeb makeup artists Mai Quynh and Allen Avendaño to whip up a series of bold, festival makeup looks that a) are totally doable and b) still look good with a layer of desert dust. Ready to have some fun? Here are your headliners:
BABY BLUES
Icy pastel blue eyeshadow has been having a moment and jet-black wings are an emo girl staple. Put them together and what do you get? A vibey look that Lana Del Rey herself would catch feelings for.
Get the look:
This eye achieves its drama with a light blue shadow swept over lids, topped with a pigmented liquid liner—we used the IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in shade Haiku and TARTE COSMETICS tarteist™ Double Take Eyeliner in Black.
To get that high contrast, Quynh says hugging the lash line is key. “Make sure you bring the liner and mascara into the lash line so you don’t see any skin.” As for the sharp wing? “It’s all about the cotton swabs,” she jokes. (Stash a few in your makeup bag and you’ll thank yourself later.) Dab a bit of makeup remover onto a cotton swab and clean up your wing ‘til you get a shape you’re proud of. Just be sure to fill in any patches that may have been removed while cleaning up the line.
TWO-TONED
Unlike conflicting set times that force you to choose between artists, this two-toned lid lets you have both. We went for shades in the sunset fam but honestly, it’s a festival—you can do whatever you want.
Get the look:
We opted for a duo of bright, summery shades: Dragon Fruit (a shimmery fuschia) from the IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette on top and South Peach from the SHAINA B MIAMI Mini Miami Eyeshadow Palette on the lower lash line. To get an intense color payoff, Quynh suggests working with a stiff, flat brush to pick up and deliver color. “Pat, not swipe, onto lid,” she says. To keep free of face flecks, pop on a couple eye patches beforehand to catch any fallout—we can’t get enough of the SKYN ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels. The extra boost of hydration will be much needed.
60s LIDS
Woodstock paved the way for modern rock festivals, so to pay homage to the OG fest, we created a 60s-inspired eye that looks like it was plucked straight out of 1969. Luckily, psychedelia lives on—you’ll fit right in with any Tame Impala crowd.
Get the look:
“The shade chartreuse gives me a 60s vibe especially when it’s used all over the lids past the crease and touching on the brow bone,” says Avendaño. Using Ojai from the IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette, pat the shimmery lime shade onto lids and into the inner corner, then buff above to crease. “In order for your eyes to stand out while wearing it, you should pair it with a darker shade and rim the eyes with it so that it gives it some depth,” he advises. IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Wealth is fab for creating dimension. Avendaño’s secret weapon for that soft, feline shape? Cotton swabs. Yet another reason to keep these in your kit at all times. Top it off with a minty liner (following the same shape), a lot of mascara, peace, love, and music.
SMOKY INDIGO
For those who can’t resist the dark side, this indigo smoky eye will satisfy. The diffused effect and scaled back lip keep it from appearing too heavy while the sun’s up. By night, it’ll be perfect for raging against the machine.
Get the look:
Tempted to get right into that deep eyeshadow? Hold your horses. “Liner first,” recommends Quynh. “Smudge your pencil eyeliner into the lash line to give an ombré effect before shadow,” she says—we’re using the IL MAKIAGE NEW YORK Long-Wear Eye Pencil in Hero (a matte navy blue). Then with a tapered blending brush, buff shimmery shades over your liner to diffuse. Quynh starts with IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Third Eye before layering Spa Day on top.
BRONZE GLITTER
Desert tones are a home run for the festival circuit. Add in a little glitter? You’ve got yourself a grand slam. Pair this sultry, sparkly eye with some boho braids and boots and make your way to Stagecoach, stat.
Get the look:
With an earthy mix of colors from the SHAINA B MIAMI Mini Miami Eyeshadow Palette, the model wears Wynwood (a warm taupe) swept onto lids and into the crease, then focused Port Au Princess (a shimmery greige) along the lash line toward the inner corners and Cafecito (an espresso brown) toward the outer edges of the lash line. Now comes the best part. Glitter is fun, but glitter gets ev-er-y-where. “Using a pre-mixed glitter (not loose) will make your life 100 times easier,” says Quynh. True words of wisdom.
DREAMY COOL TONES
Not ready to go full-on bold? We’ve got three words for you: pop of color. This soft, periwinkle lid gets a little help from a magenta friend—kind of like that time *NSYNC showed up for Ari’s set and successfully tore up our hearts.
Get the look:
Following Avendaño’s pro moves, take a matte pastel blue shade (we used IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Haiku) and a blending brush to create a wash on lids and continue onto the lower lash line. Enter the special guest: IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Dragon Fruit, a vibrant pink. “You can really create dimension by bringing in pinks and fuschias into the crease,” says Avendaño. He recommends a stiff brush to build up a halo of pink in the crease and outer, lower lash line. Then, switch to a fluffy brush and blend out any harsh lines between the two tones.
LIL UZI VERT
Lime green—also known by 90s kids as slime green—might seem like a daring shade at first glance, but you’ll be hooked at first swipe. This kinda edgy, kinda springy hue gives instant cool-factor to any look.
Get the look:
Let’s start with this to-die-for eyeshadow. We opted for the IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Ojai—a shimmery, neon-lime shade. As with any bold shade, Quynh reminds us that prep is super important for getting high intensity color. “Use an opaque, matte white eyeliner or cream eyeshadow to create a base to let the color pop from lash line to crease,” says Quynh. The up side of this extra step means you’ll have an easy guide for packing on the color.
PURPLE HAZE
Just like this eye look, by day three your mental state might be a little hazy. You made it this far, so give yourself a pat on the back, yet another $12 cold brew, and pack on some shimmery purple eyeshadows with your fingers. You’ve earned that closing show.
Get the look:
To get a bigger lift of color, Quynh lends a tip: Prime your lids with a cream shadow before moving onto powders. Once you’ve gotten your cream base, press and swirl your index finger into a shimmery lilac shade and pat onto lids—we used IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette in Crown Chakra. With the same color, smudge a bit along your lower lash line (the pinky is perf for this area). Then, add an aura of pinky-purple by gently blending Peace into your crease with your ring finger. Voila! A no-fuss look to close out your weekend.
GALACTIC ARCHES
It wouldn’t be festival makeup if spacey inspiration didn’t make its way into the mix. Chunky glitter formed into above-the-crease arches creates an out-of-this-world look for whatever late night DJ you’ll be busting out the glow sticks for.
Get the look:
Obviously, the desert is home to all space babes—so Avendaño keeps the palette of this look in sun-kissed bronze and sienna. Start by sculpting the cheeks with a bronzer (we used SPACE CASE Fakecation Bronzer) and topping cheekbones with a megawatt highlighter, like ESTATE COSMETICS Dew Me Baked Highlighter in Lit. For the lids, Avendaño used a fluffy shadow brush to create a matte wash of terra-cotta—we love NOMAD COSMETICS Tuscany Intense Eyeshadow in Cantucci. Ready to beam up? With an angled brush and a bit of silver glitter gel, create an exaggerated arch starting above the crease toward the inner corners and extending out past your brows. “Don’t try to make a perfect line. It’s more impactful when it’s messy and artsy!” Avendaño.
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