6 Summer Makeup Trends For Every Occasion

Anyone who's watched a TikTok story time has come across the comment saying, "lip combo?" Whether you're pairing a rich lip liner and a juicy gloss or embracing a new warmer-toned shade, you're going to be looking for our perfect lip combo this summer. Makeup artist Claudia Betancur hopes the warmer weather leads to more innovation and risk. "Experiment with vibrant shades like orange-reds, intense pinks, or bright corals on the lips to add a bold touch of color and energy to your summer look," she tells PS.

Summer sunsets are truly magnificent, and the best way to reflect their beauty is on our own, of course. "This summer we're trading muted hues for vibrant sunset colors — reds, purples, pinks, blues — to enhance our beautiful features for any occasion," makeup artist Kirin Bhatty says. "I love the simple impact you can achieve by amplifying a natural base with the pop of a red lip or accentuating the eyes with a splash of sea-blue eyeliner or purple eyeshadow." Betancur suggests creating clean and precise lines for a minimalist graphic eyeliner look, using vibrant colors like electric blue or emerald green.

Balletcore dominated this year when it came to fashion, so now we're coining "ballet-slipper skin" — a combination of the no-makeup runway glass skin look but with a satin overlay achieved with liquid illuminators and bronzers. "Balletcore will continue to trend as people reclaim their childhood dreaminess and opt for timeless elegance by leaning into glowing bases, hyperfeminine hues, and high-impact glosses," Bhatty says.

The best way to achieve this "your skin but way better" look is by combining liquid illuminators with moisturizer and foundation. "The next step is to press with fingers or use a brush to paint on a foundation that provides a good deal of coverage with very little product," makeup artist Katey Denno says. She adds it's "a must to keep skin looking like skin."

If you're wearing warm tones on the lips, then cool tones have moved up to the eyes. The 1990s heavily inspired this summer's eye-makeup trends, and nothing was more popular pre-Y2K than a blue-gray smoky eye. "While bronzed and golden hues are a summer must, cool-tone makeup is also making a comeback — think dusty mauve, blush pinks, and smoky grays," makeup artist Mai Quynh says. Paired with a bronze base, you'll look instantly cool.

Cream and liquid blushes had a huge boom last summer, and this summer appears to be no different. Cream blush formulas give a more lived-in type of blush style, making you look like an angelic cherub without too much shine or gloss. Makeup artist Etienne Ortega loves a sheered-out, perky doll-like blush. "Adding blush is like the cherry on the top of the sundae," he says. "It adds warmth and a sun-kissed look."

If the intensity of a smoky eye is a bit too much, a gentle pop or wash of pastel color on the eye is going to be much embraced this summer due to its wearability. A sheer liquid or cream eyeshadow is what you want to try to achieve the iridescent style. "Choose a color that makes your eyes pop and apply it with a sheer wash using your finger or a brush. Or press on multiple layers until you achieve the intensity of color payoff you want," Denno says.

Amanda Mitchell is a writer and podcaster with bylines at PS, Marie Claire, Oprah Daily, Allure, Byrdie, StyleCaster, Bon Appétit, and more. Formerly a senior beauty writer and stories creator at Refinery29, her work exists at the apex of beauty, pop culture, and absurdity.