Festival makeup ideas: 20 looks to recreate this summer

Get inspired by these high impact festival beauty looks...

Updated on 04 Apr 2024

Content Writer

Gearing up for festival season is practically a full-time job. From navigating dizzying online ticket queues to perfecting your packing list, festival-going is for the organisational elite.

Naturally, hitting up the main stage and elbowing your way to the front calls for donning your most extravagant 'fit – and you'll need a makeup moment to match.

Festival beauty is a total joy. After all, what other occasion demands a level of glitz that would make a disco ball spin with envy?

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How to make your makeup last all day

Erring on the side of caution? Not in our book. We're staving off the rain with a dose of fiery optimism. A blast of sun will make your weekend sing, but it could wreak havoc with your makeup. Enter: our staying power saviours.

Primer and setting spray ought to be the bookends of your festival makeup routine. After applying your SPF (zero excuses – festivals are sunburn hotbeds), apply the former to create a super smooth canvas for your makeup to grip onto.

MORE: The 14 best bucket hats for festival season

READ: 7 outfit ideas that are utterly perfect for Glastonbury 2024

Once you're satisfied with your look, seal it in place with a mist of setting spray. This helps to lock everything down, ensuring that neither sweat, humidity, nor tears (it's a safe safe - no judgement) will disrupt your makeup.

Easy festival makeup ideas

Purple eyeshadow makeup — Gems and iridescence go together like a dream

Suffice to say, you'll be enjoying yourself to the max and that may not leave heaps of time for makeup application. Impact is key – think about what will pack a punch without requiring too much skill.

Face gems are a festival beauty classic, and those of the built-in adhesive variety demand very little effort, often even coming with an illustration to help you with gem arrangement. If Face Lace isn't already on your radar, rectify the situation immediately.

For those keen to champion brights, there are heaps of coloured mascaras and poppy eyeliners out there right now. 3INA, Kiko and MAC are all on hand to satisfy your colour fix.

But if all else fails, breathe easy, safely assured in the knowledge that you can always bedeck yourself in glitter.

Hello! Fashion shares the best festival makeup ideas to recreate this summer:

Heart rhinestones

Face gems are a super easy way of infusing your look with an element of dazzle. Opt for hearts for a playful, saccharine feel.

Mint and purple chrome

Woman with teal and purple chrome makeup

Early risers can afford to go more elaborate, showing off their technical skills. Combining flashy mint with pops of purple, this look is serving pure mermaidcore vibes.

Tiger lids

Animal obsessives will adore this tribute to the timeless tiger. Go in with a dusty orange shade and mimic the stripes with felt tip liner.

Retro swirls

All about Swinging Sixties psychedelia? This purple-centric look featuring vibrant swirls on the lids is seriously groovy.

Dark sparkles

Woman with dark eye makeup with silver and black gems

For moodier depth that still feels calculated and cool, go for grey smoke and crystal accents.

Rainbow brights

Woman with rainbow eyeshadow and white liner over the top

Vibrant and joy-inducing, rainbow shades feel very in line with the festival spirit.

Blue gems

Aqua, cerulean and azure, assorted glitzy blues can be really effective at making the eyes pop.

Neon flowers

Woman with thick black eyeliner and neon flower accents

A black base with luminous accents is a great way to put a striking spin on the negative space look.

Y2K shimmer

Woman with grey smokey eyeshadow and face gems

Channel the It-girls of the 2000s, and lean into Y2K shimmers. The frosted lips trend is not for the fainthearted, but it makes for a seriously standout pout.

Purple power

Woman with purple eyeliner with face gems dotted around

Emphasise graphic shadow shape with scattered delicate gems.

Chrome studs

Iridescent studs packed around the eye socket and raining down over the face is the ideal way to make a statement, layered over a fresh, minimal base.

Quirky butterfly

Another beautiful option if you have a steady hand, this butterfly design is super cute.

Pale graphic liner

Wanting to keep things abstract and effortless? Opt for flowy liner in soft white or a dusty pastel shade.

Vibrant cut crease

Woman with sharp colourful cut crease makeup

Stunning and graphic, this multi-coloured cut crease looks beautiful alongside sweeping cat-like liner.

Glitter lashes

Did somebody say disco? These glittery lashes are giving major dazzle, and we can't get enough.

Diva sparkles

Woman with disco sparkle purple eye makeup

For unadulterated diva energy, this look featuring a hypnotising blend of purple and silver glitter is the one.

Glossy lids

Fuss-free chic? Glossy, iridescent lids with matching lips screams 'I am a bit too cool to be here.' Duh.

Pink gem wash

Woman with pink eyeshadow and glittery studs

A hazy wash of pink with a smattering of gems? It's giving off-duty Barbie, and we're into it.

Diamante clusters

For a really pretty summer look, go for warm bronze tones over the eye. Add sparkly clusters for a sense of occasion, and you're ready to hit up the main stage.