I'm Sweating Just Thinking About Summer's Hottest Makeup Trends
A bold, bright dose of color.
I’d argue that summer is the best season of the year. Warm weather, trips to the beach, and time off from work to prioritize your mental health. It’s also the perfect time to refresh your makeup routine. And when looking ahead at summer 2025 makeup trends, it seems we’re moving away from the classic clean girl aesthetic and getting a little more creative with our cosmetics.
From neon eyeshadow and cherry red lips to bleached brows, bold glam and bright colors are having a moment. The world is out of sorts right now, and “when people feel out of control, they tend to express themselves through what they can control—and makeup is exactly that," says celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo.
Color is expression, and we'll see it in full force across eyes, lips, and cheeks this summer. But in the same breath, we'll spend less time glued to our vanity and more time enjoying all that the season has to offer. Barely-there skin tints that let freckles peek through replace true foundations, glossy lids take over for eyeshadow palettes, and bushy brows are more popular than sculpted arches.
To get the breakdown on what to expect from makeup this summer, I tapped five celebrity makeup artists to share the colors, finishes, and products set to take over. Read below for 10 makeup trends that will be everywhere in the months ahead.
Dewy Skin
Nearly every makeup artist I spoke to emphasized that fresh faces are absolutely in this summer. A hydrated and glass-like glow is simply unbeatable, especially when paired with a fresh (faux) tan and natural sunlit complexion.
Makeup artist Hannah Jaclyn says the season is "all about lightweight, luminous skin and perfecting the no-makeup-makeup look." Makeup artist Lisa Aharon adds: "Light, breathable skin is coming back into focus. Think: skin tints and a little concealer where you need it. I'm seeing more shine on everything—dewy lids, juicy lips, that fresh wet look."
Fortunately, the market is filled with tints and balms to help you achieve the finish in seconds.
Colorful Eyes
Oquendo and makeup artists Frank Guyton and T. Cooper predict vibrant eye looks are coming into clear focus this season. "It's really about pastel and neons—vibrant stuff," says Guyton. Oquendo adds that bright and pastel blues are the "it" shadow colors of the season.
The wash of color doesn't end at the lids. Graphic liners and colored mascara aren't going anywhere. "Colorful lashes have been popping up in editorial shoots, at festivals, and honestly just on regular girls who want a pop of color without committing to crazy eyeshadow looks," says T. Cooper. "I’ve been seeing this trend in jewel tones like blue, green, and purple, but burgundy lashes are my absolute favorite."
Lip Oils
Rather than a sticky gloss, Guyton and Aharon predict lip oils will reign supreme this summer. "They're these really beautiful colors that are pigmented, but they're not necessarily glossy," Guyton explains. The oil base creates a super hydrating formula that never lacks pigment and actually lasts longer than most glosses. "We want to still give you that powerful lip, but we want to also take care of your lips," he adds.
Two-Toned Blush
Up the ante on bright, cream blush. "It's gonna be all about two-toned blush this summer," says makeup artist Judi Gabbay Braha. Call it "sunset blush" or even "blush blindness," get ready to see cheeks flushed with shades of bright berry and apricot.
"Summer is the perfect season for blush," Jaclyn says. "Apply a wash of brighter, bolder blush tones and embrace your skin looking naturally flirty and flushed from the summer sun."
Faux Freckles
"Fake freckles are 100 percent coming back," Braha says. Courtesy of the rise of "slightly messy makeup" (think: smudged liner and imperfect blush), this trend is all about looking effortless, says Aharon. "Everything [is] worn in a really easy, undone way."
While a day in the sun can bring out a few cute freckly spots for some, the easiest way to get the look is by using a freckle pen. After dabbing on a few freckles, "you're gonna take your finger and press it where you added the product, and then stamp it on the rest of your skin," Braha explains. This will create a more natural finish and diffuse the freckles throughout the skin. It's best to keep your faux freckles on the high points of your face, like the nose and cheekbones.
Barely-There Brows
We're bringing it back to the '90s this summer. According to Oquendo, the eyebrow norms are evolving this summer, shifting the focus from dark and bushy to light and thin. The best part? There are now endless ways to get the look without over-plucking. "It's a whole buffet menu," he says. Whether you want to gel your brow hairs together, conceal them, or dye them lighter, the choice is yours.
Cooper takes the trend one step further, predicting an influx of full-on bleached brows. "Thanks to Jenna Ortega, this bold trend is making a comeback," she says. "It’s the perfect edgy touch that feels a bit rebellious but also very fashion-forward." And if you’re hesitant to commit, "you can fake it by brushing foundation or concealer through your brows and setting them with powder for that same ethereal, bleached effect."
