The beauty landscape is undergoing a significant transformation for summer 2025, as the era of heavy makeup gives way to a lighter, more ethereal aesthetic.
Gone are the days of intense blush, ultra-skinny brows, and dazzling diamante eye looks that defined 2024, with these fleeting trends predictably failing to endure.
Instead, the focus has pivoted towards an effortless freshness, championed by leading makeup artists.
This season sees a strong emphasis on natural eyes, subtle frosted finishes, and the growing integration of skincare within cosmetic products.
The shift signals a move towards enhancing natural beauty with a delicate touch.
Tinted SPF
Any dermatologist will tell you that the best thing you can do to prevent skin laxity and wrinkles isn’t Botox, but daily SPF.
However, sun creams have traditionally been either too oily, too chalky or too white to wear every day or sit comfortably under makeup.
This is why virtually every makeup brand is now releasing its answer to the problem: tinted SPFs.
“One of the biggest makeup mistakes I see is people not wearing SPF under their make-up,” says Charlotte Tilbury, the CCO and founder of her namesake brand.
“It is so important to wear SPF every day, even when it is not sunny outside, which is why we created the UV flawless poreless primer.”
“The rise in popularity of K-beauty this year has had an influence on our summer makeup trends. There is a lot of emphasis on skincare and ‘skinimalism’,” says celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist Ariane Young.
Tinted SPF, she explains, allows for “minimal coverage [and] evens out your skin tone while also giving a hydrated glowy look.”
Compared to BB or CC creams, tinted SPF is lighter and lends itself to the growing appetite for low-effort beauty.
“If you love that ‘no makeup, makeup’ look,” Ms Young says, “a tinted SPF is your best friend.”
And unlike most bases, the more you wear it, the better your skin will look, preventing pigmentation and redness.
Cool-toned eyes
A nostalgic nod to early-2000s shimmer is making its way back into our makeup bags.
Icy whites, sheer lavenders and frosted blues are back, only this time they’re less Paris Hilton and more Hailey Bieber.
“While icy, cool-toned eyeshadows were incredibly popular back in the late nineties and early Noughties, they were often chalky, hard to blend and unforgiving,” explains Ms Tilbury.
“We don’t want it to look like the Tin Man!” says Ms Young.
“The trick is to pick a focal point to avoid going too frosted with everything.”
A single frost-toned eye against matte skin and a neutral lip keeps the look more mature.
“Blend and diffuse the colour all over the lid so you have a light wash of colour,” says Ms Young.
If you’re not confident with eyeshadow, “you can always add a pop of colour with a fun eyeliner colour. This trend is all about having fun with make-up and is perfect for festival season”.
If you’re not used to icy tones, “there are ways of incorporating cooler-toned make-up into your everyday staples by swapping out your warm eyeshadows and gold glosses for greyer inspired shades”, explains MAC Cosmetics senior make-up artist for the UK and Ireland, Carly Utting.
“This may sound scary if you’re used to bronzes and warm tones, but a balance of both works wonders!”
She loves pairing a cool-toned lipliner with a honey lipstick in a nod to the ‘90s.
Ghost lashes
Subtle and almost imperceptible, the ghost lash has emerged as this summer’s biggest trend.
Wearing makeup without mascara may spark fear in most, but thick coats of mascara and showy falsies are no longer the go-to.
Makeup artist Mira Parmar describes it as “a minimalist, no-mascara or barely-there lash look”, one that’s become a red carpet favourite for celebrities like Zendaya, Sophie Turner, Hailey Bieber and Lily-Rose Depp.
“This effortless style gives your lashes a much-needed break from heavy products, looks naturally elegant, and saves time, making it a perfect match for the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic,” she says.
But this isn’t simply a fleeting fad, as Ms Parmar says.
“It’s more than just a trend, it marks a shift toward natural beauty and skin-first makeup, which is rooted in authenticity, minimalism and self-care.”
Diffused lips
Crisp, hyper-lined lips are out, and the messy, diffused, French girl lip is in.
“Creating the perfect lip shape is out, instead [people are] going for a more blended and blurred lip line,” says Ms Young.
“There’s a move towards a sheerer coverage plumped lip, enhanced by liner and filled with just gloss,” says Ms Utting, who says natural lips with a slight sheen is a trend “growing at a rapid rate”.
