3 of the best summer makeup trends

Summer is here and boy are we ready! It’s the festive season and pared-back realness is taking centre stage. Simplicity and ease are key in getting that laid-back, coastal vibe. Bright colours, dewy skin and a golden flush across the cheeks are high on our list of must-haves.
To get your complexion, eyes and lips summer-ready, here’s our pick of the best makeup trends to try.
RELATED: Fast track to beach babe
RELATED: Makeup for a perfect complexion
Sophisticated summer skin
It used to be all about raw, super-fresh skin. This summer, the beauty trend is more about skin that’s polished, but looks real. “We are now seeing a more polished finish, the rawness is still there but it’s not underdone, there’s a little more sophistication,” explains Carol Mackie, M.A.C Cosmetics Senior Artist. Rather than going bare, she suggests applying a foundation mixed with liquid illuminator over hydrated skin, to get a glowing effect.
For a bronzed look, opt for natural shades that mimic naturally flushed skin. “Think warm roses, to soft golden flushes, soft terracotta, [and] soft feminine monochromatic colours,” says Carol. To keep the look summer fresh, don’t go overboard when styling your caterpillars. Subtly emphasise your brows by filling in any gaps with a powder or pencil, then simply set with a brow gel.
bh loves: M.A.C Strobe Cream, RosehipPLUS™ Hydrating Day Cream, Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Cushion, Nude by Nature Mineral Bronzer
Bright colour and glossed lids
Nothing feels more like summer than bright, bold colours. This season, we’ll be seeing coloured eye makeup in different ways through diverse textures. “[It’s] a very modern way to make colour more flattering through classic placement but with different textures; matte, sheer and glossed-over,” says Carol. Yellow in a variety of shades and tones is predicted to be big this summer. “Think overripe lemons going into burnt toffee, oranges from bright to bronzed copper,” suggests Carol. If you’re not confident enough to use a coloured eyeshadow or eyeliner, try bringing in colour with a bright nail polish shade.
Another eye makeup trend that’s fresh from the runway is glossed eyelids. Apply an opaque or translucent gloss over eyelids to get the look. Add a few individual false lashes for dewy eyes with natural-looking, luscious lashes. If dark, smudged eyes are more your style, try the worn-in eyeliner trend. “We are continuing to see this trend brought over from last season because it speaks to real individuality, the confidence to just let makeup be,” says Carol. Forget over-blending and over-powdering the eye, let your makeup reflect your carefree, warm-weather attitude.
bh loves: M.A.C Paint Pot eyeshadow in Let Me Pop, Rokk96 nail polish in Bananas!, 1000 Hour Artificial Lashes Individual Lashes, Eye of Horus Goddess Pencils
New nude or refreshed red
This season’s biggest trend for lips is MLBB, aka ‘my lips but better’. The new nude is so subtle it looks close to your natural lip colour, only better. “It looks like there is almost nothing on the lip, but it’s a layering of neutrals and subtle enhancement of the lip shade using soft nude colours,” explains Carol. Apply a lip liner in a classic nude shade and either a nourishing conditioning balm or nude lipstick to get your own MLBB look.
If nude’s not your thing, you can’t go past a classic red lip. Try applying it in an updated, modern way. Carol suggests blurred-out edges, “[which] can be achieved by applying lipstick and kissing all night,” or by gently buffing out the edges with a brush for a soft, romantic feel. Alternatively, a high-gloss, red patent-finished lip is on-trend and perfect for summer.
bh loves: MODELROCK Cosmetics Liquid Last: Liquid to Matte Lipstick in Born This Way, MOR Lip Macaron in Rosebud, Nutrimetics nc Perfecting Lip Pencil in Nude, Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus
Which makeup trends will you be trying this season? How do you change up your beauty routine for summer?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
101 Member Comments
the nude look is really natural and pretty
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I always dread summer with makeup, melts off in a heart beat here in QLD!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Really dislike the glossed lids though!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love the raw look! ❤️
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Too many scars for no makeup
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
This is where the art of distraction comes in!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I’m so sad that summer is over, but at least my makeup stays on now!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love nude and naturals tone for summer. Bright colours doesn't really look good on my light skin.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Same here and I have darker skin!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Same here, maybe one day the look will suit us?
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Can't say i'm a fan of the orange eye shadow, but love lashings of red lippie
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Love the nude lip look, but summer for me is all about super toned down eyes, definitely not bright orange!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I definitely go pared back in Summer.
Maybe just a slick of Lanolips!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I definitely go for the more natural look and being fair if I wear red lipstick I always look like the last look haha.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
The bright eye look in the image is gross.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I’m not liking any of those looks in the above pics except for the one in the main photo.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Agree, that is the best look here.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
MLBB lip products make up the majority of my collection so I'm super pleased to see that they're the trend right now.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Bare skin, mascara and a little Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze has been my go to look lately
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I wear natural skin most days. However I am not 20 so my skin doesn't look like that!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Loving how mostly natural these are all looking - and what great skin they all have - lovely to see it without that 'all covered over' look with too much makeup.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Love the clean, fresh, nude look. Loud makeup has never been my thing anyway
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
For someone like me who likes to 'put her face on' quickly, the pared back look works for me. Although I couldn't get away with the orange eyeshadow.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love orange for an eye look. I was doing that early last year. Guess im ahead of the times...LOL
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0