You know that time right before sunset or sunrise when everything turns a gleaming shade of gold? Everything looks soft and diffused. Even without makeup, your skin has an ethereal glow, and your features pop. That, my friends, is golden hour, and it’s the inspiration behind the summer’s biggest beauty trend: “golden-hour makeup.” It’s currently going viral on TikTok, racking up millions of views (and counting). What is this makeup look all about? It’s essentially mimicking the effect of golden hour on the skin, with no sunset or sunrise necessary. “The golden-hour makeup trend is a look that captures that warm and glowing light at sunrise and sunset,” says celebrity makeup artist J Guerra. “This trend is skin focused and involves using warm, shimmery, and bronze-toned products to create a radiant and luminous glow. The final look is ethereal. It’s a magical play on light with how it illuminates makeup and skincare products and brings these reflective textures to life. The lighting does all the work for you.” Keep scrolling to learn everything you need to know about this summer’s biggest makeup trend.
One TikToker calls it “no-makeup makeup’s big sister.” So in other words, it’s a little more glamorous and golden without being too perfect or full coverage. Take it from Jamie Greenberg, celebrity makeup artist and the creator of Blighlighter and Bloss. She says golden-hour makeup is going viral because it’s the natural next step from other popular TikTok trends. “I think this trend is going viral on TikTok right now because it’s another form of the no-makeup makeup look,” she says. “Golden-hour makeup allows for a natural and glowy finish, which is what people are currently going for as opposed to a full-coverage look. This trend is also rather simple, so everyone can achieve it with a few simple products/steps.”
Celebrity makeup artist Andrea DiSabatino agrees that a natural-looking finish is key to this trend, saying she’s “thrilled” it’s going viral right now. “In a time when ‘baking’ and heavy contour have become the norm, I think it’s time for a change. Natural, dewy makeup is making its way back on-trend and is here to shine—pun intended. The goal is to create an overall lustrous glow using minimal product,” she adds.
Since the goal is to mimic the warm light of sunrise or sunset, it’s important to use only warm-toned makeup products. That doesn’t mean just traditional bronze, though. As celebrity makeup artist Elizabeth Seropian says, “It involves using peachy, golden, and bronze tones to achieve a luminous complexion and enhance natural beauty. The focus is on creating a fresh and dewy look with a touch of warmth and an ethereal glow.”
When applying golden-hour makeup, Guerra says the goal is to “create a real feeling of warmth.” When done right, golden-hour makeup “makes skin look youthful, balanced, and healthy. This look epitomizes the trend of natural, sun-kissed beauty. It allows you to bring ‘golden hour’ to all hours of the day using makeup and skincare products,” he adds. The best part? Guerra says it’s super inclusive and “can be adapted to various skin tones and features.” Keep scrolling to see the best makeup products to achieve golden-hour makeup.
“First things first—skincare!” DiSabatino says. “Always apply your moisturizer, eye cream, and serums before your makeup application.” Guerra agrees, adding that “moisturizers and serums with hyaluronic acid will give you the best sheen.”
“I recommend using the holy grail of SPF, Supergoop Glowscreen, which will prep your skin by leaving a golden hue,” DiSabatino says.
Seropian adds that a hydrating primer is a must-have for re-creating golden-hour makeup. This will make your skin look plump and smooth and grip makeup for a flawless application.
“Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint, which provides a semi-wet finish,” DiSabatino says. “Apply by using a damp Beautyblender ($20), which will allow the product to melt into your skin.”
DiSabatino recommends pairing the aforementioned skin tint with the brand’s concealer. She recommends using it for under-eye brightening and to spot-cover any blemishes.
Guerra’s bronzer of choice is this iconic one from Chanel. The cream formula blends easily into the skin, giving natural-looking definition to the face. He suggests creating a “halo effect” by only applying bronzer to the outside perimeter of the face as well as under the cheekbones.
DiSabatino loves this bronzer. “The applicator is in a stick form, making it super easy to target contour areas,” she says. “Once applied, use a thick brush to buff it out while also spreading the product toward the hairline.”
Speaking of a radiant, halo-like effect, Guerra has another golden-hour-makeup tip to share. “Blush can be underpainted to just barely show through the bronzer,” he says. This gives it a soft, diffused effect.
“For freshly pinched cheeks, I use my new favorite and current must-have by Merit, Flush Balm cheek color in Stockholm,” DiSabatino says. “The consistency of the product blends seamlessly into the skin, leaving a ‘just out of the sun’ look.”
“The absolute star of the glow show is, of course, your highlighter,” DiSabatino says. “My pick is Rare Beauty’s Positive Light Liquid Luminizer in the color Flaunt. Make sure to apply to any area where the sun would naturally hit your face, such as the top of your cheekbones, middle of your eyelids, bridge of the nose, brow bone, and a touch right on the Cupid’s bow of your lips.”
Here’s a good tip from Guerra: “While doing your makeup, be sure to have plenty of natural light to see how placement affects the visibility of shimmer in your makeup products. If natural light isn’t available, take the lampshade off of a lamp—the direct light from an incandescent bulb is a great substitute for sunlight. Avoid fluorescent lighting, as the color temperature will be too cool to read warmer tones.” Brilliant.
Guerra also likes this glow-enhancing stick from Chanel. It comes in multiple shades, so depending on the shade, you can use it as a bronzer, blush, or even eye shadow.
“Keep the eyes simple,” Guerra says. He recommends diffusing a brown eyeliner with powder bronzer on the top lash line and finishing off with a well-combed coat of mascara. It’s all about warm and sultry definition with minimal effort.
If you want to add a pop of color, reach for this golden-orange shadow stick, which comes recommended by Greenberg. “I love to use Lime Crime’s Electric Slide Eyeshadow and Brush Stick in the shade Totally Buggin, which is a shimmery, golden orange that is absolutely perfect for this look,” she says.
This mascara will make your lashes look fluttery and defined—not too heavy or bold—which is exactly what you want when creating golden-hour makeup. Remember, the more natural looking the better.
“Lips can be softly defined with skin-tone liners in slightly deeper shades and topped off with golden lip gloss or lip oil,” Guerra explains. “Creamy lipsticks in tones of honey and molasses can be used instead for a softer shine.”
“Many makeup artists have been using brown lip liner paired with a gold gloss. However, I personally prefer to use a high-intensity gloss,” DiSabatino says. She likes this one from Buxom. “It’s a perfect shade of mauve with a golden shimmer,” DiSabatino says. “There you have it—a jet-setter summer glow without the cost of an international plane ticket.”
When it comes to lip products, Greenberg recommends her very own product called Bloss. “[It’s] a hybrid between a balm and a gloss available in five shades for you to choose from. It provides just the right amount of shine to the lips without ever feeling sticky,” she says.
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