Between lips, lids, and liner, pink makeup has a way of highlighting and flattering whichever features you want it to. (I'm a sucker for a bold flamingo-pink statement lip, myself).
You don't have to go all out in order to incorporate a little color—swipe on subtle peachy shades or dive in with neon fuchsias. Choose your own adventure! The most important thing is that a pop of pink has a way of making everyone look instantly more alive, fresher, and a little bit happier. We reached out to the experts for their tips on the best pink makeup looks to suit each skin tone.
Meet the Expert
- Moon Ruiz is a makeup artist and CEO of LUNITA Beauty Co.
- Jeanine Lobell is a celebrity makeup artist and the founder of the high-performance makeup brand Neen.
Below, find 16 pink makeup looks that might just put a smile (and the desire to put magenta eyeshadow) on your face.
Pop of Color
Make your eyes the star of the show with a bubblegum-pink statement eye, à la Lily Collins. Use an eyeshadow stick all over your lid and blend it out into the crease, and apply a chocolate-brown eyeliner pencil to your bottom lash line for contrast. Dab highlighter in the inner corners of your eye to make them pop even further, and finish off the look with your favorite lengthening mascara.
Peachy Pink
Blending blush around your eyes is always a good idea. For this look, use a peachy-hued blush (in this case, KVD's Everlasting Blush in Poppy, $28) on both the apples of your cheeks and on your eyelids. Finish with a fuchsia lipstick and a glossy vinyl lip polish for an extra, contrasting pop of pink.
Matte Monochrome
“I love a monochromatic pink moment using the same color on the lip and cheek," says makeup artist Jeanine Lobell. "For this look, I used pink shadow on the lid, feathered into the crease. I used a cream blush high up on the apples and swept into cheekbones, with a little under the brow bone and on the top of the nose. Then, I placed a metallic silver shadow on the inner corner of the eyes and on the top of the cheekbones as a highlighter. I finished off the look with the same cream blush on the lip and some gloss.”
Lobell recommends Neen Pretty Shady Pressed Pigment in shades Glare ($25) and Sprinkle ($25) for the eyes and Going Rouge in shade Shake ($25) for the cheeks.
Statement Lip
Make your lips (and skin) the center of attention. Think of your favorite pink lipstick (in this case, Kaja Beauty's Heart Melter Lip Gloss Stick in Wink Wink, $19), then develop the rest of your makeup look from there. But keep the rest of the components subtle if you want your lips to be the center of attention—besides the pink pout, you can't help but notice her freckles, gorgeous skin, and dewy complexion (with just a touch of pink blush on her cheeks).
Eye Art
Get inspired by Euphoria and do your very own take on the glittery and bedazzled makeup looks the show has unwittingly become known for. You need some bright and bold eyeshadow hues with a metallic finish, like the shades in Huda Beauty's Neon Obsessions Palette ($31). Then, simply use lash glue and tweezers to apply embellishments or pearls, or get self-adhesive ones.
Liquid Liner
Combine different shades of pink in one look for ultimate cool-girl makeup. Between the peachy shadow, glowy skin, and coral lips, the bright-pink liner on her lids is the perfect, unexpected color contrast.
Royal Blush
Make a major statement with bold, out-of-bounds blush. It's all about placement—use a pigmented powder formula and focus on the apples of your cheeks, and blend it around your eyes with a smaller brush for a dramatic pop. Makeup artist Moon Ruiz says a good brush is key to perfect application. "A stippling brush has two different length bristles that work simultaneously to apply the product on the skin and push the product into the skin, a dome brush packs it in," says Ruiz. "These kinds of brushes tend to give more of an ‘airbrushed’ effect that seems to be very in right now and we absolutely love the results." A matte red lip is the perfect cherry on top.
Frosty and Glossy
We're loving Shay Mitchell's matching frosty disco pink lids and glossy lips here. Recreate the look at home with an eyeshadow palette that has varying degrees of shimmery and matte hues (like Huda Beauty's New Nude Eyeshadow Palette, $65).
Inside the Lines
If bold pink eyeshadow or monochrome makeup isn't your thing, try a subtler swipe of pink liquid eyeliner. Spice it up with a winged-out cat-eye outlined with a chalky white hue—and leave the rest of the look muted with a good sheer lip gloss. To keep the rest of the face looking even, Ruiz says recommends "using liquid or cream products to help minimize your pores. Pores and texture go hand-in-hand."
With a Red Lip
Whether we're talking about fashion or makeup, the color combination of "pink and red" is underrated. Where you'd think these colors would clash, they actually look incredible together. Case in point: This amazing pink eyeshadow look combined with a black cat-eye and a bold red lip.
Pink Vinyl
Even if you're intimidated by color, DJ Marley Parker's "pink vinyl" lids are a pretty cool way to test the bright-hued waters. Get the look by treating your lower lid with a bit of gloss and shimmer, while lining the crease with a magenta-pink shadow and blending upward. The finishing touch? Baby-pink lips courtesy of Dior Addict Lip Glow ($38) with a wet-look finish.
Rosy Monochrome
Makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes is known for her pink-on-pink moments and dewy looks (she's basically the master of glazed skin). And she definitely nailed this rosy monochrome vibe. A palette (like Urban Decay's Cherry Palette, $60) is perfect for matching your lids to underneath your lash line. Subtly mirror them with a muted, nearly nude (but still pink!) lip, like Bobbi Brown's Luxe Matte Lipstick in Semi Naked ($38).
Neon Bright
Proof that neon lids can be totally wearable. Pair them with a subtle, hydrated pink lip and a charcoal smoky eye along the lower lash line. (It transforms an otherwise precious and delicate look with something a little more bold and audacious).
A Little Shimmer
Not all pink makeup looks are ultra-feminine, but you can definitely take this as an excuse to embrace your inner girly girl. For an ultimate fresh and youthful throwback look, lean into baby pink and pair a shimmering liquid eyeshadow with a matching bubblegum gloss.
Glossy Lids
A lid gloss can be your best friend, especially if you consider yourself a girl-on-the-go. You can use different shades of lid gloss (like Glossier's Lid Star, $18) on your crease and lid, and subtly blend them. Then, use a matching pink lip gloss or smudge.
Soft Pastels
The beauty of pink makeup is that you can make it as vibrant or muted as you'd like. Take, for instance, this effortless (and borderline-neutral) look. Apply a dewy primer for a glowy base (like Revlon's hydrating Rose Glow Primer, $12), and a lustrous pink gloss to go with it. With the help of a little blush, the result will be a soft, monochromatic vibe that isn't too intense.