When the heat of the week gives way to the abandon of Friday, and the summer sun takes up residence well into the evening, it is the moment to place your bets on makeup looks that channel the season’s easy, golden glows. Summer Fridays encourage us to trade in the structured neutrals of the workweek for fresh, radiant, and playful looks that highlight and bring out natural beauty with vibrant palettes, shimmering textures, and sun-kissed warmth. Regardless of whether you’re more of a low-key, barely-there type or like to grab everyone’s attention with the help of bolds and shimmering finishes, these 12 Summer Friday makeup looks will supply you with those glam options. Each outfit is styled to refresh your weekend look and give your glam that extra boost for casual beachside hangs, street hangs, and sweet rooftop nights under the stars. Dive in, and find your perfect makeup mood for those long, carefree Fridays of dreams.
1. Golden Hour Glow-Up
Look lit from within, courtesy of the magic of the golden hour with an illuminating, light-ain’t-no-mirror-needed radiant glow that flatters all sides of the face. Begin by applying a super hydrating primer to help ensure your makeup stays fresh and dewy all day. Sounds like unthreatening foundation or tinted moisturizer time to keep redness and discoloration at bay without covering up your texture or freckles, just so your skin looks somewhat alive and glowing. “Hate to say it, but a liquid or cream highlight on moderately high points of the face — cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone, Cupid’s bow — will give an ‘icing’ on the cake, super-wet look that captures light beautifully. Pick warm tone blushes in peach and terracotta hues and merely dust across the cheeks to up the sun-kissed ante. For eyes, select soft bronze or golden shadows with a gentle shimmer that reflects light without overwhelming. Round out with a nude or peachy lip gloss for a hint of shine and a settings spray to seal it all in while still maintaining the skin’s bright, dewy finish. Peekaboo shoulders are a stylish and simple way to show some skin, whether you are wearing this look to a summer rooftop party, a sunset dinner or just posting for a photo op- golden hour is minimum factor vibe.
2. Barely-There Beachy Beauty
This month we are all about embracing natural beauty for a makeup look that flies as high and as lightly as the sea breeze. The ‘Barely There Beachy Beauty’ look is all about playing up your best features with a handful of products and letting your skin’s soft radiance and natural texture take centre stage. Begin with a skin tint or a light BB cream that erases imperfections, but allows your freckles and natural glow show through. Ditch the heavy contouring, and apply a cream blush in coral or soft pink with your fingers to create a flush that’s reminiscent of a natural sun-kissed flush from the outdoors. Groom your brows with a clear or tinted gell, and comb them upward for a feathered, done-undone look to channel the beach-day vibe. Apply a coat or two of waterproof mascara to darken lashes but not overpower them, and a hint of shimmery cream eyeshadow or a smudge of neutral shades that help make the eyes stand out without shouting. End with a hydrating lip balm or lightly tinted lip oil that gives enough color and moisture to your lips. An otherworldly body lionizer above your collarbones and on your shoulders create the perfect finish, recalling the reflection of sun on saltwater. This no-makeup, fresh-face look is ideal for those kind of casual summer Fridays when you want to look polished but not overly done up, from a beach bar to an outdoor market.
3. Punchy Coral Pop
If you’re someone who likes a splash of color to boost your spirits and your outfit, Punchy Coral Pop is a bright but wearable way to wear summer’s bolds. The attention nose here is a whopping coral lip that’s attention-grabbing but won’t put the rest of your face to shame. Begin with a semi-matte foundation or natural finish base, which will make the color pop. Apply a coral cheek color to the apples of cheeks and blend upwards to the temple for a creamy and glowing lift. Keep the eyes more neutral with softer matte browns and warm beige tones in the crease or try the monochromatic route, sweeping coral shadow onto the lids and completing the look with matching lips. A sheer flick of brown liner and a couple coats of volumizing mascara will define eyes without clashing with the bold lip. The coral lip, in the latter case — you can gut the clown — might be matte, for a contemporary look, or glossy, for a juicer, summery one. It looks amazing with tanned skin and white or neutral palettes, which makes it perfect for a daytime rooftop lunch, garden party, or a laid back summer date. It’s playful, energetic, and colorfully bright, an ideal way to turn your Friday into a celebration of summer itself.
