Summer's 10 Biggest Makeup Trends Include Tight-Lined Eyes and Candy Colors Galore

Mood Ring Makeup

When Donni Davy, Euphoria's head makeup artist, sees a makeup trend coming, it's best to pay attention. She sets them, after all.

"One of the things I think we will see are trends that are based more on moods and characters rather than food," she tells Byrdie. "We are seeing icons in pop culture wearing more makeup and being more dramatic with their looks, which leads to people in general starting to have a little more fun with their makeup."

Tight-Lined Eyes

One of those fun things, according to Davy? Tight-lined eyes!

Sometimes called "invisible eyeliner," tight-lining involves applying liner to the upper waterline to make your lashes appear bolder and emphasize the natural shape of your eye. "Subtle definition is placed directly on the waterline, either in deep tones for contrast or in lighter tones for brightness. It refines the eye without visible liner," explains celebrity makeup artist Christian Briceno.

"There's a move toward micro-definition instead of obvious makeup," adds the artist. "Small details are replacing full eye looks, aligning with the broader minimalist direction. It's quiet but effective. It sharpens the eye, makes lashes look fuller, and subtly changes the shape. This has been seen on runway beauty at Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week, where eyes are minimal but still defined through tightlining."

To get the look, Briceno says to grab a waterproof pencil; his recommendations are the Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner, Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencil Eyeliner, or Mineral Fusion Eye Pencil. Deep tones will add definition to the upper waterline, and you can also use a soft beige on the lower waterline for brightness.

"Press the product in gently, don't drag, and keep the rest of the eye minimal," he says. "Avoid overly creamy formulas that migrate. Precision is key."

Frosted Lips

Davy also declares frosted lips "totally back." However, the current take is "more sophisticated than the Y2K era."

"Instead of the opaque metallic lipstick we saw in the early 2000’s we are seeing more glosses, iridescent shimmer, and layered textures that feel more modern," explains the artist, calling out her Half Magic Magic Drip Glitter Lip Gloss as an easy way to get the look.

"It's packed with insanely sparkling multi-dimensional glitter that catches the light at different angles, giving you a modern shimmer," she notes.

Soft, Controlled Skin

On the complexion side of things, Briceno says we'll see "skin that looks real but refined—neither overly matte nor overly dewy." To get the look, you'll want to prep the skin so it's hydrated but not looking wet. Use targeted coverage (not a full face of foundation!) and add bronzer and blush in thin layers, setting product only when needed.

Keywords here are diffused, balanced, and intentional. "There's fatigue around extremes. Glass skin on one side, heavy matte on the other," notes Briceno, who names Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, bareMinerals BarePro Foundation, and Mineral Fusion Liquid Foundation as some of his favorites for the look. "The industry is moving toward controlled finishes that hold up in real life. It respects texture and it looks like skin, just better."

Body Shimmer

The lips aren't the only thing sparkling this summer. Another fun throwback you'll be seeing everywhere: body glitters and shimmers.

"We used SO much Glitterpuck on the set of Euphoria—especially this new shade from the Euphoria x Half Magic collection," notes Davy. "This is 100% your go-to product for the quickest and easiest modern shimmer. I call it 'grownup glitter.'"

Simple Smoke

Davy also loves an eye crayon like Half Magic Beauty's Sparklestik Eye Crayon as an easy way to get a perfect smoky eye—a look that's bound to carry us through the season.

"All you have to do is swipe on this blendable, mess- free formula and diffuse it with your finger or a brush," she says. "I love Noir or Never for the easiest smoky eye ever."

Candy Colors

What do so many of these looks have in common? An early aughts sensibility.

"We are seeing a huge return to Y2K-inspired makeup looks. This is the polar opposite of clean girl beauty. I think we are going to continue to see a lot of candy colors and pastels around the eyes with mermaid skin," says Oquendo.

One of the artist's favorite tips when he's creating a Y2K-inspired beauty look—that may or may not include a pastel eyeshadow—is using an eyeshadow primer or a very pale cream eyeshadow stick as a base before applying powder shadow.

"I would recommend the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow, as well as the REM Beauty Eyeshadow Quads," Oquendo says. "They have really beautiful bright colors as well as iridescent colors."

Celebrity makeup artist Shayna Goldberg is also seeing a return to more vibrant hues. But not too vibrant.

"Watercolors and washes of color like a blue on the lid or cool tones are another trend that will carry through," she explains. "Color is back, but nothing that's a heavy statement.

Lush Lashes

So, you're covered in glitter, your eyeshadow won't budge... but something is missing. That's where the lashes come in this summer.

"I love finishing off a makeup look with individual lashes. I would suggest Impress Lashes in classic wispy, these are pre-glued clusters that are applied under the lash," Oquendo adds. "They work perfectly for any eye shape, and when applied under the lash, it creates a natural lifting effect."

Chromatic Lashes

Also storming the lash landscape: fun colors. As soon as I saw the bleached platinum shade of Urban Decay's Tube Job, I knew we were in for something exciting here.

"There's a clear move away from uniform beauty," says Briceno. "Mascara becomes the focal point, using color instead of black to define the eye."

Think bright blue, like the Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Mascara. Or maybe a pink? Dior has us covered there.

"Color on lashes adds individuality without requiring a full look. It's a small change with a strong effect," adds the artist. "It brightens the eye and shifts the entire face."

Ethereal Glow

Summer is inherently ethereal, and though we might not be as into fairycore this year, a little magic is still at play. Our wand = an Ilia Multi-Stick, and Goldberg is anticipating we'll know how to wield it.

Take the look she did for Chase Sui Wonders at the 2026 Met Gala—highlighting the higher planes of her face by accentuating with skincare or actual highlighter and adding a little shimmer with shadow sticks in the inner corner or at the brow bone—as the perfect example.

"It's a trick that people are already using, but I definitely think it's here to stay," Goldberg says. "I love the illuminated look and, to create this look on Chase, I used the Ilia Eye Stylus Shadow Stick in Beam, which has a pearlescence combined with a seriously long wear. I think that's a really easy one and done that makes the look look finished."