Is there any better way to celebrate the full post-pandemic freedom of 2023 than watching live music in a field, surrounded by strangers who are living their best lives? More importantly, is there anything better than strutting your stuff in your fiercest outfits, pairing it with striking and provocative makeup looks?
For festivals, this is a prime opportunity to show the world your most bold and brilliant hair and makeup looks. And this year you can let your freak flag fly in a flurry of bohemian, disco and otherworldly inspired festival hair and makeup as you party from dusk till dawn.
In this rundown of our top festival makeup looks 2023, we were inspired by our favourite social media trends and runway ready looks. Whether you want to go extra with your look, or try something a bit more subtle, it’s completely up to you.
Get ready for those selfie close-ups – happy camping!
Embellished eyes
Who needs jewellery when you can embellish your eyes with gemstones, sparkles and glitter? Rainbow or metallic, face jewels applied to form perfectly symmetrical shapes around the eyes and forehead give us serious flamboyant fairy vibes. Shine bright like a diamond by using rhinestones to draw attention to geometric cat-eyes, or use simple strategic droplet placements in the corners of the eye or spread above the eyebrows to dramatic effect.
You can never have enough sparkle when it comes to festival makeup!
Space buns
Glitter, stars and space have had a HUGE renaissance, cropping up at festivals all over the place! Feel totally out of this world with super cute space buns festival hair – these work on both long and short hair!
Why not even try dying your hair a cosmic blue, purple or white for added effect? Paired with lashings of glitter hairspray and you’ll be the star of the show!
Gloss & glitter
The latest spring and summer runway shows proved that the noughties are back and better than ever, while 90’s and Y2K beauty trends rule social media feeds. Clear gloss is here to stay – even if your front hair strands get stuck in it!
It’s an innocent, nostalgic look, festival-worthy when paired with lashings of all-over glitter. You can go hard with your eyeliner and facepaint, whilst keeping your lips simple and sophisticated.
Gold-dust highlighter
Shimmering gold highlighter is a festival makeup must, and the good news is – it suits every skin tone! Dusted cheek and brow bones illuminate the face and give you a Greek goddess glow.
For a slightly different take on the trend, why not try rose gold highlighter? Forget feeling lacklustre, your beauty is indestructible with this queen-worthy effect.
Boho brows
Where brow trends go, we loyally follow. Soft, feathery, free spirited brows conjure images of the original boho chic set – think Sienna Miller and Kate Moss in the early 00’s at Glastonbury.
Paired with loose bed head waves this clean, understated brow look emulates the festival fashionistas of years gone by and a carefree, hippy beauty.
Peace and love, sisters!
Cosmic pastels
Pastel shades were hugely popular on spring and summer runways – and for good reason too! They are a soft, feminine way to recreate a slightly cosmic feel and soft space accent to your festival makeup look.
Versatile and playful, try this trend for pretty, fusion, festival makeup that’s from another galaxy. Our tip? Soft pink lips are youthful while lilac, mint and periwinkle shades can create a romantic eyelid shimmer.
Statement blush
Loud and proud statement blush is dominating festivals across the world. These peachy, exaggerated glows are easy to reproduce and look best on dark skin tones.
Funky iridescent pinks on the cheeks can pick up more hazy mixes of unicorn colours on eyelids, for an arresting, extraordinary beauty.
Ready to make a statement? Let’s go!
Diamonds are forever
Diamonds and embellishments aren’t just for the face. Keeping a clean parting in an updo means we can bejewel the roots of our hair for a fallen angel, pixie look.
Our tip? Team glitter and diamonds with a star dusted crown – a quirky, OTT, more is more approach to festival hair.
More metallic
Rise and shine with dazzling metallic nails and makeup! Go astral-inspired with your festival fashion and makeup looks this year, with shiny, shimmering effects that give us both subtle and steel.
2023 is all about looking towards a more positive future, so why not reflect that in your festival look too? Colour block, pick hues that flatter your particular complexion, and why not be a bit daring with a metallic lip too?
Bold eyeliner
Whether neon, pastel or ombre, bold eyeliner is a surefire way to make a statement. Take a festive twist on this classic and merge with another trend for maximum impact, or pair it back with minimal makeup for a truly standout look.
Easy to whip on and off at a festival too! What more can you ask for? Secret tip: purple is ALL the rage this summer.
Star daze
Another way you can embody festival cosmic girl cool vibes is with star-studded cheekbones. Things take a galactic twist with star-shaped jewels to frame the face, complementing sequins, embellishments or neon toned makeup for an interstellar display, peppered with foiled silver or gold celestial accents.
(Can you tell we love ‘out of this world’ looks for festivals? ‘Cause we do!
Freckled
As filters on TikTok and Instagram have shown us – no natural freckles? No worries. Faux freckles across the upper cheeks and bridge of the nose are easy imitations to create with a freckle pen or – dare we say it – brow pencil. They’re perfect for a more boho, sun-kissed festival look.
Not impactful enough? Glitter freckle fragments are the perfect partner to dancing the night away at the festival tent.
(Just make sure you limber up and stretch before digging out your best disco moves!)
Strobe light
Strobed colours, whether neon, pastel or an icy Millennium hues, are a perfect festival makeup look. Reminiscent of dance tent fluorescents, you can concentrate colour in the inner socket of the eye and create an incandescent flicker that catches the light.
One warning…don’t be surprised if people look twice!
So there you have it, our rundown of our top 2023 festival makeup looks!
For more guidance on festival makeup products as well as festival makeup tutorials why not check out your friendly neighbourhood Instagram feed for a boost of inspo!
Want more makeup look inspiration?
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