4. Rosy Radiance Romance
This style is all about lightness, sweetness and romance – think the soft flushed glow you get in summer evenings as your bask in the warm light of the sun. The Rosy Radiance Romance takes a look at the layers of pinks and rose on the face to achieve one unison tinted glow. Begin with a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer: Just enough to even out the skin, but not weigh it down. Swipe a pink creamy blush onto the apples of the cheeks, a little towards the temples and maybe even across the nose like you’d have swirled the product out with the sun or a cool breeze. Use a rose-hued shimmer as a highlight for a celestial glow that is from within. And the eyes, you’ll have to stick with mauve or dusty rose shadows, and then don them with a soft blend into the crease for depth and warmth. Apply a couple of coats of lengthening mascara and an inner eye pink shimmer to open your eyes lengthen your gaze. End with a rosy satin lipstick or a soft pink gloss that enhances your natural lip shade, without being heavy or to much. This undone look is sexy and carefree — perfect for a romantic dinner or walking along the water, or for any summer Friday night when you want to look low-effort enchanting.
5. Bronze Bombshell
Embrace your inner goddess in a shimmering honey and rich bronze look that’s as golden and glowing as you are. The Bronze Bombshell is all about luxurious, golden tones on sun-kissed skin, baring just the right amount of skin for hot summer nights. Begin with the perfect foundation and perfect it with a foundation that delivers media to full coverage with a natural finish, All-day wear. Create added definition and structure by applying cream contour shades in warm brown to the hollows of your cheeks, jawline and forehead. Apply a deep, metallic bronze highlight to the high points of your face for a glossy, mirror-like shine reminiscent of liquid gold. For lids, swim in deep bronze, copper and warm olive shadows -a sultry, smoky feel. Line with a cushy kohl pencil, smudging it for a sexy, smoky feel, and finish with a few coats of volumizing mascara. Give your brows a sharp bold look with a little filling in so that they stand up to the drama. Complete the look with a nude lip in caramel or cinnamon colors to coordinate with the bronze heat. This look has a lot of strength, not just sophistication, and is basically summer-sultry and ready to Mack in the sky with diamond threats meant for rooftop martini parties and beach lounges that only open once the sun kisses the horizon goodnight or any Friday night you want to sparkle like the star you are.
6. Popsicle-Stained Lips
Take the light and fun imbued with summer’s youthful spirit into fall with lips that appear stained from a melting popsicle — soft, sweet, and a little messy in the best way. The secret to this look is in the pastel-y diffuse color, as if you were a kid who just finished sucking on a lollipop, and the frozen juice left an all over tint on your mouth. Begin by exfoliating with a gentle scrub to smoothen your lips and then apply a hydrating balm to keep them soft. Then, taking a lip tint or stain in juicy colors, a cherry red or raspberry, say, or a bright orange, dot the product onto the center of your lips with the tip of your finger and blend it outside to achieve a gradient. Everything else on your face should remain relatively minimal to draw attention to your lips: a sheer, moisturizing skin tint or light foundation, a hint of cream blush that mirrors the lip color and, if necessary to avoid any shine, a light dusting of translucent powder. Define lashes with a brown mascara, for a fresh, light-eyed focus and eschew any heavy liners for a younger feel. Very lightly dust the apples of your cheeks with a tiny bit of the same lip tint on the apples of your cheeks to bring the look together. The sexy flirty feel is perfect for fun style summer Fridays, outdoor markets, picnic dates, late afternoon movies under the stars, the list goes on capturing the escense of summer fun and relaxation moments.
