9 New Makeup Look Ideas for the Most Glam Summer Ever

1. Bright Blush Makeup Look

Celebrity makeup artist Natalie Ventola is all about keeping things light and bright when it comes to summer makeup. For days when it’s uncomfortably hot but you still want to put on a little makeup, she suggests layering on the skincare (always starting with an SPF like the TOWER 28 SOS FaceGuard™ SPF 30 Sunscreen PA+++) and then blending “a wash of bright gorgeous cream blush” on your cheekbones. We love how weightless the BENEFIT COSMETICS Play Daze Airy Liquid Blush feels on skin—the liquid-to-air formula has a natural-matte finish for an airbrushed look.

2. Bold Neutral Lip Makeup Look

Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

When you want to look effortlessly polished without committing to a bright pop of color, a high-contrast, structured lip is the ultimate power move. To achieve a perfectly sculpted pout that defines the face without feeling overdone, celebrity makeup artist Natalie Ventola suggests leaning into cool-toned, deep definers. “Lip liners like MAC COSMETICS Lip Pencil in Stone and MAKEUP FOREVER Anywhere Color Pencil in Endless Cacao are highly favored,” says Ventola, on how to get the look. Once you’ve defined your lips, blur the liner by lightly tapping with your finger, and then lock it in with a gloss or balm like the Candy Glow Lip Balm Duo from OLIVIAUMMA.

3. Bold Liner Summer Makeup Look

In line with Ventola’s note to have fun, she sees the editorial cool style taking off. “Artists like Doechii, Chappell Roan, and Doja Cat take makeup to the extreme, choosing artistic, colorful, graphic, and fun looks that are usually reserved for runways and photo shoots,” she shares. “We are now seeing more and more creatives flexing their taste and choosing to use their face as a canvas for whatever artist vision calls them, and I could not support this more!” We second this. To prep your lids for that perfect pop of color, we recommend applying a concealer (we love the ACE BEAUTÉ Ready In Five Hydrating Creamy Concealer) all over your lid and waiting a few minutes for it to dry down before going in with your color products.

4. Sun-Flushed Summer Makeup Look

Sunburn blush is taking over TikTok and Ventola is also a fan. “Applied across the cheeks and the bridge of the nose, it’s adorable and perfect for summer,” she says. And the best part is that it’s a beginner-friendly makeup look—no unnecessary sun exposure required. To start, prep the skin with an illuminating serum like the CHEEKBONE BEAUTY Illuminating Primer Gel to help blur away any imperfections or unwanted redness. Pro makeup artist Isabella Lo Coco suggests using blushes in “hues like berries, corals, peaches, plums—anything that seems to give a healthy flush that looks like the cheeks are blushing from within.” We recommend the LITHE BEAUTY Sunset Blush Palette because you can mix and match with both warm and cooler tones to get the perfect multi-dimensional sun-kissed shade. 

5. Pops of Color Summer Makeup Look

Summer makeup is all about having fun, so don’t take it too seriously. Ventola loves a pop of color, saying, “Keep it clean and fresh, but add a pop of color on the eyes, cheeks, or lips.” We love pairing a fresh face (try the DRUNK ELEPHANT D-Bronzi™ Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops all over your face for a lit-from-within, blurring glow) with a simple swipe of mascara (we like this one from TOWER 28) and a bright lip. The key is exfoliating and moisturizing your lips before applying lipstick so they don’t flake.

6. Early 2000s Summer Makeup Look

Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images

If you’ve been waiting for nostalgia to hit your makeup bag, your time has officially arrived. “The era of dark eyes and light, even metallic pink lips are back and it’s the new ideal for editorial looks and the rebellious party girl,” Ventola shares. To fully lean into this throwback vibe, it's all about contrasting stark, moody elements with frosty elements. We love a dark brown lip liner (try this one from LOVE+CRAFT+BEAUTY) paired with a frosty pink lip and a pop of pink blush, or even jet-black eyeliner mixed with frosty white eyeshadow (we love the white and grey shades from this REALHER Every Shade Is You palette).

7. Soft Smoky Eyes Summer Makeup Look

Photo by John Nacion/WireImage

When you want an eye look that feels incredibly sultry without looking messy or harsh—like the one seen here on Alix Earle —a softly blurred, elongated shadow wing is the perfect choice. “This version of the smoky eye is soft, blurred, and easy to wear,” says Zhang of this style of eye makeup. “It adds depth without being too harsh, perfect for both daytime and evening looks. It’s the new way to do ‘sexy’ in a more effortless way.” The KEVIN AUCOIN In Perspective Eyeliner Pencil makes it incredibly easy to map out the shape—the creamy formula glides on smoothly and allows for a little extra smudge before setting into a rich, long-wearing matte finish.

8. Soft Siren Eyes Summer Makeup Look

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Proof that summer glam doesn't have to mean bright colors, this look is all about softly sculpted eyes, fluttery lashes, and understated drama. The combination of light eyeshadow and a sharp tightline creates definition without feeling heavy, making it perfect for warm-weather evenings. In fact, makeup artist Isabella Lo Coco predicts we'll be seeing more eye looks that are “more liner-focused with less mascara and eyeshadow” this season. Recreate the look with a light grey or blue eyeshadow across the whole lid, then tightline the eyes with your favorite liner (we’re loving the Eyeliner Nectar Noir from LAILA ROSE).

9. Rhinestone Pop Summer Makeup Look

Photo by Katja Ogrin/Redferns

When festival season arrives or you just want to tap into a whimsical, care-free energy, going all out with your eye makeup is the ultimate way to stand out. To recreate Zara Larsson’s pop-star style, we’d use a bright pink shadow all over our eyes and mix it into our blush to tie the two shades together. Then, we’d go in with a contrasting shade, like turquoise, in the inner corners of our eyes. (Hint: this VIOLET VOSS palette has the perfect pink and emerald shades to match!) Top with rhinestones under the brown bone or on the cheeks as faux freckles and you’re ready for your diva moment.