Cherry Lips
A true red lip is the best way to make a statement with your glam this summer. "It's an instant pick-me-up, so when you put something like that on, it just makes you look more awake right away, " says Oquendo. "I think we're gonna see a lot of that, because lazy girl makeup is always in."
Brown Mascara
Brown mascara was the hallmark of last year's soft girl makeup trend, but it's getting more nuanced in 2025. "You can go from espresso brown to even a taupe," says Guyton. Unlike a stark black shade, brown mascara provides a chic, subtle definition to the lashes. And with so many new shades on the market, you can easily match your lashes to your hair color while still giving them some extra oomph.
Natural, Fluffy Brows
If thin and bleached brows aren't your thing, fluffy brows remain timeless. "A huge part of summer is a very natural, fluffy brow," says Braha. "Use a bigger fluffier brush to just place the color all over the brow and then clean up the edges." She even suggests trying out soap brows, noting, 'It doesn't have to be a harsh route with brow strokes." Put your pencils down and try a light powder instead.
Velvet Skin
"I'm seeing a lot of people embracing loose powders and blurring powders to get really gorgeous, velvety skin," says Oquendo. This definitely doesn't mean the cakey, full-coverage makeup of 2016 is coming back—instead, "it's just a perfected complexion." He adds that the best way to reach a blurred, satin finish is by staying true to your light-coverage base, but adding a mattifying primer, setting spray, or blurring powder into the mix.
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Meet The Experts
Vincent Oquendo is a globally recognized makeup artist, known for his bold aesthetic and creative vision. Vincent’s red carpet clients include Kiernan Shipka, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ariana DeBose, Nicole Richie, Jenna Ortega, Yara Shahidi, and Karla Sofía Gascón. Vincent emulates Old-Hollywood glamour with a dash of modern flare. In addition to the red carpet, Vincent works with photographers such as Alexei Hay, Cass Bird, Miguel Reveriego, and Ben Watts, and his work has been featured in Vogue, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, W, and more. Vincent is the Brand Ambassador for LUMIFY Eye Drops.
Lisa Aharon is a New York-based, Vancouver-born makeup artist. She specializes in highlighting her clients’ natural beauty by creating flawless skin looks, working regularly with a wide variety of high-profile clientele, the likes of Rachel Brosnahan, Florence Welch, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Bock, and Anna Kendrick, among others. Her work lives in the pages of Cosmopolitan, L'Officiel, The New York Times, Elle, Schön! Magazine, et al, and Aharon has worked with major brands and photographers such as Ralph Lauren, David Yurman, Annie Leibowitz, and Jurgen Teller.
Judi Gabbay Braha started her journey as a makeup artist at the young age of 13 years old. Working summers at a beauty store, she swept floors and did simple inventory all to be a part of the magic of makeup. Finding her passion at a young age enabled her to hone her talents through dedication and the desire to learn. Not so shortly after, Judi was being flown around the world for her talents. She has shot for brands such as BEBE, Catherine Malandrino, Buxom Cosmetics, and English Laundry. She's worked with networks such as Bravo, TLC, ABC, and more. Judi continues to create polished and flawless looks for all of her clientele.
Frank Guyton is a celebrity makeup artist, alternating between celebrities, editorial, film, music videos and television work. Along the way, Guyton has been privileged to work amongst some extraordinary women. As one of Manhattan’s most sought after makeup artists, Guyton continues to create and contribute by sharing his sophisticated aesthetic with top celebrities and beauty companies.
Hannah Jaclyn has honed her skills and gained a trusted and sought after reputation for catering to both celebrity and high-level clientele. She had the incredible opportunity to assist many celebrity makeup artists: Alison Christian (Meghan Trainor), Janice Daoud (Miley Cyrus), and Ariel Tejada (Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Rosalia, & Gwen Stefani) to name a few. Her work has been published in Vogue, Interview, CR Fashion Book, Rolling Stone, HommeGirls, & Cultured Magazine. These projects included shoots for Kylie Cosmetics/Skin, Skims, Kardashians Hulu, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Stuart Weitzman, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, GXVE Beauty, The Voice, and The Late Late Show. She had the amazing opportunity to travel for work to Paris for Couture Fashion Week and New York for The Met Gala.
T. Cooper is a world-renowned celebrity makeup artist with over thirteen years of expertise in the beauty industry. She founded Major Face, an on-location beauty service company offering a full range of on-demand services, including makeup, lashes and more. As a Black-owned business, her mobile beauty agency specializes in inclusion, servicing diverse skin tones including African American, Mediterranean and Asian Skin. T. Cooper also served as Keyed Makeup Artist for many of NYFW’s FW 2025 runway shows & presentations.