7. Shimmering Sunset Eyes
Turn your lids into a mesmerizing sunset of pink and peach with the Shimmering Sunset Eyes look — a gorgeous mix of tangerine, rose gold, lavender and soft peach tones that mimic the sky’s shifting colors from day to night. Start with a coat of eyeshadow primer to make sure those bright colors stay put as you gallivant around summer nights. (To create a warm base, swipe a warm peach or soft orange into the crease and blend upward toward the brow bone. Pat a rose gold shimmer or metallic shadow onto the lids to illuminate each blink. To add some extra dimension and drama, blend in a whisper of lavender or soft purple on the outer corners of your lids or along your lower lash line to mirror the deepening of the sky at dusk. Finish the eyes with fluttery, feathery lashes — natural or amped up with falsies — and gently groom the brows for a clean frame. Let the rest of the makeup remain warm and fresh; sweep on bronzer and a peachy blush to thread the look together. On your lips, gravitate toward a nude or peachy hue with a glossy formula, so they don’t compete with your statement eye colors. This look is all about embracing summer’s natural array of colors, so it’s great for music festivals, dancing on rooftops, and spending stylish evenings with friends this summer! It’s bright, but easy to wear; vibrant, yet elegant.
8. Fresh-Faced with Floating Liner
Modern Minimalism Make a statement by showing off fresh, glowing skin and a bold graphic floating liner. It’s a fashion-forward yet totally wearable style to give you that little bit of weekend makeup flair. Begin by prepping skin with a light, luminous primer and a skin tint or tinted moisturizer, which will keep your skin looking fresh and natural. Spot conceal any blemishes and patches but refrain from over contouring to make the skin look dewy and glowing. The eyeliner is this look’s star: Peer into your beauty arsenal for a playful, summery option (like turquoise, lime green, some crisp white) and, with a deft hand, press its sharp edge along the crease above your natural one, creating a graphic, floating shape that renders an element of unexpected surprise to your makeup. Keep the rest of the eyes understated — run a clear or barely there black mascara through your lashes and skip liner on the waterline or lash line to let the floating liner take center stage. Try a soft, cream blush in peach or pink for a healthy, rosy flush to the cheeks, and top with a glossy nude lip balm or balm-like lipstick for a hint of shine. It’s playful and arresting and fun but not so much that you feel like you’ve got clumps on your face; this is for a night up on the roof or wandering an art gallery, and it’s for when you want people to be talking about your makeup, to see a slightly crazier, bolder, artist you.
9. Glossed & Glory Glam
Revel in moisture and a radiant glow with a highlighter that features a shimmer that radiates with a beautiful glow from every angle. The Glossed & Glory Glam is a natural looking, fresh faced, plump skin livened up with glossy lids and lips that catches light in the most beautiful way. Start with a luminous primer containing light reflecting particles and layer on a dewy foundation that blends into the skin for a shining finish. Pat on a cream or balm highlighter on the higher points of your cheekbones, temples and the bridge of your nose for extra wattage to your already brilliant glow. For the eyes: Go with a warm metallic palette of neutrals (champagne, rose gold, and muted bronze) for a hint of shimmer and definition. Ditch stark eyeliner and instead subtly smudge shadow along the lash line, topping it with coats of mascara for feathery-full lashes. The lips are the star of this show: Begin with a nude or pale pink lip pencil to define the shape, then finish with a high-shine gloss that seems juicy and inviting. Lightly pat gloss on eyelids for a wet, editorial finish that reflects the light in unpredictable ways, for an avant-garde spin. This make-up look is universally flattering, classy, and perfect for special summer dinners out, nights on the town or whenever you want to look like you’re radiating with natural-born beauty, elegance and that indescribable “I’m here!” factor.
