Aussie Girl Makeup Is the New Summer Trend That Looks Like a Permanent Golden Hour Filter
The makeup artist behind the signature style breaks it all down.
For the past few months, nearly every makeup look I’ve saved has had the same vibe. The skin is bronzed to the heavens, blush is diffused across the cheeks and nose like someone just spent the afternoon outside, and nothing looks too sculpted or overdone. It’s still glam, but without the sharp contour or heavy foundation I've grown used to seeing the past few years. Instead, makeup is softer, warmer, and a little more effortless. Naturally, the internet has given it a name: Aussie girl glam.
A huge reason why? Tanielle Jai. If you’ve ever saved a photo of glowing, bronzed makeup with enviable fresh skin, chances are it traces back to her signature style. In fact, the makeup artist recently launched her own beauty brand built entirely around that aesthetic, debuting with Bronzour, a cream bronzer designed to create that warm, sun-soaked glow she’s become known for, followed by the just-launched Stayliner—a lip and eye definer. According to Jai, “Australian girl makeup right now is all about looking sun-kissed, effortless and natural rather than overly sculpted,” she says. “Aussies definitely lean more towards bronzer over contour.”
That approach largely comes down to lifestyle. Growing up in Queensland, Jai says beauty routines were shaped by heat, humidity, and long beach days—meaning makeup had to survive real life while still looking fresh. “We lean towards lightweight skincare that keeps the skin hydrated and plump, with breathable one-layer makeup that still looks fresh by the end of the day,” she explains. The result is makeup that feels lived-in rather than overly polished—which is probably exactly why everyone’s trying to recreate it right now. Ahead, Jai discusses the Aussie Girl trend and the best makeup products to create it yourself this summer.
Why Is Aussie Girl Makeup Trending?
After years of trying to carve out your cheekbones and overcomplicated makeup routines, beauty trends are starting to swing back toward makeup that actually feels wearable, and better yet, easy to do. Australian girl makeup taps into that shift perfectly. The look still feels glam, but in a way that prioritizes healthy-looking skin over obvious makeup.
Jai also points out that Australian beauty has always centered around multi-use, low-maintenance products. “Your bronzer goes on your cheeks, eyes, and lips, blush doubles for cheeks and lips, and liner can be used for eyes, lips, or even faux freckles,” she says.
I attempted Aussie girl glam with lots of bronzer.
How Do I Do Aussie Girl Makeup?
The biggest mistake you can make with Australian girl makeup is overdoing it. Instead of sculpting the face with cool-toned contour or piling on full-coverage foundation, the focus is on warmth and skin that still shows through the makeup and looks fresh underneath.
“For the base, I like to conceal only where needed and then assess whether a skin tint or foundation is even necessary,” says Jai. “I’ll always opt for a sheered out foundation or lightweight skin tint over full coverage because cream bronzers and blushes naturally add coverage and dimension to the skin anyway.” In other words, the less perfect it looks, the better.
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Fake The Aussie Tan
Face self-tanner is basically the shortcut to Aussie girl makeup. Instead of trying to bronze the skin entirely with makeup, a subtle self-tan creates that naturally warm, just-got-back-from-the-beach effect before you even start your routine. It gives the skin a glowy head start and helps everything else—from bronzer to blush—look more believable.
Bronze Over Contour
If there’s one product category that defines Australian girl makeup, it’s bronzer. While American beauty trends have long leaned into cool-toned contour for sculpting, Jai says Australians typically focus more on warmth.
“Don’t be afraid of bronzer,” she says. “I love using two shades of bronzer, a deeper shade around the outer perimeter of the face and a lighter shade through the center, especially across the eyes and nose, to create that naturally sun-kissed look.” She also uses bronzer as eyeshadow and says she “never skips the forehead” because it ties everything together.
A post shared by TANIELLE JAI Makeup Artist (@taniellejaimua)
A photo posted by on
Sun-Kissed Blush
Blush in Australian girl makeup isn’t super lifted or overly precise. Instead, it’s blended generously across the cheeks and nose to mimic the kind of flush you’d naturally get after spending a day outside. Cream formulas work especially well here because they melt into the skin and keep everything looking fresh instead of powdery. Opt for a shade with warm, reddish-orange tones, such as warm coral, terracotta, brick red, or deep peach, depending on your skin tone.
A post shared by TANIELLE JAI Makeup Artist (@taniellejaimua)
A photo posted by on
Let Your Skin Show
Heavy foundation is pretty much the opposite of the Aussie girl makeup aesthetic. Lightweight skin tints, strategic concealer, and breathable formulas are the move here. The finish should look glowy and sheared out.
The Undone Eye
Australian girl makeup rarely relies on dramatic shadow or ultra-sharp liner. Instead, the eyes usually look softly smoked using bronzer, taupe creams, or whatever’s already on the face. The result is subtle and a little messy in the best way possible.
A post shared by TANIELLE JAI Makeup Artist (@taniellejaimua)
A photo posted by on
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Expert

Tanielle Jai is an Australian makeup artist known for her signature bronzed skin, smokey eyes, sharp brown liner, and softly defined lips. With more than 16 years in the beauty industry, she started in retail makeup before becoming an educator, workshop host, and highly sought-after freelance artist working with major brands across Australia. She’s since expanded into product development with the launch of her own beauty brand, including Bronzour cream bronzers, Stayliner lip liners, and a curated makeup brush collection inspired by her signature “effortless glam” aesthetic.

Siena Gagliano is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits reported features, trend stories, and expert-backed shopping roundups. Before joining the team full-time, she was an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she specialized in SEO-first beauty content and commerce strategy. Her bylines have also appeared in Allure, ELLE, Bustle, Well+Good, Popsugar, and Women's Health, covering everything from the best products for brighter, glowier skin to the science behind face mapping. Curious about the behind-the-scenes magazine life and her go-to beauty picks? Follow her on Instagram at @sienagagliano.