How to Finesse Your Festival Makeup Looks

Glitter grunge

With Graphic Design Manager, Beth

When it comes to festival makeup trends that stand the test of time, grunge eye looks lead the pack. Putting her spin on this iconic look, Beth brings dark and smokey to festival glitter. Makeup we can wear for a rock festival, but also our local night in the pub, here’s what happens when grunge meets glam.

Step one: After applying a longwearing base like Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer, smooth e.l.f Cosmetics’ Liquid Glitter Shadow in Black Magic or Open Eyes. Then, buff to blend with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. Feel free to add extra layers for added dimension.

Step two: Lightly brush the liquid shadow under your lower lashes, before smoking out with a tapered eyeshadow brush. Then line your waterline with GXVE Beauty’s Line It Up 24H Gel Pencil for depth.

Step three: For volumised, dramatic lashes that won’t budge, we then use Fenty Beauty’s new Hella Thicc Mascara to finish.

Step four: Use the Iridescent Pink shade in Pat McGrath Labs’ Sublime Skin Highlighting Trio on your cheeks for all-night glow.

Up in flames

With Senior Integrated Designer, Paul

We all choose festivals based on where we can feel our best and most uninhibited selves. For Paul, the best festival makeup is one that helps him express this mood - and to match his favourite festival, Body Movements. Bringing a new dimension to floating liner, here’s how you get his fiery look.

Step one: After creating your base, take our Sephora Collection Intense Ink Waterproof Liner in White and draw a white line across your brow bone - ending in a flick. This will create the perfect base for our next step.

Step two: As this look is all about making precision easy, we then turn to our MAC 210 Precise Liner Brush to pack on colour. Just sweep the lightest pastel shade of Morphe's 18H Heatseeker Artistry Palette across the white liner nearest the inner corner of your eye.

Step three: For the middle of your line, switch to the Coral shade, before ending on the brightest orange shade for the end. This will leave you with a flame-like, gradient finish you can also try with other shades.

Step four: For brows as fluffy as Paul’s, we finish with REFY’s Brow Sculpt.

Feeling blue

With Amari, Trainee Assistant Merchandiser

Adding a whole new meaning to feeling blue, Amari knows festivals are the best place to unleash her imagination. Touting Paramore as the band she’d love to catch at festival season, she takes their playful approach to rock and applies it to this instantly iconic all-blue eye look.

Step one: Prime your lid with a concealer one shade lighter than your usual shade, and set with a baking powder. Then take the lightest blue shade in Natasha Denona’s Purple Blue Eyeshadow Palette, blending across your whole lid and up to your brow bone.

Step two: Turn to the neighbouring Teal shade to pack over your lid and into your crease.

Step three: Using a liner brush, create a cat eye flick with Sephora Collection’s Intense Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in shade Pure White. Then mix shades Forest Green, Cobalt Blue and Pure White together to create a light teal, before going over your white flick to make a double liner effect.

Step four: For blue festival makeup that goes deep, line your waterline with Sephora Collection’s 12H Eye Contour Pencil in Blue Jeans. Then, swipe on Benefit’s BADGal BANG Mascara in blue.

Step five: Mist ONE/SIZE On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray to lock everything in. One of our favourite festival makeup products, we can rely on this to help our creative eye looks shine for longer.

Lightshow lids

With Annie, Financial Planning & Analysis Manager

The music we love isn’t the only thing taking the spotlight. And for Annie, it’s at her favourite EDM festival, Tomorrowland, where her eyes do the talking. Starting with metallic tones, she brings us the festival eye makeup that plays with our favourite shade of the season: lilac.

Step one: Taking a flat eyeshadow brush, squeeze a small amount of Danessa Myricks’ Colorfix Cream in Titanium and paint across the lower half of your lid.

Step two: While still damp, take a blunt brush and press the Lilac shade of Huda’s Color Block Obsessions Orange & Purple Palette across the middle of your lid, taking up to your brow bone.

Step three: Swipe on your favourite curling mascara, or apply fluttery falsies like Annie to enhance your look. Our top tip? Take MAC’s new Lash Dry Shampoo with you on the go to keep your mascara looking fresh all night long.

Step four: Finish with a quick sweep of Rare Beauty’s cult favourite Positive Light Highlighter in Mesmerize to catch the light everywhere.

Beach set ready

With Georgie, Content Executive

Festival makeup ideas don’t always need to be bold to be beautiful. For those of us jetting off to sunnier shores - like Georgie - we’d rather ditch the heavy foundation for a natural glow. And with a hint of warm colour on the eyes, those sunset sets aren’t quite ready for when we take centre stage with this look.

Step one: Combining a light tint with La Roche-Posay’s cult SPF, this glow and protect essential is our one way ticket to barely-there festival face makeup. Just apply first thing (then reapply throughout the day) to keep up your look.

Step two: Taking a tapered liner brush, create a kitten eye flick above your lashes using shade I’ve Arrived from Iconic London’s Desk To Dance Palette, then tap shade Manifest lightly across the lid.

Step three: Swipe Tarte’s Tartelette Tubing Mascara onto the lashes, and KOSAS’ Air Brow Gel in Clear upwards into your brows.

Step four: Finish with ILIA’s Multi-Stick in Whisper or Dear Ruby on your cheeks, and for a sunkissed flush tap into your forehead and across your nose.

Disco’s the word

With Olivia, CRM Executive

When we’re taking our beauty essentials with us on the glow, easy festival makeup is our best friend - but this doesn’t mean we compromise on impact. Bringing us disco-inspired lids that catch the light in all the right ways, Olivia runs us through how to get her look.

Step one: After creating your base, apply the Aura from Huda Beauty’s Rose Quartz Palette across your lid, focusing on the crease. Then, blend shade Gratitude up to your brow before finishing with a glimmering layer of Moon Magic using just your fingers.

Step two: Line your lashes for extra dimension, and swipe on ILIA’s iconic Limitless Lash for impact.

Step three: Using a highlighter brush, sweep r.e.m Beauty’s Highlighter Topper in Interstellar lightly across your cheekbones. Our tip tip? Press over your lids for another hit of purple.

Step four: Finish with a swipe of Sephora Collection’s Glossed Lip Gloss in Wild.

Need some festival hair inspiration? Read more with our Best Festival Hair Ideas This Season.