10. Watercolor Pastel Wash
Add a little artistic flair to your summer Fridays and create a graceful, watercolor-inspired pastel makeup look that fades soft hues together to make one dreamy ethereal makeup look. A soft blend of colors can look like it was almost hand-painted for a feminine and whimsical look that’s great any time during the day, or for a bit of a different look for a night out. Opt for cream or powder shadows in lavender, baby blue, mint green, or soft pink. Mix one or two shades on your eyelids to create soft gradations, such as lilac fading gently into peach, or mint combining with light pink. The idea is for the finish to be a little sheer and diffused with no harsh lines nor excessive pigmentation. Make sure your base is light and fresh, with light foundation or a tinted moisturizer and a dab or two of cream blush in pastel shades to match. Hight light with a hint of shimmer that leaves eyes looking softly colorful. Opt out of black mascara here; use a light brown or white mascara to keep the overall soft-focus effect. Finish off the look with a tinted balm or sheer gloss on lips in complementary pastel hues. This is a style that’s just right for garden parties, summer brunches and when you need to show off your flirty, feminine side in an easy and contemporary way!
11. Tropical Flush
The tropical flush look – transport the energy of a tropical island into your make up look with the tropical flush collection, filled with ocean inspired blues, corals and jasmine for a pop of energizing color. This piece, cool girl undone curl look utilizes deep pinks, frosty oranges and warm red tones to bring a vibrant, hot flush to the face for a healthy, warm glow. Start with a breathable, glowing base that allows your skin to look natural and healthy – say no to a heavy, cakey foundation that kicks your natural skin texture to the curb. Layer on bright beachy blushes in shades of fuchsia and tangerine, swathing them over the apples of your cheeks and temples to achieve a gotten-in-Miami effect. Sweep cream eyeshadow in matching colors (think a light, bright tangerine, or pretty coral) over your lids, blending gently. Enhance your eyes with mascara and groom your brows to beautifully frame your face – keeping it natural and harmonious. For lips, try a matching bold lip and soften it down with a sheer gloss that subtly suggest color. This hot, colorful look is ideal for warm-weather nights out, poolside soirees or any outdoor summer fiesta when you want your makeup to match the fire and energy of your environment. It’s a paragraph full of delight, coziness and party rolled into one.
12. Champagne Chic
And for an elegant, timeless wrap up to your summer Friday makeup, the champagne chic gives all skin tones and occasions an instantly elegant, glowing finish. This look honors the decadent shine of champagne shades you can wear all day or all evening, lifting your look with muted metallics and a wash of shimmer. Begin by perfecting skin, try a light foundation that won’t cover up your skin’s natural glow but can add to it. Accentuate your cheekbones, brow bones and cupid’s bow with a champagne highlight, dot and blend onto skin and pat excess product for a satin finish that delicately reflects the light. Similar products apply and blend several shades of champagne matte, shimmer and pop shimmer on the eyes to create depth and dynamic. Define the eyes with a soft winged liner in a bronze or brown to not take away from the soft tones and add mascara for length and volume. Finish off the look by wearing a peachy nude lipstick with metallic champagne gloss. For that added red-carpet-worthy touch, you can also add a touch of shimmer to your collarbone & shoulders area to make the most of that natural glow and leave your skin with a beautiful polished finish. Wear this look to weddings, cocktail parties, or any evening out this summer when you want to exude bare-faced radiance with a sun kissed glow.
These 12 makeup looks are the very definition of summer Fridays—each is meant to refresh, accentuate and celebrate your natural beauty with a dash of glamour to suit every mood and every occasion. With options ranging from whisper-light, barely-there hues to rich, pigment-saturated color, not to mention a handful of shimmer and metallic finishes, there’s a style to suit every preference up in here. Summer Fridays are a time to shine, to be your most radiant, confident self while feeling unencumbered — take these looks as your beauty arsenal for crafting those off-the-hook weekend memories under the blazing, boundless summer sun. Let your makeup mirror your mood, your soul and the endless possibilities of summer fun.
